SSVA declares TPO judgement null and void
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, October 06 2024: Apart from condemning the judgement and order of the Tenyimi People's Organisation (TPO) Presidential Council passed on June 12, 2024 regarding the Dziiko-Koziirii issue, the Song Song Village Authority (SSVA), Mao declared the judgement of TPO null and void.

According to a statement of SSVA, the dispute over Dziiko began in 1985 when some hikers from the Forest Department, Manipur along with Mao guides were detained by volunteers of Southern Angami en-route to Dziiko.

The issue of Koziirii (Koziie, in their original language) began between Pfonemai Development Association (PDA) represented by Song Song village and Viswema village (Nagaland) over construction of a rest house at Chitekayi Ingho by Viswema village in the year 2000 to mark the boundary of Viswema land which was strongly objected to by Song Song village.

The Koziie issue took a serious turn when Daniel, then chairman of Viswema village, for the fourth time in a month changed his statement to extend his claim on the Viswema land boundary into the whole of Koziie till Hudziimotu ridge.

The issue was finally taken over up by the erstwhile Tenyimi Central Union presently known as Tenyimi People's Organisation (TPO) .

It came as a huge relief to Mao as the basis for resolving the issue would be premised within their common customary law.

The SSVA hailed the decision of the TPO to look into the issue based on the merit of the case that had put their complete trust on the body for resolving the issue in a just and Amicable manner.

In the Tenyimi customary law, any verdict over a dispute to arrive at, must necessarily give due cognition of the antecedents on how the forefathers bequeathed the land to their children and based on those claims, oath taking is administered to ascertain the truth.

The solemn rite of taking oath invites moral obligations that can involve tragic misfortune and even loss of life on the part of the oath taker if wilfully lied under oath.

The basis for the outright rejection of the December 19, 2022 verdict of TPO/BOA was due to the non-inclusion of customary law.

Ironically, the July 12, 2024 pronouncement by the TPO Presidential Council took a step further away from the traditional norms of the Mao by overlooking the bonafide ownership of Mount Isii, Dziiko and Koziirii thereby rendering it into a mere a historical judgement with no moral or ethical obligations.

The council deemed it fit to award the custodial right to someone else and not to its rightful owner.

However, history stands witness to the fact that altering the narrative of Mount Isii shall, in effect, result in the erasure of Tenyimi history and identity, the SSVA statement alleged and rejected the June 12, 2024 judgement and order of the TPO Presidential Council and termed it null and void.

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