Naga prayer summit: An occasion for confession, forgiveness and restoration

[caption id="attachment_214540" align="alignleft" width="320"] A female member of the NSCN (IM) seen in prayer during the 'prayer summit' organised by the group in Dimapur on Thursday.[/caption] Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, Oct. 25: The Council of Nagalim Churches’ (CNC) initiative of ‘prayer summit’ on Thursday was an occasion for the Nagas to ‘submit to God’—and in the words of the general secretary of CNC, Rev. Seksim Kasar— ‘a historic event of prayer for the faithful servants of the nation.’ According to CNC president, Eustar Chishi Swu, after prolonged negotiation with the government of India the historic Framework Agreement was signed between NSCN (IM) and GoI on Aug. 3, 2015 but still there has been no logical conclusion. Although some blame the delay on symbolic issues, Swu claimed "it was because we are not spiritually prepared for our solution.” As delegates from Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar converged at Agri Expo site in Dimapur on Thursday, they affirmed to "repose faith in the almighty God and come to Him in confession and repentance seeking forgiveness and restoration; and while appreciating both the negotiating parties for signing the framework agreement, pray and urge upon the GoI and the leadership to expedite the long-pending political settlement of the Nagas in all fairness without delay.” The convenor of the NSCN (IM) steering committee, Rh Raising asserted the politics of Nagas was founded on the solid rock of living history. Nagas have never ever sold out their history to any power at any point of time, he stated. "Ours is a case of aggression on Nagalim by India and Myanmar. Therefore, it is a national resistance movement of the Nagas against the aggressor states, not a case of secession from them. The Nagas confronted the aggressors with four-pronged strategies—military, political, diplomatic and prayer", maintained Raising. "We are in need of agreements with the GoI and Myanmar and we have been looking for an agreement that can guarantee the future of the Nagas. Rest assured that the framework agreement between the GoI and NSCN will certainly protect our sovereign rights, territories, people, identity, culture and future from all terrible waves of political, military, economic and cultural imperialisms of aggressor states". "Any agreement is no solution if it is not issue-based. It is the concept of the agreement that matters and we know the concept of the past agreements or accords were Indian constitution-based; but the framework agreement concept was based on the principle of co-existence of the two entities and shared sovereignty where the Nagas and the Indians will co-exist," he said. The framework agreement, according to Raising says, Nagas will manage their affairs by themselves, but there will be areas where India and the Naga people will ‘walk together and stand together as partners.’ Raising remarked that ‘for a national problem like ours, it requires a national prayer and that we cannot stay away from the Church as people and the Church are inseparable and that Churches are also part of the movement.’ Lieut. Gen., Anthony Shimray, talked about making Christ the ‘centre point to achieve absolute unity after having failed for the last 67 years.’ “There can't be reconciliation if we do not reconcile with Christ,” he said.