The residents of Assam’s Golaghat district have been protesting on the recent attacks from people from across the Nagaland border. Since last week, nine people have been killed in border villagers and thousands have fled. The last few decades have seen several such attacks over ownership and encroachment of land. The two states have been disputing their shared border ever since one was carved out of the other.
Ever since Nagaland was carved out of Assam’s Naga Hills district in 1963, Nagaland has been demanding some portions that the hill state believes “historically” belongs to it. The Nagaland government has been insisting that a 16-point agreement of 1960, which led to the creation of Nagaland, also included “restoration” of all Naga territories that had been transferred out of the Naga Hills after the British annexed Assam in 1826. The Assam government’s stand is to maintain the boundary “constitutionally” as decided on December 1, 1963, when the hill state was created
Assam Nagaland relations
- Now In the light of the Karbi Students Association (KSA) making noises against the Naga people and the unfortunate episode of their so-called Economic blockade of Nagaland, perhaps it has become pertinent to impart some history lessons lest half-truths and insinuations continue to vitiate the atmosphere and break down the cordial relations Nagas have enjoyed with the Assamese people since time immemorial.
History
- The Naga National Council, in order to retrieve the areas under Naga Hills District created in 1866 and the total areas covered under it as notified in 1875, negotiated with the members of the then Constituent Assembly of India, Sir Akbar Ali Hydari and Gopinath Bodoloi, the then Governor and the Premier of Assam Province in June 27 to 29, 1947, at Kohima and brought about a political agreement called ‘The 9 Point Agreement according to which all the reserved forest transferred to Sibsagar and Nowgong District in the past to bring back to the naga hill district To bring under one unified administrative unit to all the Naga inhabited areas.
Protest against illegal encroachment of land in KA district
- Karbi Students Association (KSA) on Sunday called for an economic blockade of Nagaland from November 17.
They called for the blockade to protest against unabated illegal encroachment in the Karbi Anglong district by people from the Nagaland.
- The students’ organization claimed that encroachment activities by Naga miscreants have increased from October.The encroachers frequently entered the district’s Daldali Reserve Forest to cut down trees.Talks between the district administrations of Karbi Anglong and Dimapur district of Nagaland have not deterred them from illegally entering the state.
AASU threatened to launch economic blockade against Nagaland
- Meanwhile AASU on Sunday threatened to launch an economic blockade against Nagaland if the neighbouring state continues “encroachment” of Assam land.The All Assam Students Union (AASU) said they would not concede an inch of land to Nagaland.
A team of Jorhat AASU on Sunday visited Nagajanka, the spot where the Nagaland administration had set up a police camp inside Dissoi Valley Reserve Forest under Mariani Range of Jorhat forest division on November 10.The step from the Nagaland administration triggered tension along the Assam-Nagaland border.
Conclusion
On these issues, the UNTABA (United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas) had submitted a Representation to the Prime Minister of India on 02/03/2016 and the copies have been made available to all the Negotiating parties including the NSCN/GPRN, WC/NNPG and the Interlocutor RN Ravi on various occasions. RN Ravi assured UNTABA that an Independent and empowered Boundary Commission’ shall be constituted based on the Political settlement. It is hoped that the negotiating parties shall keep this perspective in mind while settling the Naga issue.
The UNTABA reiterates that until and unless a complete restoration of Naga lands is fulfilled, there can be no final Indo-Naga political solution.