DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 14 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Youth Organisation Nagaland (ZYON) today said that the claim of the Western Sumi Youth Organisation (WYSF) that Kiyevi village was established in 1939 during the time of British rule with the permit of the British when no boundaries existed “is complete nonsense.”
A press release from the media cell of the ZYON said that there are “were clear-cut boundaries of erstwhile Kiyevi Village when it was initially established in 1939, which were as follows: North Ngeuriezang (Ngeurie Range), South (Stone Pillar), East (Duilonggo stream till the confluence of Tehai river) and West Ncuketikpereu (Kalapathar stream) till the confluence of Nkoreu river.”
The organization stated that in Zeliang ancestral land, now called Peren District, no satellite Village has ever been established without permission, either verbal or written, from the ancestral landowners. “In the case of erstwhile Kiyevi Village, due customary rights were given by Lamhai Village in 1939 in the true spirit of Naga brotherhood, as sought by Kiyevi, Lotavi and others numbering 43; who approached Lamhai Village for adopting them as their sons and sought permission to establish a new village in Lamhai land,” it said.
However, it claimed that with the passage of time, “the customary rights conferred to erstwhile Kiyevi Village by the ancestral landowner was reciprocated with dishonor and disrespect to the age-old Naga customs by killings and land encroachments.” There were continuous conflicts and subsequently, Kiyevi Village, which was originally established with the permission of Lamhai Village, shifted to the Rangapahar forest area in 1979-80 and subsequently was renamed as Kiyeto Village which exists till today under Dhansiripar Circle, it stated.
The ZYON alleged that the present-day inhabitants at the erstwhile Kiyevi village are nothing more than “land encroachers who have forced their way upon the land of Lamhai Village and have resorted to all sort of anti-social activities…” It claimed that “in every incident which took place at Lamhainamdi Village, sophisticated weapons were displayed openly and there are living witnesses to testify to this fact.”
Meanwhile, the ZYON said that there is no requirement for landowner ancestral villages to obtain Government recognition (Patta) as the Village is the sole legitimate owner of its Village land. “Likewise, Lamhai Village has no Government recognition (Patta) as it is the ancestral landowner and whereas, according to WSYF, establishment of Kiyevi Village was permitted by the Britishers without the consent of Lamhai Village.”
Such a claim is “ridiculous,” it stated, “since the Britishers do not possess even an inch of land and whereas there are only two ancestral Villages around the present so-called dispute area namely, Chumukedima and Lamhai Village whose traditional boundary is clearly demarcated and respected by both the Villages between the Angami and the Zeliang communities.”
The ZYON stated it is “without an iota of doubt” that Lamhai Village is the ancestral landowner of erstwhile Kiyevi Village and present day Lamhainamdi Village. “From the time when Kiyevi village was established after taking due permission from Lamhai village with clear demarcated boundaries, the land above and below Kiyevi village including the present-day Lamhainamdi Village, belonged to Lamhai Village and is outside the jurisdiction of the shifted Kiyevi Village,” it added.
It meanwhile stated that bringing in the case of Ex-Chairman of Dungki Village purchasing land from Kiyevi village “is a joke since a Villager from Dungki Village purchasing a plot of land from Kiyevi Village, or Mhaikam or Mhainamtsi Village for that matter, does not carry away the traditional right of Lamhai Village as the traditional landowner village.”
The ZYON said that the “WSYF is crying hoarse over a distorted story even as it continues to believe in a set of lies conceived and agreed upon by a handful of its selfish leaders.”
