Dimapur, February 15 (MExN): A petition started on Change.org has urged the Indian Government to facilitate a peaceful process for Naga women’s political participation.
Facilitate the Nagaland Government to uphold the rule of law and implement the 33% reservation as per the binding order of the Supreme Court and resume the Urban Local Body (ULB) election procedure and schedule a date at the earliest, while ensuring the safety of the women candidates and voters, it appealed.
The petition seeking support for ‘33% reservation for women in Nagaland’ will be delivered to the Prime Minister of India, Chief Minister of Nagaland, the Naga Hoho, Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC), Nagaland State Commission for Women and the National Human Rights Commission. Copies will also go to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), UN Women: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, Commission on the Status of Women (UN), Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), International Work Group on Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (India) and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights.
This has come amidst a statewide bandh imposed by the JCC and NTAC that were first protesting 33% reservation of seats for women in ULBs in Nagaland State citing customary laws and Article 371-A, and are now calling for the resignation of Chief Minister TR Zeliang following the death of three people.
The petition urged the setting up of a Citizen Inquiry Committee consisting of women’s rights activists, lawyers, academics, civil and political rights organisations, policy makers and citizens to investigate the violence that has caused death, destruction of property and immeasurable suffering to Naga society.
Quest for gender justice
Pertinently, the petition, that is rapidly garnering support, stated that Article 371-A of the Indian Constitution and its provisions are “ambiguous as to what constitutes customary law.”
“Given that Naga men and their tribal bodies have complete control over both the definition and exercise of what constitutes Naga customary laws, there is no room left for any debate or conversation with other concerned persons. It has now come to a point where customary laws are being used to reinforce patriarchy and legitimize violence, to subject and silence women and to shut down any space for gender justice,” the petition cited.
It thus called for support to Naga women’s organisations and solidarity groups to “undertake public debate and discussion on customary law in Nagaland and how it can incorporate women’s rights, including their active political participation.”
Refrain from granting exemption
In the face of majoritarian opposition, “extreme measures are being proposed by the Nagaland government,” noted the petition. T
he Nagaland Government has decided to write to the Central Government of India demanding that Nagaland be exempted from Part IX A of the Constitution. This, the petition maintained, would push back Naga women’s quest for gender justice and the structural injustice they face will become even greater.
Thus, the petitioners urged the decision makers to “refrain from granting exemption to the State of Nagaland from Part IX A of the Constitution.”
Given the present situation, the petition also urged the immediate restoration of law and order to ensure safety for students returning to schools and those who have board exams, as well as to immediately bestow access to internet and repeal the social media ban.
Change.org is an open web platform currently used by people in 196 counties to start campaigns, mobilize supporters and work with decision makers to drive solutions. With 180,778,754 people taking to the platform to affect change across geographical and cultural borders, there have been 20,659 victorious cases of positive change.
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