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DIMAPUR — A day after the Board of Arbitration (BOA) appointed by the Tenyimia People’s Organisation (TPO) came out with its verdict on the long-standing Kezoltsa/Kozürü/Kazing land dispute, the Nagaland Zeliang People’s Organisation (NZPO) has distanced itself from the judgement.
It may be mentioned that NZPO president Kevipele Iheilung was also among the signatories of the judgement, which was released to the media on Friday night.
In a letter to the president of TPO on Saturday, the NZPO president informed that he was withdrawing his signature from the ‘Judgement and Order of TPO Presidential Council on Land (Forest) dispute,’ stating that he couldn’t sacrifice the interests and rights of the Zeliangrong people due to his “ignorance and innocence in this regard”.
Iheilung said that in some meetings of the 10 Tenyimia tribes that he had attended in the past, he had often stated his position very clearly that such meetings should be attended by the president of the Zeliangrong Baudi (Manipur, Assam and Nagaland), since he represented only the Nagaland Zeliang people.
However, he said that he had attended the meetings enthusiastically for the sake of peaceful coexistence of the Tenyimia people and not otherwise, while admitting that he had no “detailed knowledge of the topography of the disputed area”.
“Also, it was in good faith that I attended the meeting under the impression that the ‘Position Paper’ was submitted only by the Mao Council, SAPO and Maram Khullen.
“However, it was only after the judgement was pronounced and my signature appended that I came to know Ze/Yangkhullen villagers had also submitted their claim within the demarcated area some years back and they have even met you personally and briefed you about their claim, whereas Ze/Yangkhullen village issue was silent in our meeting,” the letter read.
Also read: TPO Board of Arbitrators issue verdict on Kezoltsa/Kozürü/Kazing dispute