Dimapur, March 24 (MExN): The burnt of the Indo-Naga political conflict is being borne by the Naga women with more than ten thousand war widows in the state who have either lost their husbands to the intermittent factional fights or to the Indian security forces.
According to an advocate for women rights, Rosemary Dzüvichu, an English lecturer at Nagaland University, during the discussion hour at a seminar on peace held at IMC on March 21 said that proper study and research conducted by them has found that more than 10,000 Naga mothers have been rendered widows by the political conflict in the state, which is one of the longest running problem in south Asia.
Rosemary said that even in Kohima village from which she hails from, there are more than a hundred war widows, whose husbands have either been killed by the Indian army or by the Naga underground cadres.
Rose Mary said that the state government has not come out with any proper relief or rehabilitation package for the widows, whose husbands have been killed during the fighting related with the Naga cause, though there is a relief and Rehabilitation Department under the State government.
She also informed the audience that the number of war widows was earlier highest in Punjab but now it is Nagaland. She, however, said that Jammu and Kashmir might overtake Nagaland as the state having the largest number of war widows.
One reason why the number of war widows is increasing in Kashmir is that the women out there is not that vocal and cannot come out like the Naga women, said Rosemary. She also commented the Naga women for playing a crucial role in the ongoing Naga peace process.
