Nagaland remembers ‘day peace was brought to our land’

[caption id="attachment_205267" align="aligncenter" width="565"] Nagaland Peace Centre members and others after the program at Kohima on Thursday. (EM Images)[/caption] Kohima, Sep. 6 (EMN): The Nagaland Peace Centre (NPC) organised a thanksgiving service in commemoration of the 53rd Peace day of ceasefire. The event was conducted with the theme 'peace,' at The Heritage in Kohima on Thursday. “We are gathering here to remember the historic moment which has brought peace to our land in the year 1964. We also remember this day to honour peace day” said the NPC’s Chairman N Theyo. The group’s chairman said that the ‘Indian state in due process of peace talk recognized the uniqueness of Naga history which in itself exhibits the desire for peaceful settlement.’ India is a great country which can provide freedom of speech and opportunity to the Naga people, who are engaged in political dialogue and the peace process, he said. In this regard, the NPC has appealed to the people to strengthen its ‘political force for peace and pray for the final political settlement of the Naga political issue.’ “We fully support the policy of peace efforts of the state government in dealing with the Naga groups who are engaged in political dialogue with the government of India,” said the chairman. While acknowledging the pioneers of the NPC, he said many of them were no more but that their concern and the spirit for the welfare of the people was alive, having hope for the Nagas. The NPC also appealed to the NSCN (K) to resume the ceasefire.“Nagaland Peace Centre is very serious about this situation and very unhappy to see that they are still running for their lives. The leaders are having family and their children are receiving education in colleges and universities. We sincerely appeal to the leaders to resume ceasefire and have understanding and dialogue with the government of India,” he said. Further, Theyo said that the Nagaland Peace Centre was closely associated with the Gandhi Peace Foundation at New Delhi. The aim of Nagaland Peace Centre is to uphold the spirit of peace and understanding and discourages violence and bloodshed. Members of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council also feel that ‘we must ensure that never again will there be such horrible sufferings; with that objective in view, Nagaland Peace Centre was established with a view to find ways and means to avert violence and bloodshed,’ he stated. In his short address, Rev. V K Nuh said that those born after 1964 will not understand the hardships the older generation had to gone through. “The young Nagas have not seen the bloodshed; the tears, your father and forefathers have suffered,” he said and asked the people to ‘remain indebted to those who worked hard to restore peace’ in the state. The NPC, founded by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan and others, was instrumental in the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the Centre and the then underground Nagaland Federal Government on September 6, 1964. The day is now observed as Peace Day.