SAPO prohibits Mao citizens from entering Southern Angami areas starting December 15

Dimapur, Dec. 9 (EMN): The Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) has resolved to restrict and prohibit Mao citizens to travel or enter the Southern Angami areas with effect from December 15, until the Board of Arbitration of Tenyimi People’s Organisation (TPO) solves the disputed ‘traditional land holding’ issue between the two communities.

This was decided during the SAPO general body meeting on December 7, wherein it deliberated on various issues and especially pertaining to Kezoltsa and the TPO verdict, which has been long pending, stated the organisation in a press release.

SAPO stated that the tribal land and its resources belong to the people and not to the government and that every traditional land of the Nagas has its clear-cut demarcated traditional boundary criss-crossing the arbitrarily created political boundary within each other’s state.

“However, some differences arose between the Mao-Maram people of Manipur state and the Southern Angami people of Nagaland state over the traditional land holding within Kezoltsa and which became a contentious matter in the Tenyimi People’s Organisation,” it stated.

The organisation stated that the Board of Arbitration of Tenyimi People’s Court had in 2016 persuaded both the parties to resolve their differences amicably by respecting each other’s customary usages and practices under Tenyimi customary laws.

The two sides also mutually agreed to maintain and respect the ownership and brotherhood fraternity by maintaining status quo which had been in practice since time immemorial, it stated.

However, during the pendency of the case in the TPO Court, SAPO alleged that the Mao Council, with the help of the Manipur government, threatened the peaceful co-existence by deploying the Manipur security personnel, issuing 144 Cr.Pc and forcefully “constructing illegal roads, houses, electrification, and organising unlawful activities such as the demolition of the rest house of the Southern Angami People and constructing an illegal alternative route to Dzukou”.

SAPO called upon the Mao Council and the Manipur government to immediately cease all activities within the disputed land and reaffirm the arbitration undertaken.

“Since both the disputing parties are traditionally brothers, it would be unfortunate to allow any grave consequences to the situation causing bitterness within the brotherhood. As the matter was mutually agreed to be settled in the Court of TPO, it is sacrilegious that the Mao Council has sought the Manipur government to exercise aggression on its own brotherhood in total disregard of its parent organisation in the form of TPO and violating the arbitration undertaking,” it stated.

SAPO cautioned that ‘any untoward incident as a consequence of the violation of its directive (travel ban) would be understood as an act of your own volition and that the Southern Angami people will not be held responsible’.

Further, SAPO re-affirmed its support to the TPO and the Board of Arbitration to resolve the issue and expedite the matter in the principal of natural justice, keeping in mind the traditional laws of the land.