Inter-faith meet for peace-building in Nagaland held
Kohima, November 3 (MExN): Peace Channel Kohima in collaboration with the Peoples Forum for Peace Nagaland organized a seminar on inter-faith meet for Peace Building in Nagaland on November 3 at CAN Conference Hall, Kohima on the theme, ‘transformed to transform the society’ with the aim prevent and intervene into the conflicts and to promote peace.
Dr Deben Bachaspatimayum, Asst Professor NEISSR, Dimapur was the Trainer on the skills of Peace-building. Meanwhile, Abea Mero, Founder of Connect Organic Nagaland and Peace Activist Niketu Iralu, delivered the message and keynote address respectively.
‘The world needs peace today’
In his keynote address, Niketu Iralu stated that although we are not used to it, with the change in society, the world needs peace today. The attitude of “no need” or say it would be okay without it becomes the degrading force of stability in the society. “We are in need of the institutions which run for peace in order to stabilize the same.”
He observed that North East India is very isolated and was recognized very recently. We are very far from the major trade routes and seas as such, had rarely been influenced by the global impacts. We tend to isolate ourselves as well which we feel the need not create social integration with the parts of India.
Drawing a line from Tibet-Myanmar-Kolkata, 6 Nobel Prize winners were brought up. This triangle has been the place engulf with bitterness, pain, war-torn, death, poverty etc., however, the outcome of 6 Nobel Prize winners shows that this triangle has been wrestling with all sorts of social problems in their day to day life and forms one of the most interesting parts of the realistic stories of the whole world. Interestingly, most of them are Nobel Peace Prize, he stated.
‘Positive transformation should
be force to change the world’
“Positive transformation should be the force to change the world and of the world of the like of Hitler and Lenin which were negatively transformed by bitterness,” he stated. Citing the example of the violence between the Muslim and the Christian in Nigeria, hatred and ego becomes the problem in almost all the conflicts throughout the world.
Amidst violence, the Imam and the Pastor of the most war-torn city met realizing the need to understand one another. Following that, people realize the need to integrate themselves with one another and felt the need to understand the situation of one another. In fact, this is the way how positive transformation is taking place. The only thing that mostly matters is the fact of individual transformation to do things positively.
‘Forgiveness’ is beginning of peace
The world had been so badly damaged and millions of people were killed, the eventuality of hatred and bitterness. With lessons from the aftermath of WW II, giving up on the hatred and ego and most importantly, ‘Forgiveness’ is the beginning of peace and the beginning of sustainable humanity and society, he maintained.
‘Hatred’ and the feeling for ‘vengeance’ are the more fearful social problems in every society as well as the society. This is far wide seen in the WW I and II, which literally, is very close connected with the Naga society today. Hatred and vengeful attitude developed by the struggle for sovereignty is now impacting the internal ideologies and hence, disturbing the stability among the people.
‘Peace most important vital
for Sustainable Development’
While delivering the message, Abea Mero said that “Peace” is a very wide subject and one most important part of it is the ‘Sustainable Development’ and organic farming is one trend that can create a huge impact for sustainability as well.
Mera said that today, the society felt the undeniable situation where a man who may be educated enough, would resort to violence and killings just to fill that stomach. Most of the underground personnel in the Naga armies are orphans, illiterate or less educated or abused ones, out of which, they have to resort to violence or military inorder to have the two-meals a day. In order to resolve many of these violent issues, efforts can also be made to encourage income generation activities to replace violent means if taxation and extortions.
‘Capacity Building’ is the need for the young people to venture into this reality. Organic farming and other income generation activities will really transform the society, which undeniably will diminish many anti-social elements and in fact, the violence and corruption can be uprooted.
Need to change thinking pattern of the people
Dr Deben Bachaspatimayum said that the powers in the society are concentrated and undisputedly, people looks up to the leaders. In such a way, the conviction is playing the role despite any condition of the society.
Dr Deben said that the concept and process of globalization integrated with economics should be understood if we have to create peace within the Naga society. Most of the conflicts and violence developed due to the mismanagement of the economy and most of the communal violence is in due of the misunderstanding of the process of globalization.
“There is an immediate need to change the thinking pattern of the people inorder to change a lot of things in the society keeping aside the motherly ‘It’s Okay’ attitude,” Dr Deben stated.
It was also stated that Nagaland and North East India is a violent and conflict ridden region and within which, there are also positive messages in all these brutality and bitterness. Conflicts and violence in many ways have been a positive force although it may have different views to different person. It can also be an opportunity to move towards a more peaceful and stable societal building.
A press release stated here that the programmed was chaired by Victor Yhome.Fr Richard Fernandes, Parish Priest, St Francis De Sales Church, Kohima invoked God’s presence and a Special Number was presented by Akangkokla Namo. Different NGOs, churches and othres attended the programme.
