Dimapur, May 8 (MExN): The Western Chakhesang Hoho (WCH) has expressed concerns regarding the fate of those stranded Nagas in other parts of India and within Nagaland “who are facing untold trauma and struggling to get back home.”
WCH in a press statement issued by its President, Dietho Rhakho stated that with no money and facing hunger and death, thousands of these young men and women need to be brought home immediately.
The Hoho said, “We understand that there are apprehensions and fears in Nagaland that many of these stranded brothers and sisters from the Red zones in India may infect Green zone Nagaland but this is the time to show compassion and mercy for our own who are stranded with no jobs, money or medical security. Our people are even dying with no one to help except for a handful of compassionate chaplains and student leaders.”
The WCH therefore appealed to the State government led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to step in and take an immediate decision to bring back these stranded Nagas home by any means necessary. According to MHA notification, 85% of the train fare is borne by the central government and 15% by the respective state government. “Therefore, it should not be too taxing for the state government to solve this humanitarian crisis.”
Secondly, the WCH stated that necessary screening and quarantine measures can be taken care of with outmost precaution so that alarm bells do not ring in the state once the stranded persons reach. Every district should allow its citizens entry because Dimapur district alone cannot accommodate such huge numbers for quarantine. “All the tourist lodges and circuit houses in the districts can be used as quarantine facilities and even the churches in the villages can help in quarantining by opening its guest houses,” the Hoho suggested.
