PHILIPPINES, APRIL 23 (MExN): The International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL) has condemned the recent actions by Indian authorities that prevented Neingulo Krome, Secretary General of the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), from boarding a flight to Kathmandu.
Krome was scheduled to attend a conference organized by the Asia Indigenous People’s Pact when he was stopped at the airport and subsequently sent back to Nagaland. No formal charges or legal justifications were provided at the time.
In a press statement, IPMSDL stated that the decision to bar Krome from traveling has violates his right to freedom of movement and undermines the ability of Indigenous leaders to participate in international forums.
This is not the first such incident involving Krome. In 2020, he was similarly prevented from traveling to Bangkok, with authorities reportedly giving the same vague explanation: “You cannot travel.”
The IPMSDL noted that the Naga community has long faced challenges in its pursuit of self-determination. Peace talks between Naga leaders and the Indian government have stalled for several years, while the continued enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland has been criticized as a means to harass, arrest, and kill with impunity.
Expressing solidarity with Neingulo Krome and the Naga people, the IPMSDL underscored that in an era marked by rising political repression and authoritarian measures, it is vital to speak out against the suppression of Indigenous struggles and to continue advocating for justice, peace, and the protection of fundamental rights.
