Dimapur, Dec 11 (MExN): The Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR) reminds that indigenous people must affirm a pledge to strengthen and empower each other in their desire to live as free people and to this end, their rich and diverse cultures must serve as the means towards building harmony.
Nepuni Piku, Secretary General of NPMHR addressing the gathering at a cultural programme ‘harmony through culture’ at IMC, Dimapur, said that indigenous peoples around the world stand in solidarity to strengthen their common pursuit to determine their own destiny. “It is imperative for us – the indigenous people in the north east – to build understanding. And to this end, our rich and diverse culture must serve as the means towards building harmony” he said. The cultural programme was organized with the active support of NEZCC at IMC Dimapur today.
For decades, the Indian government has reacted to the indigenous people’s collective aspiration in a most detrimental manner and it has, through its various agencies, tried to divide the peoples’ common and undivided stand, he observed adding that it has consistently attempted to turn state-people conflict into a people-people conflict.
“It has succeeded to an extent because indigenous peoples have unwittingly allowed it” Piku reminded and impressed as a paramount concern the need for indigenous peoples to be vigilant against such divisive forces.
“We can no longer allow ourselves to be divided and weakened. Rather we must rise to these challenges and reaffirm our relationships based on mutual respect and understanding. It is now time for us to clearly demonstrate that indigenous peoples are united” the Secretary General said.
Piku also opined that the programme is an expression of a common desire to continue strengthening people-to-people understanding. “Friends, our strength lies in our culture and in our ability to foster partnership and solidarity on common issues because ultimately, we are interdependent on each other and for us to secure our dignity, we can only achieve it together” he reminded and called for reflection on how to move forward.
“Let us continue to talk and express our aspirations to each other, so that our understanding will grow and the room for misunderstanding and miscommunication will become less. My dear friends, as indigenous people let us affirm and pledge to strengthen and empower each other and to heal our spirits in our desire to live as free people. Let our songs and music speak our hearts and declare that today, the indigenous peoples from the north east unite together to strengthen each other and to understand and respect one another, so that the future becomes ours” he called.
