Role of Women in Peace Building and Reconciliation

In the front page of the social magazines man are pictures as the initiators toward the social driving. It has been the common pictures to the entire societal that the concept of leadership has been credited to man. But the shadows of women are always presence in the leadership of men that support invisibly.

The invisible role of women in the realm of peace building plays a vital role in the society. Since the primitive age, women played a significant role in resolving conflict between communities and families, but they are always invisible. The dynamic invisible role played by women in the society from the ancient time till today need to be acknowledge and strengthen in order to help man folk as working toward peace in the society.

There is a saying of our forefather’s tradition that “If we have a bad woman then we have a bad society and if we have bad wives then we have bad families”. The tender hearts of the women is so powerful that it melts the anger of a man and that is one of the reasons why we send women as a negotiator between husband and the enemies in the early period when family dispute arouse.

In both the home and the community, women in most societies are involved in resolving conflicts in various ways. Women seem to sense developing conflicts at early stages— as mothers they are the first to become aware when children generate conflict with the neighbours, and they draw their husbands’ attention to the situation.

The wife plays a significant role in proposing ways to resolve the conflict. In the community, some conflicts may be referred to women to resolve because women are considered better suited to do so. Women may sit as chiefs and judges to resolve such conflicts. For instance, Chief Sekina of the Munda tribe in the Maridi Rural Council in Sudan, a woman, was empowered to settle disputes not only between individuals but also between various groups in the community. A strategy that the chief and her assistants (both women and men) commonly adopted was to engage the community in debate on issues that were likely to generate conflict. Their strategy was to nip the conflict in the bud.

Another strategy women use widely is to compose songs that emphasize the power of solving problems peacefully through debate and discussion. Women are known to have suggested binding two antagonistic communities through intercommunity marriage. The new bonds and relationships that come with the marriage serve as a bridge for peaceful living between the two communities.

Traditional communication mechanisms

Women in the patriarchal society of Sudan have little or no decision-making power and limited participation in political processes, including negotiations for peace. Yet they play a very vital role in war and conflict making. In other words, women through use of the traditional communication system in Sudan could be considered agents of war.

Women as peacemakers or as agitators

Women are half of the society. If they convince themselves to become peacemakers, then half the society is working toward peace. Women can create a soothing, reconciling atmosphere, going side by side with men to make peace

But women’s role can also be negative, and women can be agitators. However, women, no matter what, are change agents in a society and must not be ignored or marginalized in efforts to build a prosperous, healthy, integrated, and peaceful society. Women always in the front door since the history of all the initiatives taken in the patriarchal society. Seen in the battle field, man has been indicated to be the great warrior.......to be continued

Lemwang Chuhwanglim

The Treasure of Love and Care “On Sick Bed”

Have you ever experienced the treasure of love and care?

If yes then pour out to others, if not then experience on sick bed.

Unfortunately just a country boy struggled with headache and neck pain for days.

Could not recognized of why the pain was for? A time came to be in the refectory.

Asking question to everyone, does any one knows about the cause of the pain?

A strange loving mother answered might be the reason of constant face before the PC.

A while after another woman said might be due to an eye infection…..But the boy thought it will be ok within a moment and He kept on watching his life world cup….the pain got into worst.

Laying down on a sick bed and abstained from the work,

Could not reach of what ever he thought in his mind.

At last, at noon, some friends came to the room asking a question

“How are you feeling?” That question meant a lot because the hidden treasure of their love and care is presence in the question.

The hate most fever on for country boy alarmed the family of the Institution where everyone empathized and concerned in their own way from their own corners, Here comes the treasure of love and care from the family of the institution. He slept at night but no asleep because many wonders and amazing thoughts appeared into his mind. Ultimately, he prayed to God “O Lord thank you for the calling, if this is your punishment for me then forgive me. O Lord, no doubt if you want me to die with this sickness but one thing lord, please do remember my Mom and Dad their loves, care, concerns and sacrifices towards me till today. I haven’t paid them back anything yet, however, let your will be done in Jesus name. Amen.

