Dimapur, October 15 2009: Nagaland government has said that the presence of Manipur IR battalion at the river bank of Tizu at Jessami will create unnecessary tension and disharmony in the area.

Meanwhile, due to the non-vacation of the BSF barrack by the Nagaland Armed Police (NAP), IRB dispatch to occupy the barrack are stationing at Jessami police station, a report received here said.

In response to home ministry's request to Manipur government to deploy IR battalion on Manipur side of the river bank of Tizu at Jessami, namely at Lanyi bridge and Akash bridge, the Nagaland government said that the presence of Manipur IR battalions at this location would create unnecessary social tension and disharmony in the location, Nagaland Post published in Dimapur reported.

In a letter to Union Ministry of Home Affair's joint secretary, the report said Nagaland chief secretary Lalthara pointed out that as per traditional land ownership and land holding pattern prevailing in this area till date, the lands on both sides of the Tizu river in this location were owned and cultivated by the Chakhesang and Pochury tribes of Phek district of Nagaland.

It also apprised the MHA that even the land where the BSF posts were located belonged to them.

Further, the state government stated that unless the sentiments of local tribal people were properly understood and accommodated, the issue could result in unnecessary tension in this area and could affect peaceful inter-state relations between Manipur and Nagaland.

The Nagaland government also strongly observed that two police outposts at Lanyi bridge and Akash bridge should be taken over by a neutral force, such as 111 Bn BSF, as it did before.

With regard to this the state government has urged MHA to instruct BSF authority to reoccupy these two posts urgently.

The state government has also informed that two posts were still manned by NAP battalion and that it has not been handed over to Manipur IR battalions.

It strongly felt that status quo should be maintained at this location till BSF was in a position to take over the posts.

It may be mentioned that Meluri village council and Lozaphuh� village council have rejected allegation by Jessami villagers that NAP had opened outpost and guesthouse on their side of the border and that people from neighbouring Phek district, Nagaland encroached into Manipur and started farming, after an outpost manned by Nagaland Police personnel was opened.

MVC had clarified that BSF outpost at Thozhisu occupied by 5th NAP was within the traditional land of Meluri.

While the LVC clarified that BSF barrack in Lanye, temporarily occupied by 5th NAP, was purely under Lozaphuh� Village.

Meanwhile, Manipur government has claimed that Nagaland Police, who occupied a post in the remote Jessami area in Ukhrul district, vacated the place on Wednesday following intense pressure from the Centre and Manipur government and that a company of IRB (Manipur) has occupied it.

The report is amidst the strong objection from the Ukhrul base civil organizations to the deployment of IRB after the NAP vacated the barrack.

They urged the government to deploy only Manipur Rifles personnel if necessity for deployment of security force to guard the border is needed.

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