Imphal: The People’s Alliance for Peace and Progress Manipur (PAPPM) Monday strongly condemned the alleged ongoing encroachment of Manipur’s territory by the Angami people from Nagaland.
Asking the state government to take immediate and decisive action to protect the state’s borders and ancestral lands, the Manipur-based civil society organisation stated this encroachment issue dated back to 2022 when Southern Angami People’s Organization (SAPO) and Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO) aggressively encroached into Manipur’s territory, claiming areas like the Koziirii forests, Dziiko, and Mt. Esii as their ancestral lands.
They issued notices to the Mao people, demanding their evacuation from these regions. Maos in Nagaland, particularly Kohima, have faced threats and eviction notices from SAPO and the Angami Youth Organization (AYO). Schools and colleges managed by Maos in Kohima were forced to close, the Alliance said in a statement.
Despite the Mao community’s resilience in defending their ancestral land, SAPO and SAYO resorted to extreme measures, such as banning Mao people from using NH-2 for over three months (December 15, 2022, to April 2023) and subjecting them to harassment, physical violence, and property damage.
The Alliance noted that the Manipur Government established an IRB camp at the encroachment site to protect the state’s territories. Additionally, the Mao people filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court, leading to a directive for SAPO and SAYO to cease violating the fundamental rights of Mao citizens and grant free access to the highway.
While these organisations complied with the court’s direction, they continued to demand the withdrawal of Manipur security forces from the encroached sites, with the Nagaland Government remaining passive in addressing the issue, it informed.
The situation escalated further when other Angami organisations joined SAPO and SAYO in demanding the withdrawal of Manipur security forces. On January 20, 2024, APO issued an ultimatum to the Mao Council to facilitate the withdrawal of Manipur security forces, threatening dire consequences if the security forces were not withdrawn. Further, AYO joined the chorus, and on March 8, 2024, through a press release, the organisation supported the ultimatum with dire consequences.
Efforts by the Mao Council, along with MLA L. Dikho and Outer Manipur MP Dr Lorho Pfoze, prevailed over the Manipur Chief Minister to relocate the security forces, fearing harm to the Mao people at the hands of the aggressive Southern Angami people. Chakre Chovow Union, an organisation of six Mao villages, strongly opposed the relocation of the security forces. Nevertheless, the Manipur Government succumbed and relocated its forces. This decision, however, did not resolve the underlying issues, as SAPO continued its harassment of the Mao people, issuing eviction notices and directives against them, the statement underlined.
It is worth recalling that the Tenyimi Peoples’ Organisation (TPO) gave Manipur’s Chief Minister a “Letter of Assurance” on March 9, 2024. TPO President Timikha Koza and General Secretary Kathu Rengma assured, through a letter, that if Manipur withdraws its armed forces from the disputed area (Kezoltsa/Koziirii/Kazing), TPO will take several steps to preserve the land. This includes prohibiting any development projects, protecting the forests and wildlife, stopping the collection of forest resources, banning hunting and fishing and even preventing the construction of a road leading into the forest.
TPO is an apex body of the Angamis, Chakesang, and other tribes, and it acted as the arbitrator of the dispute between the Mao Council, SAPO, and SAYO. Upon this assurance, the Manipur Government relocated its security outpost 5 kilometres from the encroached site. On March 16, 2024, the TPO confirmed that the Mao Council had complied with the demands of the Angami organisations. Although the Mao Council does not have the authority to give away land to Nagaland-based organisations, it did so under duress, as thousands of Maos live in Kohima and Dimapur and are undertaking thriving businesses there. \Even after the Manipur Government and the Mao people responded to the demands of Angami organisations, the issue remained unresolved. SAPO, emboldened by the victory, went trigger-happy and started harassing the Mao people further.
On March 6, 2024, SAPO issued an eviction notice to the Maos living in “Angami jurisdiction” areas, including Kohima and part of Dimapur. Further, on March 7, 2024, SAPO issued another directive in the Angami dialect to their volunteers, asking them to do the following against the Maos in Nagaland: It ordered its volunteers, first of all, to rusticate and drive away Mao residents to their native villages. Secondly, it sternly warned Angami villagers not to shelter any Mao people. Violators of this direction would be held responsible and accountable. Finally, it dictated that the Angami volunteers provide information about the whereabouts of Mao people living in Angami areas to the vigilante SAPO.
