Naga tribal body urges govt to distance itself from NMA

DIMAPUR: The influential Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) on Sunday urged the Nagaland government to distance itself from the Naga Mothers' Association (NMA) so that it does not in any way represent the welfare and interest of "our sons and daughters".
Echoing the Angami Public Organisation (APO), the CPO said the NMA is an "un-mandated organisation".
"The deliberate attempt by certain NMA members to dilute the customary laws and traditions of our people and flagrant disregard shown to the popular sentiments of the Nagas is becoming almost intolerable to digest to the extent that a permanent and unhealthy wedge of suspicion and mistrust is being sown between the two genders of the society," CPO president Vezuhu Keyho said in a letter to Nagaland chief secretary.
In a similar letter to the state government earlier, the APO had called the NLA "un-mandated" and a "non-entry" since its leaders no longer enjoyed the support of the Naga women tribal bodies. The APO had said the situation in the state at present was volatile and highly charged over the urban local body elections.
The NMA insisted on 33% reservation of seats for women in civic body elections in Nagaland, but most of the tribal bodies feel that the quota for women may infringe on Article 371(A), which protects the traditional way of life of the Nagas.
The State Election Commission had on March 9 announced the elections to the urban local bodies to be held on May 16 with 33% reservation of seats for women. Though the Nagaland government had cancelled the elections to the civic bodies through a notification on March 30 amid pressure from Naga tribal organisations and civil society groups, the Supreme Court on April 5 stayed the state government notification and directed that the poll schedule not be disturbed now and the election process be completed as per the schedule. The apex court order came after the People's Union for Civil Liberties and others filed petitions challenging the cancellation of the elections.
With the state government facing a catch-22 situation, it is likely to hold consultations with the tribal bodies and civil society organisations on the issue.
The CPO stressed that any individual, group or organisation that is not mandated by the people has no business in tinkering and experimenting with the traditions and customary laws of "our people".