A police team was ordered to stop Naga Mother’s Association (NMA) members from meeting the German Consul, General Manfred Auster in Kohima. Meanwhile, Angami Public Organization told the Nagaland government that NMA members no longer enjoy the support and mandate of every Naga women tribal bodies
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Naga Mother’s Association ( NMA) has expressed resentment over the “highhandedness” of Nagaland state government authorities in trying to stop them from meeting the German Consul General at Hotel De Oriental Grand, Kohima.
According to a press statement issued by the NMA on Thursday, its members arrived at the venue on the invitation of the German Consul General, and had sought a meet with the NMA since March 21 this year. However, NMA said many policemen and women in civies awaited the six members delegation, refusing entry beyond the lobby and informing the NMA that they have been “ordered” to stop them meeting the German Consul, General Manfred Auster, who had earlier met NMA officials at Hotel Vivor, Kohima, in the last edition of the Hornbill Festival.
Lamenting that “they” refused to let the women enter the restaurant even over a “cup of tea” while waiting, the NMA alleged that the additional superintendent of police (SP), Kohima, intervened into the matter by conveying that if the NMA officials wanted to meet the German Consul General, the former had to contact the Home department or the “top police officials”. It was learnt that the NMA officials after the German Consul General, Manfred Auster, himself appologizing on the obstruction caused for the meet, the NMA team were able to share it various concerns on the situation in the state.
NMA further added that placing on record its resentment at the “disrespect” shown to the women delegations which consisted of former members of the Nagaland State Women Commission (NSWC), the delegations were supposed to discuss further on project for women which had been shared with the Consul General last December.
APO asks Nagaland govt to ‘ restrain & refrain’ from ‘un-mandated’ NMA
Meanwhile, in a letter addressed to the chief secretary, Nagaland, on Thursday, president, Angami Public Organization (APO), Razouvotuo Chatsu, has drawn the attention of the Nagaland government concerning the subject matter while also requesting to ” restrain & refrain” the “unmandated NMA” members while approaching for social and political issues in order to avoid “hiccups” among the Nagas at large.
Stating that the APO had made it very clear to the Nagaland state government an all concerned once and for all that the present NMA leaders are a “bunch” of people who were elected themselves and no longer enjoy the support and mandate of every Naga women tribal bodies, the APO president, mentioned that they (NMA) are non-entity as they lack credibility and that their presentation in any manner form should be declared “null and void”.
Deeply anguished and concerned to observe that some Angami women (as NMA leaders) going around meeting different authorities and also organizing various meetings and seminars thereby adopting resolutions pertaining to issues of common interests, however, the APO president, Razouvotuo Chatsu, stated that the truth was that the NMA cease to exist long before and the Angami women organization (AWO) had dissociated with NMA and hence holds no accountability in any manner.
He also informed that anything done with the of these leaders was for their sheer personal interest and they no longer enjoy the “blessing and support” of the women of Nagaland.
Razouvotuo further stated that the situation at present is “volatile” and the ” battery being highly charged” due to ruckus for the ULB elections, while maintaining that there are some who have the nature of flaring up the issues in the guise of working for public interest and social order for which he cited the example of the NMA leaders as one of it. Further, he behalf of the APO, has appealed the Nagaland state government and all concerned to be aware and restrain from the NMA members till further notice.