EMN
Dimapur, October 8
Two organizations have organized a meeting of Assamese and Naga communities In search of what they called a “lasting solution and peaceful coexistence.”
The Naga and Assamese civil society are all set to sit face to face on Friday, October 9, in Guwahati for the first time in 60 years, the organizers Nanda Talukdar Foundation (NTF) of Guwahati at Indian Institute of Bank Management (IIBM) of Khanapara said in a press release issued to the media on Thursday.
Christened as “Naga-Assamese Round Table Talk” the event will seek to build ‘friendship and fraternity between the two neighboring communities,’ the organizers said.
In a bid to begin a much needed dialogue process between the two sides, senior journalists Samudragupta Kashyap, Mrinal Talukdar and Atanu Phukan as the conveners initiated the conference under the aegis of the NTF ‘in the backdrop of six decades of distrust, suspicions, animosity and mindsets conditioned through accumulated myths.’
According to a Press release issued by NTF secretary Mrinal Talukdar, the talks will be attended by six representatives from each state as delegates, besides a galaxy of academics, senior journalists, columnists and social workers as invitees.
The Naga delegation will be led by noted peace crusader Niketu Iralu and the team will comprise apex tribal council Naga Hoho’s president Chuba Ozukum, Naga Mothers’ Association’s adviser Prof Rosemary Dzuvichu, Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) president Subenthung Kikon among others.
Noted Academic Prof Udayan Misra will lead the Assamese delegation comprising Asom Sahitya Sabha president Dr Dhrubajyoti Bora, AASU chief Adviser Dr Samujjwal Bhattacharya, Purbanchaliya Tai Sahitya Sabha president Dr Dayananda Borgohain, former Upper Assam Commissioner Sayad Iftikhar Hussein among others.
NTF president and editor of Asomiya Pratidin Nitya Bora will preside over the Round Table Talk while NEC member Chandra Kanta Das is an independent observer of the deliberation.
“It is hoped that this bold initiative would open up a new chapter of mutual respects, trust and co-operation between the people of the two states by ending long years of accumulated mistrust, suspicions and vast gulf in societal levels,” the press release stated.
“After receiving tremendous encouragements and supports from both sides for their initiative, the Conveners of the talks do believe that such a consistent dialogue process would definitely help enhancing cultural exchanges, trade and business and people-to-people contact despite having divergent perceptions, opinions and stands on vexed border dispute and political issues,” the press release added.
