A National Seminar on, “The Impact of Violence on Woman and Children in Conflict Areas in India, with particular reference to North-East”, organized by St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama, in Collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences Research Centre (TISS), Guwahati, and sponsored by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Shillong and New Delhi, concluded today i.e. 22nd of Sept. 2012.
On the first day of the Seminar, the key note address was delivered by Prof. Virginius Xaxa (TISS) in the inaugural session. He stressed on the need to explore and address the violence on children more as it is neglected in comparison to studies on violence on woman. He also highlighted some wide range of issues like
1. Whether there is a possibility of various fields of sciences to come together and the tackle the issues to bring a solution to all this conflicts?
2. The need to study short term and long term impact of violence, also livelihood, and displacement, mental and emotional dimension needed to be explored.
Dr. Xavier Mao was the speaker and his topic was “Man, Moral and Violence”. He stressed on the importance to discuss violence in a holistic way. His findings were:
1. Violence and torture on women in some parts of India is sex related and is also mostly based on Myth, false belief, wrong priorities and historical differences
2. However, in North East Violence is mostly perpetrated by the state which is more dangerous especially in the context of Government of India promulgation of Special Power Act.
He suggested:
1. The state and people should reasonably and rationally resolve the issue peacefully with sence of seriousness.
2. He also said non-violent value is the only method and way to combat conflict.
In the first session,
1. Rev. Fr. Dr. Abraham Lotha , Principal SJC speaking on behalf of the College, stressed on more academic researches, intellectual discussions on the impact on violence on women and children.
2. Mr. Charles Chasie presented a documentary entitled “A measure of impurity” which covered different districts of Nagaland and Assam about the atrocities committed on women and children by the Indian Army.
In his words “places and people may be different but human suffering is the same everywhere”.
3. His Excellency, the Governor of Nagaland Shri. Nikhil Kumar emphasized on forgiving a relationship of goodwill, cooperation with one another and exercise universal sprit of tolerance and brotherhood.
During the second session:
The first paper entitled, “Educational Development in Manipur, Interface with Conflict” was presented by Dr. Komol Singha, Dr. Marchang Reimeingam and Saju Mathew.
Their main arguments were:
• Casual relationship between conflict and education in Manipur.
• They debated on whether education helps solved conflict or compounds the problem.
• Correlations between Insurgency related fatalities and education.
The second paper entitled “Rethinking justice of sexual crimes: Realities in North East India” was presented by Dr. Arzuman Ara and Dr. Arjuman Ara.
Their main arguments were:
• Sexual crimes remains silent, therefore there is a need to rethink the element of justice in sexual crimes.
Their main findings were:
There is no proper redness of sexual crimes in NE India which also makes crime and punishment a blurred affairs.
Miss Bitopi Dutta presented the third paper, “The suppressed and the silenced voices; multiple subordination of women in conflicts situations”.
- She argued that there is a gap between stories of agencies and stories of subordination in the analysis calling for balance.
- She also highlighted on the nature of suppression of women because of the patriarchal nature of Manipuri society.
Dr. V. Sawmveli presented the last paper on the session II entitled, “Crab Theology: Christianity and conflict in North East India”.
Her main arguments were:
- Enhancing the role of women against the backdrop of Christianity in situations of conflict in NE India. Especially the role of church and women in the Mizo Peace process and also women’s resistance.
Miss Furzee Kashyap presented the first paper on “Women as Peace Builders” in the third session. Her main focus was on women’s constructive role as peace builders, particularly in the conflicted areas in NE region which has also resulted in the elevation of women’s status in NE. She argued violence against women as one of the major reasons for women to join peace process. It is felt that even after their active contribution towards peace program they are not adequately rewarded /deported and hence protection of gender right has become necessary.
Madam Tribeni Gogoi presented another paper on, “Traumas of conflict in children” during the third session.
Her main findings were:
- Armed conflicts areas and between communities resulted in massive level of destruction.
- She cited two types of conflict in NE Region
o Conflict of autonomy
o Inter- ethnic conflict
- She also argued that Impact of violence is greatest on the poorer communities especially children.