Next day followed by one after one another woman and young man came and asked “How are you? The sick man was taken to three different doctors for three times by a young compassionate men and woman but the sickness instead prolonged to be on sick bed. Someone said “hi boss! You look so smart though you are sick, how are you?” what can he say and have answered? Here comes the Revelation of the Treasure of love and care from the passionate people from the institution which they live to be under one family of God.

Even the next night he tried to sleep but could not. Finally a thought came in his mind to write something of his experience as he lives away from his loving parents and siblings in a strange land. He wrote this to encourage all to keep the chain of the treasure of love and care as we lives. Let Love be Loved and Care be Cared. The only word from the country boy to the family of the Institution are “Love lifted me, Care lifted me, let you all be lifted with the love and care of the Almighty God in returns” I Love you all and thank you all for the memory of my life. God bless you all.

Love and prayer: Lemwang W. Chuhwanglim

REGRET IN ORDER NOT TO REGRET

No dead man will alive though we sympathize and discuss a lot about him. I am no body to “speak” out anything regarding anything happening in Nagaland yet, I am someone just a country boy “my love for my country never cease,” to say about what went wrong and why leaders paradise their life in the expense of country men and women suffering. Country for Christ and leaders for the violations are where I am experiencing among the creations of God.

To the ruling government and the opposition party, throwing dung to one other makes diversity which is happening now, rather compile the dung together and make manure for the well growth of the country men and women. What hurts you when the recent video game burning houses in Dimapur? The incident is not a privilege for you to condemn opposition party or ruling, it is rather to come into position party to work together.

How many parties do you prefer to exist in Homeland? The numerical of the parties gain nothing, it needs only qualitically party. Numbers are only to be count but the effect is to be treasured. Why do you need president ruling in Home land? Are we not satisfied with the president ruled existed in late70s? You must regret of what has happened with the government of India and my country, so that you will not regret for the same in the days to come. I should honor Kaka D. Iralu who wrote the wonderful book “for you and me” on THE BLOOD AND THE TEARS, am I correct with the title of the book? What happened in this book? Why don’t you flip back to the history of locations, incidents, persecutions, tormented and many others where it happened, what and with whom? You need to read and look back once to the times, because these will make sense for you whether Nagaland needs another president rule or not. Please read, read, read and read before the last breath torch your life. Remember, “Do not cut a Dao in the water because it turns back to you and cut your leg”, this is what happening in Homeland. A theft never says he is a thief and the leaders of the country for Christ are the same, never want to say it was and it is my fault.

The story of a frog that ate a lot thinking that still can eat and ultimately burst and died. Do not try to clean the pieces of fire from others body before it cleans from your own. Whoever it may be today; do not blame anyone for the dramatic happening in homeland or else blame everyone that includes you and me. Have you ever encounter people fighting somewhere? You enjoy their fight and narrate the story when you meet others, rite? The same thing is happening with Indian Government towards Nagaland. Why do the leaders so call great man let Indian and other countries to watch the movie of the homeland? Please it is too late, yet, “regret not to regret anymore”.

Hello, leaders of the Country for Christ, it is said “love your enemy” but do you think it’s possible? To me it is, provided you have a positive attitude towards them. Present tug of war in the state is to make a distance between fellow men and women. I would strongly suggest calling your enemy/ies and showing them your love and reconciliation. Can you? Emmmm???????? Try try and trust one another.

Hello and good morning to all. This is a country boy radio only just with the headlines. May you kindly stop blaming, kindly stop singing opposition, ruling, one killed two injured, presidential ruling. I too would like to learn more about all those terms in details from whomever it may be, coz I have very less knowledge bout it.

However, this message may just pass through your ears without inning your ears and mind. Yet, it may enter when you wake up in the next morning. I wrote this not to individual man but it is for all whoever says he/she is the leader of the country. God bless the responsibilities you are standing on at the moment and best wishes for the next objectives.

IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO WAIT FOR THE DECISION OF OTHERS BEFORE WE BARK

Country boy

Lemwang W. Chuhwanglim

NAGALAND THE BROKEN LAND FOR CHRIST:

I think therefore, I am writing this to question on the conflict existing in Nagaland. Why the conflicts in the Land for Christ “if it is so”?

