Active participation of youths needed to create culture of peace — SC Jamir

Our Reporter
Dimapur, July 28 (EMN): Former Chief Minister of Nagaland, SC Jamir, on Thursday said there is an urgent need to create a culture of peace in the society through active participation of the youth; and with enthusiasm, new ideas and energy, they can greatly contribute to peace development.

He was speaking on the first day of a two-day seminar on “Issues confronting the state of Nagaland” organised by the Nagaland Law Students Federation at Hotel Saramati in Dimapur.

With adequate support from all corners, youths can become agents of change and provide a foundation for rebuilding lives and communities, contributing to more than just a peaceful society, he said.

He expressed hope that the knowledge acquired in colleges and universities by students will fully equip them to meet the challenges in front of them. He further encouraged the youths to always be at the forefront to ‘reform, reconstruct and rejuvenate’.

“Nagaland is at the threshold to embark on a new era of peace and stability; hence both youth force as well as leadership alone can propel the ship of the state smoothly”, he stated.

“Unlike the present leaders, ‘stop flogging the dead horse’, which means do not waste time for something which is impossible to achieve”, he advised.

Sharing on the topic “the role of apex students body, then and now”, Jamir shared that the “saddest episode in the life of people of Nagaland is that the dreadful sword of Damocles has been hanging over their heads for decades and thereby creating fear psychosis in their minds. They are living in perpetual fear under gun culture.”

Further, Jamir shared that the present generation, which is equipped with unlimited flow of information, ‘is in a hurry to achieve everything, which is a good sign, for it characterises the youth’.

 However, “if this desire to achieve is focused on achievement on a personal front only, then I would say the youth is on the wrong track.”

 “People of the first generation fostered and nurtured creativity but today’s stiff competition encourages the concept ‘First I, never other!’ and there is nothing wrong in it but it should be ‘first I and with me, other like me’.

“I say this because Nagaland is like a wounded person groaning under the weight of severe pain that requires treatment to relieve his pain and this is one of the most pressing challenges for the younger generations of Nagaland.

“The challenge before us is cleansing and total overhauling of all systems of governance that are in total shambles”, he stated and advised the students not to hesitate to step over the threshold of the door that is already opened for them.

Too many civil society organisations in Nagaland

Kezhokhoto Savi, Assistant Professor of Kohima Law College, speaking on the topic “The legal status, powers and functions of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs)”, stated there were too many organisations in the.

He therefore challenged the people to check whether the organisations were functioning at the highest ethical standard or “is it just a mere mouthpiece of the government or politicians.”

Savi said CSOs should respect the values, rights and freedom set out in the Constitution and make a decision without patronage, favouritism or political influence.

“However, we still have so much of problem in our society such as corruption, trust deficit, backdoor appointment, misappropriation and diversion of public funds, illegally deduction of certain percentage from public funds meant for development by way of ‘commission’ or party fund; every year the report of CAG presents hundred and hundred crores of misappropriation of public money to state legislative assembly; no NIT/Open Tender mainly for bigger projects; political appointment in the highest institution like Lokayukta and various state commissions such as Nagaland Public Service Commission”, he said.

Savi added that in order to eradicate corruption, the Right to Information Act 2005(RTI) may be the most powerful tool as “Information is Power”.

“At the same time, engage in advocacy in creating awareness at the grassroots level, as various village councils’ resolutions are in contrary to RTI that no citizen would be allowed to apply RTI application to any authority without the permission of village council/authority and there are cases even RTI applicants were fined by village councils”, he added.

On the first day of the seminar, Tiasunep Amri, Assistant Professor from Nagaland University, Lumami, Department of Anthropology, Colo Mero, social entrepreneur, and Meshenlo Kath, Convenor of Combined Technical Association of Nagaland, also spoke on the first day of the seminar.