Villagers fleeing homes on Manipur-Nagaland border

IMPHAL, January 25: Residents of several villages along the Manipur Nagaland border are reported to have fled their homes and taken shelter in Mao during the past week on account of rising tension due to persistent territorial disputes between villagers of this state and their compatriots in Nagaland. A reliable report said after the latest flare-up in the Songsang area, residents of several villages on the interstate border have come under severe threat to leave their villages. It is worthwhile recalling that disputes had occurred earlier in the Tungjoy and Dzuko areas, but these had been settled amicably with the involvement of village authorities and government officials. According to the report, recently, an English school maintained by the residents of Songsang village was destroyed by their Nagaland neighbours, along with a farm owned by some of the village. The Songsang villagers retaliated by demolishing the TB hospital constructed by the Nagaland government in the area. Following the incident, according to the report, villagers of Katinamei, Punanamel, Pudunamei and Songsang villages have come under severe threat from across the border to leave their villagers. As a result, many of these villagers have fled their homes and taken shelter at Mao, the report said. It is also reported that passenger buses coming from Manipur on NH-39 are being checked for residents of these villages by the Nagaland armed police. In consequence, the residents of these villages have stopped travelling into Nagaland, the sources said. On the other hand, the Senapati district police, when contacted, maintained that they were unaware of any tension between the Manipur and Nagaland villages.