DIMAPUR: The NSCN-IM has said the Ntangki national park in Nagaland will remain protected and preserved as Naga national property whether there is solution to the Naga political problem or not.
The outfit, on Tuesday, issued a statement in response to the recent allegations of the Senior Citizen Association of Nagaland (SCAN) that the national park is under full control of the former.
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It said anything that matters “national interest” should not be allowed to escape the eyes of public scrutiny if something is suspected to be going wrong.
The NSCN-IM said it is on record that Ntangki National Park originally belongs to Old Bisumpui village and that it has well-defined boundaries.
It said the critical need to protect the Ntangki forest and wildlife was taken up during the NSCN national assembly, Gilgal Camp, 1996, where it was resolved to protect and preserve the Ntangki forest as wildlife reserved forest.
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Accordingly, the NSCN said, no newly set up villages were allowed to exist inside the Ntangki National Park.
Further, it said during the course of Indo-Naga political talks the Ntangki National Park was never a topic of discussion as this has nothing to do with the Naga political settlement.
The statement said it is unfortunate that the SCAN has targeted the NSCN unfairly with their misleading statement that it had occupied Ntangki National Park and put under its full control.
“Given the magnitude of the issue, the SCAN should have acted in a more responsible manner and not go for spoiled-brat-like grumble with the highly inflammatory allegations against the NSCN,” it said.
The statement added that the association should have chosen the path that would reflect its wisdom and temperament on the given issue rather than cry foul against NSCN bereft of valid justification.
On the contrary, had it not been for the NSCN and counter-measures taken by it, the Ntangki National Park could have been another story today, it said.