Dimapur, Jan. 16: An organization in Myanmar, the Konyak Union Eastern, has objected to the border fencing along the Indo-Myanmar border. The organization issued a press release to the local media on Monday.
‘We the Konyak Union of Eastern (Myanmar) strongly support the Khiamniungan Tribal Council’s memorandum of understanding to the Indian and Myanmar officials to prevent and oppose the ongoing fencing construction between India and Myanmar government as the land does not belong to them,’ the press release stated. “It is in the heart of our real kitchen of Naga family.”
“The aliens” i.e., India and Myanmar, are trying to build their fence and divide the Naga family, the organization stated.
In the words of the organization: “We are sorry for Indian and Myanmar country that, we will never accept which your planning to implement. The government of India and Myanmar neglected in all sphere of human necessities in border area people as if we are from other world. It shows they have recognized us we Naga and border line land are belong to our indigenous, but why they’re trying to apply the cruel and divisive policy by preventing proper entry and exits in our center land-living for the travelers.”
According to the press release, the boundary demarcation agreement in 1967 between India and Myanmar government stated that there will be free entry and exit in Naga land on account of Naga persons living in both sides “with the same historical roots, culture, custom and one blood of people having the same plot field in both side.”
The Konyak Union Eastern stated that it was standing on the position that the border fencing works are ‘totally illegal as our primitive land ownership from the before the formation of India and Myanmar country we have been living in our real settlement rights, when the border pillars erected which was not known to the land owner ship and it had been posted by aerial survey alimented.’
For the reason that they have been living in the area before India and Myanmar even got their independence and before the proposal for the pillar to be erected, the union stated that the local community was the land owners from time immemorial.
‘This is our right to stop and prohibit not by force but by pre historical rights. The border areas have been lifted as Nagas’ land which is why the Indian and Myanmar government kept the borderline areas without development,’ the union stated.
The eastern Konyak people have expressed total opposition to the ‘divide and rule policy’ inside the Naga family. The Myanmar government terms it to be something to construct “fens to protect the border area people and well develops” but it making fools of the Naga people, the organization stated.
The organization also stated that the Naga people consider the boundary an unjust and unfair boundary. It runs through their villages, fields and even homes, the organization lamented.
“...We have been suffering more than enough by stick control in any movement in border area. It is not by our own courses, it is for the general Naga people we are carrying burdens of common Naga. We really appreciated to all NPGs and civil society for immediate concerns,” the organization stated. The statement carried a request to all “Naga pioneers” and civil society to cooperate and “protect us through non-violent but basing on real common Naga history and customary law.”
