DIMAPUR, OCT 3 (NPN): Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has reaffirmed its support for the spirit and purpose of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989 (NLTP Act), arguing that the existence of an illegal liquor trade did not justify repealing a law designed to protect families and communities from the harms of alcohol abuse.
In a press release, NBCC general secretary Rev. Dr Mar Pongener and secretary for social concerns Dr Villo Naleo said prohibition was rooted in concerns over the impact of alcohol on families, communities and society, rather than simply being a matter of regulation or government revenue.
The council said the issue should be viewed in terms of human dignity, family welfare, public health, social responsibility and protection of vulnerable people.
It acknowledged that the existence of an illegal liquor market posed a serious challenge, with continuing seizures, concerns over spurious alcohol and difficulties faced by enforcement agencies demonstrating shortcomings in implementation.
However, NBCC said the existence of violations did not by itself establish that the underlying principle of prohibition was wrong. It said the more fundamental questions were what social harm could result from wider availability of alcohol, what protection prohibition provides to families and vulnerable people, what responsibilities citizens and institutions have in making the law effective, and what should be corrected where implementation is failing.
It said these questions required evidence, public dialogue and responsible governance rather than the assumption that repeal was the only response to enforcement difficulties.
NBCC also acknowledged the reality of alcohol dependence and the suffering experienced by individuals and families.
It said the Church had sought to address the problem through awareness, counselling, rehabilitation, prayer, pastoral care and community intervention.
The council stressed that its concern was not to stigmatise people struggling with alcohol dependence, but to support their restoration and dignity.
It said the Church’s understanding of freedom also included freedom from addiction, exploitation and the destruction of relationships, while affirming the values of temperance, self-control and responsibility.
On the illegal liquor trade, NBCC said the black market should not become an argument for abandoning the law. It called for stronger enforcement, transparency and accountability against those profiting from illicit liquor, while cautioning against unsubstantiated allegations of organised syndicates, corruption or illicit financial arrangements.
“The appropriate response to corruption is not to legalize corruption,” the council said, adding that criminal networks should be addressed through effective enforcement, institutional accountability, community cooperation and, where necessary, reform of enforcement mechanisms.
NBCC said enforcement of prohibition could not be left to one department and required cooperation among the government and law-enforcement agencies, religious institutions, village and community organisations, women, youth and student bodies, families, medical and mental-health professionals, civil society and citizens.
Referring to the recent deaths in Tuensang and Mokokchung, the council said the excise and police departments had intensified efforts to check illegal liquor sales. It appreciated initiatives by student organisations, deputy commissioners and police officers towards stricter implementation.
It also cited the recent destruction of seized liquor in Zunheboto, which was accompanied by an official call for a collective approach involving civil society, community leaders and the public, as an example of the shared responsibility it said the present situation demanded.
“A law needs implementation, not merely legislation,” NBCC said, while acknowledging that the NLTP Act was not perfect and that every aspect of its implementation had not been successful.
The council said laws should be continually examined in light of their social consequences, but stressed that review should not automatically mean repeal.
It called for strengthening provisions that protect society, closing loopholes, addressing corruption, improving enforcement, expanding rehabilitation and ensuring that the law serves its intended public purpose.
NBCC said the government’s current consideration of the NLTP question should be accompanied by transparent consultation and reliable evidence on public health, alcohol-related harm, illegal markets, enforcement outcomes, family welfare and the experiences of affected communities.
It said the Church could not abandon its moral responsibility because implementation of a law was difficult, but added that such responsibility also required an honest examination of reality.
The council called for “truthful assessment, responsible enforcement, institutional integrity, compassionate rehabilitation and evidence-based public policy”, saying the deeper question was what kind of society Nagaland wanted to build and which policies would best protect human life, family, community and individual dignity.
NBCC said it would continue to support people and families affected by addiction, confront illicit and harmful practices and advocate policies promoting the common good. It said the NLTP Act should be understood not merely as a prohibition statute but as an expression of social responsibility to protect life and community.
