The attention of the JACWR is drawn to the recent statements on the protest rallies by Naga women being issued by the NPF, released to the media as well as the statements made by the Chief Minister of Nagaland Mr. Neiphiu Rio at the NPF First Central Executive Committee meeting ,covered by the dailies dated 10.10.2012.
The JACWR categorically states that the protest rallies were organized by respective Tribe Womens’ organizations and the JACWR to demonstrate Naga women’s strong objection to the Assembly resolution rejecting women reservation and Part IX A of the Constitution. Taking to the streets as a form of democratic protest is nothing new in the history of conflict ridden Naga society or for Naga women, as women have staged hundreds of protests, rallies and processions to voice out against killings, rape and violence against women and many other social issues over the years. Naga women have come together and led some of the first protests against army atrocities on their men and sons and daughters, even in the streets of the capital and elsewhere on numerous occasions, during the long sixty odd years of our political history. Therefore, the statement made by the NPF that protesting and taking to the streets is against the character of Naga women speaks volumes on their biased ,narrow minded traditional mindset and lack of knowledge about the history of Naga women’s movements against injustice and assertion of democratic rights.
The irresponsible statements made by the Chief Minister of the State on Women Reservation, as reported through the media , is shocking and a reiteration that the State leadership has no ‘political will’ to truly empower women and he has contradicted his own official speeches and statements on women reservation:
• In his printed speech, widely circulated at Kisama Heritage village at the State Consultation on Women Reservation the Chief Minister categorically made it clear that women reservation is not against Naga customary law or social practices, which was placed on record before the Hon’ble High Court prior to the first Judgement Order in October 2011.
• The Chief Minister needs to read the said Judgement order of the Hon’ble High Court carefully which has made it very clear that Article 371 A flows from the Constitution and that the Constitution is above even this article. The JACWR had quoted the Hon’ble Court judgement order and is not a creation of Naga women.
• Naga women through the JACWR had repeatedly stated that it preferred elections in reserved wards and not through nomination, as nomination is synonymous with favouritism and party politics and nominees would toe only the line of the ruling Government, which is an unhealthy practice.
• The JACWR would like to remind the Chief Minister of the meeting held between them on the 1st June 2011 at the residence office of the Chief Minister, where women leaders representing the Naga Mothers Association, Eastern Naga Women Organization, Watsu Mongdang, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur submitted the demand for elections to municipalities with women reservation to be held within one month or we would seek legal justice. During the ‘closed door’ discussion, the Chief Minister himself advised these Naga women leaders that there was no option but to go to Court and assured them of implementing the Court order, when it was obtained. However, the lame excuses on various grounds as well as the delay tactics not to hold municipal elections and women reservation has proved that his Government does not want to see a large number of women in governance of urban bodies .His statements now and his ‘regret that women went to court ‘speaks volumes on his lack of commitment towards his own words, which is most unfortunate.
• The Chief Minister has intentionally misrepresented the reason behind Naga women taking up the protest rallies on the 1st October 2012.The protests were against the Resolution passed by the sixty Legislators ,both ruling and the opposition, who had violated our Constitutional rights, by exempting Nagaland from the women reservation clause. The Protest rallies was not a fight against men, because there are hundreds and thousands of progressive and gender sensitized men, both in rural and urban areas who stand for gender equity and have supported the women throughout our struggle for protection of constitutional rights in various ways. Many men had participated and even spoken at the protest rallies in support of Naga women’s demands.
Both the Judgement order of the Division Bench, Gauhati High Court as well as the controversial Assembly Resolution has been placed before the Supreme Court and we await its judgement. We are encouraged that the Governor of Nagaland has taken cognisance of these statewide protests by Naga women and our Memorandum, and taken due necessary action. Therefore, such stereotyping of women and their character ,by both the NPF and the Chief Minister of the state, on a valid democratic protest against violation of Constitutional rights of Naga women is highly objectionable, undemocratic ,unacceptable and unwarranted.
