DIMAPUR, April 26: Various Naga civil society organisations have submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging systematic repression of Indigenous Naga leadership by the Indian State.
The memorandum, jointly signed by the Global Naga Forum (GNF), the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), the Naga Mothers Association (NMA), and the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), highlighted recent incidents of arbitrary restrictions and harassment faced by Naga civil society leaders.
They referred to the incident of April 7, where Neingulo Krome, Secretary General of the NPMHR, was allegedly prevented from boarding an international flight from Delhi to Kathmandu without any legal justification. According to the memorandum, no legal documentation or formal explanation was provided, apart from the vague assertion: “You cannot travel.”
The Naga civil bodies termed the action “deeply disturbing,” likening it to “authoritarian practices” aimed at silencing Indigenous voices and suppressing democratic leadership. They asserted that this was not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of surveillance, intimidation, and the denial of basic civil rights to Naga leaders.
The memorandum outlined four key demands, including the unconditional removal of travel restrictions on Krome and other Naga civil society members, a moratorium on all forms of arbitrary surveillance and intimidation, and adherence to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
