Ugly fall outs of Dzuko dispute : Time for Kohima, Imphal to act
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 26 2015 -
Perhaps it was something just waiting to happen.
That matter did not take a turn for the worse is something which all should be grateful about but what happened at Kohima on June 24 was something which should not be allowed to repeat.
This is the sane voice calling out and in most probability there will be some elements who must be fishing in troubled water to settle the score, that is if one can call assaulting someone or targeting a shop or two a score.
Surely the dispute over Dzuko Valley seems poised to take a more ugly turn but this is something which should have been anticipated earlier.
Nothing to suggest that the Governments of Nagaland and Manipur were ready for such an eventuality and this is a matter of grave concern.
That things were not well and could take a turn for the worse became clear when reports poured in of how people from Mao were told to turn back by members of Southern Angami People’s Organisation and Southern Angami Youth Organisation in Nagaland some time back.
This was followed by reports of some vehicles from Mao being targeted and damaged at Nagaland, most probably by members of the two organisations.
More than enough signals of how some people are out to make the situation more tense, but the pity is the seeming indifference of the two neighbouring State Governments.
That tension was running high on the Manipur-Nagaland border over the Dzuko Valley stand off is something known to all.
Yet the question remains on what the Governments of the two States had done to defuse the situation and restore normalcy.
Moreover what steps have been taken up by people on either side of the border to talk things over and settle the differences ?
The assault as well as the act of targeting two shops, just because they belonged to people from a particular area in Manipur should not be taken lightly.
This is all that more so for the Government of Nagaland.
The natural question that follows is whether the assailants of the June 24 incident at Kohima have been rounded up or not.
If the answer is no then what steps have been taken up so far to book them ?
Not that their arrest would resolve the matter for the dispute over Dzuko Valley dates back many years.
But at least it will help in sending out the message that no one has the right to violate the rule of law.
As mentioned, the dispute over Dzuko Valley is not a recent thing and it is surprising to see that nothing tangible has been done so far to resolve the issue.
Dzuko Valley is not the sole bone of contention between the two neighbouring States for there are differences at Tusom in Senapati and at Jessami side too.
All the more reason why the two Governments need to resolve all outstanding issues at the earliest possible.
What are the parameters to be adopted in resolving these issues ?
This is a question which can be satisfactorily addressed to only when the two States sit down and discuss the matter.
Makes absolutely no sense to leave the matter to the common people to handle.
Unfortunately this is what Kohima and Imphal have been doing.
Take steps to resolve the matter and at the same time ring out a tough message that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands.
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