Nagas should get compensation for exploitation of natural resources, says UNTABA

Dimapur, June 8 (EMN): The United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) has expressed displeasure over the Naga people being deprived of the natural resources – petroleum and forest products – located in the disputed area belt (DAB) and beyond for decades.

“The Government of India and the Government of Assam have all these years been undertaking inconceivable strategies to control the areas of approximately 4,974.16 square miles or an equivalent of 12,883.07 square kilometers that rightfully belong to the Naga people ever since they occupied these lands unhindered,” read a press statement from UNTABA.

Citing the Digboi Refinery and Numaligar Refinery, which it stated were established on Naga soil, the association said the amount of money earned through the extraction of petroleum and forest products from “Naga soil” can’t be quantified.

It added that it will seriously consider taking legal course of action for rightful relief and to find the right historical facts, while expressing displeasure over indifferent attitude of successive state governments on the issue.

The UNTABA also informed that its team led by the chairman met Assam minister Atul Borah on January 26 this year and requested him “to consider withdrawing the ‘Civil Suit No. 2 of 1988’ which was filed by the government of Assam under AGP Government against the Chief Election Commission of India, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government of Nagaland”. It added the minister had admitted that the case would hinder in solving the border issue.

It lamented the agreement made by the chief ministers of Assam and Nagaland to solve the interstate boundary issue ‘outside the court’ during their meeting earlier this year not being executed.

“It is also discouraging to observe the Indo-Naga political discussions that have completely sidelined the rights of the Naga people over its lands,” read the statement.

“The UNTABA appreciates the decision of the Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) for coming out strongly for oil exploration and extraction in Nagaland in consultation with the stakeholders but the UNTABA will insist on having clear historical demarcations of the land of the Naga people and that the Naga people should get appropriate compensation on the exploitations on natural resources that rightfully belongs to the Naga people,” it added.

The association went on to say that “the boundary between Assam and Nagaland starting from Golaghat to Tizit till the tri-junction of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh is ‘Dodhar Ali’ that is still in existence and from Golaghat down to Barak River bordering Manipur is well defined in the 1875 Notification of British-India Government”.

“Until and unless these historical facts is considered, it is the bounden duty of the Government of the day to explore all the available means to see that the Naga people should not be deprived of its rights over royalties on petroleum products, natural gases and forest products and that the Indo-Naga political solution, if it ever comes without considering these historical facts can never be acceptable and honourable,” it continued.