Dimapur : Ralan range, on the borders of Assam and Nagaland has become a difficult area for the resident people to survive in, owing to daily incursions and provocation from Assam. The area’s people are facing the brunt of provocation from the Assam side daily and unless the matter is addressed at the earliest, things might go out of hand, the Kyong Lower Range Students’ union today cautioned in an urgent letter addressed to the chief secretary of Nagaland. The problems of the people there have been precipitated more so by the absence of an able and effective administration, the KLRSU stated in its letter to the chief administrator.
The problems are myriad, as the students’ letter listed out, calling the consequences of the state government’s negligence. The check gate maintained by the CRPF at Yanpha village has become a menace for the people of Ralan; without the intervention and active monitoring by a border magistrate or SDO ( C ) it is impossible to move even a piece of building material through this CRPF gate, the students said. “This is a crude and ingenuous way of stopping any forms of economic development in the area both by the CRPF and also the officers concerned” the KLRSU lamented.
“The daily harassment of passenger vehicles has taken its toll on the weary villagers of the area. It is not long before they (villagers) take the matter in their own hands” students stated. “The tragedy is that all this seems to happen with the sanction of the government” it stated, referring to orders reportedly issued by border magistrates of both states to the post commanders.
Further, daily provocation by land-grabbers from the Assam-side has made life insecure in the border areas of Wokha. Ralan area is the largest tract of plains under Wokha and has engendered many incursive agenda from illegal migrant workers from Assam, the KLRSU said. “Tensions may flare up at any moment and there are lots of instances to prove that the Assam police are ready and always on the look out to arrest any Naga on the slightest pretext. We mention this to stress the fact that the complicity of the Assam Police in aiding and abetting the illegal immigrants’ incursive agenda makes the people of Ralan area feel like orphans” the students stated.
The students’ organization also wondered why there isn’t a department or agency for Nagaland to look into the welfare of the people living in the Assam-Nagaland border. In fact, the KLRSU explained, the problems for the border people are so precipitated that “we have found out that some people in the border areas are even going up to the extent of openly wondering whether it is a good idea for the Lothas to seek for a district status in Assam itself”.
The students have demanded an SDO (c) officer at Ralan and a separate border magistrate at Uriamghat. The students said to have “heard and read” in the newspapers about an SDO being assigned to Ralan. However, the students found out that the officer in question is “still on leave till date”. “Although we understand the difficulties of an officer, it cannot be an excuse for the government to hold the lives of the entire Ralan sub-division under ransom” the students said.
Further, the students’ organization said a border magistrate was assigned for Uriamghat recently but he holds a dual charge, of Merapani as well. “…it is difficult for one officer alone to man the whole DAB in Wokha district” the students said. The students have cautioned that the matter and plight of the area demands urgent attention before the people decide to take matters in their own hand and things go out of control.
The problems are myriad, as the students’ letter listed out, calling the consequences of the state government’s negligence. The check gate maintained by the CRPF at Yanpha village has become a menace for the people of Ralan; without the intervention and active monitoring by a border magistrate or SDO ( C ) it is impossible to move even a piece of building material through this CRPF gate, the students said. “This is a crude and ingenuous way of stopping any forms of economic development in the area both by the CRPF and also the officers concerned” the KLRSU lamented.
“The daily harassment of passenger vehicles has taken its toll on the weary villagers of the area. It is not long before they (villagers) take the matter in their own hands” students stated. “The tragedy is that all this seems to happen with the sanction of the government” it stated, referring to orders reportedly issued by border magistrates of both states to the post commanders.
Further, daily provocation by land-grabbers from the Assam-side has made life insecure in the border areas of Wokha. Ralan area is the largest tract of plains under Wokha and has engendered many incursive agenda from illegal migrant workers from Assam, the KLRSU said. “Tensions may flare up at any moment and there are lots of instances to prove that the Assam police are ready and always on the look out to arrest any Naga on the slightest pretext. We mention this to stress the fact that the complicity of the Assam Police in aiding and abetting the illegal immigrants’ incursive agenda makes the people of Ralan area feel like orphans” the students stated.
The students’ organization also wondered why there isn’t a department or agency for Nagaland to look into the welfare of the people living in the Assam-Nagaland border. In fact, the KLRSU explained, the problems for the border people are so precipitated that “we have found out that some people in the border areas are even going up to the extent of openly wondering whether it is a good idea for the Lothas to seek for a district status in Assam itself”.
The students have demanded an SDO (c) officer at Ralan and a separate border magistrate at Uriamghat. The students said to have “heard and read” in the newspapers about an SDO being assigned to Ralan. However, the students found out that the officer in question is “still on leave till date”. “Although we understand the difficulties of an officer, it cannot be an excuse for the government to hold the lives of the entire Ralan sub-division under ransom” the students said.
Further, the students’ organization said a border magistrate was assigned for Uriamghat recently but he holds a dual charge, of Merapani as well. “…it is difficult for one officer alone to man the whole DAB in Wokha district” the students said. The students have cautioned that the matter and plight of the area demands urgent attention before the people decide to take matters in their own hand and things go out of control.
Yanpha, Ralan to defend land from Assam
Dimapur : Irked by reported intrusions by the Assam government into the Assam-Nagaland border areas, the Yanpha villagers in Wokha have decided on ‘protecting’ and ‘defending’ their land. A public meeting convened by the Yanpha Village Council was held on January 31 after construction works were undertaken by the government of Assam in the border areas covering Yanpha and Ralan range. The Yanpha Village Council informed that the government of Assam had recently commenced construction of roads in the Assam-Nagaland border covering Yanpha and Ralan areas under Wokha district. The council said the construction activities have been started to “annex the Naga areas into Assam territory”.
Observing this turn of events, the council convened a meeting in January where a number of decisions were taken by the public of the area. The public strongly affirmed to “protect and defend” the Naga areas “under any circumstances” from the “annexation policies of Assam”.
The meeting then decided to approach the state government of Nagaland for immediate posting of a Border Magistrate. Similarly, the state government would be approached for an SDO (Civil) to be posted at Ralan. This posting is in the interest of addressing problems from the border issue before it is too late, the meeting decided. The public of the area have appealed to the state government to “act in time” to “defend and safeguard Nagaland” from the “various annexation policies of Assam”.
Observing this turn of events, the council convened a meeting in January where a number of decisions were taken by the public of the area. The public strongly affirmed to “protect and defend” the Naga areas “under any circumstances” from the “annexation policies of Assam”.
The meeting then decided to approach the state government of Nagaland for immediate posting of a Border Magistrate. Similarly, the state government would be approached for an SDO (Civil) to be posted at Ralan. This posting is in the interest of addressing problems from the border issue before it is too late, the meeting decided. The public of the area have appealed to the state government to “act in time” to “defend and safeguard Nagaland” from the “various annexation policies of Assam”.
