Land dispute: APO serves ultimatum to Mao Council

DIMAPUR — The Angami Public Organisation (APO) has issued an ultimatum to the Mao Council over the “Kezoltsa/Kozirü/Kozin” land dispute between the Mao Council, Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) and the Maram tribe.

Among others, it alleged that the Mao Council had failed to fulfil their duties and responsibilities as assigned to them by the Tenyimi People’s Organisation (TPO) and deliberately caused stumbling blocks in resolving the long-standing issue.

In the ultimatum dated January 20, a copy of which was accessed by Eastern Mirror on Thursday, the APO stated that it convened an emergency executive meeting on January 19 where it was decided that the ultimatum would be served to the Mao Council.

“You must take full responsibility to withdraw the Manipur Rifles/Police and all its security apparatus stationed at the disputed area on or before February 20, 2024 to enable the TPO and APO leaders to go and oversee the complete range of dispute and scope of pronouncing an agreeable and honourable solution thereof,” the ultimatum read.

The APO also cautioned that it would “fully support any action taken by the people of the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO),” if the ultimatum is not complied with.

Stating that it was “now unable to further pacify the people of SAPO,” the APO recalled that the Board of Arbitrators (BOA) set up by the TPO had pronounced a judgement on the issue. However, both the SAPO and Mao Council had “outrightly turned down (rejected)” the verdict.

Subsequently, “the APO approached all three parties and obtained their consent through several enduring rounds of talks in order to resolve the decades old chronic boundary disputes in the most amicable way acceptable and honourable to all, because the APO clearly visualised the horrible and irreparable consequences unless contained on time,” it maintained.

After thoroughly analysing the issue and why the matter was prolonged till date although it could have been amicably resolved long before, the APO claimed that it had identified some lacunae – that the Mao Council had deliberately caused stumbling blocks.

The APO alleged that a Manipur State Rifles/Police outpost and implementing Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Cr.PC) at the dispute area was done at the behest of the Mao Council, consequently obstructing the TPO and APO delegates from reaching the actual dispute area for resolution.

It also claimed that the Mao Council deliberately violated the status quo as issued by TPO and has continued to carry out developmental activities unhindered until today.

“During several rounds of talks with the Mao Council and their leaders, they didn’t appear to show any sign of seriousness over the issue and instead changed their narrations time and again,” the APO claimed.

While the APO exercised the best of its wisdom and influence to the people of SAPO to refrain from taking any extreme measures against the Mao people, it alleged that the “Mao Council had failed to fulfil their duties and responsibilities as assigned to them by TPO and also by APO despite their positive responses.”

The Mao people seem to be taking the advantage of this goodwill and spirit of brotherhood shown to them, it added.