The origin of each and every organization and movement’s initiative works has been so fascinating to all. In the journey took place, the strategies and focused seems to be diverted. The reason might be too many masters and no one remain to learn. The waves of the Nagas will remain the same until and unless we all become the learners and listen to one master. But the question here is who wants to be a learner today when all turns out to be a master. When we talk about God in times of war and conflict, we are rather wild and the reason is neither the one side nor the other side want to forgive one another. How do we expect the glory in the Land with this attitude?

The bellows are some of the written history found in the website which I am quoting in a very much brief:

NCC: The origin of Naga separation can be trace back to the founding of the Naga Club, in Kohima in 1918 by a group of western educated Nagas. They even submitted a memorandum to the Simon Commission asking the British Government to exclude the Nagas from any constitutional framework that they may be planning for India. But however the protests made by the Naga Club were too mellowed and too far in between. The tone of protests began to change rapidly with the coming of Angami Zapu Phizo, popularly known as Phizo. He was one of the most dynamic leaders the Naga separatist movement had ever seen.

The Naga separatists got to know about modern warfare in the early-mid 1940's when India's northeast was the scene of an intense conflict between the Allied forces and the Japanese army. Phizo along with some other prominent leaders fought on the side of the Indian National Army (of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose) for Japan against the Allies. The war showed the Nagas that weapons could achieve what negotiations could not. The Naga insurgents would later use the arms dumped in the North-East after the WWII to fight the Indian security forces. In 1946 the Naga Club transformed into the Nagaland National Council (NNC), the precursor of the NSCN

The NNC under Phizo's instigation declared Nagaland's independence from India on the 14^th of August 1947.

FGN: Federal Government of Nagaland As in the past, to commemorate the cease fire agreement between the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) with the Government of India on September 6, 1964, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has come out with prayer points for the Ceasefire/Peace Day which falls on the day, according to Director of Peace Affairs (NBCC) Rev. L. Kari Longchar.

NSCN: An agreement was reached by the Indian Government and the NNC in the year 1975. This came to be known as the Shillong pact. However a section of hardcore militants in the NNC were disappointed with the NNC top brass signing the pact and they decided to go underground to start a more radical separatist movement. This led to the formation of the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland or the NSCN in the late 1970's (Chishi Swu, Thingaleng Muivah and Khaplang).

However the NSCN suffered from a split in the late 1990’s and broke into two factions viz the NSCN (IM) and the NSCN (Khaplang).

HOHO: Naga HOHO one of the strongest team in the state plays vital roles. Since the year the HOHO established until today they HOHO look into the matter positively that occurs in the state. Had not there a HOHO in the state there would have been escalating more conflicts in the state.

NBCC: Nagaland Baptist Church Council, the head of the Churches in Nagaland. NBCC have been sending out many missionaries to spread the good news into different parts of the world. Not only that, but also positively looking after any conflicts happening in the state within the Churches and the society. The approaches towards the conflict from the theological perspectives gave vivid strategies to solve the problems else transformed... (?).

NSF: Naga Students Federation another strong Federation from the student’s side in the State. Any conflict occurs in regard to the students traffic in the state are feathers by the NSF. The NSF is also involved in the political conflict trying the best to bring the envy into together for the harmony in the state.

NAGA PEACE COMMETEE: A recently form committee known as the Peace committee in the state, to look at the conflicts between the tribes, factional, political, economic, religious etc and bring the matters to the solution for peace. So glad and the prior committee in the state might be which we all will see the peace in the state through them.

NGOS: Several NGOS in the State, working for the reach to the needy wherever the Government could not reach them on the other hand. With proper funds, knowledge and wisdom, with a proper survey of the situations in different parts of the State, the districts and the villages seems to be developmental areas as they NGOS gets in. We could see much of works implementing for the welfare of the poor and needy people in the State.

NMA: Naga Mother Association, an association from the women folks in Nagaland. Women plays a vital roles in peace building, they are the key to conscentize the people who are creating conflicts in the State. They have so many wonderful histories where women association involved in the conflict happened in the past. We look forward once again to see the women playing a vital role in bring the peace atmosphere in the State.

