New Delhi | March 25 : A timely dialogue on politics, peace and reconciliation was organized by Panos South Asia and the Morung Express New Delhi. The tone was set by Dr. Bela Bhatia from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences when she asked the participants to think of it as an informal gathering, in the spirit of sitting around the fire, where the vocabulary of dialogue at the intersections of politics, peace and reconciliation can be explored and contemplated.
A Dialogue on Politics, Peace and Reconciliation
Joseph Babu Ayindo’s, the Capacities for Peace (Pact Kenya), evocative presentation raised many comments and questions and helped provide a fresh perspective to the topic. The word reconciliation comes from the Latin verb “concilaitus’ which means “to come together, to assemble and walking together.” Babu began by sharing his understanding of reconciliation where it has the highest calling in African religion. He emphasized that reconciliation encompasses finding harmony, balance with our neighbor (by divine design). Some of the benefits of reconciliation are from developing new constitution or reconstituting society. It also informs the social discourse where a new understanding is formed which can also allow basic trust to emerge.
Babu raised questions and dilemmas from the Kenyan experience on reconciliation where it has been referred to as the post-colonial ‘language of the weak.’ If reconciliation is considered to be the language of the weak as in Zimbabwe, then no political consciousness is created. One basic question had to do with how truth was defined and who defined it, as well as how co-existence can take place between groups who had been in conflict. One approach to reconciliation is through accessing the rich indenous rituals and practices to confront contemporary challenges.
Aküm Longchari, Managing Director of The Morung Express, emphasised how the ‘language of the weak’ can become the language of the people and to empower them to create a shared future. This can happen once reconciliation is recognized as an ongiong process which takes place during and after conflict. This he said would also allow the space for people to exercise their self-determining capacities. Reconciliation can actually give ordinary people the space for new imagination where they can design their future.
This elevates the role of reconciliation when facing their history. He emphasized the need for people to reclaim the language of peace and reconciliation. He added that for Reconciliation to take forward looking steps should be conncted with ideas of reconsctruction and resolution of problems across multiple levels.
The dialogue will be continued on March 26 at Jamia Millia IslamiaUniversity where a larger audience has been invited.
A Dialogue on Politics, Peace and Reconciliation
Joseph Babu Ayindo’s, the Capacities for Peace (Pact Kenya), evocative presentation raised many comments and questions and helped provide a fresh perspective to the topic. The word reconciliation comes from the Latin verb “concilaitus’ which means “to come together, to assemble and walking together.” Babu began by sharing his understanding of reconciliation where it has the highest calling in African religion. He emphasized that reconciliation encompasses finding harmony, balance with our neighbor (by divine design). Some of the benefits of reconciliation are from developing new constitution or reconstituting society. It also informs the social discourse where a new understanding is formed which can also allow basic trust to emerge.
Babu raised questions and dilemmas from the Kenyan experience on reconciliation where it has been referred to as the post-colonial ‘language of the weak.’ If reconciliation is considered to be the language of the weak as in Zimbabwe, then no political consciousness is created. One basic question had to do with how truth was defined and who defined it, as well as how co-existence can take place between groups who had been in conflict. One approach to reconciliation is through accessing the rich indenous rituals and practices to confront contemporary challenges.
Aküm Longchari, Managing Director of The Morung Express, emphasised how the ‘language of the weak’ can become the language of the people and to empower them to create a shared future. This can happen once reconciliation is recognized as an ongiong process which takes place during and after conflict. This he said would also allow the space for people to exercise their self-determining capacities. Reconciliation can actually give ordinary people the space for new imagination where they can design their future.
This elevates the role of reconciliation when facing their history. He emphasized the need for people to reclaim the language of peace and reconciliation. He added that for Reconciliation to take forward looking steps should be conncted with ideas of reconsctruction and resolution of problems across multiple levels.
The dialogue will be continued on March 26 at Jamia Millia IslamiaUniversity where a larger audience has been invited.
Nagas urged to respond to reconciliation
New Delhi, March 25 (MExN): As the ‘untold stories” of the Nagas continue in the form of bitter conflicts from within coupled with the “Rule through division” motto of the policy makers, prominent Church leader and recipient of the Baptist World Alliance Human Rights Award 2011 Rev. Dr.Wati Aier has called for immediate response from the Naga populace.
“It is indeed appalling! The situation is extremely urgent and calls for immediate response from the Nagas,” stated Rev. Dr. Wati Aier, the principal of Oriental Theological Seminary, in a paper presentation on day one of the 2-day “Sitting around the fire: A dialogue on politics, peace and reconciliation” jointly organized by Panos South Asia and The Morung Express, held at India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), New Delhi, Friday.
Rev. Wati who is also the convenor of Forum for Naga Reconciliation could not personally attend the Dialogue. However in his paper “Notes from the Naga context” which was read said that Naga history and the Naga struggle, one of the longest freedom struggles in modern political saga, is soaked with is soaked with blood and tears, pain and sorrow, wounds and scars. He said the “untold stories” of tortures, rapes and burning down of villages were the price of freedom paid during the early days of Nagas’ struggle for their “historical and political rights. His paper received very positive response from the participants.
