Naga youth body issues warning to Assam Govt over "illegal" economic blockade

DIMAPUR: The Tsurangkong Naga Youth Front (TRNYF), an influential Naga youth body, has threatened to take its "own course of action to protect and safeguard the ancestral land of the Nagas" after its deadline to clear the economic deadline at Sonowal in Upper Assam ended on November 20 at 6 am.

The youth organization had earlier sent memorandums to the Governments of Nagaland and Assam through the Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung. After the end of the deadline, the body stated that the Assam Government "will be held solely responsible for any untoward incidents that may arise in our fight against the illegal blockade."

It had said that the economic blockade "imposed by some unknown miscreants" be cleared by 6 AM on Monday. However, after the end of the deadline, the youth body released a statement in which the TRNYF president Bendangwati and secretary Shiluyongdang "placed under record" that the Tsurangkong Range, under Mokokchung, is the "ancestral land" of the Nagas and that the traditional boundary cannot be "altered in any manner."

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The TRNYF further stated that the recent events at Aosenden village should not be tagged as a "border issue" as it has been Naga land "since time immemorial."

The body further added that they will not agree to any decision that is "detrimental" their rights.

It needs mention here that the blockading of the Mariani-Mokokchung road (NH 702-D) by agitators at Sonowal township, near Mariani, Jorhat district continued for the fifth day on November 20.

What started as an “Economic blockade” against Mokokchung, Nagaland on November 16, as per official sources, transformed into a total road blockade by the second day as vehicular movement, of any kind towards Mokokchung was halted in Sonowal.

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