NMM: Nagaland Missionary Movement, another branch from the Nagaland Baptist Church Council in the State. The aims and goal might be the same or different, yet working towards the extension of God’s kingdom to different parts of the world.

IF IT IS SO THEN WHY IS IT TILL TODAY “the Broken Land for Christ?”

The State oh! Sorry, the people and the so call leaders from the State have been fighting for the peace and harmony, independent, integration to be existed in the State for ages. We could see the dynamic initiatives taken place by the different organizations as it is highlighted in the above brief information. We have seen so many people working for the cost of the country glory. If it has been so and if it is so then WHY till today no solutions and transformation in the State? Talking about the unique history of the state, wanted to be the separate country, yes so do I but what could be the way?

What is this “unique history?”

That the Nagas were never conquered by any outside power, that they declared themselves a modern, independent nation on August 14, 1947, one day prior to the creation of independent India, and that they never consented (approved) to be part of the Indian union? Or is it the most constant conflict unlike other areas? This contrast with other ethnic groups in India that were either historically integrated into what is today India, or willingly joined the union upon independence from Britain – even though some of them today are unhappy and wish to separate from India.

I always spent the nights with a nightmare until today, looking at all the works and activities played by the teams mentioned above, why having so many people who are working for the peace and harmony in the still could not work and voice out for the role play to bring peace in the state until now? Why? Why? Why?

When you are provided with the profile, designations, and the sit to be sited, the promises and the oath takes place with so beautiful voice as if the world will change into up side down from the next day itself. But once sited in the designation you starts dwelling in the house of evil minded, wrong concept politics, self benefits and many more. Can these bring as the new strategies to work for the peace building in the State? I thank almighty God for He created the Nagas so dynamic with lion’s heart, brave, clever, cunning, and selfish and a peaceful mind.

How would we begin here after to bring the God’s glory in our homeland? What are the strategies and the modules we can adopt for the peaceful solution or transformation in the State? Do we need to change the leaders of the Organizations, Churches, and HOHOs?

Let there be JUST PEACE and there begins our step

I am Just a Simple Unique Naga

I am just a Committed Christian country boy who lives in search of the truth and the love of God. Just simply a Human being one among you, the fallen being, yet, I seek the truth in my Naga Home Land. Yes, I do belong to one among the tribes in Nagaland but I will say “I am Naga” which I am proud to say that name wherever I go.

Our Naga elders and the historians have written wonderful historical accords of the origin of the Nagas which was not sure exactly where Naga originated from. But I am so grateful to those elders who have made the historical ammendment of the origin of the Nagas.

I believe all the Nagas know that our Home Land is so unique. The land of the real nature, Nation of God distinctively land, provided by God to our Nagas and the unique history of the Nagas. I am voicing out calmly to my elderly political leaders, my highness church leaders, my dear young people, and friends of generations to come. I know that many of us “you” have a blur and smudge to the unique history of our nation when you are chasing behind the education, political servants, spiritual war fare and the modern technology. Actually what do you reply to others when someone ask about the history of our homeland? I can imagine the answer “yes I am from the North East called Nagaland, we are mongoloids and so on”. No, that does not stop there; tell others the uniqueness of the Nagas. But to tell others about the uniqueness of the Nagas, do you have any ideas? That’s a big question I leave to my people “young people”

Run as fast as you can, to reach the different corners of the world far away from the Naga Homeland, but your identity is always the “Sweet Naga”. Where is our cultures, where is our sweet tradition, where is our uniqueness? We have sold out our culture to other cultures and life style in exchange. Today we have lost our cultures and the traditions.

Our freedom fighters originated with a good heart and committment to fight for the Naga Nation, but unfortunately someone has stolen the commitment and the vision on the way traveled and which the result is today what we are doing and living. Yet, there is a hope and vision for our Homeland to bring the Glory in God’s own timing, where our nation our homeland will see the hope of glory one day.

To me killing own siblings does not resemble the fighting for the nation. Neither to torture my Onyu (Mom) and Opa (Father) nor to safe myself from others harm. But it is to sacrifice my life for the Nation in peace and harmony, to forgive to one another though I could not forget.

