DIMAPUR, AUGUST 11 (MExN): The war of words over the unsettled boundary demarcation between Peren district and the erstwhile Dimapur district and the interconnected land dispute continues.
The Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) issued a press release today referencing a recent press statement issued by a conglomeration of Zeliangrong civil society organisations. The release said that the WSH was compelled to clarify on what was termed as “repeated allegations by Peren CSOs on the issue of boundary demarcation between Peren district and some Sumi villages.”
“Calling Sumis as non-traditional land owners who are encroaching on the land belonging to Zeliangrongs is misleading, uncalled for and very unfortunate,” it said.
While stating that if the Sumis have mighrated from Zunheboto to settle in the “vast unsettled” lands, which once belonged to the Mikirs and Kacharis, on the same note, it held that a majority of the present Peren district is also settled by “non-indigenous migrants” from Manipur.
It went on to claim that the land encroached in Intangki Reserve Forest by Beisumpuikam village is inhabited by migrants “who are claiming themselves as traditional landowners.” It further named Jalukie New, Jalukie Zandi, Jalukielo and Mhaikam as settled by “non- indigenous settlers from Manipur state.”
The present Jalukie (town) was settled by Mikirs up till the 1950s and formely known as Panti/Halelu, it said, while adding that it came to be renamed as Jalukie only after the formation of Nagaland state.
It termed as baseless and unfounded an allegation that the WSH turned down a September 2020 peace meeting. On contrary, it claimed that a few days after the contested meeting, plantations at Khehoi village were destroyed by miscreants, even as the WSH attempted to reach out to the Peren CSOs. Similar incidents have occurred as well following that, it claimed.
On the indefinite blockade of NH 129A, the WSH said that it will not remain a mute spectator. Conversely, it expressed desire for dialogue to sort out any misunderstanding “instead of throwing wild allegations in the press which will only lead to more animosity and bitterness among the brothers.”
