Undending dispute

It is regrettable that the dispute over the forest areas in Dzukou valley between the Mao-Maram and Southern Angami communities has remained unresolved and had often led to minor clashes and subsequent road blockades. Efforts were made to resolve the claims-counter claims of ownership over the valley by both the communities of Manipur and Nagaland but to no avail. The Kezoltsa forest area has been a bone of contention between three Naga tribal communities since the British administration imposed arbitrary borders across the area. The communities include Marams and Mao Nagas of Manipur, and Angami Nagas of Nagaland. All three communities claim ancestral ownership over the land. The Mao and the Angami Nagas have been at loggerheads over this land since the 1970s. Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) has been at the forefront on reasserting traditional ownership of Dzukou valley. On December 9,2022 Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) at its general body meeting on December 7,2022 decided to restrict/prohibit any member of the Mao community from Manipur, to enter southern Angami areas with effect from December 15,2022 till the case, which is to be decided with by Hon’ble Board of Arbitrator is issued. The case is still with Board of Arbitration of the Tenyimi Public Organisation (TPO) as agreed to by the Maos-Maran with the Angami community. The Board of Arbitration of Tenyimi People’s Court in the year 2016 had persuaded both the parties to resolve their differences amicably by respecting each other’s customary usages and practices under Tenyimi Customary Laws and it was mutually agreed to maintain and respect the ownership and the brotherhood fraternity by maintaining status quo which had been in practice since time immemorial. It may be recalled that the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) had on March 21, 2022,initiated a road blockade to prevent any member of the Mao community from passing through Southern Angami areas. The bandh along Highway-2 (NH 2) was to protest the actions of the Manipur government in the Kezoltsa forest area, which is located in the Dzukou valley that spreads over the boundaries of Nagaland and Manipur. While the Mao community has, apparently by compulsion, agreed to have the matter taken up by the TPO; yet on the other hand, it has been hunting with the hounds-Manipur government – over security operation and occupation of the Kezoltsa forest area. In its recent statement, the SAPO claimed that Mao Council and Manipur state government embarking on activities of illegal occupation of land within Nagaland area. What SAPO had said was the when the best option to redress grievances would have discussed in the TPO Arbitration Board, the Mao council had gone ahead in throwing all caution by taking the help of the Manipur armed police. This act of involving the police of another state into dispute only indicates that the other side recognises it as a law and order issue created by those on Nagaland side. The U-turn by the Mao community in involving the Manipur police when both parties had submitted their document and content with the TPO board for arbitration and awaiting judgement, is in fact a betrayal. Hopefully, well meaning and responsible leaders from both sides will rise above the narrow isms to resolve the matter peaceably.