Dimapur, Jan. 13: Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has condemned construction of the Indo-Myanmar border fencing and appealed to both the governments of India and Myanmar to stop construction of the boundary fencing ‘which is not necessary and which will be detrimental to the well-being of the people inhabiting both sides of the boundary.’
NPCC today submitted a representation to the Governor PB Acharya addressed to both the Presidents of India and Myanmar seeking their immediate intervention. The representation was submitted following its emergency general session on January 12 at Congress Bhavan, Kohima, in which it deliberated on construction of the Indo-Myanmar border fencing.
The representation appended by NPCC president, K Therie, said Nagas across the region, both in India and in Myanmar share interlocked lands with traditional land holding systems and have coexisted harmoniously with economic activity between farmers and traders alike across the border since time immemorial.
NPCC said the Indo-Myanmar boundary has never been demarcated with the consent of the local people. Stating that Nagas have their own system of land holding, it said Article 371A in the Constitution of India provides ownership and transfer of land and its resources within the Sovereign powers of Nagaland state.
The representation also said construction of Indo-Myanmar border fencing will deny access to one’s own traditional land holdings and create a barrier for socio-economic activity. Stating that the divide will seriously impact communities inhabiting the region in multiple forms, it said no nation has the right to take away lands traditionally held by the Nagas.
While both the nations honour boundary pillars for administrative purposes, in order to maintain harmonious coexistence, NPCC said both the nations should honour the traditional land holding systems.
NPCC president K Therie was accompanied by senior Congress leaders namely I Imkong, ET Ezung and Shami Angh. NPCC said the Governor has assured to take it up the matter with both the Presidents.
