Violence scared Nagaland has turned to God for peace, desperately seeking respite from factional fights, residents of Dimapur, Nagaland’s commercial hub, organized special prayers on Sunday 08.06.08 for divine intervention. It marked the end of seven-day fasting by Naga natives of Dimapur in a bid to ensure the shower of blessing from Lord Jesus Christ. “We are sick of the killings in the past few months and it seems only divine intervention can bring peace here”,said N. Neikha of the North East India Christian Revival Church which organized the ‘peace crusade’.
On 16th May 2008, the 15 armed cadres of NSCN (Unification) were killed in a fierce fight with NSCN (IM) which lasted for 7 hours from the morning 5.30 a.m in Seithikima Village near Patkai Christian College, 15 Km on way to Kohima from Dimapur. Hardly after a fortnight, 14 Cadres of NSCN (Unification) were killed on 03.06.08 again when NSCN (IM) guerillas attacked the NSCN (U) Camp. Thus from January this year till first week of June, over a 100 Naga militants belonging to both the factions-NSCN (IM) and NSCN (U-Unification) have been killed and all denomination of church leaders, Naga Hoho, Naga Mother Association, Naga Students Federation (NSF) and political leaders across the party line had appealed the militants organizations to shun the violence but of no avail. Recently in the last week of May, All Nagaland Forum of Gaon Burah’s (G.B) and Dobashis (DBs) organized Peace Rallies at Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung and all the District places and Sub-Divisional headquarters and unanimously declared cease-fire between NSCN (IM) and NSCN (U) with an appeal to follow the cease-fire. Immediately after it was reported in the local media, NSCN (IM) dishonored it and levelled it as biased. And on 3rd June, 14 cadres of NSCN (U) were killed when their camp was attacked by NSCN (IM) armed cadres. The rampant killing is continued till today. Every section of society is now alarmed on the unruly behaviour of militant cadres, People know that this is a fight to supremacy for huge amount of extortion money collected from Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung and prominent towns of Nagaland. People are cursing the State Government headed by Neiphiu Rio for its inaction.
Compelled by people’s condemnation for deteriorating law and order in the state, the Neiphiu Rio Government in the state has started talking tough against warring factions of NSCN. It had set a June 10 deadline for the rebels to vacate residential areas and stay within their designated camps.
The genesis of this violence was the creation of the NSCN (Unification) in November 2007. Some 600 members of the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) had broken away from this group. NSCN (U) added a new dimension to fratricide killing that already existed between NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) which have been fighting each other since 1988, NSCN (IM) declared cease-fire in July 1997 and NSCN (K) followed suit in 2000. While both are bounded by Cease-fire ground rules to keep off guns, the NSCN (U) is not.
The Naga Society has, thus, reached a stage from which it is really difficult to imagine a future. Nagas are living in a world marked by uncertainly, unknown elements and various forms of cultural traits alien to native Naga culture inherited from the forefathers which have evolved through generation to generation. The uncertainly leading to doom and decay of Naga society is the only thing certain. The hallow dream, barren imagination and salvation through “Nagaland for Christ” will certainly lead to Nagas’ annihilation. Over and above, Naga leaders and Naga Church functionaries’ failure to visualize the future have resulted into the failure of morality
Common people are blaming the Nagaland Churches for destroying the age old faith and culture which had a strong bearing on Naga morality and harmonious living, Finding no way out, the Church leaders are confused and the reverends and missionaries are cursing themselves for not being able to show the light and destroying the traditional family systems and ancient of Naga ethos developed by genius Naga forefathers. They are organising prayer crusades and fasting to indicate that they (Church leaders) also are trying hard to find a way out for today’s insights, but the solution is elsewhere which Naga Church leaders do not want Naga Society to reveal. Because it will boomerang and they will have to face a serious consequence which will go against their royal living. The people are calling Jesus but he is nowhere to be seen. Thus, Nagas are sad and engulfed with sorrow today. They are praying-“God! Save us from our self-appointed saviours”.
- Jagdamba Mall, Kohima
On 16th May 2008, the 15 armed cadres of NSCN (Unification) were killed in a fierce fight with NSCN (IM) which lasted for 7 hours from the morning 5.30 a.m in Seithikima Village near Patkai Christian College, 15 Km on way to Kohima from Dimapur. Hardly after a fortnight, 14 Cadres of NSCN (Unification) were killed on 03.06.08 again when NSCN (IM) guerillas attacked the NSCN (U) Camp. Thus from January this year till first week of June, over a 100 Naga militants belonging to both the factions-NSCN (IM) and NSCN (U-Unification) have been killed and all denomination of church leaders, Naga Hoho, Naga Mother Association, Naga Students Federation (NSF) and political leaders across the party line had appealed the militants organizations to shun the violence but of no avail. Recently in the last week of May, All Nagaland Forum of Gaon Burah’s (G.B) and Dobashis (DBs) organized Peace Rallies at Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung and all the District places and Sub-Divisional headquarters and unanimously declared cease-fire between NSCN (IM) and NSCN (U) with an appeal to follow the cease-fire. Immediately after it was reported in the local media, NSCN (IM) dishonored it and levelled it as biased. And on 3rd June, 14 cadres of NSCN (U) were killed when their camp was attacked by NSCN (IM) armed cadres. The rampant killing is continued till today. Every section of society is now alarmed on the unruly behaviour of militant cadres, People know that this is a fight to supremacy for huge amount of extortion money collected from Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung and prominent towns of Nagaland. People are cursing the State Government headed by Neiphiu Rio for its inaction.
Compelled by people’s condemnation for deteriorating law and order in the state, the Neiphiu Rio Government in the state has started talking tough against warring factions of NSCN. It had set a June 10 deadline for the rebels to vacate residential areas and stay within their designated camps.
The genesis of this violence was the creation of the NSCN (Unification) in November 2007. Some 600 members of the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) had broken away from this group. NSCN (U) added a new dimension to fratricide killing that already existed between NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) which have been fighting each other since 1988, NSCN (IM) declared cease-fire in July 1997 and NSCN (K) followed suit in 2000. While both are bounded by Cease-fire ground rules to keep off guns, the NSCN (U) is not.
The Naga Society has, thus, reached a stage from which it is really difficult to imagine a future. Nagas are living in a world marked by uncertainly, unknown elements and various forms of cultural traits alien to native Naga culture inherited from the forefathers which have evolved through generation to generation. The uncertainly leading to doom and decay of Naga society is the only thing certain. The hallow dream, barren imagination and salvation through “Nagaland for Christ” will certainly lead to Nagas’ annihilation. Over and above, Naga leaders and Naga Church functionaries’ failure to visualize the future have resulted into the failure of morality
Common people are blaming the Nagaland Churches for destroying the age old faith and culture which had a strong bearing on Naga morality and harmonious living, Finding no way out, the Church leaders are confused and the reverends and missionaries are cursing themselves for not being able to show the light and destroying the traditional family systems and ancient of Naga ethos developed by genius Naga forefathers. They are organising prayer crusades and fasting to indicate that they (Church leaders) also are trying hard to find a way out for today’s insights, but the solution is elsewhere which Naga Church leaders do not want Naga Society to reveal. Because it will boomerang and they will have to face a serious consequence which will go against their royal living. The people are calling Jesus but he is nowhere to be seen. Thus, Nagas are sad and engulfed with sorrow today. They are praying-“God! Save us from our self-appointed saviours”.
- Jagdamba Mall, Kohima
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