PYO flays detention; demands release

DIMAPUR: Porbami Youth Organisation (PYO) has strongly condemned the actions of the Department of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Nagaland in detaining Vezhoto Hesuh over certain photographs and videos posted on his personal Facebook page.
In a press release, PYO stated that the incident had caused immense stress and harassment to Hesuh and his family, mentioning that the facts and circumstances surrounding the posts had not been properly ascertained. The posts included a video of Hesuh offering a sweet to a monkey in Assam, another video admiring a Great Barbet traditionally reared in Porba village, and a photograph of a Spotted Owlet perched on his shoulder.
The organisation maintained that merely posting such content cannot justify arbitrary action against a citizen, and demanded that the Department disclose the specific provisions of law allegedly violated. PYO also expressed concern over allegations that Rs. 1,00,000 was demanded for Hesuh’s release, calling for an impartial inquiry.
PYO further demanded the immediate return of the Great Barbet seized from Porba village on September 14. It highlighted that rearing birds such as the Great Barbet was a longstanding cultural practice in the community, valued for companionship and its distinctive call, which traditionally signals daily agricultural rhythms.
PYO reminded authorities of the constitutional safeguards under Article 371A, which protect Naga social practices, customary law and community traditions. It stressed that actions affecting such practices must be examined in their cultural and constitutional context.
The organisation also pointed out that Porba youth have actively participated in biodiversity protection, maintaining a 24 hour community monitoring system to prevent illegal hunting, destructive fishing, forest burning and habitat destruction. It expressed concern that officials, under the pretext of wildlife protection, were allegedly indulging in arbitrary detention and unlawful monetary demands. In view of the circumstances, PYO placed the following demands before the authorities: immediate and unconditional release of Vezhoto Hesuh without any monetary demand and immediate return of the Great Barbet seized from Porba village.