Naga Hoho accuses Nagaland Governor of trying to stifle free speech

Dimapur, Feb. 10 (EMN): The Naga Hoho has expressed concern over Nagaland Governor RN Ravi’s recent orders against Nagaland state government employees, terming it as ‘continued intimidation through threat tactics of sedition and profiling’.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, it said Ravi’s recent orders asking state government employees to self-declare if they have any relatives in the Naga political groups (NPGs) and to take action on government servants for “sedition” against India for asserting the right of the Naga people to political self-determination do not reflect well of his intent.

The Naga Hoho termed the directives as “another form to dehumanise the Naga people’s hopes and aspiration” and accused the governor of trying to divide the people and “criminalise individuals”.

Condemning the “attempt to prosecute Dr. Inato Jimomi and to stifle the rest of the Nagas”, it asserted that Nagas “have the right and the freedom to express our love for our land and in doing so it is not to advocate against India but a natural expression of any Naga who have experienced suffering borne out of conflict and militarisation and continue to bear the brunt of it”.

“We express peace and freedom for all the oppressed and denied anywhere. A person cannot be deprived of one’s liberty to freedom of expression and natural rights,” read the statement. “The peace negotiation of two decades ongoing between the Government of India and the Naga political groups is too precious to be derailed by the lack of sight of a single person,” it added.

The Naga Hoho went on to urge the “chief minister and Cabinet not to allow the governor to undermine the existence of a mandated elected government by a titular head”.