The Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) has alleged that some contractors are constructing road towards Kezoltsa from Mao side, and reiterated that it will not allow any person/village/tribe/government or its agency to take up any survey/analysis/expedition/investigation or developmental activity at Kezoltsa and Dzükou without its prior permission.
“Whoever violates this will be punished befittingly as deem fit,” cautioned a statement issued by SAPO General Secretary Mhashekhol Tsukru and Press Secretary Khrievisa Chale.
Terming the allegation of Mao Council as baseless, SAPO clarified that Southern Angami had been in possession, occupation and ownership of the Kezoltsa and Dzükou since time immemorial.
“To be precise, this area was occupied by our ancestor when he migrated out from Makhel prior to any other village or tribe, and since then our occupation, possession and ownership had been intake till date. Accordingly, the Southern Angamis especially the neighbouring villages of Kezoltsa had levied royalties (taxes) from the Mao peoples in the form of kinds or meat in acknowledgement of land ownership whenever they availed forest resources such as banana leaves, bamboos, canes etc.”
SAPO said, the claim made by Mao Council that Kezoltsa and Dzükou as their hunting ground, logging etc. is completely baseless, and added, whenever they do so they do with prior permission from Southern Angami villages by paying royalty. The Mao people should not forget the royalties paid to the Southern Angami villages as history cannot be re-written as per one’s wish, the statement said.
SAPO stated that in 1985 Mao people along with some Meteis had violated their standing resolution by trying to enter Dzükou without prior permission from Southern Angamis (Southern Angami Students’ Union/SASU) who were then looking after for the protection and preservation Kezoltsa and Dzükou. “And when the volunteers questioned these intruders, the intruders voluntarily apologized in written to the SASU and Southern Angamis leaders which read as “…… hereby apologise to the Southern Angami Public for illegally trespassing to Dzükou valley which is under the jurisdiction of the Southern Angami Area of Nagaland State without prior permission from the land owners”. Therefore, it is well known to every Mao and Meteis that Kezoltsa and Dzükou belonged to Southern Angamis.”
Admitting that Southern Angami Public Organisation had constructed a rest house at Kezoltsa, SAPO pointed out that the rest house was destroyed by suspected Songsong villagers and the tension arose between Mao people and the Southern Angamis.
“On enquiry made by Memai Council of Mao, it was found that some youths from Songsong village (Kravomi) had destroyed the rest house and the written report was intimated by Memai Council of Mao to the then Japfuphiki Public Organisation which is renamed now as Southern Angami Public Organisation. During this relevant time of tension, the then Tenyimi Central Union (TCU) intervened and directed the defaulters (Songsong village) to reconstruct the rest house of the Southern Angamis which read as ‘the destroyed rest house should be re-constructed to its original shape by Songsong village within 20 (twenty) days with effect from 15th February 2001’.”
The destroyed rest house was re-constructed to its original shape by the Songsong village within the stipulated time and Southern Angami ownership of Kezoltsa and Dzükou is undisturbed till date, SAPO said.
SAPO recalled, that in 2010, some people from Mao community were caught for stealing properties by way of logging in Kezoltsa, during which Tenyimi Peoples Organisation (TPO) took up the matter and gave a written assurance on 19/07/2010 to settle the issue within 4 (four) months time in the presence of Angami Public Organistion (APO) and Mao Council.
The Organisation also mentioned that at relevant point of time Mao Council was not a party to it but only three or four villages were party to the issue before TPO, and these villages made baseless claim over the ancestral property of Kezoltsa and Dzükou. Instead of four months TPO dragged the issue for 25 months (two years and one month), with the passage of time Mao Council was made and became the full fledged party in the matter in the later part of 2011.
“Although it is much beyond the time limit as assured by TPO, SAPO had pursued the matter to permanently settle the issue. But later on TPO hidden agenda came out in the air, the agenda of TPO was to make Kezoltsa forest a common property of Tenyimi; instead of adjudicating the matter between the parties (Southern Angamis and Mao) the mediator/arbitrator (TPO) wants to jointly own our ancestral property.
On learning this, SAPO had lost confidence on TPO and withdrew our matter on 23rd August 2012. The claim of Mao people spread like a communicable disease amongst Mao villages and community because firstly it was only Songsong village, secondly three other villages neighbouring to Songsong village joined and lastly, the whole Mao community joined and participated in this issue. It is unbelievable that the Mao people were guided by Songsong village in this issue whose origin is not a Mao Naga.
The Songsong villagers are the outside people who came very lately and settled at the present village barely for about 200 years back. However, almost all the Southern Angami villages viz. Viswema, Kigwema etc. are several thousand years old villages.”
The Southern Angami Public Organisation stated that road construction at Kezoltsa (Southern Angami ancestral property) had been going on in full swing for the last two years and not in Manipur land.
“This road construction is SAPO initiated project only and has no connection with Nagaland Government as alleged by Mao Council.
The construction cost is funded by the Southern Angami public fund and no central or state government financial assistance is availed till date, so don’t try to implicate Nagaland government without any basis. The hard earned fund is being utilized by SAPO for this construction for the welfare of the public; therefore, no authority whatsoever can stop SAPO from doing so.”
“Regarding the 22nd November 2014 and other later times when Manipur government officials visited Kezoltsa and Dzükou, the official sought permission to enter our ancestral property from SAYO volunteers who were guarding and protecting Kezoltsa and Dzükou round the clock.”
