An article by Mr. Joel Nillo Kath titled “Land And Western Sumi Hoho” that appeared in Morung Express (24th June 09) ends with a suggestion that right thinking Sumi religious leaders should come out of their silence. I am not a leader but a concerned Naga who had been silently reading this problem of Intanki occupation and invasion. However breaking my silence as Mr. Nillo suggest, I would like to reflect some of my thought based totally based on what I have read from the paper:
The problem of land among the tribal people is common and it needs elderly people with detail knowledge about land and history to pass their judgment. Hence I concede myself as unqualified to pass judgment to this problem. Honestly, I don’t know much about the history or the status of the two Intangki villages in the government record or whatsoever nor is this problem related to me in anyway. However these limitations does not nullify me to reflect into developments that have been building around this “Intangki Land dispute”. The reflection here carries with it a simple man’s (or woman’s) views who reads this problem everyday in the newspaper but has been silent. It might represent to some extend, some group of readers who like me reads it everyday and felt helpless for many reasons: like not wanting to get into problem with any group of people or individual, feeling of helplessness despite having genuine concern and seeing the savage-like atmosphere in this dispute.
As I break my silence I would like to begin with the article responsible for breaking it. Mr Nillo begins with a convincing court trail scenario wherein two men raped a beautiful girl. Mr Nillo aptly said that Beisumpukam village is the first rapist and the WSH (actually Inavi Village) is the second rapist. This is where I agree with him for the second time since I agreed with him to break my silence. But the problem is now from the July 2nd Nagaland post article “The Inlanders on Ntangki” by Namnabi Hegui (Secretary, The Inlanders League, Peren) where Mr. Namnabi claims that Beisumpukam village are land owners and rapists (encroachers). I think Mr. Nillo and Mr. Namnabi Hegui should settle this difference of Beisumpukam village first: the first rapist (encroachers) or the land owners and then give a join press release to clarify this contradiction about the history of the same village. I hope their join press release would carry a little bit of politeness rather then emotional outburst against the Sumis.
As I agree more with Mr. Nillo, I also keep wondering why Mr. Nillo has generalized Inavi village (I’m prefer to use Inavi village and not the other name ‘united Naga village’, as suggested by some people here because Inavi village has longer history to support it while the other name is a new invention without disregarding its validity) to mean WSH (Western Sumi Hoho). For WSH in the first place not a name of a village but an apex body of Sumi tribe in the Western part of Nagaland. I am concerned about this grave mistake because the WSH as far as my assumption is concern, is simply giving all necessary help because Inavi village falls under its jurisdiction. It is the duty of WSH to protect its people in as much as Mr.Nillo is trying hard to safe guard the Beisumpukam village in his writing. The respective Hoho of Beisumpukam village would have done the same if it was the Beisumpukam village, which was razed, and not the Inavi Village. It is a demand for justice that is voiced out here by the WSH. Ofcourse, I admit that not all people involved in this seem to be with good motive.
Then let me also break my silence regarding the Government’s attitude towards this problem. I once again agree with you, Mr. Nillo when you blamed the government for its inaction or ‘lack of political will due to powerful interest’ as you insisted. But did you ever check the status of Beisumpukam village under government with regard to its geographical location because it seems to be under the Intangki reserved land. The government’s failure to strongly carry out the eviction might be because if they act they have to evict both the villages because both fall under Intangki including those farmlands (if any) belonging to some of our leaders. This might have perhaps crippled the Government in this matter. Thus this Intangki land dispute is clearly politicized and tribalized, which has landed the Government in between two edge swords. I’m confused whether justice here according to Mr. Nillo is to evict both the village and also the farmlands or to evict only Inavi villagers? I leave this question open to him and to all readers.
Let me also break my silence about other related factors here- why did Our NSCN (IM)’s eviction (and ofcourse the Governments’ face covering eviction) drive only limit itself to one village alone. Is there any genuine explanation for this action? Can this be called “ism” and “bias” on the part of our national worker? Is this a ‘just’ act on the part of our national workers to whom the Nagas have been looking up to? Honestly, I’m confused between the “Goals set (freedom), Name-taken (national worker) and Action-done”. Let me bring in another related fact which was published in Morung Express (dated 19 June 09) under the caption “GPRN/NSCN” for removal of illegal settlements at Intangki”, where some of our national workers have been named as possessing farm in Intanki- well the follow up shows only two of them confirmed that they don’t have an inch of land in Intanki. How about others? Well, I am not against them possessing land but I am concerned about carrying out justice to everyone equally regardless of sex, status, tribe and profession. Well, it is good that the NSCN(IM) are concerned about Intanki as reserved land for our future- a very good far-sighted vision. But the need of the hour from them is the out come of their sole aim i.e. “Indo-Naga solution”. And this land disputes should have been left to the state Government to handle. For too many aims will only ruin the original aim. Then I also don’t understand why Mr. Nillo only targeted the Inavi villagers when there are also other parties who possess land at Intangki. This shows how limited and one sided Mr. Nillo’s knowledge about Intanki land dispute is and his over all attitudes towards the WSH. How can a person who is himself practicing bias accuse another of practicing bias?
