Zeliangrong Youth Organisation (ZYO) president Rampauhiagang,vice president Kangwibo and general secretary Niakaulak in a joint statement have taken strong exception to the statement issued by the Western Sumi Youth Front(WSYF) terming the Zeliangrong Baudi (ZB)president as “someone from Manipur” as it was solely aimed at tarnishing the image of the ZB president so as to grab Zeliangrong land.
It asserted that Zeliangrongs elect leaders of their choice and that WSYF had no business with the election nor the right to question the integrity of the leaders. ZYO said leaders of any hoho were elected by the tribe and all others need to acknowledge the elected hoho leaders.
ZYO pointed out that Zeliangrong Nagas, placed geographically in Assam,Manipur or Nagaland were divided by the British colonialists and India for administrative purposes but “are the same” and can live anywhere in their land and not “encroaching or living in anybody’s land”. ZYO described WSYF as “ a device of the encroachers, an outsider in our land”having no moral right to comment on the leadership of the Zeliangrong Baudi.
ZYO said it was pained by the statement of the Naga Hoho(NH) urging restraint on both Zeliangrongs and Sumis over Ntangki as the Hoho as the apex body in the state, was expected to “stand for what is true and right”. ZYO slammed the NH for trying to play a mediator role instead of “stopping the forceful encroachers (Inavi village)”. They questioned the NH that if it could not “ acknowledge the traditional rights and ownership of a particular Naga tribe and stand for truth” what was it for? Saying it bore no hatred against any tribe but only against illegal settlement and encroachers at Ntangki” ZYO said it expected the NH to state as to “who are the land encroachers.”
It also questioned the sincerity of the state government over preservation of Ntangki National Park by granting ex gratia to land encroachers in Ntangki-for those who were killed or injured “in the unfortunate incident” adding trespassers could face such fate.
On the other hand, ZYO said Zeliangrongs were also killed for their land at the hands of encroachers government did nothing and asked “why the favouritism?”.It warned that such an attitude “will not be tolerated anymore”.
ZYO said when the need was for protection of Ntangki Park from “illegal settlers”, the state government instead assured a tribal organization of removal of the traditional gate at Beisumpuikam, the donor of the Park.It slammed the government for “stooping so low” by assuring a tribal hoho of removing the gate. ZYO said the term “war gate”used by Sumi organization for the traditional gate was “inflammatory”. It invited the government to see for itself whether the gate was a “war gate or just a traditional village gate.” ZYO hit out at the government that if it though the Naga United Village or Inavi or whatever villagers were to be allowed to continue encroachment and devastate Ntangki, then “let them find their way” to Ntangki and not through Beisumpuikam village “if they are scared.”
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