Dimapur, June 19 (MExN): Stated as the head GB of Inavi Village, a person Hevuto today gave an account of the “eviction” carried out on June 16 by armed cadres of the NSCN (IM). In a press note received here, Hevuto said around 150 NSCN (IM) armed cadres razed Inavi village consisting of about ‘500’ houses. No prior notice was stated to have been served to the villagers to vacate. Interestingly, the issue of Invai village’s name being changed to “United Naga village” was alleged to be by a group with vested interest to encroach into Inavi’s land.
At around 8:00-9:00 am when almost all the villagers were in the fields, the NSCN (IM) activists surrounded the village and after giving only about 10 minutes to those who were present in the village at that time. They were told to remove their personal belongings and began torching all the houses. In the process, about rupees “one crore” worth of public property were damaged, destroyed and razed, it was claimed.
Hevuto further said that church properties destroyed included cash amounting to rupees three lakh, the church building and all the mission properties, bibles and hymnals were burned. The mission’s granary containing about 500 tins were also burned. Cut timbers and furniture for constructing and expanding the church totaling to about 250 ft were also burned.
Thus, Hevuto stated, church property worth Rs. 5, 00,000 were burned by the NSCN (IM). As far as the casualties suffered by the public, the press note informed that one Hosheli, 40, suffered a deep wound on the right thumb from a Naga Dao. One Marila Yimchunger, 45 was also wounded by a pistol shot to the right shoulder and is said to be admitted in Dimapur Civil Hospital. Moreover, many women folk and aged villagers were trashed and injured, Hevuto alleged.
Hevuto also claimed that the “first encroachers into the Intanki Wild Life Sanctuary and National Park was the Beisumpukam village in the year 1992”. It regretted that the government has not taken any action against nor evicted it till date. On the other hand Inavi village which was considered for establishment of the village on the basis of representation to ADC Dimapur, DC Kohima and Commissioner Nagaland was made by the then Home Commissioner Nagaland TCK Lotha on April 22. However, it was mentioned that due to various problems the government of Nagaland had shifted Inavi village to its present location and has yet to be recognized even after a period of 15 years.
He claimed that Inavi village was established subsequent to the Beisumpukam village in the year 1994 and has so far been evicted twenty seven times since its inception. The ‘head GB’ stated Inavi villagers have resolved that until and unless all the others or remaining encroachers are evicted, Inavi village shall also stand firm on its decision not to budge.
It was stated that the process for recognition of Inavi village with the government of Nagaland has been going on for fifteen (15) years. “In the meantime, injustice has time and again been committed upon the Inavi village in the form of double standard policy adopted by the government of Nagaland in corroboration with NSCN (IM),” alleged the press note. In the year 2007 (Sept. 29), it stated, another eviction drive was carried out by the NSCN (IM) by torching Inavi village. The media’s covering the incident assessed the destroyed property of Inavi village at Rupees 36 lakh, it said
Vested Interests questioned
Hevuto further alleged that some vested persons with selfish motives are betraying the trust of the village elders and have started providing false information that there has been change in the nomenclature of Inavi Village to “Naga United Village” as published on June18. It was said to have been issued by advisor of the Sumi Hoho Vitokhe Assumi and the president of Western Sumi Hoho Hokiye Yepthomi.
“Here the question is whether they were authorized by the Sumi Hoho and the Western Sumi Hoho or for that matter the Inavi village to change the nomenclature of the village. If so, when and where was it made?” the press note questioned. The village head went on to allege that the two signatories have recently formed their own group and had started encroaching into the land claimed by the Inavi village for the past 15 years “and have cleverly manipulated facts but without any documentary proof unlike the Inavi village and confusing the NGO’s, the Government and the Public into believing that there is such a village called Naga United village that exist instead of the Inavi village”.
The press note also clarified that to the general public that Inavi village should not be construed as a purely Sumi village. It claimed that the present Inavi village consist of various tribes members namely Yimchunger, Chakhesang, Phom, Ao, Chang, Rengma, Khiumangung, Konyak and the Sumi which may be verified and ascertained.
“Our sincere request to the chief minister Nagaland, his Councils of Ministers, parliamentary secretaries, advisors, legislators, representatives of tribal hohos and the ENPO is that whatever decisions that is to be made in the meeting that is being convened on June 20th 2009 should be by taking into consideration all the relevant factors and such decision should be wisely made and in the interest of its citizens,” added the press note.
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