Imphal, November 08: Newmai News Networl (NNN): Not very long ago you were the chief of the United Naga Council (UNC), what is your opinion on bringing all Naga inhabited areas under a single administration?
Benjamin : There is no harm.

You know States like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka were created out of the State of Hyderabad on the basis of racial and linguistic identity.

In recent years under the same principle new States like Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chattisgarh were created.

It is Constitutionally justified when one goes through the Constitutional history of India.

You know when lemon juice and water mixed in a single glass, they serve drinking purpose to the extent of providing good health but when water and petrol are matched in a container, they don�t serve the purpose and ultimately they are to be separated for the respective purposes.

When people of same racial and linguistic are put under the same administration there is harmony and tranquility.

NNN: Can you comment on affiliation of schools of 4 (four) hill districts of Manipur to NBSE?
Benjamin : So long affiliation of schools from one State to another State is concerned there are certain formalities to be fulfilled as per standing Act.(s) of Board of Secondary Education of the respective State.

So I have no comment.

NNN : About 8,000 students from four hill districts of Manipur are appearing for class X examination under NBSE through schools in Nagaland.

What is your comment?
Benjamin : Appearing class X examination under NBSE from/through Nagaland schools cannot be termed as affiliation.

Students from any State can pursue their studies in any other State of India including Nagaland if they desire so and and also provided their parents can afford.

NNN : Ok, coming back to the Naga issue what is your stance on ongoing Indo-Naga peace process ?
Benjamin : I should say it is an outcome of hard and enormous labour of both Naga people and Indian Government.

You know for more than 35 years Nagas and Indian Army were in armed conflict.

There had been uncountable bloodshed/killings which had resulted in many women being rendered widows on either side out of this arm struggle.

To suppress this arm struggle, the Government of India applied/administered different Acts against Nagas including draconian Acts like IPC, TADA, Arms Act, AFSP Act and NSA but failed to contain the same and lastly the Govt.of India confirmed that Nagas� problem is political issue and not that of law and order problem.

After attaining this confirmation, both the Govt.off India and the Naga leaders entered into ceasefire to facilitate peace pro- cess through negotiation.

Thus, it is hard earned of both the parties.

The Naga populations wish and pray that Naga political issue be politically, logically and amicably addressed thro-ugh ongoing peace process and under the same preced-ent other insurgency pro- blems of North East India also be addressed if they fall under the same category.

NNN: Are you satisfied with the present constitutional rights of tribals in Manipur?
Benjamin: It is alright as enshrined in the Indian Constitution, but its enforcement for target people is far behind the expectation.

Enforcement of tribal rights is yet to be ensured and intensified with special care that it should not hamper/assassinate Nagas� birth right.

NNN: Being seasonal social worker of your district Chandel, do you have any intention to contest in the ensuing Manipur Assembly Election of 2007?
Benjamin: I�m thinking so with the endorsement of people in my Assembly Constituency which comprises of different tribes.

NNN: If so, on what political party are you contest- ing?
Benjamin: As you know, at present juncture Nagas are having common political issue which is to be settled/overcomed and, as such, it is not advisable to emphasize on particular political party unless the party itself does not stand again-st the Nagas� aspiration, target etc.

We Nagas have faith in Nagas� inheritance i.e democracy in politics and socialist in culture.

Aspiration and feedback of Naga civil society shall be the placards of contesting candidate (s) and, henceforth no particular political party is neces- sarily attracted to me.

Every political party has its own political ideology, manifesto and what not, which sometimes do not commensurate to particular racial and linguistic identity.

So, my contesting party ticket shall be preferably dedicat-ed independent candidate or any other party which will not aggravate the interest and aspiration of indi- genous people including the Nagas.

NNN: Well, the hottest issue right now is the big dam.

Being a long standing social worker what is your opinion and suggestion for divided opinions on construction/non-constru- ction of Tipaimukh Dam ?
Benjamin: Generally construction and commissioning of hydro project(s) mean for industrial development of the state con- cern.

But in Manipur while initiating such projects, we had have bitter experience in 2 (two) Dam constructions, one at Maphou dam (Thoubal Dam) in Mapithel area in Ukhrul district and Khuga dam in CCpur district.

Whenever such hydro projects are proposed there are two groups of people being affected i.e (i) affect-ed people at actual con- struction area, (ii) affected people in submerging area (upstream).

It is the duty of concerned government and funding agencies to assess the quantum of damages being caused to these two affected groups of people in both areas and values thereof.

The affected land owners should be compensated under the Land Acquisition Act,1894 for their alternative livelihood before the starting of construction works of hydro project.

What the law says is that if the land is required for the public purpose it should be acquired subject to the payment of adequate compensation for land(s) and usufructs thereof for alternative livelihood of affected land owners.

In Manipur such process were not properly observed in the cases of both Maphou dam and Khuga dam.

In the process of land acquisition for these two dams, the official concerned (Revenue Dept) and the Land Acquisition Collectors) committed the follow- ing irregularities.

The area of land acquir-ed for dams on paper and record are much higher than the area of lands physically acquired to meet their ulterior purpose.

Thus portion of land compensation amo-unt goes to somebody�s purse other than the affected land owners.

Ownership of lands either in individual cases or village wise were not settled in time and as result there are numerous civil/land dispute cases in civil courts till date.

All payable compensation amounts worked out at the relevant time as per prevailed market rate of the locality were never paid to the affected and owners before the commencement of dams construction.

The land compensation and va-lue of damage standing crops had been paid from time to time in piece meal system which amounts fail-ed to meet procurement of alternative land for their livelihood.

Till this day affected land owners of these two dams in Manipur are not in receipt of the full amount of their respective land compensation.

The affected land owners of both the dams constructions are resorting strike, bandh, blockade and litigation in demand of payment of remaining amount of land compensation and enhancement of land compensation on the ground that they were not in receipt of compensation amount in full and in time while most of them sustained injury on their bodies and some of them loss their lives even.

Thus construction of dams in Manipur became a curse to the affected land owners and caused disputes, hatred etc.

It is my humble and sincere suggestion towa-rds both the parties i.e im- plementing authority and affected land owners to ensure the following points.

a) Free and fair assessment on area of land being affected and values thereof for both (i) construction ar-ea and (ii) submerging area.

b) Payment of compensation for land and usufruct to the affected land owners be completed under Land Acquisition Act before commencement of dam construction so as to accomplish the process for possession of land under relevant sections of Land Acquisition Act.

c) Apart from payment of land compensation under Land Acquisition Act, a Memorandum.

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