DIMAPUR, JUNE 5: People’s Forum For Peace (PFP), in collaborate with Peace Channel, organized a peace meet and training for church leaders from different churches at Holy Cross Church, Dimapur, on June 4 on the theme ‘Ecumenical coalition for sustainable peace in Nagaland.’
While addressing the occasion, Fr. Dr. CP Anto, Director of Peace Channel, insisted the State government should take all care to set up a special commission for peace and reconciliation mission in Nagaland to settle all issues face by the people. He said the commission should aim at establishing prevention, reconciliation and intervention strategies to resolve and transform conflicts and conflicting situations.
While training the religious leaders in Dimapur, he said Nagaland could be a model state in setting up such commission in line with other countries like Philippines, Rwanda, USA etc., Stating that the existing situation has made the youth to miss many opportunities to develop themselves, he said the commission could bring lasting and sustainable peace in the state.
He also trained the church leaders to be skilled in dialogue and peace building in order to be true pastors who could be a channel of grace and peace to many lives and also be a source of bridge between the conflicting persons, families, communities and villages.
“Conflict is natural and inevitable. Functional conflicts are good and it brings positive changes and progress. But dysfunctional conflicts are always bad and produce negative effects,” he said in his presentation.
James welcomed the gathering, while Taku Longkumer, Chairman of PFP, and Elow Chazu, project coordinator, delivered short speech on PFP and its functions.
The participants shared their views and decided to have such programme once in a month. Ms Hetoli Marina proposed vote of thanks and especially thanked Rev. Fr Thomas, Parish Priest of Holy Cross, for his logistic arrangement.
