The Inpui Naga Union (INU) issued a clarification against a news article published by local dailies on Wednesday under the headline, ‘Joint Declaration against Wildlife Sanctuaries, Protected/Reserved Forests’, stating that it did not take part at the event.
The joint declaration against wildlife sanctuaries, protected/reserved forests of the ‘One Day Special Awareness Meeting on Wildlife Sanctuaries, Protected/Reserved Forests’ which was held on Tuesday at the Bethel Hall Tamenglong is not the opinion of the INU, stated a release.
The rights of the indigenous Inpui Naga landowners, villagers over their land and its resources (biosphere) and the indigenous rights of Inpui villages are intact, well recognised and recorded in the official gazettes of the government, it stated.
The notifications of Protected Forests in respect of Inpui Naga villages of 1967 (Manipur Gazette No.35-E-30, Notification No.55/10/66-M dated 9th May, 1967) and 1966 (Manipur Gazette No.123-E-99 dated 21st September, 1966) clearly read, “this declaration shall not abridge or affect any existing rights of individuals or communities in the said lands,” it added.
