CHEDEMA, SEPTEMBER 6: The 52nd Indo Naga Ceasefire day was held today at Chedema Peace Camp. The day’s programme was organised to commemorate the ceasefire that was signed between the Government of India and the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) 52 years ago.
Speaker of the day Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, general secretary Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC), in his address, urged the gathering to revisit the glory of those days where nationalism reigned supreme without arms, without muscle power in the atmosphere of ceasefire.
Stating that the ceasefire was signed at a time when our land was caught up in a warlike situation and when our people suffered untold miseries, Keyho recalled that the ceasefire agreement came as an interim relief for the Nagas. He, however, regretted that “the end of the ceasefire seems to have been buried deep inside our selfishness and in the ever luring temptation to be comfortable and maintain the status quo.”
“The ceasefire seems to have seized our right to self determination based on our historical and political rights. Therefore, though we honour this day, what value is there if our political will for self determination is made to die a natural death,” Keyho reasoned.
Asserting that “we can still intelligently continue to travel in the path and vision of our leaders and many of our patriots who have made the supreme sacrifice,” Keyho added this will, however, need courage and determination - “Courage to once again say we must go back to where we belong and determination to do what we know and believe is right.”He said, “Ceasefire is never to make us comfortable, but an opportunity to make a forward move. Ceasefire is not only to stop the hostility between two warring enemies. It is not only to save us from the terror of hunting each other, but to give us hope to stand on an equal footing with the force that sought to destroy us and give us a platform to dialogue and negotiate for our rights.
“Ceasefire was not final in itself. It is not an achievement but a springboard upon which greater things were to happen. The Ceasefire, though is a relief to end hostility, reckless operations and killings of the innocents in our land, it is neither an end, nor a final achievement. It is a means for dialogues and negotiations endless it may appear to reach the end where the problem can be put behind for which ceasefire is signed and entered into by the two parties.”
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NBCC general secretary, Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho speaking at the 52nd Indo-Naga ceasefire day at Chedema Peace Camp on September 6[/caption]
The NBCC general secretaries further implored upon the gathering to be reminded with the ideals of signing the ceasefire.
It may be mentioned that the ceasefire was signed basing on five grounds; firstly to end hostility but not surrender our rights, secondly to create peaceful atmosphere without arms and intimidations, and thirdly to look at each other without superior mentality; fourthly to open dialogue and negotiate as equals; and fifthly to reach a final solution for which the ceasefire came into effect.
Stating that Ceasefire day commemoration is a time to put the Naga cause in perspective, Keyho regretted that the Nagas, in general, have become so comfortable on the one hand and so divided on the other hand.
“We have become comfortable because we have taken for granted as if the final show is over. We have cut the elephant into pieces and holding each piece apart we still call it an elephant. We must take the journey to put the pieces together and look at the elephant as a whole standing strong and mighty and call it an elephant. Until we do, the aspiration that once belongs to us will be buried in the rubbles of our division. And our will to exist as honourable human beings will be brought down to survival mentality,” he asserted.
Stating further that the Nagas should not blame our counterpart for everything that has not been, rather, he said that “we (Nagas) have to admit that we have dug our own share of mistakes along the way, that is mistake of stubbornness, mistake of pride, mistake of self justification, mistake of “holier than thou” and above all mistake of lording over all.
Keyho said Nagas must come together without playing the politics of division and that we must speak in unison to the big India to listen to our rights and aspiration.
The NBCC general secretary urged upon all the Nagas to seek God and his ways and do what is right so that a new beginning will dawn upon all the Nagas. He further prayed that the 52nd ceasefire commemoration will ignite the fire of repentance and revival in our national movement, so that we will live as people of God and a nation under God.
Narrating about the event, FGN representative, I Temjen Longkumer, recalled that the ceasefire was signed at a time when the situation was so tense in Nagaland with the intrusion of the Indian army. To this, he also lauded the NBCC for spearheading to bring about the ceasefire-talk between the FGN and the Indian government.
The programme, chaired by NBCC school coordinator Rev. Dr. Meciehol Savi, commenced with prayer pronounced by Dr. Botoholi, education secretary NBCC, while a song was presented by NBCC staff.
