Nagaland: Naga Mothers Association calls APO, CPO charges ‘baseless aspirations’

The Naga Mothers Association (NMA) has termed the allegations of the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and the Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) against it as “baseless aspirations cast on its existence”.

In separate letters to the Nagaland government recently, the APO termed the NMA as an “un-mandated organization” and a “non-entity” while the CPO also called it “un-mandated” and asked the government to distance itself from it.

The differences between the NMA and the APO and the CPO cropped up over the issue of 33 per cent reservation of seats for women in urban local bodies in Nagaland.

Clarifying the allegations of the APO and the CPO, NMA president Abei-U Meru and general secretary Lochumbeni Humtsoe, in a representation to Nagaland governor La. Ganesan on Wednesday, said,'' The records and activities of the NMA since its inception in 1984 and to date will stand testimony to the fact that it had contributed much to bringing in peace, social order and promoting women's rights as human rights''.

The NMA at an executive meeting on April 11 resolved to clarify the allegations of the APO and CPO.

The representation said the NMA is a bonafide women's organization founded in 1984 and exists to date, working for peace, women’s issues, and various other issues. The NMA explained that it started with individual membership and later expanded to include tribe women representatives. To date, the NMA said its membership is open to individual women and tribe women organizations.  

The NMA clarified that it has no written record of tinkering and experimenting with the customary laws and traditions of “our people” as alleged.

As women and mothers, the NMA said as mothers and women, it has great respect for the rich culture and traditions of the Nagas and welcomes any public policy that empowers women and protects women's rights which are for the good of everyone in the Naga society.

As women of Nagaland, the representation said, women’s organizations, including the NMA, have the freedom to deliberate and organize meetings and seminars on public policies that affect us all.

When the state government passed the Nagaland Municipal First Amendment Act 2006, the representation said, the 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, Watsu Mungdang, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, Tenyimi Women Organisation and tribe units of NMA.

On May 31, 2011, the JACWR met the then chief minister Neiphiu Rio and submitted a memorandum seeking that the government implement the Municipal Act and hold the civic body elections with 33 per cent women reservation. At the meeting, Rio advised the Naga women delegation to go to the court, saying that if they brought an order he would be able to implement it as the tribe hours were against holding the municipal elections, the NMA said.

On January 26, 2017, the JACWR, in its meeting with the then chief minister TR Zeliang, agreed to withdraw as petitioners in the case in the court 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 January 29, 2017.

The representation clarified that it has no connection with the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) which is India's largest human rights organization and the petitioner in the case after the withdrawal of the NMA.

It said during the February 2017 riots at the time of civic body elections, the tribe units of Angami Women Organisation, Chakhesang Mothers Association, Sumi Totimi Hoho and Lotha Eloi Hoho were forced to disassociate from the NMA. However, the NMA said continued to date with the tribe units of the Rengma Mothers Association, Pochury Mothers Association, Kuki Nute Kiloikhom Nagaland, and Zeliangrong Mipui Organisation, along with individuals from various tribes.

The NMA hoped that this representation will clarify the allegations and deter any more defamatory exchanges with the state government.