She has given some suggestions.
1. In order to mitigate negative impact on children, international co-operation and state parties are encouraged to implement the convention on the right of the children.
2. Plan policies and programmes interventions to ensure a sense of stabilities during rehabilitation after conflict is over.
3. Special and integrated programs on trauma recovery are essential to ensure healing of mind and the spirit.
Dr. Buno Legise and Dr. Lungsang Echiang’s paper, “Psychological Impact on Conflict on Women and Children in North East India: Case studies and Research Complexities”.
- Made an attempt on the narratives of the mental and psychological agencies of women and children in Nagaland as a result of World War II and the long drawn Indo-Naga conflict.
- They also underlined some issues and complexities of research on conflicts.
Their suggestions were:
- To provide adequate family and social support to the victims of conflicts.
- Support system needs to be strengthened.
- Counseling services need to be established.
- Sensitize and ensure rights of women, children plus vulnerable groups.
- More findings and researches in this area.
Ms. Petekhrienuo Sorhie presented a paper on, “Echoing a Mother’s Pain; Remnant of Armed Violence” which talked about the struggle of Nagaland and echoes the traumas of the Naga women and children who were victims to protect armed conflicts, who were made to deal with their own traumatic conditions without any support mechanism. She has made a valuable suggestions that community agencies must initiate humanitarian assistance, press on sensitizing policy implementing agencies and individuals on the plight of women victims.
In session IV, Mr. Kaka Iralu presented the first paper entitled “Theinoneiu and Thepfuleno’s experiences.”
– He presented a personal account of his visit to different villages and their stories of tortures and nightmares where men folks were tortured in village playground openly, separated from their wives and children.
- Where children had watched their fathers repeatedly beaten and killed in front of them by the soldiers.
- Recounting the traumas and horrors through the eyes of two little children Theinoneiu and Thepfuleno, just aged seven (7).
Mme. Thejanuo Fidelia Sekhose presented a paper on, “Armed Violence and Women in North East, India: Challenges and responses with Reference to Nagaland.” Her findings were based on
1. Health and socio-psychological impact.
2. Political, legal and cultural impact.
3. Economic and financial impact which were all advised towards children and women. She also suggested the need for counseling and re-habilitation programmes. She concludes for self-empowerment and to empower women, various organizations, parties or factions and govt. machineries should turn their attentions earnestly towards the victims of Armed Violence and Conflicts.
The last paper was presented by Mr. E. Thangasmy entitled “Impact of Violence on Women and Children: Human Rights in the North Eastern Region”. His findings were
1. Women and children enjoy more freedom in the society of NE but the representations of women in decision-making bodies at state level; their participation is neither encouraging nor remarkable.
2. He pointed out two dimensions of Violence on women:
a) Domestic Violence
b) Violence resulting from the situation of Armed Conflicts.
3. Absence of Human Rights regime in NE, India.
He suggested some remedial measures like:
- Policies and programmes to be formulated
- Equal status between genders
- Awareness about Human Rights of Women
- More participation of women in decision-making bodies at state level etc. to ensure gender-equality, address Human Right issue and empowerment.
Giving remarks on the Seminar, Fr. Abraham, Principal of the College said that scholars for such discussions should be wise enough to choose topics that are not too vast to chew, how data can be looked from different perspectives and that scholars and researches should be prepared and avoid unnecessary confusions and be able to justify things pertaining to their topics to the audience.
Some more remarks were thrown by Dr. Xavier Mao, who was satisfied with the attendance during the seminar, organizers and the college environment for such academic discussion. He further pointed out that truth and reality, though bitter, must be spoken to arouse and sensitize the problems so that there can be solutions through intellectually stimulating ideas and questions of these academic discussions.
During the concluding session, Mrs. Ellen Konyak, Member, Nagaland State Commission for Women, was the Chief Guest, who encouraged and challenged the Church and educational institutions citing form the Bible to conscientise the people on such issues discussed in the Seminar. It ended with Vote of thanks proposed by Mr. Saju Mathew (Co-Convener of the Seminar) and distribution of the Certificates and citations to all the resource persons and participants.
Issued by the organizers
