‘Stand up for someone’s rights today’
Kohima, December 10 (MExN): On the 68th anniversary of the International Human Rights Day (December 10), 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 commemorated the day at the de Oriental Grand in Kohima under this year’s theme, ‘Stand up for someone’s rights today.’
A press release from Neingulo Krome, Secretary General, NPMHR, stated that the movement strongly believes “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.”
One of the deeper concerns that human rights movements and defenders are now faced with in today’s contemporary world, it said, is the increasing shrinking space of democracy everywhere. “The recent arrest and detention of human rights defenders, such as the leaders of the United Naga Council’s President Gaidon Kamei and its Publicity Secretary, S.K. Stephen, by the Manipur Police is another grave example of shrinking space of democracy and the growing intolerance of states against democratic expressions of its citizens,” it maintained. “This case also demonstrates 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.”
NPMHR further pointed out that the draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act remains in place in many parts of North East India resulting to gross violations of human rights with impunity.
“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,” it said citing incidents which happened in different Asian countries.
NPMHR also supported AIPP in commemorating and paying rich tributes to all the indigenous human rights defenders who were “viciously silenced.” NPMHR with AIPP salute those who continue to fight for their fundamental and collective rights despite the ominous and imminent danger, the release added.
