Dzukou Valley Problem

Sorojit Singh Khulem *

Dzukou Valley Problem had been simmering for a long time. Encroachment, Construction of roads in the Dzukou valley and banning entry of Manipuris into the valley by South Angamis had been in the news sporadically. The situation has now come to boiling with the recent 24 hours Bandh called by Mao Council and Committee for Koziirii-Dzuko Land Boundary Resolution (CKDLBR) supported by many CSOs of Manipur on 22 May 2015 and to be followed up by Economic Blockade wef 01 June 2015.

I have not been to Dzuko valley. So I thought the Dzuko problem was a Boundary Dispute. But after analyzing the following points I now realize the issue as that of "Ownership of entire Dzuko Valley"

(a) Angamis firm on Dzukou Valley (The Telegraph: 8 Oct 2008)

The Angami Nagas today reiterated that they would not give away any land in the Dzukou Valley to Manipur. Both the states have been staking claim to the valley for years. Organisations like Angami Students' Union and Southern Angami Public Organisations have rubbished the Manipur government's claim that 70 per cent of the valley belongs to it. The president of the Southern Angami Public Organisations, Phelukhwe Kirha, said no government had the authority to execute any documents or draw any boundaries without the consent of the owner of the land.

He said even the word Dzukou was derived from southern Angami "The southern Angamis have made their stand clear that they will stick to their traditional boundary and never recognised the so-called Manipur-Nagaland inter-state imaginary political boundary line," Kirha said.

(b) Naga tribe not to allow Manipuris to enter Dzuko (The Imphal Free Press : 19 Feb 2006)

Trouble appears to be on the horizon between the neighbouring states of Manipur and Nagaland over the ownership of the Dzuko valley, with the Southern Angami tribe reportedly deciding not to allow any individual, party, organisation, or association from Manipur to visit the picturesque valley unless the people and government of Manipur apologise and make rectification for staking claim to portions of the valley Dimapur-based Eastern Mirror said a decision in this regard has been taken by the Southern Angami Students Union and the Southern Angami Public Organisation.

The report, headlined 'Dzukou closed to people of Manipur' is partially reproduced below:
"Ridiculing claims made by the people of Manipur, particularly by the Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association (MMTA), that a part of Dzukou Valley belong to Manipur, SASU, in a statement issued by President Seyievilie Peter and Speaker Voto Neikha, said the MMTA had, in the year 2004, obtained written permission from SASU seeking to visit the famed valley after acknowledging the legitimate possession of the Southern Angamis over Dzukou."....... SASU has been issuing entry permission and implementing the codes of conduct for visitors of Dzukou for its protection and upkeep on behalf of the Southern Angamis, it said.

(c) Dzukou Valley Decision after ADC Election (AIR Imphal News 7.30am 23 May 2015)

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said that decision has been taken to resolve the Dzukou Valley confusion after ADC election and he also said whether entire Dzuko Valley belongs to Manipur or part of it belongs to Nagaland will be ascertained by his government.

Dzu ko valley, since early days was frequented by people of Angami and Mao tribes but valley was not considered fit for habitation in those time due to climatic and geographical conditions. Now Dzuko Valley has become a most sought valley due to its natural beauty and tourism potentials.

"Dzuko Valley" as is evident from the name itself that the valley is along Dzuko River and it is on both the banks of the river. Dzukou River originates from Esso (Iso) Peak (2994m from MSL) and it flows down in NW direction till it joins the Barak River at Barak-Dzkou Junction (25.463127N, 93.805202E) approx 5Kms west of Chakha Village. DZUKO Valley is located in between 25032/3// N to 25033/47// N Latitude and 9403//43// E to 9404/28// E Longitudes. It is reported that Dzuko Valley is about 2.5 Sq Km in area (excluding the surrounding areas) 1 (Manipur -1.55 Sq Km, Nagaland – 0.67 Sq Km)2 . Dzukou Valley area falls in Survey of India Map MANIPUR, NAGALAND, Sheet No. 83K/2.

Index : Manipur Map

GOOGLE IMAGERY of DZUKOU VALLEY
Manipur –Nagaland Boundary (In the Disputed Area Only)

GOOGLE IMAGERY of DZUKOU VALLEY Manipur –Nagaland Boundary (In the Disputed Area Only)

The Boundary between the two states has been marked in The Survey of India Map MANIPUR, NAGALAND Sheet No. 83K/2 (surveyed during 1973-74) as under: Bridge (culvert) over Pijelru Lok – Trig Height 2686 Khoho (Khunoho) – Trig Height 2994 Tenipu (Iso) – Along Dzuku River - Barak-Dzkou Junction. I am sure Survey of India must have marked the boundary alignment with some authority.

Manipur –Nagaland Boundary

Manipur Government should also be having documents on the boundary alignment of Manipur with its neighbouring states/country. I am surprised on CM O Ibobi's statement reported in AIR Imphal, morning news on 23 May 2015 showing ignorance. He should immediately sort out the problem with Nagaland Government with proper authentic documents before the Economic Blockade. Central Govt should only intervene when the State Governments fail to resolve the matter.

I feel MMTA had also added fuel to the fire knowingly or un knowingly by bowing to the pressure of SASU and paying tax for entry to Dzukou valley for their short term gains and creating a wrong impression which has resulted into the present impasse. Another tangible contrast is development efforts made by Nagaland in this sector and the absence of interest or laziness on the part of Manipur leaving it as local village issue.

If the road /building construction carried out by SASU/SAPO is on the northern bank of Dzukou River we should not have any problem. But construction on the river or the southern bank is objectionable.

I feel Dzukou Valley should be developed as a joint venture by both the State Governments keeping in mind what Dr RK Ranjan wrote:
"The DZUKO area is one of the most interesting gene pool of endemic bio-diversities of this region. To protect the area is the service to all human kind of the North Eastern India particularly of Manipur and Nagaland. There should not be any territorial dispute in between Nagaland and Manipur for DZUKO Valley. The valley is the gift of Nature to all the mankind of this region.

Hence, the academicians, environmental activists and all other people should fight together to save the DZUKO Valley from the claws of the so-called developmental projects. The people of both sides should decide by sitting together to declare the DZUKO Region as one of the rarest biosphere zones and common heritage of Manipur and Nagaland."

References

1. Mount Esso & Dzuko Valley '" A Biosphere Reserve" By RK Ranjan Singh
2. Journal of the Palaeontological Society of India , Volume, 56(2) Dec 2011: 143-148