Rev. Wati however said that recent trends in Naga history have shown signs of hope and that Nagas are finally beginning to learn their formula. “The campaign for a common voice and movement towards Naga reconciliation has set its pace. We are traveling on this road. Nagas are no longer at the crossroads, as we were few years ago,” he said.
“Impossible as it may sound to the Nagas, we are beginning to transcend personal and tribal lines today! We believe we are on the right direction, affirming our commitment to the process of reconciliation,” he said.
Rev. Wati said that while leaders of the various political groups have given their commitment to reconciliation, there are difficult areas to be covered as conflicts built over decades take time to undo. “But this is not the time for us to be pessimistic or cynical. Let us applaud our leaders for a strong beginning, the tremendous courage and risk taken towards Naga reconciliation,” he added.
Rev. Wati said Nagas need “Trust” in order to live freely and humanly and that the divine side of love, which has not been applied into Naga politics, needed to be nurtured. The Church leader said that the challenge for Nagas is that they must be willing to overturn exclusive and repressive societies at their boundaries.
“Our sense of nationhood becomes real only as we recognize and respect one another as man and woman. Only then can the Nagas pull down and destroy the fences of apprehension, misgivings and uneasiness that exist between us,” he said. He also said it is creative love that makes the hateful beautiful, and transforms evil into good and that creative love can become the power in Naga politics.
On Reconciliation, the FNR convenor said that the word has been misused and misunderstood among Nagas. “We speak of reconciliation and peace, calls to reconciliation and peace are made when there is no reconciliation and peace! We comfort the people in their misfortune, telling them it is not at all so bad. Appeasement is substituted for reconciliation. We long for reconciliation with our “enemies,” but we avoid the confession of our guilt and wrongs. So, who will believe those who talk of reconciliation with others yet do not themselves practice it?” Rev. Wati asked.
He said in the social, cultural and political context of the Nagas, reconciliation means a new Naga destiny with God and one another. “To demonstrate, to practice and to preserve Naga freedom through reconciliation, therefore, at this time in our history means to preserve the long breath of hope in solidarity, between hate and anger, and between reaction and revolution,” he said.
New Delhi, March 25 (MExN): As the ‘untold stories” of the Nagas continue in the form of bitter conflicts from within coupled with the “Rule through division” motto of the policy makers, prominent Church leader and recipient of the Baptist World Alliance Human Rights Award 2011 Rev. Dr.Wati Aier has called for immediate response from the Naga populace.
“It is indeed appalling! The situation is extremely urgent and calls for immediate response from the Nagas,” stated Rev. Dr. Wati Aier, the principal of Oriental Theological Seminary, in a paper presentation on day one of the 2-day “Sitting around the fire: A dialogue on politics, peace and reconciliation” jointly organized by Panos South Asia and The Morung Express, held at India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), New Delhi, Friday.
Rev. Wati who is also the convenor of Forum for Naga Reconciliation could not personally attend the Dialogue. However in his paper “Notes from the Naga context” which was read said that Naga history and the Naga struggle, one of the longest freedom struggles in modern political saga, is soaked with is soaked with blood and tears, pain and sorrow, wounds and scars. He said the “untold stories” of tortures, rapes and burning down of villages were the price of freedom paid during the early days of Nagas’ struggle for their “historical and political rights. His paper received very positive response from the participants.
Rev. Wati however said that recent trends in Naga history have shown signs of hope and that Nagas are finally beginning to learn their formula. “The campaign for a common voice and movement towards Naga reconciliation has set its pace. We are traveling on this road. Nagas are no longer at the crossroads, as we were few years ago,” he said.
“Impossible as it may sound to the Nagas, we are beginning to transcend personal and tribal lines today! We believe we are on the right direction, affirming our commitment to the process of reconciliation,” he said.
Rev. Wati said that while leaders of the various political groups have given their commitment to reconciliation, there are difficult areas to be covered as conflicts built over decades take time to undo. “But this is not the time for us to be pessimistic or cynical. Let us applaud our leaders for a strong beginning, the tremendous courage and risk taken towards Naga reconciliation,” he added.
Rev. Wati said Nagas need “Trust” in order to live freely and humanly and that the divine side of love, which has not been applied into Naga politics, needed to be nurtured. The Church leader said that the challenge for Nagas is that they must be willing to overturn exclusive and repressive societies at their boundaries.
“Our sense of nationhood becomes real only as we recognize and respect one another as man and woman. Only then can the Nagas pull down and destroy the fences of apprehension, misgivings and uneasiness that exist between us,” he said. He also said it is creative love that makes the hateful beautiful, and transforms evil into good and that creative love can become the power in Naga politics.
On Reconciliation, the FNR convenor said that the word has been misused and misunderstood among Nagas. “We speak of reconciliation and peace, calls to reconciliation and peace are made when there is no reconciliation and peace! We comfort the people in their misfortune, telling them it is not at all so bad. Appeasement is substituted for reconciliation. We long for reconciliation with our “enemies,” but we avoid the confession of our guilt and wrongs. So, who will believe those who talk of reconciliation with others yet do not themselves practice it?” Rev. Wati asked.
He said in the social, cultural and political context of the Nagas, reconciliation means a new Naga destiny with God and one another. “To demonstrate, to practice and to preserve Naga freedom through reconciliation, therefore, at this time in our history means to preserve the long breath of hope in solidarity, between hate and anger, and between reaction and revolution,” he said.