I cannot make out of any action to others without knowing the history of my action because that is a blured. I believe that all my beloved young brothers and sisters who kill each other know the history behind. Or you are just practicing else training the skills by killing and shooting to one’s own brother before you go to the battle for our Homeland.

Remember, the water you drink is from the streams where your brothers’ blood flows. The river you took bath is the meeting point of the blood you have shed of your own brother wash away by the rain. The food you eat is from the fertile land where your brother’s blood manured and you are alive now because you have killed your brother (he died for my sake) what do I think of now? It is far better to be a tiny Ant than to be a huge Dog who eat back its own puked.

As Gustavo Gutierrez wrote the book on the title “we drink from our own wells” based on spiritual journey life of the Latin Amerincan who has recognised themselves that they have to have a fruits from their own hardship, not from others. Like the same situation with my Naga Nation, India will never give us the freedom, peace, love and harmony to us for just or in just. What we must do is we have to drink from our own Well first. Let us drink from our own Well, voice out to God, say everything to Him, and look unto Him for our sweet Home land. Yes, we need to drink from our own Well not the blood but the peace, not killing but sustainance, not the wine but the Holy communion, not the guns but the staff from our God like the same staff He has given to Moses to lead the Isrealite to the promise land. God has a promised to our people and he will surely fulfill.

It is better to say that I kill my brother to safe my own life than saying that I killed my enemy for the sake of my nation. Why? Because we are shading our own families blood to safe an individual’s life rather than fighting for our Nation. It is better to say a short and single honest word than to narrate the long wrong story which do not kill/waste your time.

This is what I have come across from somewhere as I was wandering aroung to seek the love of God for my Sweet Naga Homeland.

In 1982 in Jerusalem, God spoke through Sister Gwen Shaw an American that, "What my spirit has done is He visited the people in Nagaland. And they shall not be an idolatrous that shall fall down before idols like the people of India. For I have separated Nagaland unto myself, and I have with my finger drawn a line around Nagaland". "The Nagas are the children of the true and living God. The Nagas are part of spiritual Israel. They partake of the promise which God gave to Abraham, "in you all nations will be blessed. Nagaland is a nation under God. India can never defeat them because their power comes from God the Lord, who is opposed to the Hindu rulers, who derive their power from this patheon are thus in conflict with the supreme Lord by persecuting his children, the Nagas", said the Lord God through Dessan Tagore an Indian in December 1982 at Los Angeles. (Quote, Israel in India P. 3 & 7).

"I have chosen this Naga nation for my own glory and I have anointed this land in 1872. (It meant American Missionary W. Clerk entered into Ao village called Molungkimong in 1872). My own spirit, even declared 'Nagaland for Christ'. The new Nagaland will be like Israel" said the lord God through Rev. Donal Bal Lama an Indian from West Bengal on 1st July, 2003 at Dimapur as he was sent by God to pray for Naga nation.

Also the rainbow flag of Nagaland is a great manifestation that God has chosen Nagas by Himself and leading the Naga nation, for which God had given many signs and spoke through his servants that this was from him. For instance, God spoke through an American woman while the people from more than 200 countries gathered in the yearly Tabernacles feast in Jerusalem in 1999 and at a time they were praying for Naga Nation, "I have given rainbow flag to the Nagas. It is not inscribed by the Nagas of their own accord. I have given two flags to mankind; one for Israelites and another one for the Nagas".

What do you think my dear and near one? For me I believe and I trust our Loving God that he will surely bring the Glory in my Naga Homeland in His own timing. Let me follow you so lead me into the right path.

Naga boy

Lemwang W. Chuhwanglim

WE RESPECT THOSE WHO RESPECT OUR NORMS AND IDENTITY

Inner Line Permit is MUST

In the year 1958 attached to the Protected Area Permit that was required for the non-Indian Citizens to visit certain restricted areas, the Government of India also introduced the Inner Line Permit as an official travel document for Indians who are traveling to the so called protected/restricted places specially in Northeast India excluding Assam and Tripura. As mentioned in the record, this ILP was particularly meant for security measures.

