Manipur Govt incited bandh extension: SAYO
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, March 25 2022: Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO), which is enforcing the bandh called by Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), contended that it was compelled to extend the 72 hours bandh along NH-2 (Imphal-Dimapur) road effective from March 24 for an indefinite period as the government of Manipur failed to respond positively to SAPO's demand.

SAPO has been demanding removal of police outpost and barracks set up near Dzuko valley in Senapati district by Mani pur government.

Manipur police outpost and barracks near Dzuko valley were opened without the consent of the organisation, SAYO president Metekhrielie Mejura informed media persons at its Kigwema office near the Nagaland state capital Kohima on Friday.

According to the SAYO president, the organisation brought the issue to the street as the humble request for removal the barracks remains unheeded.

Manipur government claims the area as disputed but SAYO considers it as an encroached area, he said and appealed to civil society organisations not to comment blindly on the issue without knowing the facts.

Many people are requesting SAPO to call off the bandh and maintain peace and tranquillity but withdrawal of the bandh entirely lies at the hands of Manipur government and the bandh would be called off immediately if the Manipur police vacate the said site, the SAYO president said and maintained that the issue cannot be dragged into inter-state affair as it is a traditional issue.

Imaginary line was drawn and demarcated since ancestral time and SAYO will stand by traditional rights and cultural values.

SAYO does not want Nagaland government to directly involve in the issue but should strive to resolve it through Naga customary law and not through dialogue of two state governments.

Political boundary is just an imaginary line and Manipur government's claim of the area falling within its jurisdiction is not right as there are many manipulations even in the google map, the SAYO president maintained.

According to the SAYO president, the barracks were constructed without organisation's consent two years back and the bandh will continue until the barracks are removed.

SAYO volunteers are sending back all the vehicles coming from Manipur side and trying to do it in a peaceful and friendly manner but vehicles relating to medical, postal, media and paramilitary from Manipur side will be allowed free passage.

The SAYO president also informed that the organisation wants peace and tranquillity with people of the neighbouring states including Manipur and appealed to Manipur government to come out with a positive response early so that peace, tranquillity and brotherhood could be restored.

Meanwhile, goods laden trucks bound for Manipur coming from Dimapur side have been sent back due to non-availability of parking space and these trucks have been reportedly stranded be tween Lalmati and Kohima.

A police source informed that all bypass routes to Kohima have been blocked.

The SAPO had on Wednesday announced its decision to indefinitely extend the on going total bandh along the Nagaland-Manipur border after the government of Manipur failed to withdraw forces from Kezoltsa area.

The bandh was extended within the southern Angami jurisdiction bordering Manipur.

SAYO president Kevipodi Sophie and general secretary Swelul Pucho had announced that the indefinite bandh will continue till its demands are honoured.

Terming the bandh as "unfortunate", Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said that the issue is a matter of concern and needs to be resolved.

The chief minister told members of state Assembly that the state government is dealing with the neighbouring states to resolve border issues.

Expressing grave concern over extension of the bandh indefinitely, the government of Manipur wrote to its Nagaland counterpart to take up the matter with SAPO representatives for immediate withdrawal of the agitation.

In a letter addressed to the Nagaland chief secretary, the government of Manipur represented by Special Secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash reiterated that the permanent structure and armed personnel of the state forces are deployed within the territorial jurisdiction of Manipur as opposed to the claim by the SAPO.

The letter further stated that the police structure is constructed within the territorial boundary of Manipur and can be seen from the satellite map.

Stating that NH-39 is the main lifeline of Manipur, the state government appealed for coexistence of the people of both the states and the issue of relating to territories and boundaries to be settled and resolved amicably through negotiations between the state governments concerned.

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