Rajaimei VA clarifies
Source: The Sangai Express

Senapati, August 02 2016: Apropos to the news captioned "Zeliangrong people want NSCN (IM) to stop illegal logging immediately", which appeared in newspapers on the July 28, 2016, the Rajaimei Village Authority held an emergency meeting on July 30 and out rightly condemned the Zeliangrong Baudi (AMN) and All Zeliangrong Student Union (AZSU-AMN) for "fabricating lies" regarding land jurisdiction and interfering into the traditional rights of Rajaimei village land, our correspondent reports.

"Naming the NSCN (IM) in the logging business in Rajaimei land by an outsider is uncalled for.

The press statement of the two respectable organisations is not only devoid of facts and reasons but also provocative in nature which could ignite feuds among communities and hence should be withdrawn at the earliest," the Rajaimei Village Authority chairman K Maithou John said in a statement today.

Rajaimei is one of the oldest villages in the area dating back to many hundreds of years much before Chakha and Kanem.

The Rajamei jurisdiction extends to Sarourii stream and Father and Son Mountain range bordering Makuilongdi and Thonglang village in the South, Ngaiki Karii stream bordering Lemta in the West, Tiidou Karii stream bordering Chakha village in the North-West and Barak River bordering Sangkongmei and Willong in the East, it said.

According to Rajaimei Village Authority, Kanem came into existence in the 1950s only after obtaining due permission from Rajaimei and is within the Rajaimei territory.

Kanem used to pay land tax to Rajaimei in the form of crops or animal parts.

This is also corroborated by the order of the Court of the SDO, Mao-West : Kangpokpi vide Hill Misc Case No 48 of 1971, dated 12.01.1971 which directed Kanem to pay Hills House Tax through Rajaimei village.

The land dispute between Rajaimei Maram village and Chakha Liangmei village, the chairman added, was settled once and for all in the Joint Civil Court of Maram Elder's Forum and Zeliangrong Land Preservation Committee (Land Dispute Case No GPRN Directive dated the 9th March 2009) in June, 2009 following the sacred traditional water dipping contest at Barak River near Karong wherein Rajaimei was declared the rightful owner of the land under dispute.

"No villages, organisations or authority should interfere in the rightful enjoyment of the land and resources by Rajaimei.

We will uphold this birth-right till the last man," the Rajaimei Village Authority stated.

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