EMN
Dimapur, July 25
Perhaps for the very first time ever, the Naga People’s Human Rights’ Movement (NPMHR) has called for acknowledging the fact that the purview of Human Rights does not limited itself only to traditional antagonist alone.
It also encompasses “wrongs and hurt committed by individuals or groups in the name of the people for which the struggles were first launched”, a leader of the NPMHR told a recent seminar that was conducted on the subject of Human Rights in the region.A local college in Dimapur hosted a so-named “national seminar” on the topic “Human Rights in North East India: Issues and challenges” during July 24 and the 25th. The two-day long seminar was hosted by Tetso College and sponsored by the Union Grants Commission.
During the seminar the intellectuals concluded that while public awareness and education have a good part to play in understanding one’s rights, it also required the support of the state government to address issues such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and “practices” infringing on the welfare of its citizens. Another imperative they felt was “to help bring a desirable solution to the Naga peace talks, which is currently the root cause for unmitigated suffering and injustice among the people” the organizers said.
Longtime secretary general of the NPMHR, Neingulo Krome, addressed the gathering with the significant speech highlighting “wrongs and hurt committed by individuals or groups in the name of the people” although not naming any group or organization. Nonetheless, it is understood that the meaning was not lost on the gathered intellectuals including media persons.
The NPMHR – among one of the old Naga vanguards–had also been the focus of a growing perception and criticism from the state’s community for overlooking excesses and assault on the rights of the common people committed by individuals and organizations in the name of cause or movements.
Krome spoke on the topic “The future direction of Human Rights in the current political scenario”, in which he passionately highlighted the reason for the rise of the Human Rights movement in Nagaland to address the atrocities that occurred during the Indo-Naga war, the organizers informed in a late press release issued on July 25, Saturday.
“The formation of the NPMHR in 1978, which was in response to the strongly felt need to protect and further the rights of the Nagas, has since then undergone changes in its course of direction while trying to act as an intermediary between leaders of different Naga political groups as well as the government of India,” the organizers stated.
“He stressed on the need for the future direction of Human Rights to address the wrongs and hurt committed by individuals or groups in the name of the people for which the struggles were first launched”.
During the first day’s event, papers were presented by Dr. Toli Achumi, assistant professor of Political Science department of Yingli Government College, on the topic, “Human rights in North-East India, issues, challenges and strategies with special reference to Nagaland”. She examined how internal conflicts in India led to Human Rights abuse and the incessant abuse of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act as a weapon of the state.
Likewise, Shitio Shitiri, assistant professor of the department of Political Science of Tetso College a paper on the topic “Human Rights: A glance at Violation of Rights in Nagaland”. He reviewed the citizens’ right to education, health, and examined the ‘lack of awareness of rights among individuals in society to seek what is rightfully theirs’.
ThepfusalieThenuo, assistant professor of the department of Sociology of Sazolie College in Jotsoma presented a paper of the topic, ‘The Questions on Women’s Rights to Landed Property and Customary Law in Nagaland: A Study of Angami Community.’
Thenuo attempted to give a “critical reflection on the gender land questions and to understand and explore the rights, privileges and power relations that is constructed through the un-formalized or uncodified customary male dispossession of land control and ownership.”
Likewise, Charles Mhonthung Ezung, vice principal of Immanuel College presented a paper, “The Naga customary laws and human rights”. The question of women’s role in decision-making in the state or civil policy mechanism is a necessary step toward a progressive society, the speaker stated in his presentation. ‘It was felt that customary laws need to be redefined to give equal opportunity, voice and inheritance to women’, the organizers quoted him as having stated.
On July 25, the second day of the seminar, key-note speaker Kaini Lokho, assistant professor of Political Science spoke on the topic “Is human rights for all?–Challenges of human rights in North-East India”. In her discourse, the speaker said that the north-east region was overlooked by the centre and that the north eastern region states’ governments should work together and come up with a solution.
Another topic, “Inclusion of Human Rights Education in the Indian School Curriculum” was presented by Daniel M Khan, in which the Indian constitutional and fundamental rights were cited to point out the provisions of Human Rights for all. It needs to be adopted in the school education curriculum, or even through celebration of Human Rights Day, Women’s day, Children’s Day etc, the speaker said. The purpose in making them a part of school institutions is to also educate children on the greater issues and challenges behind the observed days, he said.
The session for the day concluded with assistant Professor of Pranabananda Women’s College, Anil Kumar Das’, presenting his paper titled “A critical study on gender inequality in North-Eastern states”.
The organizers said that deliberations from out of the seminar brought “some important steps” that they felt were needed “to be taken in order to address the challenges of violation of Human Rights faced in Nagaland and north-east India”.
A re-look into Naga customary practices and the role of women in Naga society was also suggested.
The gathering also concluded that while public awareness and education have a good part to play in understanding one’s rights, it also required the support of the state government to address issues such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and “practices” infringing on the welfare of its citizens.
A similar need was for a more “transparent communication between the centre, the state” and all nongovernmental organization and the Naga underground groups “to help bring a desirable solution to the Naga peace talks, which is currently the root cause for unmitigated suffering and injustice among the people,” the organizers said.