In the face of a turn of events, Manipur DGP wrote a letter to his Nagaland counterpart on March 6, 2024, to take appropriate action on the eviction notice served by SAPO.
Further, on March 19, 2024, APO took four significant resolutions regarding the movement of Maos in Nagaland. First of all, it declared that the ultimatum served against the Mao community remains in force until APO receives an official letter from the Manipur Government guaranteeing the total removal of armed personnel and the dismantling of infrastructure in the disputed areas. Secondly, it directed the Chakhroma Youth Organization (CYO) to identify the Maos who have migrated to Chakhroma Angami territory and ensure their safe return to their native villages. Thirdly, it also directed SAYO volunteers to provide safe passage for the Mao community leaving Angami territory and returning to their native place. Finally, it declared that an APO team and its federating units’ presidents and general secretaries would visit Kezoltsa, Koziirii, and Kazing on March 21, 2024.
During the APO meeting held on March 19, 2024, AYO volunteers conducted aggressive searches reminiscent of Nazi tactics against Jews. They conducted door-to-door searches targeting Mao individuals in Kohima, intimidating them to leave their rented homes.
One distressing incident involved a 60-year-old stroke patient with limited mobility who was coerced into leaving under threats from the volunteers. The volunteers even demanded the family tie up the patient’s body and go, forcing the family to evacuate immediately.
In another incident, AYO volunteers threatened a 32-year-old individual with a physical disability and their family to vacate their residence.
Furthermore, AYO volunteers committed a disrespectful act by preventing a grieving family from cleaning the graveyard where their mother, who passed away on March 16 at the funeral held on March 17, 2024, was buried. The mourners were threatened and warned not to offer explanations, being pressured to leave or face consequences if they stayed. Additionally, schools and colleges in Kohima managed by Maos were instructed to shut down.
Representatives of APO, AYO, CYO, SAYO, Northern Angami Youth Organisation, and Western Angami Youth Organisation conducted an unauthorised visit to the Kezoltsa/Koziirii/Kazing site on March 21, 2024, as declared by the organisations. Their objective was to verify whether Manipur had completely vacated or removed its police outpost from the area.
Despite Manipur relocating its police outpost 5 kilometres from the disputed site, these organisations insisted on its complete removal. They argued that the presence of the outpost could escalate tensions and lead to a blame game if any party or individual burned or destroyed the camp. Therefore, they demanded a written assurance from the Manipur Government stating that no Manipur security forces would be deployed in Koziirii.
In light of these events, PAPPM strongly opposed the demands of the mentioned organisations. We assert that the Manipur Government should not entertain such demands. The Manipur Government must communicate with the Nagaland Chief Minister to end these illegal activities. Additionally, we emphasise that the Manipur Government has the moral responsibility to deploy and establish police outposts within its territory without needing permission from other states.
We reiterate that the legal boundary between Nagaland and Manipur was clearly defined when the two states were created. Therefore, if the Manipur Government were to comply with such demands, it would be equivalent to compromising its territorial integrity.
Furthermore, the persecution, harassment, and banishment of the Mao people in Kohima and other Angami-dominated areas are ongoing. PAPPM is with the Mao people. We can feel the unrest in the Mao community. We also understand that the Mao people must feel abandoned by the Manipuris and their Government. Be assured that the people of Manipur collectively stand by you.
PAPPM demands that the Manipur Government immediately engage with the Nagaland government and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to resolve the encroachment issue. The Government should urge Nagaland to take action against SAPO, SAYO, APO, and AYO for their unlawful activities. Manipur can explore legal options, including filing FIRs or writ petitions, against these organisations and the Nagaland Government for inaction.
The mesmerising Dziiko forests and Mount Esii, Manipur’s highest peak, are vital to our natural heritage. Manipur’s safety and territorial integrity are paramount, and the Manipur Government must act decisively to protect its citizens and natural heritage.
PAPPM stands in solidarity with the Mao people. We call upon all Manipuris to stand united against this encroachment and demand swift action from the Government. We urge the national media to raise awareness about this critical issue, the statement issued by its president M Bobby Meetei concluded.