This rule/norm still exists very strongly in Nagaland. The recent immigration operation held in one of the districts in Home Land emerged the idea of how many immigrants are passing into the Home Land through different entry points without the Inner Line Permit or improper documents shown in the ILP. I am sure there are many who have violated the rules and the process or the norms to enter the Home Land. Are we aware of the invisible immigrants reaching to the different parts of the districts in the Home Land? I would encourage my people to kindly focus on the improper/illegal immigration practices in their own way rather than following our Norms. WE RESPECT THOSE WHO RESPECT OUR NORMS AND IDENTITY.

I have identified some immigrants during my journey, their way to some parts of our Home Land, one time I found they had illegally entered into our Home Land with well dressed (coat suit) for their business and then they escaped somewhere at the time I enquired about the ILP. Another incident again I caught three non-locals with improper names written in the ILP obtained from the DC office, Dimapur and were handed over to the Assam Rifle force at one of the gates.

I would strongly encourage the Administrative functionaries who are responsible for issuing the ILP in the Home Land to issue the Inner Line Permit to whomever it may be with the proper investigation on their profiles, complete documents required/fulfill to obtain the ILP. If we are not aware of the hidden movements of the immigrants in the Home Land then, we may regret someday which might be burning at the midnight lamp trying to filter.

I would also strongly encourage each police check point/entry gates to be very much serious about this issue. I look forward to have the mutual respect towards each others norms and identity.

Peace

Lemwang W. Chuhwanglim

Here I begin with the sentence “The World is so funny”. The world was created in such a way that God himself could differentiate who were who and what were the responsibilities assigned for? Among all his creations Human being was created to take care of the entire being in this world. But the question here again, did human being really take care of the entire creations?

I thought God made human being as one approved existence in one family. To my retrospection human being were named as “my son in one” by God. But to today’s world view we could not meet one another unlike God created all of us in one. Looking at the Aristotle’s Philosophy in regard to “form and matter” where he said form come first. To Platonism is based on idealism which idea comes first. Which one do we emphasize? God created human being or human beings are creating God in today’s context?

The whole world talks about the peace existence. Do we think that the world was created in peace from the beginning? Or the conflict came into existence in the process of the Heraclitus's theory of a perpetual flux world? To this quest you have to answer from your metaphysic. The answer will jump up from different perspective from different folks with own “JUSTIFICATION” which will appear so funny to one another because of “SELF JUSTIFICATION”. The argument begins here where one don’t agree with the other. It hears so funny seeing what the world is containing of. Here I oblige to all human being to think that we makes world funny or the world are funny to us?

From the philosophical perspective it is said that we need to think and create some thinking out of our rational power. The rational of one may not be true to the other but for the one who rationalized is true. Then we pose a question here, is that not so funny to say that it is right when it is not right to others? From the theological point of view what we think is not authentic unless it comes to the will of God. Then why God created Human being with a thinking capacity? Is it only to think about good and not the bad? And again what is bad and good for you and me? Why God created black and white people, why handsome, beautiful and ugly? I wish a cow could climb the tree, dog fly like a bird, a monkey being husband of a beautiful wife and an elephant under the command of an ant.

Societies and cultures are so funny when it comes to comparison. My country does not have a single wine shop because Biblically it is claimed to be a sin. Socially it has declared to be pollution and physical destruction. But look at the other side of the country, wine is made as a medicine and healthier resources compulsory to take every after meal. One boy traveled somewhere around the world and he was precautious to be aware of his dressing. No half long is entertained the moment you enter the particular destiny because it is considered to be the funny dressing and negative. But, what happen to the culture of those people? They can lift up their cloths name “Lungi” beyond the mini skirt which people could see their VIP. What a contradictory cultures which make the world so funny again.

Millions of religious people talks about their own religion, the truth, heaven and earth, hell and paradise who will lead to what and where? When one man talks about the truth from his religious perspective what is the understanding for the other person from the other religion? It will be a funny talk, why because we have forgotten the theology when we have an inter-religious talk. People talks about the poor and the rich, who are poor and who are rich, why the world not exist totally with poor people neither totally rich? What and how the world could have been if there is only rich people or if only poor people? Don’t you think that the world looks so beautiful with these two diverse ways of life? Can the coin be made with one side? I don’t think so. Then why people fight for the equality? Hence to the Stoics philosophy both pain and pleasure, poverty and riches, sickness and health, were supposed to be equally unimportant, which means it turned to be important.

