With reference to Supreme Court of India pulling up state government of Nagaland for seeking endless adjournment of hearing on 27-year-long boundary dispute lawsuit between Assam and Nagaland, the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has said it was a matter of serious concern as to how sincere and efficient the government of Nagaland was in handling the crucial inter-state boundary issues with neighbouring states.
In a press release, publicity cell, NTC said Nagaland was already warned that the Supreme Court would no more entertain any plea of Nagaland for adjournment of motion in this particular case in the future. NTC expressed concern over whether the state government has noted the importance of the warning and be prepared to affectively face the counterpart.
On the land dispute between SAPO and MAO council, NTC said Nagaland government was “found to be pathetic”, adding that state government has been as evasive as possible by shifting its responsibility to NGOs.
Admitting dispute was between two Naga communities, NTC, however, said it was a fact that one community belonged to Nagaland state and the other belonged to Manipur state. Therefore, it stated that whatever may be the dimension of the dispute; it definitely fell within the ambit of inter-state boundary issue.
According to NTC, it was imperative that as the elected government running the affairs of the people of Nagaland state, take upon such inter-state boundary dispute responsively and try to settle the issue with its counterpart through the arbitration of government of India. “It is high time that Nagaland govt. takes up the territorial issues holistically with GOI without further delay as the issues are as old as the Statehood,” NTC said.
Sating that while aspiration of the Nagas for integration was respected, NTC said people of Nagaland cannot sacrifice any area of land that belonged to its communities both historically and traditionally.
It also stated that Nagas of Nagaland can no longer afford to continue the struggle and live in a world of illusion but it was “time for us to have a world of realism.”
NTC urged Nagaland government to wholeheartedly uphold the claims of SAPO in Kezoltsa and Dzukou areas and practically protect it from encroachment in any form by the Manipur government.
Maintaining that it understood the posture adopted by Mao Council in seeking the intervention of its state government, NTC said the stance of Mao Council was a constitutional reality as they belonged to Manipur state despite of being a Naga community.
Stating that it never considered Mao Council’s approaching Manipur government as a mistake, NTC asked “if not to Manipur government where will Mao Council go to seek protection?”
NTC said similarly if not from Nagaland government, from whom SAPO seek protection of its territory from legal and constitutional stand point?
Therefore, NTC has urged the Nagaland government “to no longer take shelter behind NGOs”, but to appropriately and efficiently react to the situation by asking the Manipur government to withdraw the presence of its state armed forces from the disputed area immediately.