Dimapur, Feb. 22 : The Zeliangrong Students’ Union of Delhi (ZSUD) has lamented the tensions and the problems that followed the government’s announcement of the municipal and town council polls and the violent aftermath.
The union issued a press release on Wednesday lamenting that “the protests against women reservation many issues got entangled and the image of Naga society irreparably sullied.”
“First, in the protests against women reservation many issues got entangled and the image of Naga society irreparably sullied. Gender issue was overshadowed by customary laws and right to self-determination dictated by power politics,” the Zeliangrong students stated.
“Whereas we Nagas claim to be an egalitarian society without any socio-religious stratification, to the world outside Naga society has emerged as a highly intolerant patriarchal community with no qualms about suppressing the rights of women in order to defend our customary laws and right to self-determination.”Now that the Urban Local Body election process has been declared null and void and the then chief minister TR Zeliang had resigned, gender issue must be addressed at the earliest, the union stated.
The ZSUD was of the opinion that Naga women must be empowered with adequate representations in municipal and town institutions and all public offices in consonance with local customary laws and practices. “To build a progressive and inclusive society every man must respect Naga women’s political rights. Naga women should be given opportunities which have been denied for many generations,” the organisation reminded.
The union also noted with deep concern “the attempt during the protests to polarize and stratify Naga society on the parameters of ‘major tribes’ and ‘minor tribes’. Such politics defeats Naga unity, progress and the attempt to come out of the problem of ‘tribalism’.”
Also, the ZSUD expressed “extreme anguish and pain” over the attacks and targeting the then chief minister’s private residence and ‘the mass violence that erupted in the name of safeguarding Naga customary laws.’
Stating that the “conspiracy” has hurt the sentiment of the tribe living in three different states of Manipur, Nagaland and Assam, the union asserted that the “issue in Nagaland state should have been against the government’s decision to carry on with the ULB election.” However, it stated, the “unfolding of events are directed intentionally towards one minority tribe and the leader which is extremely sad and intolerable.”
Further, the organisation lamented that “one of the most learned and respectable Naga civil societies in Delhi chose sides” to also “join the political games with questionable press statements undermining the integrity of their esteemed offices.”
The union was of the view that “they could have been more objective and impartial on the women reservation issue and the protests than coming out openly as a party to the political conflict.”
The ZSUD said that it was appalled at the “highly political stand of the NPMHR asking the then chief minister TR Zeliang to step down during the protests.” The NPMHR, a champion of Naga Human Rights, “engaging in partisan politics is uncalled for,” the ZSUD stated.
The union has also expressed grief for the two Naga families who lost their sons to the violent protests.
“ZSUD is of the opinion that for too long a time power politics in Nagaland has affected the larger Naga interests from gender to Naga national issue. We feel it is time such practices are checked in the larger interest of the Naga society, the ‘minor tribe’ and the excluded segments of the society,” the press release stated.
“Otherwise a community who has time and again rescinded its interests for the larger cause would soon feel being pushed to the wall. It is our sincere prayer that such incident does not happen and that the government and civil society exhibit maturity inspirits and actions.”
The ZSUD added that it took “pride in the benevolence of the then chief minister TR Zeliang for his supreme sacrifice to step down by shouldering responsibilities and blames which are not his own, but for the betterment and peace to prevail in the Naga society he had to be crucified to save the image of Nagaland state in particular and Naga nation in general.”
