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Dimapur, Jan. 6 (EMN): The Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC) on Thursday intensified its demand for upgrading Shamator sub-division Tuensang district into a full-fledged district by shutting down government offices and business establishments at Pungro town under Kiphire district as well as Shamator and Chessore towns.
On the fourth day of agitation, thousands of protestors in traditional attire hit the street in Shamator town holding placards and raising slogans, demanding immediate declaration of Shamator as a district, informed an update from YTC.
As part of the agitation, the council prohibited entry of visitors at Mt. Saramati, Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Stone Caves at Mimi and Salomi. ‘The Likimro Hydroelectric Power Plant (LHPP) has also been completely shut down by YTC volunteers since January 4 and volunteers are camping at the site,’ read the statement.
It went on to inform that a brief programme was held at Pungro, Shamator and Chessore, where “the speakers reiterated demand for Shamator district and made a fervent appeal to fulfil the long-felt aspiration of Yimkhiungs to live under one unified Yimkhiung district i.e., Shamator”.
The Yimkhiung women under the aegis of Yimkhiung Women Organisation (YWO) will spearhead the Day-5 agitation on Friday at Shamator, Pungro and Chessore from 9 am onwards, it was informed.
For this, all Yimkhiung citizens have been asked to assemble at the respective town centres in traditional attire.
The apex body of the Yimkhuing tribe has been holding peaceful protest rallies for three hours from 9 am to 12 noon daily since Monday in areas falling under its command to show resentment to the failure of the Nagaland government to deliver full-fledged district status to Shamator which had been assured by the government, YTC general secretary S Tsuyihba said.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Pungro, Abhinav Shivam, said the LHEP is a national asset and its obstruction will affect the people, according to PTI.
The ADC also directed the YTC to immediately lift the shutdown.
However, responding to the ADC's letter, the council said that the YTC initiated the action of launching an indefinite public agitation due to the lackadaisical attitude of the state government towards the Yimkhiung community by giving them false assurance which has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Yimkhiung people.
It also iterated that the LHEP shutdown will continue indefinitely till justice was delivered.
Meanwhile, the YTC has suspended its earlier notification recalling members of the tribe from the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), and Shamator-Chessore MLA S Keoshu till Friday.
The decision was taken based on Keoshu's communication to the YTC executive chairman that a state Cabinet meeting is scheduled to be held on Friday.
However, YTC vice president H Hanji said that in the event of the state government's failure to consider the demand for the creation of Shamator district by Friday, the earlier decision would be reinforced from January 8.
The state government while creating three new districts Tseminyu, Niuland, and Chumoukedima on December 18 had also agreed in principle to grant the status of a district to Shamator.
However, the Nagaland government was of the view that upgrading Shamator into a full-fledged district would be done only after the two communities -- Yimkhiung and Tikhir -- in the area come to a proper understanding and remain united.
(With inputs from PTI)