GUWAHATI:
Thanking the chief ministers of Assam and Nagaland for their decision to resolve the inter-state boundary disputes, the United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas (UNTABA) has urged the Assam government to withdraw the civil suit No 2 filed at the Supreme Court of India in 1988.
UNTABA chairman Hukavi Yeputhomi, who was a part of the Naga delegation that meet state agriculture minister Atul Bora at Jorhat circuit house on January 25, expounded that the civil suit filed by the Assam government would be a hindrance to the cordial discussion proposed by the two state governments.
Agreeing with Yeputhomi that the case poses a barrier in reliving the border dispute, Bora on the other hand stated that he will look into the matter.
On September 7, 1988, the Assam government had filed a case in the Supreme Court seeking relief including demarcation of its over 500-km-long border with Nagaland. The border dispute between the two states dates back to 1963 when Nagaland was carved out of Assam’s Naga Hills district. Since then, Nagaland has been demanding some portions of the border which it believes “historically” belong to the state and seeking “restoration” of all Naga territories. However, the Assam government wants to stick with the boundary that was decided on December 1, 1963 when Nagaland was created.
The Nagaland delegation comprising of various Western Sumi Frontal Organisations, led by senior IAS officer and Nagaland agriculture production commissioner, met Bora after successfully concluding the commemoration of 118th village foundation day at Longtong (Atuphu) Sema Naga village under Margherita sub-division of upper Assam’s Tinsukia.
Kikheto Sema and the other Sumi leaders apprised the minister of how Nagas in that area were permitted by the British to establish their village way back in 1904 and have been existing there even before India got independent or Assam became a constituent state of India.
They implored the minister to look into the affair and protect the rights of these minority people, to which, the minister solemnly stated that he will be visiting those areas soon and guaranteed that he will look after the affairs and rights of these peoples. He also assured the team that he will look into the future developmental affairs of these villages.
Sema also informed the minister that Ahoms and the Nagas have historical ties dating back to 1200 AD, “so it would be significant that we revive that age-old friendship through different means”. The prime among them would be by strengthening trade and commerce between the two states, he said.