DIMAPUR, JANUARY 6 (MExN): The Joint Coordination Committee of Villages for Dimapur District (JCCV) has termed the Nagaland Government decision on the bifurcation of Dimapur district as “hasty.”
A press release from the JCCV reiterated the statements made by the Aqahuto Tokukujo Kukami Kuqhakulu, Sema-Dimasa Union, and the conglomeration of 41 villages against the government notification and their desire to remain with Dimapur district.
“The hasty decision of the government to create new district without formality for broad consultation among the stakeholders and opportunity to express their mutual interest or iron out their differences, remains questionable,” the JCCV said.
It opined that such arbitrary decision of the government “at the behest of certain section of people while keeping half the population in the dark” is not only undemocratic but tantamount to fomenting misunderstanding among Naga family.
“Such injustice is divisive and contrary to the message of unity that the Nagaland Government espouses,” it added.
The committee reminded that Dimapur district is a “special place in Nagaland where all the tribes of Nagaland have learnt to live together in harmony, the minorities and the major communities alike; each community rightly cherish it as home.”
“Such spirit of bonhomie should be promoted,” it asserted and urged the government to protect the rights and aspiration of the minority and avoid arbitrary fragmentation of the minorities against their wishes and welfare.
“It is this less used threads that add colour and makes the Naga shawl beautiful. It is pertinent to mention that, to keep away the Dimasas elsewhere from Dimapur district shall be equivalent to deprivation of their identity right and threat to their aspiration for meaningful existence as part and parcel of Naga Community,” the JCCV pointed out.
Likewise, it maintained that the Gorkhas, “who are another prominent minority group within Naga community and few villages established by fellow Eastern Nagas form an integral part of Dimapur district and their rights and aspiration must be respected and carefully safeguarded from further marginalization.”
The committee added that Dhansiripar sub-division has a long standing unresolved inter district boundary issue of Dimapur-Peren Districts which cannot be overlooked. “It is lamentable that the Dimapur-Peren districts boundary issue has intermittently resulted to ugly showdown and bloodshed among our fellow Naga brethren. Therefore, without solving the problem at hand, formation of new district and amalgamation of Dhansiripar sub-division to it would be premature and opening another Pandora’s box is to be best avoided,” it advised.
The JCCV expressed displeasure at the “autocratic reorganizing of villages into new district without their consent” and asked the Nagaland Government to safeguard the rights and aspiration of the people of the 41 villages to remain with Dimapur district.
It urged the government to reconsider its “unacceptable” notification and resolve the issue before January 20, “failing which, the people of the 41 villages would be constrained to go to the extent of hunger strike to reclaim their rights and aspirations.”
