Imphal: The Manipur government on Tuesday evacuated Mao people, who were stranded at Dimapur, Nagaland, due to a ban imposed on them by Southern Angami Public Organisation (SAPO), by flight.
Mao people arrived at Imphal’s Bir Tikendrajit International Airport today.
The evacuated people were mostly students who are working outside the state coming home to join the Christmas celebration with their families.
They got stranded at Dimapur owing to the ban imposed on Mao people by the Southern Angami People’s Organisation (SAPO) under its jurisdiction over a land dispute.
The Manipur government has evacuated them in response to a memorandum submitted by Mao-Imphal Market Co-ordination Committee to Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh.
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On their arrival at the airport, they were received by leaders and members of the committee.
Talking to reporters at the airport, committee convener Khuraijam Athouba said that after the ban imposed on the Mao people, the committee submitted a memorandum to the chief minister for making needed arrangements for evacuation while informing that a large number of Mao people were stranded at Dimapur since December 17.
In the memorandum, the committee urged the state government to evacuate all the stranded people on or before December 21 so that they can join their respective families in the celebration of Christmas, he said.
He thanked the chief minister for translating the memorandum into work.
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Athouba also urged the state government to find a way to end the land dispute at the Manipur-Nagaland border for all time.
He stressed the need for the Manipur government to take up the matter with its counterpart Nagaland government through a diplomatic channel.
Meanwhile, before departure for their respective homes, the evacuated Mao people met with chief minister N Biren Singh at the chief minister’s secretariat in Imphal.
The chief minister also interacted with the students who have returned to the state.
NNN