TIKHIRS WRITE OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR ON YAA CONFERENCE
DIMAPUR, JAN 2 (MExN): In the backdrop of the controversy surrounding the proposed YAA conference at Shamator town, the Tikhir Tribal Council (TTC) has written to the Governor asking the latter to direct the State Government to do the needful immediately and cautioning that failure to meet these demands will lead to serious consequences which may even lead to the annihilation of both the tribes for which Tikhir tribal leaders will not be held responsible, stated an open letter to the Governor of Nagaland issued by T Khiapong, President TTC on behalf of the Tikhir tribe.
The demand placed before the Governor included call for the immediate issue of ban order on YAA conference at Shamator town; to immediately withdraw and suspend all the NAP jawans and administrative officers presently stationed at Sahamator town; to immediately withdraw the IRB personnel deployed at Shamator town since the State government has ‘not appointed even a single Tikhir in the IRB’; to deploy if necessary only neutral forces like the Assam Rifles, CRPF and Indian army at Shamator Town; immediate issue of recognition order of Tikhir as a schedule and backward tribe and immediate medical aid and relief for the four injured.
The TTC stated that the responsibility will lie solely on the leaders of the Yimchunger Tribe, Commissioner Nagaland, DGP, DC Tuensang, Commandant 3rd NAP Tuensang, SP Tuensang and ADC Shamator.
Pointing out that the land of present Shamator Town was donated by the Shamator villagers to the government and not to the Yimchungers, it was stated that the Tikhir Students’ Union had informed the Commissioner Nagaland, DC Tuensang DC Kiphire and ADC Shamator along with press publication against holding of the YAA conference. “But in spite of it the Yimchungers started collecting materials for construction of the conference hall at the public ground in Shamator Town and the Administration did not take any action. Because of which the Shamator Villagers went and destroyed the materials on December 27 2006. Later the Yimchungers fired from the town area towards the village injuring an old man of Shamator village”, the statement alleged.
According to TTC statement given to the Governor, the civil administration then deployed NAP jawans from Tuensang. These NAP jawans, it was alleged, started to give protection to the armed Yimchungers including Yimchunger regional staffs of NSCN (I-M) NSCN (K) FGN and VGs from Shamator Town, Yakor, Sangphur, Mulangkir villages and also ISA alias LOKHUM (Yimchunger armed outfit financed mainly by Yamakam MLA, Torechu MLA and Lt. Lakiumong MLA) by allowing them to dig bunkers in the Town area under the protection of the above mentioned groups. “The proof of these can be verified by freshly dug bunkers and the layout of the Town indicating the NAP Camp, police station etc”, it further alleged.
On December 30 2006 some unarmed young Tikhir boys reportedly went to Shamator Town from the village to buy essential commodities and in the middle of the Town in full view of NAP jawans, the Yimchungers fired at them at 10.30 A.M where 3 of them were injured, the TTC statement disclosed.
On the same evening, under the protection of the administration, police personnel’s, the Yimchungers destroyed the Tikhir houses in Shamator Town and looted domestic animals, rice and house hold goods, the open letter to the Governor stated.
