Dzukou dispute: TPO reaffirms land belongs to the people

Dimapur, Feb. 2 (EMN): The Tenyimi Peoples’ Organisation (TPO) on Tuesday said that a series of exercises had been undertaken to resolve the “pending dispute in Kezoltsa/Koziirii/Kazing and some parts of Dzukou valley between the Angami, Mao and Maram” from January 27.

This included a physical visit to the area, both manned and unmanned aerial survey and marathon deliberations and communications, a statement from TPO informed.

It said that a joint meeting of TPO and Board of Arbitrators (BOA)resolved to uphold the ‘arbitration undertaking’ signed in 2017 on the point that “the land belongs to the people and not to any state or government, agreed to resolve the dispute based on Naga Customary Laws and its usages (Tenyimi) and not to resort to approach any other Court(s) and also do hereby commit to abide by the decision of the BOA and co-operate with the TPO for strict implementation of the decision given by the Arbitral Tribunal”.

During the meeting, it was also agreed upon that all activities in the ‘disputed area should be stopped’ and ‘cut off all vehicular roads leading to Kezoltsa/Koziirii/Kazing at the points where it was cut prior to the fire that had razed the area early this year’.

It stated that the house decided to take action on or before February 8 with volunteers from the contending parties.

It also agreed that hunting in the area would be completely stopped and “people going about with guns” would be viewed ‘seriously’.

It said that the next meeting would be held on February 9 at Hotel Millennium in Kohima.