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Members of Peach Channel and others hold up a banner during an event that discussed peace-making, on October 20 in Wokha. The meeting was conducted with the theme “transformed to transform the society,” organisers stated on Sunday.[/caption]
Dimapur, Oct. 21 (EMN): An “interfaith meet” on peace building was held in Wokha at the Wokha Town Baptist Church in collaboration with the Wokha Town Pastor Fellowship (WTPF) on October 20. The meeting was conducted with the theme “transformed to transform the society,” a press release from the organisers stated on Sunday.
During the event, Arhomo C Ngullie, coordinator of a motivational group Peace Channel, urged participants to work together for the development of peace in the society. “Today, as number of violent conflicts still continue in different parts of the world it is time to renew our efforts to stop the conflict as peace can be built only through action, and not with nonparticipation,” the press release stated.
Suraj Kumar, PRO of the 28th Assam Rifles, also spoke in a message about the power of prayer for peace, the press release stated. “He shared about his life experiences of how their prayer for peace and fasting declined suicidal cases in his neighbourhood,” the updates stated.
Further, Tumben P Tsanglao, extra additional commissioner at Wokha, encouraged the stakeholders to reach out to all individuals, and try to respect and understand ‘everybody’ for a peaceful and harmonious life and living. “No religion teaches hatred but it comes from what we perceived, so peace should come from within and strive for excellence. It is a collaborative effort and ever evolving,” he added.
A peace activist, Liangamang Robert, was the resource person for the programme. He began the session with a question to the participants: whether conflict is good or bad? In his training session Robert talked about the various aspects of building peace. He emphasised that conflict is part and partial of life.
“Conflict may be good or bad, it is based on how individual perceive. He further pointed out that it is fact that conflict has made communities what they are today. Violence is not only the act of hurting someone but it is also impairment of someone for achieving someone’s human rights,” the press release stated.
According to the organisers, “High levels of violence and crime are often the symptoms of underlying social, economic and political challenges such as social inequality, rapid urbanization, poverty, unemployment and institutional shortcomings.”
Although violence is often seen and responded to as an inevitable part of the human condition, such assumptions are shifting, focus is broadening, and an increased emphasis is being placed on prevention of violent behaviour and consequences, the Peace Channel stated.
“In order to make a preventive effort to be a successful peace builder, there need to be a better understanding of this complex phenomenon. Further the resource person compiling from different viewpoint of peace from the participants stated that peace does not mean the total absence of any conflict. It means the absence of violence in all forms and the unfolding of conflict in a constructive way.”