Phek, Oct 12: The Centre Chakhesang Youth Organisation (CCYO) on Monday sealed Forest Department offices in Phek and Pfutsero, escalating its agitation after the expiry of a seven-day ultimatum to the Nagaland government.
The organisation sealed the offices using traditional methods involving local ropes and wooden materials. The action marks the beginning of the second phase of its agitation, which includes an indefinite picketing of the office of the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) in Phek and Forest Range Offices in Phek and Pfutsero.
The CCYO had announced the next phase of its agitation on October 8, demanding justice and accountability over its grievances against the Forest Department. It also appealed to youth in Phek and Pfutsero to support the movement while maintaining peace, discipline and dignity.
The dispute began on September 28, when the organisation staged a traditional Kühu-Kürüle procession in Pfutsero and submitted a seven-day ultimatum to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio through the Additional Deputy Commissioner.
The CCYO sought action over the detention of local youth Vezhoto Hesuh in connection with wildlife-related photographs and videos, the return of a Great Barbet seized from Porba village, and an impartial inquiry into an alleged demand for Rs 1 lakh linked to his release.
Although the Great Barbet was returned to the community on September 30 and released into Porbami Reserved Forest, the organisation maintained its broader demands concerning the treatment of Naga customary practices and the enforcement of wildlife laws.
On October 5, the CCYO announced a non-cooperation movement against the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, stating that its ultimatum had not been adequately addressed. It also declared that the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, would be treated as non-operative within the Centre Chakhesang jurisdiction until its demands were fulfilled.
The organisation has invoked Article 371A of the Constitution, arguing that the implementation of wildlife laws must take into account the customary rights, traditional practices and institutions of the Naga people.
The agitation has since expanded beyond the specific wildlife-related grievances into a broader dispute over the relationship between statutory conservation laws and customary practices in Nagaland.
With the sealing of the offices, the CCYO has intensified pressure on the state government to address its demands and resolve the ongoing standoff.
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