Aheli Moitra
The Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), at a meeting with Dimapur-based working professionals on March 9, was alert and listening. What could the professionals bring to the Naga Reconciliation Process? How could they contribute? The FNR Convener made it clear that the Naga Reconciliation Process does not belong to the FNR nor to any other group—it is a Process of the people, mandated and pushed for by the representatives of the people. The Process entails an array of measures that narrows division in Naga society and strengthens solidarity among the people to move towards a united (not uniform), shared future. To take this Process forward, how can you contribute?
A number of ideas emerged. Teaching professionals could move towards integrating aspects of the Naga Reconciliation Process into their curriculum so that young Naga people begin to understand the contours of it. Journalists could write more on the nuts and bolts of the Process – or even its history – so that more people across the Naga areas become connected to the philosophy and practice of Reconciliation in the Naga context. Churches and ministries could engage their congregation to plug people into the spiritual facet of the Process.
150 km away from Dimapur, at Chizami Village in Phek district, a small collective of women farmers was already helping the Naga Reconciliation Process. The North East Network’s 10th Biodiversity Festival was underway on March 7 and 8. Women farmers from across Nagaland had congregated there to celebrate the biodiversity they had nurtured on their land as well as share indigenous seeds with their sisters. This sharing was essential to critiquing the market economy that demands that seeds, crops and produce be kept only in the hands of the individual who can buy them. It was important to prevent the rapid influx of genetically modified seeds and crops, designed for monoculture and chemicals, into land that has fed, provided nutrition and resources to its people. It was central to upholding the rights of the collective over the individual.
An Inuit elder once said, “We want to leave the lands of our people sound and unspoiled for our children and their children so that they can experience the same proudness, happiness and the health of our beautiful homelands that were given to us and to those who went before us.” To achieve this ‘shared future’ – what he termed ‘victory’ – the elder called for unity and solidarity among his people, as well as among indigenous peoples of the world. Women farmers in Nagaland sharing their knowledge systems with Dalit women farmers from Telangana or Chakma farmers from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, brought into focus the larger point of marginalized peoples’ solidarities, to build each other up by reiterating the right of all peoples to control their lands, continuing to practice and pass on their systems of governance and culture.
How is this helping the Naga Reconciliation Process? When people begin to focus on their commonalities and platforms from which to promote sisterhood, they begin to mend cracks that may have appeared over the course of history. This bonding and solidarity that eventually strengthens the united base of peoples to chart their own destiny or respond to various forms of oppression is the process of reconciliation; a journey of common hope.
Thoughts are welcome at moitramail@yahoo.com
