Dzuko Valley dispute : SAPO restricts movement of Mao travellers in Nagaland
Source: The Sangai Express
Senapati, May 29 2015 :
The simmering tension between Southern Angami People's Organisation (SAPO) and Mao Council took a new turn today when SAPO volunteers and members restricted the movement of Mao travellers to neighbouring Nagaland State.
This is despite strong appeal to SAPO and Mao Council from the United Naga Council (UNC) and other bodies like Naga Hoho and Nagaland Tribal Council (NTC) to settle the Dzuko and Koziiri dispute peacefully.
According to sources, SAPO volunteers openly came out on NH-2 since early today morning between Khuzama and Kegwima and stopped passenger ferrying vehicles including Tata Sumo, inter-State buses and Wingers and enquired the ethnic identities of the passengers.
Passengers belonging to Mao community and their vehicles were sent back and asked not to travel to Nagaland with immediate effect.
Sources also said that the Mao Council is likely to conduct an emergency meeting tomorrow to discuss and deliberate on the issue in the wake of such development.
The restriction imposed on Mao community has come after SAPO approved the demand of the Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO) to impose 'economic blockade' on Mao community alone.
Mao Council has been accused of offending SAPO with baseless allegation on the Dzuko issue and calling a 24 hr total bandh.
The UNC had appealed to both the parties to restrain from taking any provocative steps but resolve the matter through traditional Naga customary judicial system upholding mutual respect and in the spirit of brotherhood.