Crying out to the Heavens, Rev. Dr. Wati Aier leads the Naga Peace Convention in a prayer seeking God’s wisdom to enable the Nagas to be open and willing to engage in reconciliation. Rev. Aier suggested for a ‘Naga Reconciliation Forum’ comprising of all the Naga frontal organizations to collectively work for reconciliation on the basis of the historical and political rights of the Naga people. (MExPix)
Bonnie Konyak
Dimapur | February 24
It was explicit! It was concrete! It was moving and alive! It was an assertion that Naga history and political rights will not disappear into oblivion. The Naga Peace Convention, at DDSC Stadium, Dimapur organised by the Naga Shisha Hoho brought different people from many walks of life together as a sign of determination in its resolve to achieve reconciliation among the Nagas. The Naga Peace Convention today asserted to overcome the attitude of skepticism and self-defeatism and to strive for the “simple truth” that will bring all the Nagas towards a “common road where different groups can walk together on this road towards achieving our goal.”
Rev. Dr. Wati Aier, principal of Oriental Theological Seminary, the speaker of the fifth service of the Convention, this morning made a suggestion for the formation of the ‘Naga Reconciliation Forum’ which will comprise of Naga Hoho, Eastern Naga peoples’ Organization (ENPO), Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Eastern Naga Students’ Association (ENSA), Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF), United Naga Council, Manipur (UNC), Naga Mother’s Association (NMA), Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM), Naga Women Union, Manipur (NWUM), and Church leaders. Representatives of the organizations were called upon the podium and the convention offered a mass prayer dedicating them for this work and it was informed that the first meeting of the Naga Reconciliation Forum has been scheduled for March 14, 2008.
Outlining the mission of this Forum, the speaker said “Our task is to build one road where different groups can walk together on this road towards achieving our goal.” He believes that it is no co-incidence that all the Naga “factions” in principle, have expressed the desire for Naga Reconciliation and added that in “God’s time Naga national leaders have expressed that the deepest need for Nagas is to reconcile.” Saying that it was the work of Holy Spirit working in the hearts and minds of Naga leaders, Rev. Aier expressed hopefulness that “a dawn is here for us and our children to see, experience and live it”.
Reflecting upon the words of Victor Hugo who said “there is no greater power on earth than an idea whose time has come,” the Reverend added “today, the time has come for the Nagas.” He said that the passionate cry expressing desire for Naga reconciliation has grown into “a force to be reckoned with. This is the simple truth! We are here, as God would want us to act, willing and daring,” he stated.
Rev. Aier expounded on the meaning of Reconciliation, which in the Naga context, means “the overcoming of division, hatred and enmity, leading to peace and love between God and human beings, and between all groups of people so as to walk a common road to achieving freedom”. Therefore, he emphasized, that reconciliation is never subjective, hidden in a comer, but it has social, political and historical implications in the Naga context.
Urging upon all Nagas to act, Rev. Aier, said that reconciliation cannot come from sitting in our comfortable chairs and long hours of talking. It cannot come from pre-conceived minds, he added, and that it cannot come from pre-impositions from above. The Reverend expressed that only when Naga frontal organizations including the Church are willing to embark on a daring journey with one accord through “mass based reconciliation,” the goal of reconciliation will be possible.
Reconciliation, Rev. Aier told the convention ‘has to be based on the historical and the political rights of the Nagas towards a peaceful political settlement with India.’ He added that the process for reconciliation “can be given a chance only when various Naga groups reciprocate in openness and willingness.”
In order to do so, a forum, namely the ‘Naga Reconciliation Forum’ must be initiated, as an outcome of this Peace Convention, he said. “We shall not be at peace if we leave this place without seizing the opportunity God is offering us.” Calling the members of the forum to stage, Rev. Dr. Wati said that this was a sacred and holy moment, a day of covenant between God and the Naga people.
“Let no man or women defy this sanctity”, he said adding that it is the responsibility of every Naga man and woman, to respond to this call to reconcile to God and to one another. Saying that Nagas can no longer afford to worship the god of division nor justify before the altar of retaliation, Rev. Dr. Wati quoted Martin Luther words, “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time…..” He concluded stating “As never before, today we have a choice before us: Reconciliation or division, love or hatred, peace or war. This is the day to choose the good for us and for posterity.”
The Naga Peace Convention which is being held in Dimapur since Friday evening on the theme “The moment of harvesting the fruit of Peace” has been organised by the Naga Shisha Hoho Prayer Centre, Pruzie Kohima. It was organized in response to the call of God, through a Divine Revelation to the Shisha Hoho to conduct the convention before the State Assembly Election 2008.
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