Naga Mothers’ Association breaks its silence; says it’s a bonafide women organisation

Dimapur: The Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has broken its silence days after the Angami Public Organisation (APO) and the Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) requested the state government to distance itself from the association, terming it as “un-mandated”.

In a representation submitted to the governor of Nagaland after its Executive Council meeting, where it resolved to clarify the allegations leveled against it, the NMA said it is a “bonafide women organisation founded in 1984 and exists till date working for peace, women’s issues and various other social issues”.

The Executive Council meeting was held on Tuesday, the same day the Lotha Hoho had issued a statement reiterating the disassociation of Lotha organisations from the NMA following the 2017 ULB election imbroglio.

“The NMA started with individual membership and later expanded to include tribe women representatives into the organisation. Till date, NMA membership is open to individual women and tribe women organisations,” read the representation.

“When the state government passed the Nagaland Municipal First Amendment Act 2006, Naga women came together to ensure the inclusion of women by forming the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR) which included the Eastern Naga Women Organisation (ENWO), Watsil Mungdang, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur (NWHD), Tenyimi Women Organisation (TWO) and tribe units of Naga Mothers’ Association,” it added.

The NMA recalled that the JACWR submitted a memorandum on May 31 2011 and met the then Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, seeking the government to implement the Municipal Act and hold the election with 33% reservation for women but the delegation was told that a court order would facilitate its implementation as the tribe hohos were against holding ULB elections.

It stated the JACWR agreed to withdraw as petitioners during a meeting with the then Chief Minister TR Zeliang on January 26 2017, provided the government gave a written assurance to hold the election as scheduled. ‘On receiving the written assurance, the two NMA petitioners from the JACWR withdrew from the case in Delhi on January 29 2017’, it added.

The NMA went on to clarify that it has no connection with the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), India’s largest human rights organisation and the petitioners after the withdrawal of the NMA from the case.

It claimed that its tribe units such as Angami Women Organisation (AWO), Chakhesang Mothers’ Association (CMA), Sumi Totimi Hoho (STH), and Lotha Eloi Hoho (LEH) were forced to disassociate from it during the riots of February 2017. “However, the NMA continues till date with the tribe units of Rengma Mothers Association (RMA), Pochury Mothers Association (PMA), Kuki Nute Kiloikhom Nagaland (KNKN) and Zeliangrong Mipui Organisation (ZMO) along with individuals from various tribes,” it added.

Maintaining that it has “no written record of tinkering and experimenting with the customary laws and traditions of our people”, the NMA said, “As women and mothers, we have great respect for the rich culture and traditions of Nagas and welcome any public policy that empowers women and protect women’s rights which are for the good of everyone in the Naga society.”

It went on to say that women organisations, including the Naga Mothers’ Association, have the freedom to deliberate and organise meetings and seminars on public policies that affects the public.

“The records and activities of the Naga Mothers’ Association, since its inception till date, will stand testimony to the fact that we have contributed much to bring in peace, social order and promoting women’s rights as Human Rights. We hope this representation will clarify the baseless aspersions cast on the existence of the NMA and deter any more defamatory exchanges to the state government,” it stated.

Related news: Chakhesang Public Organisation requests Nagaland govt. to distance itself from Naga Mothers’ Association