Dimapur, April 8 (EMN): The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and the Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) have decided to work in cooperation to rid elections, in Nagaland, of malpractice as part of a common objective symbolized by the ongoing Clean Elections movement.
The Baptist church and the anti-graft organisation issued a joint press statement on Saturday informing about a meeting between their leaders recently. The two organisations have committed to a number of resolutions.
On January 19, officials of the NBCC and members of the ACAUT Nagaland met in Dimapur to “discuss the concern of pervasive electoral and election malpractice in the state and measures to be adopted to curb such practices,” the press release from the organisations stated
The meeting was presided over by activist and retired government official Khekiye K Sema.
Addressing the gathering, the general secretary of the NBCC Rev. Zelhou Keyho is said to have told the leaders that even though the Clean Election Campaign was initiated by the church, the movement was a common property ‘because the church and society exist side by the side and the sacred cannot be detached from the secular.’
Therefore, the updates stated, “it is everyone's business to curb the malpractices prevailing in our State. Both the parties recognized the fact that the root cause of corruption in the state is the prevailing ill practices of election process.”
After a lengthy discussion, both the NBCC and the ACAUT are said to have “felt the strong need to set the moral tone” by raising the level of awareness among the masses and the electorate through various means.
The means include calling on civil society organizations and the church organisations regardless of denominations to stand up and support the NBCC's initiative against the “pervasive malpractices of election by holding consultative meeting to educate the electorates at different levels,” the joint statement said.
On its part, the NBCC has agreed to assist and provide logistic support, provide resources and resource personals since it has already set up core committee at the state level and association levels, the organisations informed.
Further, the NBCC will continue with its Clean Election Campaign in the state and at the grassroot by roping in the church, village authority, women and youth and provide “any support to any civil/religious organization in this endeavour,” the press release stated.
The NBCC has expressed appreciation for the ACAUT ‘for taking upon the burden to embark on the awareness campaign’ by going to the districts and constituencies to spread awareness.
The NBCC will ‘delegate’ the associations to extend logistic support to mobilize the masses as and when the need arises, the press release stated.
Resolutions
Following the meeting, the NBCC and the ACAUT committed to a number of resolutions a part of cooperation toward said objective:
The first resolution stated that the NBCC will disseminate information about the guidelines of the Clean Election Campaign to the villages “and a strong working relationship between the church and the village authority will be initiated through the association so that a clear set of guidelines between the two will be worked out.”
Then, all the pastors, including church workers such as deacons, missionaries, and evangelists ‘sign the Clean Election Pledge and the same will be administered to all the members eligible to vote.’
Further, all the intending candidates ‘should’ adhere to the NBCC’s Clean Election guidelines.
“That, on the Election Day, the pastors in the villages, regardless of the denominations will take the spiritual role along with the village level Clean Election Committee so that the clean election campaign is taken to its logical conclusion.
Civil society organisations at every level including the ACAUT ‘will support’ and, the statement stated, “In this NBCC will tape the strength and force of the youth and the intellectual into the movement.”
The two parties have decided to have regular meetings from now on ‘for better cooperation,’ the press release added.
