Reiterating its stand in propagating peace and mutual understanding, Naga Hoho acknowledged the decision of the Mao Council for deciding to withdraw the bandh on the issue of Dzükuo valley with Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), which ended Saturday.
Naga Hoho through its general secretary Mutsikhoyo Yhobu trained its guns on the “Meitei community and the government of Manipur”, by questioning both as to why were they “interfering with all their interest on this issue when the problem is only within the Naga family”.
The Hoho urged upon the government of Manipur and the Meitei community “to abstain itself on this issue”.
Further, the Hoho made a strong appeal on both the Mao and the Southern Angami communities to “restrain themselves from creating further misunderstanding but come together with the spirit of forgiveness in order to bring permanent amicable settlement”.
Naga Hoho also appealed to both the communities to maintain their age-old fraternal ties in order to uphold peace and tranquillity and in the best interest of the future generation and Nagas in general.
SAPO reacts to Mao Council’s statement
Following the allegation of encroachment into Manipur’s territory, Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) said it was compelled to issue a statement in reply to the reports published in local media by the Mao Council in regard to Kezoltsa forest and Dzükou.
In a rejoinder, SAPO president, Zadeho Rikha and press secretary Khrievisa Chale, to make the record straight, said that Kezoltsa forest and Dzükou were ancestral property of the SAPO since time immemorial.
It said: “From the time of our ancestors till date the abovementioned properties had been under the occupation, possession and ownership of the Southern Angami people”.
SAPO in this regard pointed out that they were free to take up any developmental activities within the area that falls under its ownership and “no authority whatsoever can stop SAPO from doing so”.