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DIMAPUR — Founder director of Peace Channel and principal of North East Institute of Social Sciences and Research (NEISSR), Rev. Dr. CP Anto, on Sunday said that Nagaland stands out as an example of inter-faith harmony and peace in India.
Rev. Anto was speaking during an interfaith gathering, organised by the Peace Channel and NEISSR, at Hotel Jal Mahal in Dimapur, an update state.
The meeting, which outlined three primary objectives, focused on solidifying Nagaland's position as a model state characterised by inter-faith harmony and peace, especially in contrast to the tensions in neighboring Manipur and Assam.
Anto emphasised the necessity of dialogue as a tool for preventing and resolving conflicts, underscoring the need for religious, church, and community leaders to be equipped for peace building.
He stressed the significance of addressing various issues, including those related to upcoming elections, land disputes, developmental concerns, and the overarching goal of achieving lasting peace and sustainability in the state and region.
He also encouraged leaders to expand their efforts beyond Dimapur into other districts, thereby mitigating the potential for violence outbreaks of any kind of violent conflicts that could be prevented, intervened and resolved by the leaders in the future.
The peace activist acknowledged the role of efficient administrative systems in resolving societal issues but emphasised the complementary importance of community and religious leaders in addressing certain key concerns and issues faced by people could be easily resolved through our traditional village methods of conflict transformation and with the help of pastors, religious and community leaders respectively with “a non-punitive approach.”
He urged leaders to unite as one human family, transcending religious and community boundaries, echoing the sentiment of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The whole universe is one family).
He further called for innovative approaches to interfaith celebrations and advocated for projecting Nagaland's model of interfaith harmony to other parts of the nation where trust and predictability are lacking.
During the floor discussion, representatives from various religious and community groups voiced their support for the continuation of the interfaith movement.
Ahidur Rahman, president of the Muslim Council Dimapur, emphasised the need for youth involvement, drawing from his extensive life experiences. Others, like Om Prakash Sethi of the Digambar Jain Samaj Dimapur, appreciated and commended Nagaland's religious tolerance and highlighted instances of peaceful coexistence.
Ajay Sethi and Kannan Dever from the Jain and Tamil communities, respectively, called for efforts to promote humanism within the interfaith framework.
Sajeev Kumar of the Kerala Samaj lamented the politicisation of religious harmony and urged a return to the core principles of coexistence.
Ram Krishna, a representative of the Bhojpuri Samaj, stressed the importance of fostering pride among interfaith members to drive positive change, particularly amidst contemporary challenges.
The consensus among attendees affirmed Nagaland's status as a model state while expressing concerns over conflicts in Manipur and escalating tensions in Assam.
The gathering chaired by Jose V Abraham, the coordinator of Peace Channel, Dimapur district, concluded with a call for continued prayer support for peace and social reforms.
Notable attendees included representatives from various communities, underlining the diversity and unity within Nagaland's interfaith fraternity, the update stated.