The Tikhir community residing at Zaonger village has categorically refuted allegations made by the Zaonger Mihkhung Arihako (ZMA), describing them as factually incorrect, misleading and contrary to records and decisions submitted to the competent authorities regarding the longstanding dispute between the Yimkhiung and Tikhir communities.
In a statement issued through the Media Cell of the Tikhir Union, Zaonger village, the community said the internal issue had already undergone examination by the competent authorities, including the DBs Court, whose findings were submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Kiphire.
According to the statement, the Deputy Commissioner subsequently forwarded the matter to the Commissioner, Nagaland, who referred it to the Home Commissioner for final consideration in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and modalities signed between the Tikhir Tribal Council (TTC) and the Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC) on January 19, 2022.
The community stated that, following examination, the Home Commissioner approved the position and conveyed it to the Commissioner, Nagaland, for necessary action and directions in accordance with the aforesaid MoU and modalities.
On this basis, the Tikhir community rejected the claim that its members had been unlawfully expelled from Zaonger village or deprived of their community citizenship or status. It maintained that portraying the matter as an unresolved dispute or suggesting that the community had no legitimate standing in the village was misleading and inconsistent with the records before the competent authorities.
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Cites MoU on community identity
The statement further maintained that the MoU and modalities agreed upon by the TTC and YTC provided the guiding framework for recognising individuals who chose to identify with either community.
According to the Tikhir community, the agreed understanding stipulates that individuals wishing to become members of the Tikhir tribe should not be prevented from doing so, with the same principle applying in the reverse situation.
On this basis, the community asserted that Tikhir residents of Zaonger had the legitimate right to observe and celebrate their traditional, cultural and religious festivals, including Tikhir Tsonglaknyi, in accordance with their customary practices and community identity.
“Such cultural observances cannot, in themselves, be construed as an act against or interference with the Yimkhiung Community,” it stated.
The statement also asserted that the celebration of Tikhir Tsonglaknyi had no connection with the ZMA and questioned the latter’s authority to object to the community’s cultural and traditional practices.
Appeals against provocative statements
Urging restraint amid tensions between the two communities, the Tikhir community appealed to all concerned to refrain from making what it described as unsubstantiated allegations and provocative statements that could create further misunderstanding.
It said it remained committed to peace, mutual respect and communal harmony while safeguarding its rights, identity, customs and traditions within the framework of the decisions of the competent authorities and the MoU and modalities agreed upon by the TTC and YTC.
The community urged the ZMA and other concerned individuals to respect official records, decisions and agreed modalities, and to refrain from what it described as attempts to misrepresent the status and legitimate rights of Tikhir residents at Zaonger village.
