Organisation submits seven-day ultimatum seeking withdrawal of case against Vezhoto Hesuh, return of seized bird and inquiry into alleged Rs 1 lakh demand
A traditional Kühu-Kürüle procession was held in Pfutsero on Monday as the Centre Chakhesang Youth Organisation (CCYO) marched to the ADC office to submit a memorandum protesting Forest Department action involving Porba resident Vezhoto Hesuh and the seizure of a Great Barbet from the village.
The memorandum, addressed to the Nagaland Chief Minister, gives the government seven days to act on three demands: withdrawal of the case against Hesuh, immediate return of the seized Great Barbet, and an independent inquiry into an alleged demand for Rs 1 lakh in connection with Hesuh’s release.
The procession began at Rükizu Junction and proceeded to the ADC office, with members of affiliated youth organisations participating in traditional attire.
The Hesuh case
According to CCYO, Hesuh was summoned to the Wildlife Crime Control Unit (WCCU), Wildlife Division, Dimapur, on September 11 in connection with wildlife-related posts on social media and was detained the same day.
The posts, as described in the memorandum, included a video of Hesuh offering a sweet to a monkey while in Assam, a video showing a caged bird reportedly traditionally reared by a Porba resident, and a photograph of Hesuh with a bird perched on his shoulder.
CCYO maintains that the posts did not establish that Hesuh had captured, killed or deliberately harmed wildlife, and has questioned the basis for treating the social media posts as sufficient to establish criminal culpability.
Hesuh was later granted bail on September 21.
CCYO has also called for an impartial inquiry into its allegation that Rs 1 lakh was demanded for Hesuh’s release. The allegation has also been raised by other Chakhesang organisations and has not been independently established.
The Great Barbet
A separate point of contention is the seizure of a Great Barbet from Porba on September 14 by the Forest Department.
CCYO said the bird had reportedly been cared for by a young boy in the village for six to seven years. It said the seizure caused emotional distress to the child and argued that the matter should also be considered in the context of the community’s longstanding practice of rearing such birds.
Earlier, community organisations had similarly described the rearing of Great Barbets as a longstanding social practice, citing the birds’ companionship and distinctive calls. They have also pointed to community conservation efforts and a longstanding ban on hunting in the Chakhesang area.
CCYO is demanding the bird’s immediate return.
Where Article 371A comes in
The memorandum also takes the dispute into a broader constitutional question.
CCYO has invoked Article 371A of the Constitution, which provides special constitutional protection in Nagaland in areas including certain Naga social practices and customary law and procedure.
The organisation argues that the implementation of wildlife legislation in Nagaland should take these constitutionally protected social and customary practices into account.
Three demands
In its memorandum, CCYO has called for: immediate withdrawal of the case against Vezhoto Hesuh and corrective action; immediate return of the Great Barbet seized from Porba; and an independent and impartial inquiry into the alleged Rs 1 lakh demand, including identification of officials involved.
CCYO has given the government seven days from receipt of the memorandum to take satisfactory action, stating that it would pursue further courses of action if its demands are not addressed within that period.
