SENAPATI: The Song Song Village Authority (SSVA) has issued a strong protest against what it describes as illegal and unauthorized road clearance activities in the Koziie area, calling for an immediate halt to all such work until the dispute is resolved.
In a press release, the SSVA stated that the ongoing activities violate established land jurisdiction, customary ownership, and traditional rights. Reiterating its earlier stance made public on October 7, 2024, the authority reaffirmed its outright rejection of the July 12, 2024 judgment and order issued by the Tenyimi People’s Organization Presidential Council.
The authority emphasized that the disputed land stretches from the Dzüko River which is traditionally recognized as the boundary between Manipur and Nagaland and up to Mt. Esii, the state’s highest peak, extending further into the Kozie area, a region described as a pristine and untouched forest. According to the SSVA, there had been no prior disputes over this land historically.
The statement traces the origin of the conflict to April 11, 2000, when Viswema village allegedly began encroaching into the Kozie area by constructing a rest house and subsequently claiming the land as part of its boundary. The SSVA contends that the Koziie area lies approximately 2 km away from the Nagaland boundary and has long been preserved by their ancestors for sustainable use, including foraging, hunting, and ritual purposes.
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The authority further alleged that Viswema village has altered its boundary claims multiple times over the past two decades, extending its assertions on at least four occasions.
Maintaining that no development activity should take place in the disputed region until a fair resolution is achieved, the SSVA stressed that any construction without mutual consent is “illegal and unacceptable.” It warned that such actions could undermine efforts toward peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among neighboring communities.
The SSVA has called upon the Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) to immediately suspend all activities in the Kozie forest. It also urged relevant authorities and civil society groups to intervene and prevent further violations.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace and justice, the Song Song Village Authority stated that it remains dedicated to protecting its ancestral forest land also described as “the lung of the region”, through lawful and traditional means.
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