Says withdrawal of Civil Suit needed to implement intent
Dimapur, April 23 (MExN): The United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) on Sunday expressed ‘deep’ discouragement over the news reports that Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland had made an agreement on oil exploration in the Disputed Area Belts (DABs) between the two states.
According to Association, the boundary dispute between the two states is a sub-judice as the 'Civil Suit No.2 of 1988,' filed by the Government of Assam against the Election Commission of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Government of Nagaland, is still pending in the Supreme Court of India.
“As such, until and unless the Civil Suit is withdrawn by the Appellant, no positive steps can be undertaken by both the Appellant and the Defendant,” stated the UNTABA in a press release issued by its Chairman, Hukavi T Yeputhomi and General Secretary Imsumongba Pongen.
It further reminded of the ‘welcome step’ by the Chief Ministers of both the states by announcing on January 24, 2022 in Guwahati that the boundary disputes will be settled outside the court.
In this connection, the UNTABA had an opportunity to meet, Atul Bora, the Minister in- charge of the Border Affairs of the Government of Assam on January 26, 2022, in Jorhat and requested him to consider withdrawing the Civil Suit so that the issue could be solved outside the court, it said.
The minister then admitted that the Civil Suit is an impediment, it maintained.
Accordingly, the UNTABA also highlighted that any exploration for mineral resources, including petroleum products, in the DABs is “uncalled for and impractical since the issue is sub-judice matter, and the Naga people can never accept the wrong interpretations of historical facts over its land.”
The Association further claimed that ‘historical realities of the Naga people over its land covers 4,974.16 Square Miles or an equivalent of 12,883.07 Square kilometre which roughly covers the part of present Diphu, Nowgong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh Districts.’
This issue has been highlighted to the Prime Minister of India, Home Minister of India and the Interlocutor of the Indo-Naga Political negotiation and the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) on various occasions, it said.
The UNTABA have been assured by the Government of India as well as the NPGs negotiators that an 'Independent and Empowered Committee' on boundary issue between the two states shall be formed so as to settle the boundary issue between the two states, it further its maintained.
Hence, the UNTBA stated that the Government of Nagaland should initiate practical steps to persuade the Government of Assam to withdraw the Civil Suit first and foremost before implementing its present intent. Otherwise, there will be repercussions, it added.
