Dimapur, August 31 (MExN): Noted peace activist Niketu Iralu has advocated a process of “honest conversations on difficult truths or realities” to find a way out to the violence-and-conflict-ridden North East Region.
Referring to the recent violence in Bodoland areas in Assam, the peace activist ruled out further violence and killings as the “right response” and said the need of the hour was “honest conversations” between affected communities and countries.
“The violence in Bodoland has suddenly transformed the whole crisis in NE region –both Bodos and Muslims are suffering. For Bodos who are now refugees in their own land, their experience is one of traumatic shock”, Iralu told media persons on the sidelines of the 46th fresher’s social meet of Dimapur Government College on Friday.
Iralu who recently visited Kokrajhar district and the affected people however said further violence on the part of the Bodo people would make the crisis worse and prove counter-productive as the Bodos would become weaker and weaker. He said the problem of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, especially in Assam, has become dicey on one hand with the increasing difficulty to ascertain the identity of genuine Muslim citizens and the alleged advantage taken by the state government on the other hand.
“We have to get NE India (state governments), Bangladesh and Myanmar into a process of ‘honest conversation’, to get different people to be equally responsible for the crisis. Bangladesh which has so far officially maintained that there are no illegal immigrants from the country in NE India must admit that there are illegal migrants from Bangladesh in the NE”, Iralu said.
Such honest admissions might help Myanmar and NE states to respond in a positive manner.
Back in Nagaland, the peace activist cautioned that Nagas too must not act or react in haste out of emotions to spark off a chain of violence and counter violence, which might spiral out of control. Ultimately, Nagas would be the losers as they cannot sustain their actions. Rather, Nagas must have the sense of “shared responsibility” including dignity of labour in the fight against influx of illegal immigrants.
Earlier, addressing the fresher’s event as chief guest, Iralu dwelled on the present scenario in Nagaland and the North East in general and their response to the present situation, which is full of doubts, fear and despair.
Quoting Gandhi’s reply to a western journalist’s query “what is your message?” - “My life is my message”, the peace activist said that every individual has the choice to develop his or own life’ message. Iralu also said that one’s response to life situations forms an intrinsic part of one’s message.
He said living in “Asia’s most volatile frontier” (NE region according to journalist Bertil Lintner), it was vital for students to develop correct responses to any given situation.
“Are you afraid of what Nagaland has become?” Iralu asked. Stating that retreating from the challenges would not solve the problems, he said Trotsky’s declaration a century ago that “If anyone born in this century should think he has come to relax, he must realize he has come in the wrong century” is as relevant as ever.
He said at present, Nagaland “badly needs practical demonstrations of how to carry our own individual cross.”
Principal of the college, Dr. Nobert Noraho, stressed on the importance of education in the modern world and said education gives a person wings to fly. The principal said that at DGC, the teachers are always alive to the need and requirements of the students and ready and willing to give their best. Noraho said keeping the interest of the students as priority, the college had introduced career guidance cell, remedial classes for weaker sections, coaching classes, mentoring cell and students grievances cell.
