The Almighty God has given us freedom of conscience to communicate with one another for the welfare of our broken society. It the Bible we find that God has given such freedom of choice to mankind which cannot be taken away by human beings. The Nagas had been living in a direct democratic society since time immemorial. Under the rule of law, the Constitution, the supreme law of the country has provided ample opportunity of fundamental rights among which freedom of expression is one of the importance.
In the Bible we find that God defended the rights of the widows, orphans, sojourners and poor people (Zc. 7:9-10; Duet. 24:17; Job. 24:9). In the New Testament, we find that Galatians 3:28 is usually referred as the Magna Carta of Freedom. The Nazareth manifesto as recorded in Luke 4:18-21 as the manifestos of human rights.
The Nagas today with 95 percent of Christianity believe in the religion of freedom from sin and death. They follow Jesus as the champion of human rights as enshrined in Mathew 26:12-13. Jesus recognized the dignity of all persons equally.
If Jesus recognized the dignity of all human beings, His followers must be able to recognize the dignity of one another with the right to communicate as enshrined in the Bible.
The Nagas today have reached a crucial stage of their freedom struggle in which everyone is involved whether underground or overground. Hence, everyone has their God given right to contribute not only material contribution by force but right ideas at a critical juncture of our history which is the need of the hour. We must invite one another to donate out best ideas for the up building of a new nation without warning one another with dire consequences if at all we are Christians who believe in love as the greatest.
God has ordained the human Government to rule over the subjects in love, peace and peaceful coexistence (Mt. 22:21; 1Pet 2:13-17; Rom 13:1-7). Accordingly, the Constitution of India, the supreme law of the country provided freedom of speech and expression under Articles 19 (1) and 19 (2). Article 19 (1) (a) says that all citizens have the right to freedom of speech and expression. Article 19 (2) empowers the State to put “reasonable restrictions” on the following grounds:, e.g. security of the State, friendly with foreign states, public order, decency and morality, contempt, of Court, defamation, incitement to offence and integrity and sovereignty of India.
Freedom of speech and expression according to Dr. J.N. Pandey means the right to express one’s own convictions and opinions freely by words of mouth, writing, printing, pictures or any other mode. The right to communicate therefore includes the expression of one’s own ideas through any communication media or visible representation, such as gestures, sign and the like (Constitutional law of India, P.126)
Media And Human Rights
The following are the means of communication: newspapers, magazines, Journals, radio, television, cinema, computer disc (CD) and website. Media can play a vital role to raise the conscience of the people against what is evil and unjust.
Dear Naga readers, let us contribute our God-given talents, ideas, considered opinions in evolving a new nation based on our strong faith in God like the Americans. So that we may become a super power nation based on love of God.
Dr. E. Renphamo Lotha
Research Scholar, GSM.
