Pedi Miachieo
Chairman, Nagaland Peace Centre
The Nagaland Peace Centre was established at Kohima in 1965 by late Jayaprakesh Narayan. It came into being at a time when the situation in Nagaland was very disturbed due to political unrest. Right from 1947, differences and controversies has continued persistently between the Government of India and the Nationalist Naga leaders about the future political relations. From 1951 onwards the situation began to change quickly for the worse. The boycott of the First General Elections in the Naga inhabited areas, the formation of the Naga Federal Government and the Naga Hills Tuensang Area in 1957 and the Naga People’s Convention held in the late 50’s were events of great political situation in Nagaland by the early 60’s.
The entire period from 1947 to 1963 was a period of political turmoil and finally, bloodshed. The new-born state was languishing in the midst of fierce fighting, violence and counter-violence. And the worst sufferers were the innocent non-combatant masses.
At this juncture, the church leaders took the initiative and, in early 1964, formed the Peace mission, consisting of Jayaprakesh Narayan, B.P Chaliha and Rev. Michael Scott. The Pease mission succeeded in bringing about a ceasefire and an agreement of cease-fire between the Government of India and FGN was signed on this day 6th September 1964.
Soon after, Jayaprakesh Narayan founded the Nagaland Peace Centre at Kohima with the twin objectives of peace and prosperity in Nagaland. Consequently, the trio declared 6th September as the “Day of Thanksgiving for Cease-Fire in Nagaland.
Here is an excerpts of the declaration made in 1964.
“The 6th September will be a day of rejoicing throughout Nagaland and all over India for the Naga people and for all who have known about the troubles in Nagaland.
The common people of Nagaland for the past ten years endured much sufferings and privation in the course of a conflict which is not “recognized” as warfare.
It will be a day of thanksgiving for all who have been drawn in to this conflict, and pray to God that the period of this deliverance will be used by the leaders of both sides and of all parties to seek an honourable settlement. Only thus will the people be enabled to live in peace and security tasks of peace…..”
Let no one think of the cease-fire period as time for paying off old feuds. A policy based on revenge or retaliation for the past…..”
“the harder path we must follow is the Christian way,” what you cannot forget, forgive”……”
As Nagaland Peace Centre observes its ‘Day of Thanksgiving for Cease-Fire in Nagaland’ today, it also wants the Naga people to retrospect how few peacemaker pioneers had really worked for peaceful negotiation to emerge out of the darkest despair and misery. Therefore, let us all continue to find permanent peaceful settlement to our political issue and bring permanent peace in Nagaland.
