DIMAPUR, APRIL 8 (MExN): The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland and the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) have affirmed commitment to the clean election campaign.
A joint statement from the ACAUT and the NBCC informed that they held a meeting on January 19 in Dimapur to discuss the concern of pervasive electoral and election malpractice in the state and measures to be adopted to curb such practices.
NBCC General Secretary Rev. Zelhou Keyho stated that even though, the Clean Election Campaign was initiated by the church, the movement is a common property because the church and society exists side by the side and the sacred cannot be detached from the secular and therefore, it is everyone's business to curb the malpractices prevailing in our State.
Both the parties recognized the fact that the root cause of corruption in the state is the prevailing ill practices of election process, the statement informed. Both ACAUT and NBCC felt the need to set the moral tone by raising the level of awareness among the masses and the electorate through various means, such as calling on the civil society organizations and the church organisations regardless of denominations to stand up and support the NBCC's initiative against the pervasive malpractices of election by holding consultative meeting to educate the electorates at different levels.
The NBCC meanwhile agreed to assist and provide logistic support, provide resources and resource personals since it has already set up Core Committee in the state level and association levels.
The meeting resolved that the NBCC will disseminate the guidelines of Clean Election Campaign to the village and a strong working relationship between the church and the village authority will be initiated through the association so that a clear set of guidelines between the two will be worked out.
All the pastors, including the church workers such as deacons, missionaries, and evangelists sign the Clean Election Pledge and the same will be administered to all the members eligible to vote.
The meeting also agreed that all the intending candidates should adhere to the NBCC Clean Election guidelines; and that on election day, the pastors in the villages, regardless of the denominations will take the spiritual role along with the village level Clean Election Committee so that the clean election campaign is taken to its logical conclusion.
It was also resolved that civil societies in every level including ACAUT will support and in this NBCC will tape the strength and force of the youth and the intellectual into the movement.
The two parties further decided to have regular meetings henceforth for better cooperation. The meeting, which was chaired by Khekiye K Sema, IAS (Retd), concluded with a prayer and blessing by Rev. Dr. Mar Atsongchanger, the President and the Convener of CEC, NBCC.
