Seminar stresses on mass based unity for lasting peace

EMN
Dimapur, March 22

Panelists and participants have expressed strong desire for an earnest need to have mass based unity for ushering in lasting and enduring peace in Nagaland. It also invoked all concerned to forgo mistakes in the spirit of forgiveness, discard divisive politics, tribalism and to pursue ideal democracy where human rights enriched with dignified identity of a people would rule supreme.
The expressed desire for mass based unity in the Nagas society was made known during a seminar at Japfü Christian College which was sponsored by ICSSR-NERC entitled “Conflict to peace trap: The Naga Story” on March 21 and 22 wherein academia dialogued on the elusive peace with resource persons drawn from varied fields. The paper presenters along with their paper titles included Dr. CJ Thomas, Deputy Director of ICSSR-NERC, Shillong, who spoke on “Conflict to peace trap: The Naga story;” Rev. Dr. Wati Aier, Principal, OTS, Dimapur, on “The FNR story;” Niketu Iralu, social pacifist, Kohima, on “Phizo and revisiting Angami Public Organisation’s stand on Naga movement;” Prof. John Sema, HOD, Department of Political Science, Nagaland University, on “Present Naga political issue;” Dr. Melville Pereira, Director of NESRC, Guwahati, on “Conflict in the wake of ASFPA in Naga society;” Tia Longchar and Joel Nillo, ACAUT Nagaland, Dimapur, on “ACAUT story as an off-shoot of peace trap;” Zapuvisie Lhousa, village elder from Mezoma on “The NNC story: Frustrations and aspirations;” Dr. Kedilezo Kikhi, HOD, Department of Sociology, Tezpur Central University, Tezpur, on “The influx trap;” Dr. Abraham Lotha, Principal of St. Joseph’s College, Jakhama, on “Self-auditing Naga ceasefires since 1997 and the way forward;” Dr. Visakhonü Hibo, Principal of Japfü Christian College, Kigwema, on “Conflicting narrations, factionalism and tribalism to peace trap;” Colo Mero, Director of Life Sports Ministry, Kohima, on “Romanticizing the past Naga movement and its present virtual reality;” Dr. Nokhwenu Kharutso and Dr. Kekhrieseno Christina on “Conflict resolution: Strategies and solutions for Naga society;” Husca A Ayemi, from Japfü Christian College, Kigwema, on “The plight of Sumis of Kiphire district in the wake of peace poverty;” Shamu Singh of Japfu Christian College, Kigwema, on “Naga national workers and state election;” Purchila Jamir of Japfu Christian College on “Genesis of Naga nationalism and birth of unrest.”
Earlier at the inaugural session, a book entitled “Education and empowerment of Naga women” authored by Dr. VisakhonÜ Hibo , Principal of Japfu Christian College, was released by Dr. CJ Thomas, Deputy Director of ICSSR-NERC, Shillong. The book is the outcome of Dr Hibo’s doctoral research in the Nagaland University which explores on the lack of quality education in our State which disadvantage both men and women, but more so amongst the women folks, as mere literacy rate does not empower.