The United Naga Tribes Association of Border Areas (UNTABA) today released this picture to the media, stating that it depicts the construction of a Border Outpost at Indisen Village by Assam state authorities.
DIMAPUR, JANUARY 27 (MExN): The United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) today accused the Assam Police and civil administration of “high-handedness” for “constantly trying to open police outposts in the border areas in spite of various bilateral agreements made between the State Governments of Nagaland and Assam on many occasions.”
A press note from the UNTABA Chairman, Hukavi T Yeputhomi and General Secretary, Imsumongba Pongen pointed to recent constructions of Border Outpost (BOP) in the jhum fields of Lirmen Village areas, in the Wamakam Village jhum fields last year and at Indisen Village lands near Dimapur town recently.
“The authorities in Assam have been constantly trying to open BOPs in all the border areas which falls legitimately under Naga people,” it added.
It meanwhile informed that regarding the matters of opening BOPs from the Nagaland side the District Civil and Police Administration of Dimapur in particular, have already submitted the feasibility report of opening a BOP at Rilan Village areas by Commissioner of Police after undertaking all the necessary formalities from the Commissioner, Nagaland for immediate consideration.
The UNTABA however termed it disheartening to observe the “indifferent attitude and lack of initiatives in addressing the recurrent developments from Assam side by the Government of Nagaland.”
The UNTABA reminded that the border issue between Assam and Nagaland is still under litigation in the Supreme Court for the last 30 years now. It claimed that over than 30 Crores from the State Exchequer has been spent on this “without hope of any tangible outcome because the subsequent governments of Nagaland have never been serious on the issue in spite of all the bilateral and trilateral agreements made between the two State Governments and Government of India.”
The UNTABA, while questioning the re-appointment of the present Advocate General of Nagaland, urged the Government of Nagaland to “appoint indigenous Nagas as Advocate General who knows the real history of the land and the Naga people.”
“The present Government of Nagaland under the leadership of Nephiu Rio, who also represented the people of Nagaland as MP has failed even to raise the issue in its right perspective for which the UNTABA had met him several times in Delhi and in his office,” it said.
The UNTABA meanwhile urged Assam state not to assert authority unilaterally, “or else Naga people may take their own course which may affect the cordial relationship between the people of the two states.”
It also appealed to the civil and police administrations of the border areas to be active in border issues. Failing which, it cautioned that the UNTABA may be compelled to even picketing the offices of the border area civil and police administrations.
