Kohima, August 9 (MTNews): Kohima Law College observed ‘International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’ on 9th August 2022 at its college premises with the theme – “The role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge.”
This day is observed on 9th Aug each year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population and the event also recognizes the achievement and contribution that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environment protection. On the year’s theme, the statement said that Indigenous women have a central role in a range of traditional cultural practices inextricably linked to the natural environment. Many indigenous women are also taking the lead in the defense of indigenous peoples’ lands and territories and advocating for indigenous peoples’ collective rights worldwide.
Kezhokhoto Savi, Advocate and Assistant Professor, Kohima Law College, in his speech said that climate change, deforestation, pollution, development and loss of diversity are serious threats to indigenous peoples due to their dependence on the environment and the resources of the lands and territories. “It causes the loss of traditional knowledge, disintegrating traditional governance structures and their cultures,” he also said.
He reminded the students to acknowledge this day as important in recognizing the rights of the indigenous Naga people where Article 371A of the Constitution of India provides special provision to protect the “Naga indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland, their own way of life, land and resources.”
Savi said indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique culture and ways of relating to people and the environment. “They face discrimination because of their distinct cultures, identities and ways of life, and are disproportionately affected by poverty and marginalization, accounting for 15 per cent of the world’s poorest population,” he said.
Savi said that indigenous peoples are generally regarded as the “original inhabitants” of a territory or region. “Today, the original inhabitants, the Nagas in Nagaland must seriously consider the proposed Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN),” he opined.
“The date line of the year of settlement should not qualify a non-naga/non-indigenous for the proposed registration. Every citizen has its own origin and he/she is the indigenous of that origin or ancestral land and therefore, any citizen who come to settle in another land temporarily/permanently may not claim the title of ‘Indigenous’ as she/he continually holds ‘indigenous’ of her/his original land,” he said.
He also said that village councils, town wards/colony leaders and the issuing authority should take all precautions, especially in issuing permanent/residential certificates, etc.
“The practice of adoption is to be discouraged amongst the indigenous people of Nagas in Nagaland, especially adopting a non-indigenous person or child. And in this regard the adopted non-indigenous Naga would not have the right to own the land as the Article 371A of Indian Constitution provided that only the Naga indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland can only own the land,” he added.
“The cry and voices of the indigenous people must be heard on this day – The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The Naga people should never allow any mechanism to exploit the rights of the indigenous inhabitants of the land. The United Nations has seriously discussed about indigenous issues related to culture, economic & social development, education, the environment, health and human rights,” Savi remarked.