Choro Khonou villagers say 'no' to proposed land swap plan
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, April 16 2015 : Choro village headman, Kaphungyui has strongly objected the State's intention to cede land belonging to Choro Khunou of Ukhrul district to Myanmar in order to retain Moreh.

Talking to this correspondent, the village headman said "We will safeguard our rights, protect the land because Choro Khunou is our ancestral land, above all, as per the Tangkhul customary law, inherited land or properties cannot be exchanged nor traded" .

Memorandum and representations had been submitted to former Prime Minister Manmahon Singh and to the State Chief Minister concerning the matter.

In 2013, a protest rally was also staged at Ukhrul town against the Government's proposal to swap Choro Khonou with Moreh, he added.

Village secretary, Chihanmi asserted that the village has been paying regular hill house tax to the State despite all the debate over the village.

However, inspite of redressing the grievances of the villagers, the authority is set to alienate the residents from their ancestral home, Chihanmi alleged.

Choro village has about 40 households.

The village has one primary school and an Angawadi centre.

Chihanmi said that the rights of the villagers should be respected and their consent should be taken while adding that they being Indian and are included in the national census.

The Govt has been reportedly considering ceding of land to Myanmar in order to retain Moreh, which the Myanmar authority has been claiming as theirs.

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