The Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) held its General Body Meeting (GBM) on Thursday at SAPO Hall Jakhama Hq, Kohima and deliberated on various issues, specially pertaining to Kezoltsa and the Tenyimi People’s Organization (TPO) verdict which had been long pending before the Hon’ble Court of Arbitration.

The Southern Angami Public Organization has immediately call upon the Mao Council and the Manipur Government to cease all activities within the disputed land and reaffirm the arbitration undertaken. It added that SAPO will not tolerate such unwanted acts committed by the Mao Council and the playing of double standards.

“That the act of aggression by the Mao Council had dismayed and infuriated us consequently the Southern Angami Public Organization call upon the Mao Citizens to immediately stop aggravating the situation with the help of the Manipur government as our patience have waned thin.  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,” SAPO stated.

SAPO asserted that despite the desire to maintain healthy relationships with the Tenyimi Mao people, the undesirable activities carried out by them had compelled SAPO to take precautionary measure as any eventuality and undesirable incident may be anticipated in future. Therefore, in view of the stated reasons, SAPO said the public of the Southern Angami has unanimously decided to firmly restrict/prohibit the Mao citizens to travel/enter in the Southern Angami areas with effect from 15 December 2022 until the pendency of the case and the misunderstanding is resolved by the Hon’ble Board of Arbitrator (TPO).

Any untoward incident as a consequence of the violation of this directive will be understood as an act of your own volition and the Southern Angami People will not be held responsible, added SAPO.

SAPO has also re-affirmed its support to TPO and the Hon’ble Board of Arbitration to resolve the issues and expedite the matter in the principal of natural justice keeping in mind the traditional laws of the land and expressed confidence that the TPO would judiciously exercise their wisdom.

SAPO also reminded that the tribal land and its resources belong to the people and not to the government. 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, it added.

It pointed out that 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 which became a contentious matter in the Tenyimi People’s Organization.

The Board of Arbitration of Tenyimi People’s Court in the year 2016 had persuaded both the parties to resolve their differences amicably by respecting each other’s customary usages and practices under Tenyimi Customary Laws and it was mutually agreed to maintain and respect the ownership and the brotherhood fraternity by maintaining status quo which had been in practice since time immemorial.

SAPO further said, in good faith and trust, the contested areas were handed over by the parties to the TPO and its Board of Arbitration for properly adjudicating the matter of dispute based on identifying the genuine land owners and resolving the issue in consonance with the customary usages and practices.

“However, during the pendency of the case in the TPO Court, an act of undesirable aggression was escalated by the Mao Council with the help of the Manipur Government threatening the very peaceful co-existence and security of the region by harboring and deploying the Manipur Arms security personals, issuing  144 Cr.Pc and forcefully constructing illegal roads, houses, electrification, and organizing unlawful activities such as the demolition of the rest house of the Southern Angami People and constructing an illegal alternative route to Dzukou which itself is an act of direct insult, humiliation, and a challenge to our Hon’ble Board of Arbitration  of TPO Court and the Southern Angami People in particular as these areas in particular falls within the TPO custodian zone,” it said.

SAPO viewed that the act of illegal aggression by the Mao Council and Manipur Government prohibiting the TPO and its judiciary board to resolve the matter in a conducive atmosphere is deeply regretted.

The matter was mutually agreed to be settled in the Court of TPO, it said, adding that 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.