The Forum for Nagaland Reconciliation (FNR) on July 13 commemorated the 15th anniversary of reconciliation process for peace among Naga political groups at the Oriental Theological Seminary.
Addressing the gathering of church leaders, leaders from various Naga political groups, civil society organizations and well-wishers etc. Rev Dr. Wati Aier said as FNR began to take the message of reconciliation to different Naga political groups– starting from Neheku, Hebron to Kohima, Mon, Noklak, and the Sagaiang region of Burma– they encountered much resistance to change.
Though the Naga political movement was moving ahead in a subtle manner, Rev Aier said it must grow far more and progress towards achieving long-term purpose, wisdom, and imagination.
“Today, the global order is highly polarized. Today, the global order is highly polarized. Closer home, there are major fault lines, such as the 642 KM Patkai range arching Myanmar and India. This range is under the control of particular global powers that act through the playing of ethnic cards. Nagas must know that the tectonic plate of the North East India is starting to shift,” he added.
He noted that the Nagaland state legislature, Naga political groups, civil organizations, and the church must start imagining alternate workable models. “We must understand that “stateless” does not mean “rootless.” Can we create a stateless yet deeply rooted nation by transcending territories? May we ponder upon this with prudence, and may we continue to march forward in our journey of common hope,” he asked.
While giving a brief history of how FNR—“the journey of common hope” began, he said most people will not know that the Naga political groups and FNR held 267 meetings within Nagaland and 21 outside the country. He also said that combined teams of Naga political groups and FNR toured different headquarters in Naga areas of the South, North, East, and West between May 2008 and December 2014. This was challenging work and progress was measured in small, struggling increments, he added.
He also noted that Covenant of Reconciliation (CoR) was signed in June 2009 by leaders of various NPGs– Isak Chishi Swu of NSCN (I-M), SS Khaplang of NSCN (K) and ‘brig’ (Retd) S Singnya of NNC/FGN, to end all forms of violence amongst the Nagas.
Soon after the signing of the CoR, the signatories cooperated on several creative and symbolic fronts, he said.
FNR member Dr Akum Longchari presented a reflection on FNR “Holism- The meeting place for empathy, imagination and reconciliation”.
He maintained that CoR was not just instrumental in ceasing the armed confrontation and bloodshed among the Naga Political Groups, but it created space to harness opportunities where leaders felt safe to ask forgiveness from one another. Above all, h said it reconnected the people with each other, built trust, reknit social cohesion that improved our daily lives while stimulating new imagination which encouraged a process of futures thinking.
He emphasised that within the process of the Naga Journey of Common Hope, empathy, imagination and reconciliation were all different parts of holism which are intimately interrelated and cannot exist independently. “But to bring them together means we need to be living in Hope– Radical Hope,” he stated.
Earlier, welcome address was delivered by Dr P Ngullie, greetings were also delivered by Quakers in Britain, public reflection by journalist Grace Jajo and director Lemsachenlok Rev. Nuklu Phom.
Invocation was pronounced by Rev Dr. N Paphino vice president Nagaland Joint Christian Forum and mass prayer for NPG leaders. To mark the anniversary, the members present also planted tree saplings. The programme was chaired by Khesheli Chishi.
Saturday, June 28, 2025