Angami Baptist Church Council (ABCC) and Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) have separately reaffirmed their stand on the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act of 1989 against the backdrop of the demand by Dimapur-based civil society organisations to lift the NLTP Act.
ABCC through its executive director Rev. Dr. Rachülie Vihienuo reiterated its commitment to uphold the NLTP Act. ABCC also reaffirmed its support to the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) in the “fight against the evil of liquor, and protection of human life and society from this menace.”
Expressing deep concern over the “reemerging voices” for the repealing of the NLTP Act, the ABCC lamented that “this time around they are the voices of the custodians of the Act itself, and guardians of society responsible for maintaining society’s civility”.
ABCC affirmed that the Church, as the conscience of society, strongly opposed any attempt to repeal the Act.
It reminded that NLTP Act of 1989 was an outcome of “a collective arduous struggle and battle” spearheaded by the Church, adding that it was an Act legislated by the government.
However, ABCC expressed regret that even after more than three decades of its legislation, the implementation of the Act was yet to be fully realised. To the church, ABCC said the Act has not failed but the implementation of the Act has failed. “The Act may not be perfect and may need tightening some loopholes, but if what is already in the Act is sincerely implemented, it will definitely bring positive results,” ABCC said.
ABCC has, therefore, appealed to the state government to strengthen its mechanism and implement the Act in all sincerity without delay and “give Nagaland’s future generations a chance to live!”
PBCA: Phom Baptist Christian Association (PBCA) affirmed that the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act, 1989 must be “strongly implemented” in letter and spirit after the ongoing assembly session. In a statement, PBCA executive secretary N. Tialemaba Phom asserted that Nagaland—a unique state in terms of history, customary, people and land—needed to be preserved as it was God-given land.
Stating that God has a special plan for Naga people, PBCA said the leaders of the civil society organizations (CSOs), political leaders, elected members and right-thinking citizens of the land must, therefore, “first seek the will of God” so there would be “an abundant life, wholesome peace, development and prosperity in the state.”
Apex Phom church body reminded that NLTP Act, 1989 has its own uniqueness and history involving tears and emotions of Naga mothers, prayer and fast unto death by Naga church leaders and visionary leaders of the State solely to protect Naga future families.
The church maintained that NLTP Act has not done any damage and ramification to Naga people so far. Rather, it said the Act has “protected Naga families, couple and spouse’s lives, decreased incidence of violence against women, led to lower rates of drinking alcohol among men, minimized road accidents, controlled senseless drunken fights on the street etc”.
Asking the government and Dimapur-based CSO which weighed more—revenue or life, the PBCA said “life is more precious, life has a more weightage than revenue.”
It said that Dimapur was not simply a commercial hub of the state, but also a destination city of every Naga citizen. “Why can’t Dimapur-based CSOs be a role model for other district CSOs to be emulated?” PBCA asked. It said that if liquor was totally banned in Dimapur, then rest of the districts could easily practice in letter and spirit.
PBCA has, therefore, strongly appealed to the government to totally ban all types of liquor in the State. it expressed hope and prayed that during the ongoing assembly session would “deliberate in good faith, and vigorously implement the Act with their political will and spiritual ferventness as genuine Christians.”