Nagas' case raised at Geneva Meet
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Dimapur, September 18 2014: The Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has placed the case of Nagas including the Ukhrul situation at the 27th Session of the Human Rights Council, held at Geneva, Palais des Nations, Conference Room on September 17, 2014 .

Neingulo Krome, Executive Member, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact who is also the Secretary General, Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) while delivering his speech at the Session yesterday, has alleged that there have been discrimination on the Nagas from various quarters.

The NPMHR Secretary General emphasised the importance of protection of indigenous peoples rights to disaster risk reduction as pointed out by the panelist today and agree that there should be maximum participation of Indigenous peoples in this regards as well.

According to Mr Krome, ever since World War II saw its end at the Battle of Kohima in April 1944, following which, the United Nations was formed to save human kind from the scourge of war, sad to say, but from the very same place where the world war ended, another war was waged against indigenous Nagas who just wanted to retain their status as to who and what they were before the advents of world wars.

"Today, I have come from this same Kohima in the backdrop of a more than 70 years of social and political unrest because our identity has been questioned where an idea was created that we are Indians and not Nagas, under the pretty slogan of unity in diversity", Mr Krome also said.

According to the NPMHR leader, the Government of India is in ceasefire truces with three different 'Naga political groups' (Naga underground groups) which were signed at various stages over the last 17 years (1997, 2001 and 2011) after the first ceasefire was signed in 1964."However, just over a month ago, after 17 long years of ceasefire, the question of ceasefire area coverage became an issue and an Act under Section 144 CrPC was promulgated in Ukhrul town prohibiting an assembly of 5 persons or more, with the town reeling under Manipur police commandos and Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) and Assam Rifles personnel who are well known for their military excesses staging flag marches till today even after an announcement was made that the 144 CrPC have been withdrawn.

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