Nagaland News | SAPO Says Mao Community Has Asked To Leave For Their Safety

SAPO says Mao community has asked to leave for their safety

A day after the Southern Angami community issued instructions to the Mao community living within the Angami jurisdiction to return to their respective native villages in Manipur as per customary norms. The Southern Angami Public Organization (SAPO) clarified that the directive was issued for the safety of the Mao community.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, SAPO president Tepul Hopovi stated the directive was issued following the failure of the Mao Council to comply with the organisation’s ultimatum for immediate withdrawal of Manipur Rifles/Police outpost and all other security apparatuses that were in place at the disputed site of Kezoltsa/Kozirii/Kozin among the Mao Council, SAPO and the Maram tribe between January 20, 2024 and February 20, 2024.

Hopovi said the issue was now with TPO court, which had given its verdict but all the parties had not accepted. Hence, he pointed out the Angami Public Organisation (APO) stepped in and all the three parties gave their endorsement to APO take up the issue.

“Mao people are not our enemies, but they keep on changing their stand. So, that's the main problem and they never agree,” he explained.

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He said that the SAPO had been constantly urging them to withdraw their forces, but the latter did not comply. Hopovi reiterated that all members of the Mao community living in Angami jurisdiction – from the ancestral land Houtiza to Kzoltsa – should return to their native villages in Manipur as per customary norms.

He stressed, “When these things are happening, anything could happen. These people are our brothers and sisters. So, they should go back to their native places to avoid any eventualities. It doesn’t mean that we will attack or harass them, but this is for their own safety.”

The SAPO had in a press release on Wednesday directed members of Mao tribe residing within Angami jurisdiction to return to their respective native villages in Manipur as per customary norm.