Source: The Sangai Express
Dimapur, February 11 (NNN):
Even as the NSCN-IM is holding intensive peace talks with the Government of India, the question of the ownership of Dimapur has been haunting the Nagas from time to time.
Three years ago the Dima Halam Daoga (DHD), a Dimasa underground outfit, had raised the question of Dimapur to everyone's surprise saying that Dimapur be returned to the Dimasa community.
Reports received from the Dimasa dominated Nagaland-Assam border area said that the Dimasa people are contemplating to take up the issue very seriously in the days to come.
Attempt to contact Dima Halam Daoga chairman Dilip Nunisa by Newmai News Network today proved futile as the militant leader is reportedly out of the outfit�s base camp.
The DHD had three days ago again raised the question of Dimapur ownership to which the NSCN-IM had shot back with sharp reactions.
The NSCN (IM) had even said that a large tract of land in Assam belong to the Nagas.
Till now no civil organisations from the Naga society have given any comment on the "issue".
The Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) is fortunate to have relics and other ruins of the Dimasa kingdom of the past glory dating back to some 500 years.
Folklores have it that a Dimasa king had given their land, the present Dimapur area to a Naga king or chief in lieu of something which the former owed to the latter.
The Dimasa or Kachari relics and ruins are found near Dimapur�s Super Market.
Naga writers and historians said that the area of present Dimapur was settled by the Nagas since the ancient days but who had settled earlier in the area - Dimasas or the Nagas? - remains a hot question.
Numerous Naga folklores indicated it that the name Dimapur was not the exact name of the area but it was named much later after the Dimasa community.
The Naga folklores have more to say about the area and have strong indications that the Nagas settled at Dimapur earlier than the Dimasas.
The folklores of the Dimasas too have its say and reasons to justify that Dimapur belongs to the Dimasa community.