Kohima: Tension grips the Assam-Nagaland border following skirmishes at Negheribil on August 25 and 26. The conflict severed vital road links to Longayim, Lio Longchum, and Mekirang, forcing locals onto a difficult foothill path. Advisor for SCERT and food processing Achumbemo Kikon remains in contact with Wokha officials, including the border magistrate, deputy commissioner, and police superintendent. He avoided visiting the site, citing reports that the situation is currently under control.
Kikon stated, "The area remained disputed and the matter was pending before the Supreme Court for final adjudication." He insists that neither state can act alone in the disputed zone. Joint efforts define all eviction and plantation activities. The MLA linked recent friction to historical land encroachment near an agricultural road built during the term of late minister T. Kikon. He now urges all parties to abandon violence in favor of dialogue.
Road connectivity remains a primary concern for the Bhandari constituency. A state Cabinet meeting at Doyang on August 6 approved the final alignment for the foothill road after a survey from the PWD. Kikon pinned previous funding delays on this missing approval. He expects the government to speed up construction now that the plans are set. Higher authorities are working to calm the region, mirroring a recent cordial discussion between Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Updated at 29th August 2026 at 2:00pm
Village leaders from Longayim, Lio Longchum, and Mekirang broke their silence at a Bhandari press conference on August 27. They demanded immediate government action, claiming the current alternate foothill path is impassable and failing their survival needs. Longayim Village Council chairman Wochothung accused the Assam Forest Department of installing the blockades that strangled the movement of goods and people.
The villagers also hit back at reports surfacing in Assam media. They labeled claims that Naga residents acted as armed aggressors during the August skirmishes as fabrications. Mekirang Village Council chairman Sorenthung Lotha pointed to long-standing ties with the neighboring Merie village, insisting the blockade destroyed a historic, peaceful status quo. He pushed the government to build a chip-sealed road for the 5.5-kilometer stretch to provide a reliable lifeline.
Tensions flared further over land ownership claims. Lotha stated that the disputed zone, now known as Negheribil, historically belonged to his people. He blamed the current standoff on the influx of Mising settlers who moved into the area between 1968 and 1973. Village council member Chumdemo N. Jami warned officials that the lack of a firm, uniform enforcement policy regarding illegal settlements would likely trigger more violence.
Comments