Southern Angami community imposes 5-day economic blockade

The Southern Angami community in Kohima district of Nagaland has imposed a five-day economic blockade against the Mao community of Manipur irked by its alleged claims over the ancestral land at picturesque Dzukou and Kezoltsa areas.
The economic blockade, which began yesterday, was being enforced by volunteers of Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) under the aegis of its apex body Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO) at Kigwema and Kezo-Kidi junctions, which have roads connecting Mao Naga areas of Senapati district in Manipur.
The economic-blockade is against the alleged false claims of the Mao Nagas over the ancestral land of Kezoltsa and Dzukou mountainous region, SAYO president Kekhruhol Mekro said.

Reaffirming SAPO's stand on the ancestral land at Kezoltsa and Dzukou, SAYO said that there was not an inch of the land belonging to Manipur as falsely claimed by the Mao community.
There was no restriction on movement of people from the Mao community but there were restrictions on carrying economic goods to Mao area through the Southern Angami region, he said.
Other commercial vehicles, including passenger or goods carrier, which are not meant for or plying from Mao Gate are being given free passage, he said.

SAYO reiterated that if the matter remained unresolved, the second phase in the form of total blockade against the Mao community would be enforced from next week.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Kohima Rovilato Mor said that the district administration was closely monitoring the situation by deploying 'dobashis', persons entrusted by the district administration to look into law and order problems.
Police personnel have also been deployed at the two junctions to thwart any untoward incident and also check that the people travelling along the route are not harassed, he said.