Then I break my silence here with regards to the eviction drive and the increase in house numbers since few years back. While the problem of Inavi village eviction by government and NSCN (IM) started with a small number of houses belonging to Sumi tribe in the past, this year it has increased to 500 houses with fourteen tribes. Where have these fourteen tribes come now? I’m sure there are some selfish ‘land grabbers’ who went to protect Inavi village at first but ended up getting opportunity to grab their share of land. I read article from the Head GB of Inavi village and then from Sumi Hoho advisor and WSH President and then there is the secretary of United Naga village. Then those farmlands and then even a Reverend owns a land there. What a story! One village has many owners now. What a joke? “Land Grabbers!!! Mr. Nillo is right”. I’m sure by now the original Inavi villagers have become victims of some land grabbers.
I agree with Mr. Nillo once again that there are some selfish land grabbers. But why generalize it to create ‘ism’. Why tribalism? Why mention Peren as wish list of WSH? Then Mr. Nillo blame the WSH for not raising concern regarding the NC hill killing of Zeme brethrens but neither had he raise any concern about them or the victims of the Inavi village. I wonder why Mr. Nillo was concerned about safe guarding the Beisumpukam village even before anything has been done to them. Instead have pity on the poor Inavi villagers who are stuck up in the middle – with “house burners” on one hand and “land grabbers” on other hand. At this rate the original villagers will soon vanish while the battle continues between the ‘burners’ and the ‘grabbers’ to gain the supremacy of our so-called ‘reserved land’. And thus I will go back to Mr. Nillo’s rape story and say that there is certainly the third man who is raping the girl. The only amazing side of this historic ‘Naga Land dispute’ is that while the first rapist lives peacefully as if nothing is happening around them, the second rapist continues to suffer time and again. And to top it all, it is the third rapists who are both responsible in carrying out judgment upon the second rapist as well as in providing its relief and protection drive. Both the “burners” and “relief workers” have land at Intangki reserved forest!!! Funny isn’t it? That’s justice and protection motive in our Nagaland. That is why I termed this Intangki Land dispute a the “Mother of all Land Dispute”.
Then I should also break my silence with about the TPO (Tenyimi People’s Organization) who published two articles “TPO recalls encroacher-members” and “TPO welcomes Intangki eviction” in Nagaland Post (30th June). Interestingly, in the first article they recall all their members who are part of land encroachers at Intangki except the Beisumpukam villagers. In their second article they call for justice and demand eviction of the ‘Naga United village” but did not mention Beisumpukam village. Isn’t it confusing as to how such a well-known organizations make such childish demand upon one encroacher while avoiding the other. Perhaps the question that our State government, TPO and our National workers (NSCN-IM) would really hate to answer will be this- “What about the Beisumpukam village?” But here lies the solution to all “Intangki problem”. As a sumi, I don’t mean to join with the Inavi villagers to say “evict Beisumpukam village too!” but I prefer to urge that both villagers be given equal treatment – i.e. leave the original inhabitants of Inavi and Beisumpukam alone. Then every NGO’s, State Government and Natioanal workers join hand to evict the recent encroachers regardless of tribe, status, occupation or any other qualifications. Let me however appreciate the Inavi villagers’ bold acceptance of the fact they are co-encroachers of Intangki Land.
Last but not the least, I see different categories of people who are related to this Intangki Land dispute- some write to defend their land, some write to justify their act, some give orders despite having their own land at intangki, some write for their selfish concern, some organize relief funds to protect the ‘land’ they have grabbed, while some write or think without being in the shoes of the victim. As for me I write this with a genuine simple man’s thinking to let those who are involved in this dispute know that there are also silent readers too who sits back and laugh at different actors of this “Intangki Drama”. One fact I clearly see, as I watch this drama– This “Intangki Stalemate” has graciously revealed the irrationality and original colours of all our great Naga organizations and individuals entangled in it.
Well as I cease my writing about this ceaseless problem, I sincerely apologize to anyone if I have hurt his or her feeling. I thank Mr. Joel Nillo for breaking my silence and I also encourage some other silent readers to “Break their silence”, as I once again go back to be a silent spectator. My only prayer to God is to “let peace and harmony invade our land and evict all kinds of evil-encroachers from our land”.
HN Achumi
