Morung Express News
Kohima | August 30
Registering strong condemnation over the Jalukie Zandi arson committed by armed cadres of the NSCN-IM on August 28 last, the Whole Jalukie Council and Jalukie Pumling urged the NSCN-IM to focus on burning national issue rather than meddling in traditional land dispute.
The two bodies in a joint statement said that when the peace process is in full swing and the people are reposing so much of confidence upon them in bringing permanent solution to the protracted Nagas struggle, it will be self-defeating for national workers to embroil themselves in such traditional land dispute. Asserting that any national worker cannot deprive the people of its traditional land ownership, Whole Jalukie Council and Jalukie Pumling said that the August 28 arson is an absolute display of dictatorship by the NSCN-IM over its people and land.
The land dispute between the Jalukie Zandi and Manglumukh should be settled by the people of the two villages, respecting each other historical and traditional land ownership, the release stated. Jalukie’s land extends up to Dhansari river (Temaki), bordering Assam and at no point of time Kacharis or Mias land existed in between, as claimed by NSCN-IM, and Jalukie Zandi, which was established with blessing and accent of Jalukie people was recognized by government of Nagaland since 1991, it said.
“Therefore, the action of NSCN-IM is filled with ‘selfish motive’ of some of its leaders, with intension of grasping the land of the common people”, the joint statement also said, adding that the Zeliangrong people will not be cowed down by any unjustified action of the national workers. It appealed to the Nagaland government to look into the matter seriously and pay necessary compensation to the aggrieved villagers.
Meanwhile, the Zeliangrong Baudi (Hoho) is organizing a public rally on September 3(Monday) at Jalukie town to protest against the action of the NSCN-IM. Source said that the rally may march down to Hebron Camp to put forth certain demands of the Zeliangrong people before the collective leaderships.
