Apr 24, 2014

Nagalim: Increasing Rate Of Crimes Mobilizes Women’s Organizations


Several women’s organizations in Nagalim have condemned violence against women, which has considerably increased. There have been several cases of rape of minors, a trafficking case, and the murder of a woman in April 2014. The organizations have appealed for a stimulation of a sense of morality, responsibility, and discipline, and asked law enforcement agencies to do more, warning that otherwise violence against women will continue.

Below is an article published by the Morung Express

The ever-growing rate of crimes against women in Naga society has yet again drawn the ire of Naga women organizations, which have urged law enforcing agencies to ensure befitting punishment, and the society to imbibe a sense of morality, responsibility and discipline.

The Naga Women’s Union (NWU) and the Indigenous Women’s Forum for North-East India (IWFNEI) in a joint statement today [April 22, 2014] condemned acts of gender insensitivity, atrocities and disrespect of women in society. Rampant violence against women, they stated, has reached an “alarming level.” The two women’s bodies cited the examples of the “rape” of a minor girl by Povetso at Mohonkhola, Kohima on April 13 [2014], rape of minor girl by S. Ngaopuni (65) of Poumai Colony at Koirengei Hills, Imphal on April 17, rape and assault of a woman (43) by Waikhom Saratkumar (45) in Thoubal on April 14, rape of minor girl of Sora Mayai Leikai, abducted and raped by Md. Rahman alias Namba (22) of Sangai Humpham Cherapur, and a case of trafficking which came to light when an inmate (minor) of Grace Academy, Hamleikhong in Ukhrul District, escaped from the clutches of alleged traffickers while her younger sister in class V is still believed to be in the custody of traffickers.

“These incidents of evil acts have shocked our collective conscience and it is an indication of how inhumane one can become,” stated the NWU and IWFNEI. They appealed to “every sensible person” to denounce these violent acts and “cooperate in rooting out social evils and urge law enforcing agencies to award befitting punishment to the culprits as per the law of the land and promptly trace and rescue the missing minor girl from the kidnappers.” The two women’s organizations also encouraged that “a sense of morality, responsibility, discipline and God fearing is duly imparted in the families, schools, Churches, institutions, etc to eradicate such violence and cruel acts against Women.”

Meanwhile, the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) on April 22 [2014] condemned in the “strongest term” the “brutal and senseless murder” of a woman on April 17 in Dimapur, as well as the alleged rape of a minor girl in Kohima. “Such unethical, monstrous and most inhuman crime should be seriously investigated and punished in its severest manner so that it don’t happen again,” stated the NMA in a press release from its president Abei-u Meru and secretary, Lochumbeni Humtsoe. “Violent crimes against women have been re-occuring in our society and just verbal condemnation is not enough. Unless law takes strict action and creates a sense of fear in people, such sad incidents will continue to happen,” it said, also appealing and demanding for the law enforcing agencies to “ensure that the perpetrators are given the strictest punishment possible.”

Photo by Flickr © Retlaw Snellac Photography