Ayong
APRO Noklak
Peace in its totality is orderliness, absence of confusion, a good feels secure everywhere. While Peace cannot be simply confined between human to human, Peace in its complete sense is to have peace with the environment and the entire eco system where the humanity and the nature nourishes each other. Biodiversity Peace Corridor has been conceptualized to bring people from different cultures together and also create a harmonious setting with the eco system.
Commencement of Work: The Choklangan Baptist Church and the Council organized a three days Leadership Development Training and one of the key issue discussed was the role of leaders in safeguarding the environment. By the end of the training, the forest owners came forward with a plain paper in their hand saying “we wish to give away the forest for Biodiversity Conservation” and put their signature and Thump impression and requested for initiating the conservation mission.
After a lengthy interaction, it was perceived that the community especially the land owners were so determined for the Conservation initiative and so with their consent the sensitization has been in progress. The vision is to bring all the villages neighbouring Choklangan and also bring the Nagas in Myanmar to join in this Peace Movement.
The launching: On March 9, the State Chief Secretary, Temjen Toy launched Biodiversity Peace Corridor II and also inaugurated the New School Building under Composite Model in Choklangan. Mid Day Meal was served to the school children after the formal program.
Village Council Chairman, Head Gaonboras, Pastor and student leaders from villages neighbouring Choklangan and also few villages from Myanmar also joined the launching program.
Vision in next 10 Years: The Biodiversity Peace Corridor will be set up in different locations in Nagaland whenever and wherever the community wishes to willingly come forward. The Movement has been started and the vision is to create a Biodiversity Corridor to different Districts, States and also connect Myanmar.
Choklangan is last village from Nagaland India and beyond the hill top is Myanmar. The Biodiversity Peace Corridor II will create a platform for villages around Choklangan to have continuous seminars and workshops to create an improved eco system, on the other hand, the Nagas living in Myanmar eg. Thaingan, Thsunkhao and many other hundreds of villages who are still into rigorous hunting of wild species will be invited to join the Peace Movement, creating a Biodiversity Hotspot in the next 10-20 years.
Prospect: The Community has sufficient land and therefore a proper management of land will help the community generate income sources. It will be imperative to introduce a sustainable livelihood for the community with an integrated and multiple cropping in a recommended land which will make the Biodiversity sustainable.
The Perennial water system is very conducive for Terrace farming which is taken up by few people who can afford. But if Agri and Horti and some other departments can come forward and contribute funds towards the Innovative and integrated farming the proposed plan will become very successful.
Meanwhile, there are several Monumental sites around Choklangan and if these are maintained with some financial support, they will generate a lot of income for the community.
With the Biodiversity Peace Corridor launched, there are prospect to bring in Research scholars to collect data on the Flora and Fauna and document them for further intensive Research.
The most important driving force of Biodiversity Peace Corridor will enable the Nagas living in Nagaland to sensitize the Nagas inside Myanmar to join in this venture and contribute towards the safeguarding of the degrading environment and create an improved biodiversity in the next 10 years.
(Source: Biodiversity Peace Corridor Team)
