Morung Express News
Mokokchung | December 28
Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Dr Imtiwabang Aier today said that society cannot move ahead without women’s participation in politics, development or decision making and that women should actively pursue the fight against corruption at the grass-roots level.
Exhorting the people while speaking at the Centenary celebrations of Women Ministry of the Chami Baptist Church, Dr Imtiwabang also said that apart from church activities, women should actively participate in politics if they wanted change in Naga society. “It is a perfect time for friends to come together to celebrate this great event but it also calls for introspection and retrospection,” he added.
Naga society, he said, was living through a period of excessive pessimism and negativism and has been experiencing a “revolution of rising expectations” and high hopes that are not realized which results in to breeding cynicism in the society. He also observed that people becoming increasingly wary of corrupt leaders and demanding more accountability was caused by a significant failure in governance.
Citing statistics from the World Bank, he also said that lower levels of corruption in government establishments was linked to higher number of women employees. Saying women are less likely than men to pay bribes, he urged Naga women to engage issues starting from the grass-roots. “We talk about corruption but where does it come from? It all starts from the grass-roots,” he concluded, suggesting that women are an important force to clean the grass-roots and bring change.
On the Clean Election campaign initiated by ABAM and NBCC, he wondered how effective it would be when it comes to practically implementing it on the ground and added that the campaign would be a futile exercise without women’s participation. “If the grass-roots change, then the society will change automatically. If not, clean election will be a futile exercise and remain the same, if not worse,’ he feared. Saying that he used to call Ministers and MLAs as licensed thieves before he joined politics, he admitted that he found the reality of the situation was different once he entered politics. “The leaders are forced to indulge ... by the public,” he said, and added that “So much criticism has been alleged against politicians but the public should also analyze the indulgence of the officers.”
Saying that there are many anti-corruption groups, he stated that these groups should start from the grass-roots and that they should fight corruption with deep sincerity and not use anti-corruption movements as a platform to make earnings. “If we want change in our state, we have to change ourselves first. Together we have to change without pointing fingers only at politicians. We are all equally responsible,” he said.
He opined that gender empowerment was a powerful tool for eradication of corruption and thereby strengthen the government machinery in the state. “The logjam of women empowerment should be removed and legalized in our state too,” he said, adding that Naga society today was affected by “shadow of corruption, conflict and swallowed by violent structures.” He exhorted the women that the unexplored power and untapped potentiality lantent in them once developed can overcome all this.
The Women Ministry of Chami Baptist Church, Mokokchung celebrated its centenary on December 27-28 on the theme “God’s Unfathomable Love” at the village with Alemla Mozur, Secretary, ABAMWM, TR Temsu Aier, Missionary and Alem Aier, MD, Logos Home Academy, Tuli as the main speakers.
Chami village, regarded the smallest Ao Naga village, is located about 20 kilometers from Mokokchung town in Asetkong Range of Mokokchung district. Chami Baptist Church was founded in 1896 while its Women Ministry was formed in 1917.
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