Half of the world is with the conflicts and half is with not fully peace. Who is fighting for the conflicts and who is fighting for the peace? It seems so funny to see the world in this form. Why it is funny because the one who create conflicts is committed and sacrificial because peace is so destructive for them. Who is authentic and who is not? Who fights for what and who is not? What a funny argument and hard labor world. Albert Kammu’s philosophy of life relates to the absurd world. Many countries are inventing several atomic weapons, are these because they are highly intellectual or because they are insecure from others attack? Many arms groups, many factional, many terrorists have their own right fighting for. It looks so interesting to view because it functions like toys play and children’s kitchens play. What is wrong there to against? Yet, there is.

How is your contextualization with other culture and religious practices? Are there any possibilities where you can easily contextualize? I don’t know and I have no idea.

The idea here is “WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS NOT RIGHT? WHO IS NOT WRONG AND WHO IS WRONG?” It leads to the funny world when the world consists of a dialectical human being that never ends.

Therefore, as a part of this funny world, can you make this funny world into no funny world? Can you make this world and the nature a harmonic unity in Multiplicity?

Country boy

Lemwang W. Chuhwanglim

Jhum Cultivation is not an Evil Practice

I begin with a question "Is Jhum Cultivation an Evil Practice"? One of the Recent article published by the counter current on "Food Freedom: An Inerview with Vandana Shiva" will respond to what some people stated "Jhum Cultivation as Evil Practice" Culture is one of the important identities of the indigenous people, culture cannot be compromised or sold out to scientific technologies.

Executing scientific technologies to eradicate the culture of jhum cultivation that has been practiced since the ancient time of our indigenous people would be another catostrophy. Globalization has become an opium at hand melting the cuture of hard labour in our land. The melodious song that tunes during harvest time, return home when the sun set, proccessing to the field before sunrise has been sold. The culture of sharing has diverted to hiring. The sharpening naga dao shifted to grinders and here jhum cultivation is threathened by the recommended scientific technologies.

" Vandana Shiva: The main causes for hunger are industrial agriculture and globalised trade in food. Industrial agriculture creates hunger both by destroying the natural capital for producing food and locking farmers into debt because of its high cost of production. Globalised trade creates hunger by diverting fertile land for exports, promoting dumping and unleashing speculative forces. Industrial agriculture and globalization also contribute 40% to green house gas emissions that are leading to climate change which in turn is destroying agriculture and food security. The rules of globalisation both in the structural adjustment programmes of the world bank and the free trade rules of WTO promote industrialisation and trade liberalization. Resisting such corporate globalisation is necessary for food security and biodiversity.

As a US agriculture policy person said: “farmers must be squeezed off the land ,like the last bit of toothpaste is squeezed out of the toothpaste tube”.

Industrial agriculture actually reduces nutrition per acre since it destroys the biodiversity which maximises nutrition per acre. Industrial agriculture is artificially projected as being productive through the monoculture of the mind and a focus on the monoculture yield of handful of globally traded commodities. That is why hunger and malnutrition has grown in direct proportion to the spread of industrial agriculture. As far as genetic engineering is concerned, it is a not a yield increasing technology. It has only put Bt. toxin genes into plant or genes for resisting toxic herbicide. This has increased the yield of toxins not of food. The Union of Concerned Scientist report “Failure to Yield” and Navdanya’s reports “Seeds of Suicide” and “Biodiversity Based Productivity : A New Paradigm for Food Security” as the data has shown, genetic engineering has not contributed to the increase in production.

The promises of ‘life science’ corporations like monsanto is the misdirected idea that they would feed the world through their genetically engineered seeds and thus resulting in higher crop yields. However, the opposite has been true. They have in fact, created hunger on an unimaginable scale. Whatever higher yields they have been able to display are offset by the fact that they require massively higher inputs. Traditional farming practices have always been highly productive as they utilize a close looped cycle of animal integrated perennial and annual polycultures.

