Decades of dispute among the Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), Mao Council (MC) and Maram Khullen Village(MKV) over Kpoziirii/Kezoltsa/Kazing- which the apex Tenyimi People’s Organisation (TPO) had been attempting to resolve culminated in the July 12,2024 judgment. The case pertained to the land (forest) dispute at Kezoltsa between Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO), Mao Council and Maram Khullen village.
In the July 12 judgment order, it was stated that the judgment of the TPO Presidential Council shall be final and binding on all the parties. Also if any party refuses to accept and comply with this judgment, that particular party shall be expelled and cease to be a member of TPO and the remaining parties shall stand united on all issues against that party.
However, on July 13, the president of the Nagaland Zeliang People Organisation (NZPO) Kevipele Iheilung withdrew his signature from the order on the ground that the claim of the Ze/Yangkhullen villager submitted years back on the issue was not been taken up as he had also been ignorant.
On July 20, the Mao Council (among one of the three main contenders in the dispute) has expressed strong dissatisfaction and inability to accept the July 12, 2024 judgment and order of Tenyimi People’s Organisation (TPO) presidential council on the land (Forest) dispute at Kpoziirii/Kezoltsa/Kazing as the order did not adhere to the fundamental principle of Tenyimi customary laws and traditional practices.
In a letter to TPO president, Mao Council president N Athikho Joseph and general secretary Kapani Krelo reiterated that TPO was bound by the Arbitration Undertaking of November 28, 2017 which stipulates “Naga customary laws and its usages (Tenyimi)”, as it was decided to review the case on the basis of this very undertaking. MC said that TPO is also mandated by the foundational basis of common ancestry, culture and traditional customs of the Tenyimi tribes to settle the dispute under customary laws and traditional usage of the Tenyimis.
Rescind order : ZB (AM&N)
Meanwhile, the Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur & Nagaland) has strongly urged the Tenyimi People’s Organization (TPO) to rescind what was described as “controversial verdict” of July 12, 2024, in the larger interest of the TPO family.
In a statement ZB(AMN) president K Akhang, reaffirmed its stand that they “cannot and would not part an inch of our God-given land as a result of this misrepresented or premeditated verdict of TPO presidential council meeting of the 12th July 2024.” ZB (AM&N) emphasized that as a constituent member of TPO since its formation, it has always believed in fostering the larger interest and welfare of the Tenyimi people as a whole. However, it noted that in recent times, the Baudi witnessed several negative actions by the TPO in handling the Hezing/Kozirü/Kezoltsa/Kazing case.
“We have repeatedly reiterated our position that Yangkhullen village owns a major chunk of land traditionally in the disputed area, but TPO failed and denied the truth,” the statement added.
Pointing out certain facts and positions, the Baudi noted that they have been one of the constituent tribe units of TPO since its inception and have been working together as genuine members till today. They added that, otherwise, they would skip selectively attending the meetings.
The Baudi pointed out that Yangkhullen (Ze-Mnui) village had submitted their position paper to include them in the land dispute issue of Hezing/Kozirü/Kezoltso/Kazing as one of the affected landowners. However, the Baudi said that “this truth is being denied either premeditatedly or intentionally.”
Asserting that NZPO was not a constituent tribe unit of TPO, ZB (AM&N) stated that dragging NZPO, whose organization’s jurisdiction is confined only to Nagaland, into the issue of Manipur and including them in the TPO verdict as one of the signatories was totally unjustifiable, unacceptable, and unsustainable. Subsequently, the NZPO withdrew their signature on their own volition from the verdict on July 13, 2024.
In this regard, ZB (AM&N) cautioned that for the denial of the truth regarding Yangkhullen village’s position, TPO shall bear responsibilities for all negative consequences as the fallout of the verdict.