Inter-state cultural exchange at Assam-Nagaland DAB

March 30, 2022 141 Views No Comment

Mutual understanding essential to facilitating relationship’

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 30

The Assam-Nagaland border dispute has been a source of turmoil between the two neighbouring states for decades. People living at the undefined border between the two states often become victims, when dormant tension boils over, further souring relations.

This has given rise to the need for stronger coordination and building friendship, not only between government officials of the two states, but also between the people. With a view to foster stronger people to people contact, the Niuland district administration, in collaboration with the 155th Battalion of the CRPF, organised an Inter-state Cultural Exchange programme at Naukhuti on March 29.

Circle Officer & SDO (Civil), incharge of Golaghat district’s Dhansiri Sub-division, Hemanga Nobis; Border Magistrate, Sarupathar Subdivision and SDPO, Dhansiri were the officials present from the Assam side.

DIG HS Rawat, Khatkhati Sector, CRPF and DCP Niuland, Kilang Walling were also in attendance.

The 155 CRPF is guarding Sector A & B of the Disputed Area Belt (DAB), between Assam and Nagaland as a “neutral force,” where Naukhuti falls under Sector B. This large swathe of the undefined inter-state border, falling in the Niuland and Golaghat segments of the DAB, presents a potpourri of various villages of different communities, including Naga villages, living in close vicinity and largely, peaceful.

The Deputy Commissioner, Niuland, Ajit Kumar Verma, addressing the function today said that cooperation, mutual understanding and correlation as the core values behind the development of any area or people.

In this, cultural exchange plays an essential role, he said, while maintaining that the role of government officials should be to facilitate such exchanges to aid in the development and maintaining peace in the area. He also urged the people living in the DAB to be cooperative with the (administrative) structure in place in the interest of peace and development.

DIG Rawat maintained that the place may be demarcated as disputed territory but it does not imply that the people cannot interact and build relations. “There are areas where we can cooperate,” he said, while lauding the initiative of the officials from the two bordering districts.

The Aghunaqa Kukami Hoho maintained that as people of one country, “We should be one. Humanity is when we help each other.” “Friendship starts from here. From today, we should not distinguish between Naga or non-Naga,” he said.
Border Peace Committee and GB Union Border were also present.

The programme witnessed performances from cultural troupes from several villages in the area, including Kacharis, Nepalis, Assamese, Adivasis, Garos and Nagas.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/inter-state-cultural-exchange-at-assam-nagaland-dab