NPMHR oberves International Human Rights Day
Source: The Sangai Express
Dimapur, December 10 2016:
The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) has said today that one of the deeper concerns that human rights movements and defenders are now faced with in today's contemporary world is the increasing shrinking space of democracy everywhere.
According to the NPMHR, the recent arrest and detention of "human rights defenders", such as the leaders of the United Naga Council (UNC) President Gaidon Kamei and its publicity secretary SK Stephen by Manipur Police is another grave example of shrinking space of democracy and the growing intolerance of states against democratic expressions of its citizens.
"This case also demonstrate the lack of political will by the Government of India to respect the rights of "Naga Indigenous Peoples" which is also against the spirit of the various Peace Agreements entered with the various 'Naga Political Groups' (NPGs) and the Government of India.
Furthermore, the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) remains in place in many parts of North East India resulting to gross violations of human rights with impunity," the NPMHR said.
Commemorating the 68th Anniversary of the International Human Rights Day, on December 10, 2016, under this year's theme; "Stand up for someone's rights today" at the Hotel De Oriental Grande, Kohima, Nagaland, the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), expressed its solidarity with all the human rights defenders around the world in proclaiming that; "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights".
NPMHR also said it strongly believed that "Mankind has made history through the struggle for freedom from exploitation and subjugation.
And history of the Naga people has taught us that there are forces both inside and outside the society collaborating in strangulating social progress" .
It then said that the shrinking democratic space for human rights defenders is a continuing threat and looms over indigenous peoples' fight for their ancestral lands and against injustices.
"Jannie Lasimbang, an indigenous woman activist from Malaysia, was prosecuted for her peaceful campaign for clean and fair elections.
Meanwhile, in Cambodia, Venn Vorn, an indigenous Chong activist who is campaigning against the proposed construction of a hydropower dam in the Areng Valley, was arrested and accused of 'forest crimes'", it added .
The NPMHR also said that in the Philippines, an outright violation of the rights of indigenous peoples to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression occurred on 19 October.
The demonstration ended in a violent dispersal by the police, with a police van barrelling its way to the protesters who were calling for the Philippine president to stop militarisation of their ancestral lands which paved the way for mining and agribusiness.
On November 6, in Bangladesh, the houses and community farms of indigenous Santal families were burned down by authorities in support of the Rangpur Sugar Mills.
A total of 1200 families were affected and three people were killed.
Similarly, in Cambodia, six ethnic Kuoy families were violently evicted from their homes in Preah Vihear, the NPMHR stated.
Also, on November 29, a group of Orang Asli and Orang Asal in Kelantan, Malaysia was arrested in a peaceful demonstration against the government and logging companies who acquired logging licenses without FPIC.
There are many other instances across Asia and the rest of the world and the list can go on and on, the NPMHR further stated.
"However, in all these regards, NPMHR stands with AIPP in commemorating and paying rich tributes to all the indigenous human rights defenders, including women, who were viciously silenced.
NPMHR with AIPP salutes those who continue to fight for their fundamental and collective rights despite the ominous and imminent danger," it added.
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