Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 5
Responding to the call of the Naga Women Hoho of Dimapur, thousands of people cutting across barriers turned up at a rally called by the hoho to protest against recent incidents of crime against women in the state.
Participants, mostly womenfolk and students, braved the scorching summer sun of Dimapur and registered their protest at crimes against women, especially rape in the present times in the Nagas’ land. The rally, which was attended by prominent citizens and social leaders started from the Supermarket at about 8:00 am and converged at the City Tower junction. The rally culminated with a memorandum being handed over to the state by the women leaders through the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur.
The president of the Naga Women Hoho chairing the forum, straightaway set the proceedings rolling by demanding the severest of punishments to those who dared ‘to spoil the chastity of women’. Asserting “virginity is every woman’s birthright” she said “nobody has any right to take it away with force”.
Chairperson of the Nagaland Women commission, Sano Vamuzo discoursing on the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence (Act) 2005 said this particular Act of the parliament covers any kind of atrocity and abuse, including rape, committed against women. However, she opined that most women are not aware of their rights. For this, she said awareness must be created “among the people (women) on this Act of government.” She said “even if we are in a patriarchal society, we (women) must know our rights”. Introspecting on the present state of affairs, she pondered why such a shameful act as rape is happening in the society. “What is wrong with the society?” she queried, calling upon all mothers to introspect.
“How did we give birth to such children (the perpetrators), are they not our children?” she queried adding that mothers need to examine “ourselves”, setting “our house in order first.”
Maintaining that the state government has failed miserably in dealing with crimes against women, Rosemary Dzuvichu, (Gender Expert Member on NE with National Commission for Women) stressed on a concerted effort to take up remedial measures to rehabilitate victims of such atrocities.
Citing instances in the past when criminals would be put to jail but after serving for a specified period they are released, general secretary of the Naga Mothers’ Association (Kohima) also participating at the rally said “We (women) are insecure”. However, this time “we must set an example by giving the fittest of punishment to them” she reminded.
Condemning the March 25 incident, Savi Liegise, president of the Dimapur Naga Council called for a stricter law against rape. He stressed on the revival of “family values” to heal the society of such menace. Appealing to the government to bring to book all the rapists he further demanded the strongest possible punishment to the culprits to set an effective example so that “no other women are subjected to such ordeal ever”. He appealed to the “authorities under whose umbrella two culprits have taken shelter” and urged that the culprits should be handed to the authorities without further delay “to let justice run its full course”.
“We are gathered here to strengthen ourselves” in the “fight against evil elements” announced the president of the Ao Union of Dimapur. Advising “lawyers or government agents, agency or factions” against helping in bailing out the culprits, he warned “we shall not stay silent or tolerate any compromise whatsoever”.
Aside from other prominent speakers who addressed the rally, the presidents of the Naga Students Federation and the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union, conveners of the NPMHR, GBs’ and DBs’, and representatives from various women civil organizations of the Ao community also spoke. After the rally representatives of the Naga Women Hoho met the Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur at his office chambers and submitted a memorandum. The DC informed to hand over the said memorandum to the state chief minister today.
