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09/01/2007: "NPMHR on 28th August incident at Jalukie Zangdi and Manglumukh Villages"

NPMHR on 28th August incident at Jalukie Zangdi and Manglumukh Villages


A team of the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) and Naga Mothers Association (NMA) made a spot investigation at the conflict that has arisen between Manglumukh Village and Jalukie Zangdi Village to ascertain the recent gutting of a score of houses on 28th August 2007. While witnessing the claims and counter claims of both parties involve, the team is of the opinion that a peaceful and humane approach should be applied to study and resolve the contention through dialogue and mutual cooperation.

NPMHR appeal to all concerned to refrain from issuing any communally charged statements or things that will further inflame the situation. Statements issued to the media often by arm-chair activists without proper investigation into the events tends to create more tension instead of applying balm to the conflict to resolve the critical issue.

When Nagas are in the midst of dialogues with the neighboring communities to restore traditional ties and to slowly resolve our traditional boundaries, it is expected of every conscious Naga from different communities to approach issues with sensitivity and avoid all unrealistic and emotional overtones. We appeal all to approach the issue without prejudice and through impartiality with a shared vision that all Nagas including other struggling communities can expect shared freedom and genuine justice through the establishment of mutual respect and understanding.

NPMHR considers that conflict of this nature, despite unwanted, has become inevitable in an age of globalization with the various interplay of vested forces to exploit resources and alienate land which traditionally belongs to the Nagas including the other ethnic minority communities of the state. In order to establish a just and humane society the concerned authorities should intervene to engage both the parties in conflict through proper processes without causing further destruction to properties or exacerbation of the tensions.

NPMHR is of the opinion that with the gradual opening of foreign actors into the traditional homeland for exploitation of resources, more conflict is likely to be generated over the share of resources, amongst communities and between state and community. It is therefore of urgent need to identify already existing mechanism or establish new mechanism to resolve conflict without which peaceful resolution of conflict and establishment of a humane society will be a far cry.

Atoho Kiho
Convener, Nagaland
NPMHR