Nagaland: Western Sumi Youth Front counters ZYON statement

Dimapur, Nov. 18 (EMN):  The Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) has issued a response “in light of consistent attempts to create an atmosphere of confusion amongst the Naga brothers to portray the bonafide Sümi village/villagers of Western Sümi Areas as land grabbers.”

“It is our explicit understanding that under the cloak of this confusion and misconceptions, an active campaign has been perpetrated in ground zero and in the media to justify encroachment activities upon legitimate Western Sümi Village land, WSYF in a press statement said.

Responding to the November 15 ZYON press statement in the local media, WSYF  stated that ZYON’s claims defies “rational intellect in as much as the question of British suzerainty over Naga Country back then is a historical fact and the same cannot be overturned or twisted to suit a present day situation.” 

“Likewise, the claims of the ZYON that Sümis came and obtained NOC from Lamhai thereby paying 4 annas to Zeliangs remains bereft of historical facts and thus belied , and in fact ,as per the official records written by the then ADC Peren,  many Zeliang brothers carried out cultivation in Western Sümi’s Land by paying taxes, “ it stated.

WSYF claimed that it remains an undeniable historical fact that the Western Sümi Areas including the present day Kiyevi Village has been continuously inhabited by the Western Sümis ever since the British Raj.

“And to bring things into perspective of historical facts, it is pertinent to point out that the act of encroachment and subsequent setting up of a fresh and new settlement such as the so called ‘Lamhainamdi’ within the well accepted western Sumi village lands is preposterous and unacceptable under any pretexts,” it stated.

WSYF stated that based upon “undeniable historical facts,” the affected Western Sümi villages and the Western Sümis in general exercised due constraints and in line with the facts and circumstances the concerned authority had in a couple of occasion passed orders.

Expressing concern with the 10-day ultimatum served by the “illegal settlers”, WSYF stated that the misconceived ultimatums challenging the government orders further threatens the sanctity of the affected Western Sümi villages.