Mao Council sets record straight on Kozuru issue
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 23 2022: While thanking various organisations of Nagaland and Manipur for requesting SAPO to withdraw the indefinite ban imposed on movement of Mao people in Southern Angami area, Mao Council (MC) president Saheni Loli has expressed optimism that good sense will prevail once the true stories are made known to all about Kozuru issue.

Expressing serious concern over confusion surrounding the Kozuru issue between MC and Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), Saheni Loli said that more misunderstanding will crop up if the real stories are not told to public and issued a detailed clarification in order to bring peace and understanding among the Tenyimi brothers.

According to Saheni Loli, the land where the present Khuzama village (Nagaland) was earlier the grazing land of Pudunamei and Punanamei and much after the establishment of the new village of Khuzama, dispute arose between Pudunamei and Punanamei on one side and Viswema on the other side over ownership of land.

The person who took oath on behalf of Pudunamei and Punanamei was Neni (son of Kopfuju) from Pudunamei village and his lineage runs from Pforo, Lokho, Asosuro up to Sibo.

This means that the oath taking must have happened around 130-135 years back as of date and the boundary of Kozuru and Mao Dziiko is very clear to the Council.

SAPO also admitted in their statement issued on July 26, 2016 that there was a land dispute near 'Mitotsii' around 120-30 years back.

'Mitotsii' in fact was the first landmark of the land boundary sworn by Neni (son of Kopfuju), Saheni Loli said.

According to Saheni, Mao Dziiko measures around 11.28 km which is only about 1/5 of the total area of the entire Dziiko valley which lies within Manipur and is marked by the stream flowing from the foot of Isii peak, the Emei Chikhe (Mao Cave) and the willow trees planted along Dziiko river by Mao ancestors.

Mao Dziiko lies immediately to North of Koziirii forest.

The first discord on Dziiko valley occurred in 1985 when a team of 19 people comprising 9 Manipur government officials and 10 Mao youths went to visit Dziiko valley.

While returning through Viswema jurisdiction, the team was detained and coerced into tendering written apology for trespassing and then handed over to Nagaland police.

The issue of Kozuru started on April 11, 2000 wherein volunteers of Song Song village raised objection to construction of a new rest house by one Daniel of Viswema village at Chitekayi Ingho around 1 km (aerial distance) inside the traditional land of Mao people to mark the boundary of Viswema land.

Later, Song Song village informed Kalinamei and Rubunamei villagers about the encroachment on Mao traditional boundary.

At that time, Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) was not at all in the picture and the issue was restricted to Viswema village only.

On May 13, 2000, six delegates came from Viswema to Song Song village and stated the matter had been referred to Japfuphiki Angami Public Organisation (JAPO) since they cannot handle the case alone.

On November 23, 2000, some youths from Song Song village dismantled the rest house constructed by Viswema village and situation became tense but Tenyimi Central Union (TCU) managed to bring the matter under control, albeit briefly.

TCU directed Mao Council to tell Song Song village to reconstruct the rest house but the latter refused stating that the rest house was constructed in their traditional land.

Sensing the volatile situation, the national workers of NSCN (IM) reconstructed the rest house to save the situation.

Though TCU set up a Standing Committee to resolve the Kozuru (Kezoltsa) issue on February 14, 2001, the committee could riot resolve the issue.

In the year 2010 when some members of Pfonemei Development Association were attempting to transport felled trees from Kozuru, they were caught by volunteers of Southern Angami and detained and the incident created a volatile situation.

However, with the intervention of TCU now rechristened as Tenyimi People's Organisation (TPO), an agreement was entered with Angami Public Organisation (APO) and Mao Council oh March 19, 2010 and it was agreed that no party will be allowed to undertake any development activities until resolution of the dispute by TPO.

The TPO standing Committee had several sittings, undertook verification visits to the disputed area and also held separate consultations with the two parties.

However, when the process had reached the stage for settlement of the case, Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), formerly Japfuphiki Angami Public Organisation, withdrew from the TPO court on August 24, 2012 questioning the integrity of the members of TPO court and it is riot known whether they have taken the consent of APO.

In October 2014, SAPO encroached into Kozuru areas by constructing roads using heavy machinery and under the vigil of volunteers armed with sophisticated weapons.

To avoid any direct confrontation with the encroachers which would lead to bloodshed, the Committee for Kozuru and Dzuko Land Boundary Resolution (CKDLBR) under the aegis of Mao Council submitted an ultimatum to the government of Manipur on April 23, 2015 to stop the encroachment on or before May 7, 2015 failing which the Mao Council would take up democratic course of action.

When the Manipur government did not act, the democratic protest in the form of bandh was imposed for 24 hours from May 22, 2015 which was followed by indefinite economic blockade from June 1, 2015.Then, SAPO reacted strongly with a counter ban on movement of Mao people in SAPO area and through the advice and intervention of Naga Hoho, the economic blockade of the Mao Council was called off on June 3, 2015 midnight.

As advised by TPO and after much consultation and taking into account the need to uphold the unity and integrity of Naga people, Mao Council issued a public statement that the memorandum submitted to the Government of Manipur stands withdrawn with effect from October 25, 2015.There is already a 1933 decree of the Manipur Darbar, settling the boundary between Maram Khullen and Mao people (largely Mao Pungdong village) which was reaffirmed by the parties in the year 1995 and honoured by both parties, Saheni Loli said.

Till March 23, 2016, the Kozuru issue was only between Mao Council and SAPO but all of a sudden, the Maram Khullen came into the picture after the TPO Board of Arbitrators was already constituted.

This boundary between Maram Khullen and Mao Pungdong with stone markers was pointed out to TPO and the Board of Arbitrators (BOA) during the field visit in the presence of Maram Khullen representatives, who stated that south of the boundary is Maram Khullen land while the north belongs to Mao Pungdong.

Mao Council is unable to understand how TPO is now giving so much importance to Maram Khullen, the president elaborated.

Due to the provocative actions of SAPO even to the extent of firing guns and using abusive language against the Manipur administrative and security officers who were deployed to control the Dzuko fire in later part of December 2020, the Government of Manipur was forced to enforce 144 CRPC on the Manipur side to control the situation, Saheni Loli pointed out.

Comment