Dimapur, November 4 (MExN): The Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) today reaffirmed their age-old traditional right of ownership of the entire Dzükou valley and Kezol area and declared that the organisation would not tolerate any attempt of ownership by another community or state such as the illegal attempts being made by Manipur state from time to time.
Asserting that the southern Angamis of Nagaland are the only and absolute owner of the land of Dzükou valley and Kezol, the SAPO in a press note asserted that it is an ancestral property where the southern Angami people had exercised their authority as the only owners over the land by protecting the land and its resources prior to the Britishers’ arrival. Therefore, the SAPO does not accept the political boundary line drawn arbitrarily by the British regime without the consent of the southern Angami people, the statement, which was appended by SAPO president, Phelukhwe Kirha, and general secretary Ketsodil Neikha affirmed.
The SAPO also reaffirmed that the line drawn based on landmarks or ‘watershed principle’ did not in any way alter the status of Naga villages in so far as their exercise of rights over the land is concerned. “The stand of the Organisation is clear that they stick to their traditional boundary and traditional ownership,” the SAPO declared.
In this connection, the release clearly stated that the Southern Angami Public Organisation would not tolerate any attempts of ownership by any other community or state such as, the release cited, the “unrightful attempts being made by vested interest of Manipur State from time to time.”
“It is also notified that no individual or group/community or state agencies shall be allowed to take up any development activities without prior approval from Southern Angami Public Organization,” the SAPO declared.
.jpg)
