Dear NSF

Dear Naga Students Federation,

Firstly, allow me to congratulate you on successfully holding your 2015 General Conference. From all I’ve heard, it was a grand affair worthy of a premier student body such as yours.

Towards a Just Society – what a great theme and one that is so right for a student body to shine the spotlight on. Who better than the youth to take up the cudgels for the oppressed, to speak up for those who face injustice and to fight and work towards a world that is just and equal!

But I am curious to know whether this just society that you speak of includes fellow citizens with disabilities? From the information I’ve gathered, there was no effort at all to make the conference venue accessible for all citizens. Months of planning must have gone into making sure that the event was a success. In all the meetings, all the discussions held over arrangements to be made, I wonder if there was even a single mention on the need to make it possible for all, including those with disabilities, to attend the conference. Was there even any awareness in this regard?

Towards a Just Society – that’s the theme of your conference. The irony!

You forget the existence of a large segment of our society resulting in their exclusion from a major event in your calendar and then you deliberate on a just society at the very same event. To be honest, I find it offensive that the subject of a ‘just society’ was talked about in such an unjust situation where not even a thought was spared for inclusion of fellow citizens with disabilities.

Let me be clear here. I do realise that the venue was temporary, set up only for the conference. So please know that I’m not talking about some complex accessibility features. The recognition that there are disabled people out there who might want to attend and making some few little arrangements to enable their participation is what it’s all about……like a convenient drop off point set aside so that people using mobility devices like walkers and wheelchairs as well as those with disabilities such as blindness don’t have to negotiate long distances, a clear pathway into the meeting area with some kind of railing to hold on to if possible, suitable seating space and separate and easily accessible toilet facilities, again with enough room. These are some little extra things that could have been done without too much extra expenditure and would have gone a long, long way in fostering a sense of inclusion.    

There is the possibility that I have been misinformed as I was not there personally. The conference could have been a most disabled-friendly one, which would be a wonderful first in our State, and I do sincerely apologise if that’s the case.

But if I may point out, in the many years that the Naga Students Federation has been around strongly championing the cause of Naga students and youth, never has the gross injustice faced by the disabled population in our society been able to ignite your consciousness.

Do you know that there are hundreds of our children who are completely marginalised and unable to get even basic education? These are children with various kinds of disabilities. Some of these disabilities may be visible, others not. Physical barriers, attitudinal barriers, communication barriers and numerous other obstacles effectively ensure that a child with disability in our land has no chance of ever going to school, ever participating in activities or learning the things that their non-disabled peers take for granted.

What I’d like to know from you is when you plan to stand up for their right to education as you do for other sections of our society.

Change happens when you do, not just talk. A just society where all citizens are treated equally with equal opportunities can happen only when we act!

And I’m looking forward to action from our student leaders.

Yours sincerely,

Diethono Nakhro