The Morung Debate quarterfinals deliberate on key issues

The semifinalists of The Morung Debate with The Morung Express' Editor after the quarters held at DBIDL, Don Bosco Higher Secondary School Campus, Dimapur on August 24. The semifinals will be held on August 31. (Morung Photo)

Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 24

The Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN), prohibition, gender justice and human rights were issues discussed in The Morung Debate quarterfinals today at DBIDL, Don Bosco Higher Secondary School Campus, Dimapur, on August 24.

Eight teams competed in the quarterfinals today. They included ‘Free Thinkers,’ ‘Prove Us Wrong,’ ‘The Skeptics,’ ‘Oracle,’ ‘The Patriots,’ ‘Groundbreakers,’ ‘The One’ and ‘Astral.’

On the RIIN issue, team ‘Prove Us Wrong,’ arguing against the motion—Should RIIN be implemented in Nagaland?—won against team ‘Free Thinkers.’

On the motion—‘Prohibition is beneficial for Nagaland,’ team ‘The Skeptics,’ against the motion overcame team ‘Oracle.’ 
Regarding gender justice, team ‘Groundbreakers’ who argued against the motion—‘Naga society respects gender justice,’ were declared the winners against team ‘The Patriots.’

Meanwhile, team ‘Astral,’ speaking for the motion—‘Have human rights become obsolete’—beat ‘The One.’

The winners will next compete in the semifinals on August 31. The topics are – ‘Should bureaucrats be allowed to contest elections on retirement/resignation?’, ‘Is Nagaland media doing enough to voice against corruption?’
The finale is scheduled on September 7.

The judges for the quarterfinals today were Associate Professor at Oriental Theological Seminary, Reverend Dr Ellen Konyak Jamir; Photographer, Zubeni Lotha; and Director of Shalom Rehabilitation Centre, Father Chacko.

‘Culture based activism’ for youth
Earlier, Betoka Swu, Human Rights activist and photographer urged Naga youth to be confident, reorganize themselves with the current sudden changes, “while also upholding our strong roots.” He further encouraged them to be resilient to overcome challenges. 

Swu advocated a ‘culture based activism’ for the youth, urging them to incorporate activism in their lifestyle. “Write our own poetry and songs,” he encouraged. 

He meanwhile pointed out that politics is not only about casting votes. Swu asked the youth to be aware of identity politics, food politics, cultural politics etc, and to be aware of current issues.

Swu also gave a concept of their recent ‘Project Nagafy,’ which aims to “promote and educate people about our culture and strong identity.” The nonprofit initiative is being carried out by Swu along with model and entrepreneur, Kaheli Chophy and photographer, Abeto Shohe.

The project also seeks to highlight “local heroes in the grassroots level,” and aims to issue scholarship to deserving students annually. The funds for the scholarship will be collected through T-shirt sales and by holding some events. Swu informed that the Task Force for Music and Arts has expressed willingness to help the team in this initiative.
 

Dialogue for examining difficult issues
 

The Morung Debate, an initiative of The Morung Express, is being organized with the broader objective of creating a public debate platform for young people from 18-25 years of age. It is designed as a form of expression to examine socio-political, economic, cultural and religious issues which are prevalent in Naga context today. The participants can be part of developing a critical consciousness that informs the social discourse and challenges the status quo through delving deeply and exploring common solutions. The debate is organized as one form of dialogue for examining these difficult issues.
The Morung Express wants to help facilitate reversing the current notion in Naga society where, the old has become obsolete and the new is struggling to find a footing. With this in mind, public debates are one means of involving youth in birthing new ideas, distilling positive values of the old and deconstructing existing issues and uprooting their causes and impact. The young debaters will become a resource for the ‘new’ while providing a new shared understanding across generations.