Founded in 1984, exists till date: NMA writes to Governor

Mokokchung, 12 April (MTNews): Seeking to clarify on the allegations made by the Angami Public Organization and the Chakhesang Public Organisation in their reparate letters submitted to the Chief Secretary of Nagaland, the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has written to the Governor of Nagaland on Wednesday as resolved at its Executive Meeting held the day before.

NMA President, Abei-ü-Mere and General Secretary, Lochumbeni Humtsoe, in their letter to the Governor said that the NMA, founded in 1984, “exists till date working for peace, women’s issues and various other social issues.” It was mentioned that the NMA started with individual membership and later expanded to include tribe women representatives into the organization. It further said that, till date, NMA membership is open to individual women and tribe women organizations.

The NMA said that when the State Government passed the Nagaland Municipal First Amendment Act 2006, Naga women came together to ensure the inclusion of women by forming the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR) which included the Eastern Naga Women Organisation (ENWO), Watsü Mungdang, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur (NWHD), Tenyimi Women Organization (TWO) and tribe units of Naga Mothers’ Association.

On 31 May of 2011, the JACWR submitted a memorandum and met the then Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio seeking that the government implement the Municipal Act and hold the election with 33% Women Reservation, it said. “At the meeting, the Hon’ble Chief Minister advised the Naga women delegation to go to the court, and if they brought an order he would be able to implement it as the tribe Hohos were against holding the Municipal elections,” the NMA claimed.

It further said that on 26 January, 2017, the JACWR, in its meeting with the then Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, agreed to withdraw as petitioners provided the government give a written assurance that the election will be held as scheduled. Accordingly, on receiving the written assurance, the two NMA petitioners from the JACWR withdrew from the case in Delhi on 29 January, 2017.

The NMA further said that it has no connection with the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) which it said is India’s largest Human Rights Organization and who are the petitioners after the withdrawal of the NMA.

It further stated that during the riots of February 2017, tribe units of Angami Women Organisation (AWO), Chakhesang Mothers Association (CMA), Sumi Totimi Hoho (STH), and Lotha Eloi Hoho (LEH) were “forced to disassociate” from NMA. “However, the NMA continues till date with the tribe units of Rengma Mothers Association (RMA), Pochury Mothers Association (PMA), Kuki Nute Kiloikhom Nagaland (KNKN) and Zeliangrong Mipui Organisation (ZMO) along with individuals from various tribes,” it said.

It also maintained that the NMA has “no written record of tinkering and experimenting with the customary laws and traditions of our people.”

“As women and mothers, we have great respect for the rich culture and traditions of Nagas and welcome any public policy that empowers women and protects women’s rights which are for the good of everyone in Naga society,” the NMA said.

Further, it said that as women of the state of Nagaland, women organizations, including the NMA, “has the freedom to deliberate and organize meetings and seminars on public policies that affect us all.”

It said that the records and activities of the NMA, since its inception till date, “will stand testimony to the fact that we have contributed much to bring in peace, social order and promoting women’s rights as Human Rights.”

“We hope this representation will clarify the baseless aspersions cast on the existence of the NMA and deter any more defamatory exchanges to the state government,” it said.