FNR commemorates 15 years of Naga reconciliation

‘Involves truth telling, acknowledging wrongs and accountability’  

Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 14

The Forum for Nagaland Reconciliation (FNR) turned 15, this year. Birthed in the backdrop of intense internecine conflict between the Naga Political Groups (NPGs), in the early part of 2008, the FNR’s reconciliatory efforts saw the warring Naga Political Groups (NPGs) meeting face to face in dialogue that eventually led to the signing of the Covenant of Reconciliation (CoR) a year later. 

In June, 2009, the CoR was signed by the leaders of the three NPGs of the time— Brig (Retired) S Singnya of the NNC/FGN, SS Khaplang of the NSCN (K) and Isak Chishi Swu of the NSCN (IM), offering “themselves to Naga Reconciliation and Forgiveness based on the Historical and Political Rights of the Nagas.”

The FNR commemorated the 15th anniversary of the Naga reconciliation process on July 13 at the Oriental Theological Seminary with leaders of the various NPGs. FNR Convenor, Rev Dr Wati Aier recalled the initial steps were not easy given the situation at the time, stating, “The Journey of common hope, on many occasions, was not predictable. It was not as fast and direct as we thought it would be.”

However, he added, “This was understandable given the context then,” while gradually “after continual perseverance” the Naga leaders agreed to dialogue face to face. 

From May 2008 to December 2014, he said that the process saw 267 meetings within Nagaland and 21 outside the country between the NPGs and the FNR and several peace tours to the different headquarters in Naga areas of the South, North, East and West. 

While stating that the CoR “came as a gift to the Nagas at that moment,” he stressed that the Naga political movement must grow more and progress towards achieving long-term purpose, wisdom, and imagination characterized by prudence. Prudence, he maintained is not weakness rather a mark of strong and secure people. 

All the Naga leaders, from the Nagaland state legislature, NPGs, civil organizations and the church must start imagining alternate workable models, he said. While stating that “stateless” does not necessarily mean “rootless,” he posed, “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.”

Dr Akum Longchari, FNR member, reflected on the concept of ‘Holism- The meeting place for empathy, imagination and reconciliation” vis-à-vis the process for Naga reconciliation. According to him, the reconciliation process evolved slowly and organically by breaking down barriers of distrust and suspicion. He said that the CoR was not only instrumental in ceasing violence among the NPGs but also created space to harness opportunities, where leaders felt safe to ask forgiveness from one another. “Above all, it reconnected the people with each other, built trust, re-knit social cohesion that improved our daily lives while stimulating new imagination which encouraged a process of futures thinking,” said Dr Longchari, who is also the Publisher and Editor of The Morung Express. 

The process involves “truth telling, acknowledging where we have gone wrong, being accountable to each other and apologizing for healing to take place,” he said.

While stating that the interplay of ‘Empathy, Imagination and Reconciliation’ facilitates an environment where choices can be self-determining, self-defining, and self-creating, he said that the three, as essentials to Holism, cannot exist independently.   

He noted that resolving conflict in the region (Siliguri Corridor up to the Myanmar-Thai border) has been characterized by a “band aid approach.” In a region entrapped in a protracted condition of neither war nor peace, he said that the band aid approach should evolve into a meaningful, holistic transformative process to unlocking “justpeace.”

He said, “Nagas need Empathy, Imagination and Reconciliation, not as a band aid approach to cover the issues, but as an emancipatory politics that provides a transformative framework for creating peaceful, nonviolent and just structures based on values, inclusive rights, and people-centered aspirations.”

He added that it demands defining our own narratives, and embracing and developing a new praxis of action and reflection. 

For the Nagas to have relevance in the history, geography, and politics of this region, he said, “We need to be united in purpose and create new models of determining and conducting our affairs.” 

He added that the Nagas should derive a profound sense of self-definition that will enable us to chart “our destiny with a clear sense of direction and substance.” “The question is whether Nagas will have the courage to create a pathway of Holism where Justice provides the perspective, Reconciliation serves as the methodology and Peace is the vision.”