Dimapur, Aug. 16 (EMN): The Network of Nagaland Drugs and AIDS Organisation (NNagaDAO) and Network of Naga People Living with HIV/AIDS (NNP+) have filled a public interest litigation (PIL) against the government of Nagaland at the Gauhati High Court, Kohima bench for failing to appoint an HIV and AIDS ombudsman within 180 days from the commencement (notified) of the Nagaland Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Ombudsman and Legal Proceeding) Rule 2019.
A statement on Monday informed that ‘request letters were sent to the concerned departments addressed to the appropriate authority, gave press release and a representation was sent to the governor of Nagaland by 53 NGOs and CBOs’ appealing to direct the government to do the needful at the earliest.
“But till date, the state government has paid no heed to our appeal,’ it said.
Therefore, NNagaDAO and NNP+ filed a PIL ‘seeking justice’ as per the HIV/AIDS Act and its rules, with the help and support from Neiteo Koza, State Coordinator, Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).
“State Government is fully aware of the situation, and the parameters of the said rules, know what is right and what needs to be done as per the HIV/AIDS Act and the aforesaid Rules. Therefore, the state government must not ignore, dilute or deviate from the ‘Nagaland State HIV Rules’. The delay in appointing the HIV and AIDS Ombudsman and trying to seek solutions on state government’s own convenience and favour is not acceptable,” read the statement.
It said that the HIV/AIDS Act was enacted to safeguard the rights of the protected person in respect of the HIV AIDS Act 2017, and to ensure the vulnerable communities were not stigmatised or discriminated against by government and private sectors as per the law and rules.
‘If the PDA government is committed and respect equal justice (equality before law (Article 14), then it should not suppress the needs and rights of the marginalise people, government must protect the right of every citizen (Non-discrimination Article 14 and 15), regardless of wealth, race and status, and respect human rights and the law of the land,’ it read.
‘The standard of living of its people and the improvement of public health is among its primary duties of the state (Article 47). Therefore, the state government should fulfil its obligations to protect and safeguard the fundamental rights of its citizens and especially to the protected persons under the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act and Rules,’ it added.