Ukhrul flays bartering of Choro village
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik

Ukhrul, September 21 2013 : Thou-sands of Ukhrul denizens in- cluding students took out a rally today against the Government's purported policy of bartering Choro village to Myanmar.

The rally was jointly organised by TNL, TSL, TKS, TMNL and all the four zonal organisations of Ukhrul district.

The rally that started from two points� Dungrei junction and Kharasom Junction converged at TNL Ground here.

Sr Advocate Daniel Ram-sam, while addressing the rally said that any land settlement pertaining to indigenous tribal areas postulated the free and prior consent from the natives.

Pointing out the Constitutional provision as enshrined in Article 371 (C), he urged immediate intervention of people's representatives from the hill areas to protect the land.

Mentioning that most of the North East States have se-parate tribal land Acts, he pointed out that there is no separate provision for the protection of tribal land in the State.

Former advisor of NESO, Artax Shimray said that the same problems were also faced in States like Aruna-chal, Tripura etc wherein the people are deprived of the tribal land right.

Ramthing said that the Go-vernment's intention to barter away Choro Khunou is dri-ven by its interest to take pos- session of a temple which is constructed within Myan-mar's territory.

Choro Khunou Zingsho-phai area, covering over 1.40 square miles area of Choro Khunou in between Border pillar No 90 and 91, is boun-ded by Myanmar in east, Kangpat in the West, Skipe in the North and in the South by Maklang river.

Choro is also named as Yangaophai, meaning rich timber resource area, which if proper attention is paid could be State's source of income.

Meanwhile, the Tangkhul community today handed a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India through the DC (Ukhrul) demanding immediate halt of process for bartering land with Myanmar at the expense of Zingshophai Choro Village.

The village has presently 33 houses with one Angan-wadi centre and a primary school, paying their share of obligatory taxes to the Government of India.

The Tangkhul community based organisations jointly pledged its stand and reaffir-med that their ancestral land, Choro Village, will not be parted at any expense for economic benefit while also urg- ing the Govt to exercise its statesmanship to deliver justice immediately.

According to speakers of the meeting, the Government policy for bartering Choro was initiated since 2004, which the Tangkhul community strongly put up resistance.

The rallyists raised slogans like 'We will not part Choro (Zingshophai),' 'Naga's land is not for Barter,' 'Choro (Zingshophai) is not a No man's land, it is our land,' 'Government Don't steal Tangkhul Village,' etc.

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