Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) while condemning the killing of three persons on March 22 by some unidentified and unscrupulous person/group of persons, said that it has since sensed grave degree of threat and danger to the lives and well being of the people of Aqahuto Area and Western Sumis in general.
In a press note through its media cell, WSYF while expressing its total disapproval and condemnation of the commission of the heinous crime by any person irrespective of tribe, said that “painting any such act of unknown criminals into tribal color pending due investigation is posing great danger to the delicate social fabric of the Nagas and considerable degree of hate, suspicion and threat is being directed against the Sumis in general.”
It said that the “nature of contentions being mainly of inter-district boundary, land encroachment issues, village recognition and other such issues concerning Aqahuto Area and Peren district which have in the past escalated into loss of precious lives of both communities, however, the same never escalated to the present degree of danger and threat to the lives of both communities and painting the present escalation of violence into a tribal color from certain quarters is highly condemnable as criminal acts of incitement in the society.”
Western Sumi Youth Front claimed that the present state of affairs was “without doubt the direct outcome of the attempt to establish a new settlement (namely ‘Lamhai Namdi’) within Kiyevi village land in the year 2018-19 which escalated into a warlike situation and to this effect, the state government posted law enforcement agencies at the site.”
Subsequently, it said that the concerned authority, considering the situation, issued certain interlocutory orders directing the parties to maintain status quo and for eviction of illegal settlers from the site.
“However, the complete failure of the concerned government authority either to implement the status quo or the eviction of illegal settlers from the bonafide land of Kiyevi village land has left sufficient room and space for the perpetrators to commit such heinous crimes right in front of their nose,” it added.
It pointed out that “the order for removal of illegal settlers from Kiyevi village land was issued by the joint commissioner, Nagaland vide order dated 8th July 2019 and the order for maintaining status quo was issued by the chief secretary, Nagaland vide order dated 25th June, 2019” wherein it is cited that, “..report has been received from the Commissioner, Nagaland that serious Law and Order situation is apprehended after the reported activities for establishing a new settlement by the name of Lamhai Namdi…” and, “…therefore it is hereby ordered that Status-quo shall be maintained by all parties concerned and no activity whatsoever for any development or construction shall be carried out in the disputed area till the cases are settled by the Honourable Courts and land boundaries are demarcated between the Dimapur and Peren districts…”.
However, Western Sumi Youth Front claimed that despite several appeals made to the concerned authorities for strict implementation of status quo at ground zero, “incessant violation by way of encroachment, construction of makeshift houses, theft and destruction of private property continued and failure to impose government authority to curb the same has escalated into the violence and unfortunate loss of precious lives.”
It further alleged that the “failure of the concerned authority in enforcing government authority in the form of status quo and removal of illegal settlers from Kiyevi Village land is apparent in the fact that the land in question has been used as the burial site for the victims which in itself is a blatant violation of government order right before them and considering the fact that the burials site/land is within Kiyevi Village land is bound to further add fuel to the already volatile situation which is unacceptable from every point of view.”
Pointing out the “lackadaisical and indifferent response of the concerned government authority”, Western Sumi Youth Front said the authorities have miserably failed to prevent the escalation of violence and the subsequent loss of lives.
Due to lack of confidence on the concerned government authority in ensuring peace and safety, Western Sumi Youth Front said it was constrained to recall all Sümi inhabitants of Peren district “to abandon and return back to the safety of their native villages and/or under the jurisdiction of Western Sümi Areas for their own safety until the concerned government authority enforces and implement in letter and spirit, the eviction/removal of illegal settlement from Kiyevi village land and maintain the status quo” as per the orders issued by the chief secretary and joint commissioner, Nagaland.
Meanwhile, expressing sincere condolence to the bereaved families, Western Sumi Youth Front said it unequivocally denounce all crimes against human life and wholeheartedly hope that “we all shed our tribal color in finding justice and upholding the truth for the sake of all concerned.”
WSSU appeals for peace and tranquillity
Against the backdrop of March 22 incident, the Western Sumi Students’ Union (WSSU) has appealed for peace, and tranquillity among fellow Zeliang and Sumi brothers “in this hour of uncertainty.”
In a press release, WSSU president Kughato Achumi flayed the incident and asserted that “such heinous murder committed by unknown miscreants must be stamped out with inclusiveness and must not be branded as tribal conflicts.” It maintained that “such kind of issues must be talked constructively by both the parties” with a view to finding a peaceful solution.
Further, Western Sumi Students’ Union has appealed to its people and fellow Zeliang student bodies to ensure safety measures to student communities studying in both Sumi and Zeliang inhabited areas until the issue was settled amicably.
Pointing out that HSLC/HSSLC examination was approaching, WSSU said “this kind of unprecedented issue might implicate hatred among themselves”, which could lead to jeopardising their careers.