NSCN-IM turns table on SCAN on Park issue
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 25 2022:
The NSCN-IM has refuted the claim of Senior Citizens' Association of Nagaland (SCAN) over the Ntangki National Park and accused SCAN of unfairly targeting the group with their misleading statement.
In a statement, NSCN-IM said that Ntangki National Park originally belongs to Old Bisumpui village with its own well defined boundaries.
The critical need to protect the Ntangki forest and wildlife was taken up during the NSCN National Assembly held at Gilgal Camp in 1996, and it was resolved to protect and preserve Ntangki forest as wildlife reserved forest.
Accordingly, no newly set up village was allowed to exist inside the Ntangki National Park.
The park has nothing to do with Naga political settlement and it will remain protected and shall be preserved as Naga national property whether there is solution or not.
Recently, during an exclusive interview given to Global Window, Ntangki National Park director T Aochuba said that there was no indication of NSCN encroaching upon Ntangki National Park.
Significantly, Hebron is outside the boundaries of Ntangki National Park.
Hebron originally belongs to Old Jalukie village.
Jalukiekam village was established with the permission of Old Jalukie village.
It is a recognised village with specific boundaries.
Hebron camp is within the Jalukiekam village jurisdiction and outside the boundary of Ntangki National Park but not as claimed by SCAN.
The Jalukiekam village authorities gave permission to NSCN to establish its Council Headquarters (CHQ), Hebron Camp with the condition that the land will be returned to the owner Jalukiekam village in the event of NSCN leaving the place.
It was during the chief minister-ship of SC Jamir that Hebron was also allocated as ceasefire designated camp and he should be well aware that the camp has nothing to do with Ntangki National Park.
The Nagaland Forest Department claimed to have acquired the land of the present Hebron Camp from one Kachari, who had been paying land taxes to old Jalukie village.
How can a tenant sell the land? The forest colony/Hebron was never given to the forest department by its land owner Jalukiekam or Old Jalukie Village, the statement said.
In no occasion NSCN had disturbed or caused harassment to the forest department in performing its duties.
NSCN, as a responsible organisation, will never overstep its role, and thus the question of forest department having to ask permission from NSCN should never arise.
Such fabricated statement from SCAN is something highly uncalled for, it stated.
Ironically, SCAN claims to be a non-political organisation but the fact that KK Sema is their spokesman nullifies the claim.
KK Sema contested the 2018 Assembly Election on Congress ticket and faced humiliating defeat.
Such a person, who has gained the notoriety for being loud-mouthed and who has developed the shameless habits of going for big lies, should not have been allowed to represent non-political organisation.
The statement of SCAN about Ntangki National Park being used and manipulated by NSCN is simply an extravagance KK Sema, the statement added.