Newmai News Network
Kohima | June 25
Nagaland Home minister Imkong L. Imchen has said that border issues should be mutually settled and also need to have good neighborly relations. He however expressed apprehension that the manner in which the Assam Government was encroaching areas of Nagaland is not ‘friendly in nature.’ Addressing a news conference at his official chamber in the Secretariat here on Wednesday, Imkong revealed that recently the Nagaland Commissioner and the Director General Police were sent to make on-the-spot study about encroachments by Assam. Assam is still continuing to encroach into Naga areas, he said. “Therefore, I thought it is not a friendly act on the part of Assam,” he said adding “We need to have good neighborly relation.
You can’t avoid Assam. You can’t avoid the Nagas”. He said that geographical and specific locations have to pass through, but the way they (Assam) are doing “is not good neighborly action,” Imchen added. He also regretted that the matter has been taken up with the Assam government through the State Commissioner and several letters have been written including to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Supreme Court. But, the minister lamented, Assam is not even acknowledging them.
In this connection, Imkong disclosed that he along with some legislators from Longleng and Mokokchung districts accompanied by Nagaland Home Commissioner, Director General of Police and Additional Director General (Operations) would be having a joint consultation with Phom People’s Council and Ao Senden at Tuli Paper Mill soon.
Imkong said that the degree of encroachment by Assam has become ‘monumental.’ “We had so many agreement with them (Assam) but they are not respecting those agreements and therefore we trying to take this tribal hohos into confidence, share each others view points as to what and how the situation should be dealt,” Imkong said.
The encroached areas of Nagaland by Assam is quite huge at around 6-7 square kilometers, it was informed. Assam is also accused of illegally constructing quite a good number of police outposts, including a police battalion in the encroached areas. The government has requested Ao Senden and Phom Tribal Council to have a joint discussion and study the border situation with Assam, especially Yonglok, Ladaigarh and the Anaki ‘C’ areas as it has come to a flashpoint, he said.
