Morung Express News
Zbto/Dimapur | March 21
The identity of Intangki National Park appears to be the latest bone of contention involving tribal interest with at least two Sumi based organizations countering not only the question of ‘illegally established villages’ within Peren district as claimed by the Zeliangrong frontal organizations but even going to the extent of saying that Intangki does not belong either to Beisumpui village or to the Zeliangrong people and instead pointing out that “Intangki belonged to nobody”.
Reacting to the protest staged by the Zeliangrong community, “Farmers Club,” Zunheboto, through a press release issued by its chief volunteer, Ahoto Achumi, stated that Intangki did not belong either to Beisumpui village or to the Zeliangrong people. The release added that Intangki belonged to nobody and had previously remained a forest land and seven to eight tribes had settled there in 1999 until the GPRN had ‘tortured the people after a few years.’ “We were unable to settle there and we were silent”, Achumi stated.
The Farmer’s Club further questioned the Zeliangrong’s demand for eviction saying that it was a free land and no other tribe could claim it as theirs adding that their development had started from 1999 up to date and affirmed that their men would “fight to death physically and morally”.
In a separate press communiqué, the Western Sumi Students Union (WSSU) pointed that it ‘strongly objects’ to the claim made by the All Zeliangrong Students Union (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland) and the Zeliangrong Students Union (Nagaland) that Intangki was customarily, traditionally and originally, belonging to Beisumpui village. “There is no documentary record or monumentery existence to substantiate their claim”, stated WSSU president Kaino Chishi and general secretary P. Iloto Zhimo.
The WSSU also countered as ‘highly fabricated’ the statement of the AZSU and ZSU that the villages established under Dhansiripar sub-division are illegally established. “The said villages were established legally which are supported by historical record and documentary evidences and as such no question of encroachment in the Zeliangrong land arises”, the WSSU stated while also adding that Dhansiripar sub-division is under Dimapur district and not under Peren district as claimed.
The western Sumi students also reminded the AZSU and ZSU not to make it into “an ism issue since it was purely an inter village boundary dispute which can be amicably settled amongst the parties involved”. “Further, since this is purely a local issue and as such the involvement of third party from other states is highly objectionable”, the WSSU stated.
It may be mentioned that the Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland and All Zeliangrong Students’ Union (AMN) are spearheading the move to protect Intangki National Park from what it termed as illegal encroachers and loggers and is demanding eviction of all illegal settlements within their jurisdiction.
Besides, they have been demanding the eviction of Khyeto B, Khehevi, Chikuto, Pukhaho, Vihoto, Shikuto, Kiyavi B and others villages, which they claim had been established illegally under Dhansaripar sub-division and Peren district, and to stop all process of recognizing these villages by the state government. It said that these villages are trying to get recognition from the state government by obtaining NOC with the backing of powerful politicians after fooling the district. The Zeliangrong bodies have also categorically asserted that the Zeliangrong people have borders only with the Angamis since time immemorial.
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