Demands transfer of partisan officials and placement of impartial law enforcement
PEREN, OCTOBER 9 (MExN): The Nagaland Zeliang People's Organization (NZPO) has demanded that the Nagaland state government act fairly in the dispute over Lamhainamdi. The call for “fair and reasonable” action was contained in a letter, it wrote to the Chief Secretary on October 9. The letter to the Chief Secretary coincided with the Western Sumi Youth Front’s meeting in Kiyevi village wherein it reiterated to stand by its ultimatum issued to the state government on September 21, while it accused the government of inaction and being discriminative in the matter.
The NZPO letter also stated that the government “should be fair, just and reasonable” and “must only act in the interest and for the ends of justice.” It said that Lamhainamdi, despite being “in the right, has been the victim” and that the government must not allow “the strong arm tactics of the guilty party to prevail.”
According to it, the dispute is rather easy to solve for the government “if viewed objectively.” The government only needs to put in place impartial law enforcement agencies and prevent “anti-social elements” from creating undesirable situation, it said. It added that the Lamhainamdi landowners have no intention to harm anyone.
On the other hand, it said that the government will not be able to absolve itself of the consequences if the current situation is allowed to prevail.
While stating that the WSYF has no right to issue ultimatums and that such tactics does not bode well for all, it held that the WSYF has no business inviting “itself into an issue which is not of its concern.” It added, “The Lamhainamdi village has no quarrel with or done anything against the said organization.”
As for Lamhainamdi, it said that the village has acting by the parameters of the law.
Meanwhile, it accused the state government of sleeping over the NZPO representations demanding eviction of “illegal encroachers,” and instead springing to action “by setting up a partisan Joint Verification Committee” when the WSYF submitted an ultimatum.
In this regard, it said that, on September 28, the NZPO was informed of the Joint Verification Team scheduled to visiting Lamhainamdi on September 29. On the appointed day, however, it said that the verification team took a tour of the village without inviting the NZPO and Lamhainamdi village authority. “A verification process involves collecting of facts in the presence of all stakeholders and a reasoned evaluation of the facts and arriving at a final finding thereon. In the present case, the Joint Verification Team followed no such process,” it said, while adding that any report submitted by the “would be baseless, biased and unsustainable.”
The NZPO further cited its version of the historical context of Lamhainamdi, the formation of Kiyevi village and how over the years since, the latter gave birth to the ongoing dispute.
Given the “facts and circumstances,” the NZPO held that the government should refrain from interfering with the ongoing development activities of the Lamhainamdi village and called for the transfer of “partisan officials presently posted in the area and putting in place impartial law enforcement agency in the area as protection.”
