Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 5
After the construction of the Indo-Myanmar border fencing at pillar 146 of Pangsha area under Noklak division of Tuensang district was on put halt as landowners of the area and Naga civil societies registered wide protest, a joint survey by representatives from India and Myanmar has been ongoing since April 28, 2017.
In the latest development, the landowners/stakeholders of the area, which include villages of New Pangsha, Old Pangsha, ITC Dan, Dan and Wonsoi, is now seeking two month time to pursue the issue on the border fencing with the Government of India.
“We have put forward a representation to the Government of India to put on hold the ongoing joint survey for two months during a meeting held with the Commandant of 15 Assam Rifles along with ADC Noklak on May 1 at New Pangsha village,” New Pangsha village council chairman P Shingya told The Morung Express.
The landowners are not happy that the survey is being undertaken without seeking permission or consultation from their side. “If any survey is being done, they (concerned) ought to take permission from us. We should be involved since the land in which the survey is being carried out belongs to us,” Shingya said.
According to Shingya, both the survey teams from Myanmar and India are hosted at the 15 AR camp at Noklak town and the survey is done under tight security. “Since the survey began from last week of April, we are yet to meet any members of the survey team,” Shingya voiced dismay.
Shingya, while terming it as unwarranted the actions from the Government of India and Myanmar over the construction of the border fencing which divides their land, demanded that if any survey is to be carried out, they do it by covering the 5000 hectares of their land in the Myanmar side. “If you want to survey our land, include all our lands that is in Myanmar,” he maintained.
The landowners are also accusing the Government of India on what is alleged as “double speak” for washing their hands off the construction of the border fencing despite being involved.
“Wherever we meet them, (representatives from the GoI), they assure us they have no hand in the construction of the border fencing, but when we inquire to the Myanmar people overlooking the construction of the border fencing, they say, “We are mere workers, money is sponsored by India.”
The New Pangsha village council chairman informed that during the two months timeframe if provided, they would again pursue the issue with the Government of India and Myanmar to stop the construction of the border fencing and the survey. ADC Noklak when contacted informed that the representation from the landowners has been forwarded to the Commissioner of Nagaland.
