Pangsha Villagers and the Indo-Myanmar Border Fencing

In the face of separation by the Indo-Myanmar Imaginary Line along their border, the people of Wolam (Pangsha) and the two bifurcated brothers of Indo-Myanmar Khiamniungans live as one called Khiamniungan (Naga). We emerged from one ancestor; we have one inherent territory, one tradition, one culture, one customary practice, and we are one with one aspiration.

Since time immemorial, the ancestors of Wolam (Pangsha) owned their land for cultivation from within and beyond the mountains of International Trade Centre (ITC) Dan. The native people continue using their progenitor’s homeland for Jhum cultivation and for rearing Mithun (a domesticated gaur), which is their sheer livelihood, and their preeminent sources of income. During 1990s there was a call of modernisation to the people of Pangsha, and they were asked to share their lands with the Govt. of Nagaland for development, for trade and commercial purpose between the two countries (Indo-Myanmar). The Pangsha Villagers donated 535 acres of land, free of cost, to the Govt. Of Nagaland for setting up of the International Trade Centre (ITC) at Pangsha Dan, and sacrificed or even gave up their own personal land for peaceful growth and development, which would in turn profit humanity in the long run.

Robert Frost wrote, “Before I built a wall I’d ask to know what I was walling in or walling out, and to whom I was like to give offence. Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, that wants it down.” Such a wall/fencing of Indo-Myanmar is under construction at Pangsha Village, ITC Dan under Noklak Sub-Division in Nagaland. This is very unfortunate, the on-going construction of Indo-Myanmar fencing yield as mental nocent for the people of Pangsha in particular and for the Nagas in general. The people of Pangsha Range, initiated by the Wolam Nyukyan and Wolam Nyuking Students’ Union has a ‘Peaceful Agitation’ on 22nd of Dec. 2016 against the digging of land for fencing purpose at ITC Dan. However, the Govt. of Myanmar still continuing the fencing works, which is totally against the rights and will of the people of Wolam (Pangsha), including the students at large. The merciless act of Myanmar Govt. in interfering with the homeland of Wolam (Pangsha), is also an act against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948 by the United Nation.

The Imaginary Line that divides the Khiamniungan (Naga) as Indo-Myanmar Khiamniungan son’s and daughter’s was enough, and if both the Govt. of India and Myanmar continue to fence the border at Pangsha, the unforeseen circumstances of war and bloodshed will follow. Those mountains, my forefather’s they named it as “Dan Kheng” and I want to let the Govt. of India and Myanmar to know that, “Dan Kheng” is not the limit of my forefather’s land. The people of Khiamniungan (Naga) still have more than 3,500 acres of land besides DK. We don’t need Visa to go to our own field; we will stand up for our land, for our rights, for our will, and we won’t be kept silent. If you (Myanmar Govt.) don’t stop the fencing works, we expect no peace and development, but the hatred, war, and bloodshed. If you want to show the red, we have the red in return, and if you like the white, we would also like to show the white towards your people and country.

Putchong Thai
New Pangsha Village