Dimapur, Sep. 4 (EMN): As the state observes 55th ‘Peace Day’ on September 6, Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has appealed to all the believers and churches in Nagaland to say a pray to intercede for peace on September 8 (Sunday) for permanent peace in Nagaland.
A press release issued by NBCC general secretary, Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, stated that the signing of the ceasefire on September 1964 did not come easy. According to him there was virtually a war between the Indian security forces and the Naga army where thousands of lives, including the innocent civilians, and atrocities like mass rape, burning of villages and other inhuman acts were rampant. It was within this context that the ceasefire was established.
“Peace should not be made only as a day to be observed, it has to be lived. This is the hard reality the Nagas in general are facing. We have become talkers and we use verbal rhetoric to destroy each other. We observe, we pronounce and yet peace has not really settled in us, in our attitude and in our action. Today, we must weep and cry for true peace to dawn upon us,” Keyho stated.
He said there is a real need for true peace as Nagas observe the “Peace Day.” He remarked that war might have ceased but killing and cold war continue.
For true peace to be established, he said verbal war must cease and mutual understanding must prevail. He has urged to generate a deep sense of responsibility to God and among the Nagas to live in peace with one another.
“We must also make a deliberate effort to respect each other even with those whom we chose to disagree if it would serve the greater purpose of achieving peace,” Keyho added.
“As we observe peace day we must also realise that on the one hand, true peace is in want in our situation. On the other hand, we are standing at the threshold of what might happen in our history. We can only expect the future by coming together in unity and with high ethics of mutual respect and tolerance with those whom we do not agree, lest we continue to destroy ourselves in our selfishness and disunity,” the statement added.
“Peace is a common property, it belongs to all of us and we must own it. True and lasting peace must be internally experienced and exhibit externally in our relationship with people outside of us. The Nagas have come a long way in our struggle and we must not allow this feeling to once again turn deeper into a sense of insecurity and self pity. As a Christianity community we must learn to forgive and accommodate each other in our journey to the future. For much too long we have been suspicious of each other and because of this we are losing mutual trust for mutual benefit,” Keyho added.
In conclusion, he has sought the intervention of the Almighty God to overcome the impossible so that the celebration of peace would be practically realised. He has further sought prayer for the leaders of Naga political groups so that God would grant them wisdom to lead the our people the right direction.
