Nagaland University, Lumami organizes national symposium
Morung Express News
Lumami | May 9
A national symposium on ‘Human Rights: Emerging Paradigm’ jointly oganised by the Department of Sociology and Department of Geography, Nagaland University (NU), Lumami was held today at Ihoshe Kinimi Hall, Lumami.
In the first technical session, Niketu Iralu, Social Activist spoke on the “Sustainability of Human Rights”. “All issues raised by Human Rights are related to human aspiration,” he said, adding “Human rights and human aspirations are sacred because they are needed for the survival, proper growth and development of all human beings.”
He added that Human Rights have become a dead horse which is not receiving sufficient attention. “We are hearing slogans which have lost its vigour. Human rights have become unsustainable and in many ways unpursuable because Human Rights is limited to the wrongs others have done to us and we are casual about our own wrongs and failures and we rationalize and justify them,” he lamented.
Dr. Aküm Longchari, Editor, The Morung Express spoke on “The Naga Caravan: the struggle between memory and forgetting” in the second technical session. “The struggle of our people for Human Rights is not just a fight for Human Rights but acts as a catalyst for the purpose for ‘rehumanization’,” he maintained.
He further said that self-determination is essential for the Nagas to reclaim identity and restore honour. It is a defining factor in the area of conflict and peace, he asserted, stating through co-operation and right relationships amongst the Naga people and tribes, the Naga caravan for self-determination will go a long way on the path to reclaim “our” dignity as a race.
The technical session was followed by discussions.
A book “Human Rights in Nagaland: Emerging Paradigm” edited by Dr. Lanusashi Longkumer and Dr. Toshimenla Jamir was released during the inaugural programme of the seminar by Prof. N.S. Jamir, acting Vice Chancellor, NU.
The keynote address of the symposium was delivered by Prof. A Lanu Ao, former Pro-VC, NU, while the closing remark was given by Prof. Sangyu Yaden, Dean in-charge, School of Sciences, NU.