Since each of us eats everyday, food can become the site of a revolution for justice. If we say no to GM foods, if we commit ourselves to eating organic, we build another food system which is controlled by people and not by giant corporations." (countercurrent)

Jhum cultivation is a system where farmers shift their fields after harvesting crops in a single season which in other words is known as monocoping. The land after harvest is left alone without any agricultural activities for at least 5-10 years during which, the land regains its fertility and allows plants and trees to grow. The main factors for regaining the fertility of the soil during this period are diverse. The plants and trees contributes towards enriching the soil for better harvest and productivity allowing the farmers to use the soil for reclaiming sustaibalbe agricultural practices. The earthworms, regarded as “friends of the farmers” are also the major contributers in regaining natural soil fertility.. Bird litters, animal droppings, biotic activities of flora and fauna, decomposed plant debris are other natural sources for fertility of the land. Hence, the soil composition with fair amounts of major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potash besides, creating a good soil structure makes the soil virgin in a cycle of 5-10 years period.

The cycle of cultivation, leaving it fallow and coming back to it for cultivation, is called the Jhum cycle. Traditionally, a village community owns/controls the forest land and decides on such rotational cultivation pattern. Thus the community cultivates land for its livelihood while practising conservation and taking care of the ecological balance.

It is important to state here that shifting cultivation should not be confused with slash-and-burn. Slash-and-burn is a mere land clearing method used by many people around the globe to open up forest land and use it for permanent agriculture. On the contrary, Jhum cultivation is an integrated farming system involving forestry, agriculture and strong social organisation on the part of the communities.

Jhum Cultivation that practices once a year about 1,000 sq km from the total geographical area of 16,579 sq km in Nagaland does not jeopardise the present global warming and climate changes. The 24*7 breathless industries, multinational companies, factories, automobiles, nuclear test, privatizations, etc made the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions, the effects of global warming and climate change but not the Jhum cultivation. Iincreasing temperatures; melting glaciers, sea ice and permaforst in the Artic is not because of the Jhum cultivation. Out of 100% pollution, Jhum cultivation contributes only about 0.05%.

The indigenous people who make their livelihoods through the practice of Jhum Cultivation should be encouraged and empowered rather than to be threathened saying "Jhum Cultivaton is an Evil Practice." Introducing scientific technologies may not be the wisest idea. Indigenous people work and believe in traditions and culture, the new intillectual believe in scientific and modern development which displaces and tramples the poor as well as their traditons. Thus I believe that the "Jhum Cultivation is not an Evil Practice". It is a way of life, it is OUR CULTURE.

Lemwng W. Chuhwanglim

The so-called "worship wars" of recent years may have produced a winner. Many congregations remain divided between traditional and contemporary styles, but in most places the contemporary appears to have gained the upper hand.

What's more, our worship services have become increasingly relaxed and informal affairs. You can see it in what we wear. Church for today's worshipers is not a dress-up event. Whatever is clean and comfortable seems sufficient. Christian students in particular have been taught by their seniors — or has it been the reverse?— that when it comes to church, attire doesn't much matter. They understand there is nothing particularly spiritual about a dress or a coat and tie. God is scarcely impressed by such things. "People look at the outward appearance," we are reminded, "but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).

I do not intend to wade into the broader debate over worship styles; that's a different discussion. In any case, I'm content with either traditional or contemporary if they're done well. But I do wish to raise a question about this last notion: namely, that when it comes to public worship, our clothing doesn't matter. This common assumption, it seems to me, deserves more scrutiny than it typically receives.

Over the last several generations, American attire in general has lurched dramatically toward the informal. A feature that quickly dates an old photograph, for instance, is the men wearing fedoras; most today wouldn't know where to find one. Those who are old enough can remember when travelers got spiffed up to board an airplane. Today's travelers think nothing of flying in duds they might wear to the gym. Or consider the rise of the term "business casual." In most parts of the country, though not all, even the corporate setting has grown less formal.

These changes are part of a broad shift toward the convenient and comfortable. It's a shift we see on display every week in our worship services. In many churches casual wear is de rigueur. It's easy to imagine how one might look over-dressed there, but less easy, short of immodesty, to imagine being under-dressed. Jeans or shorts, tee shirts or tank tops, flip-flops or sandals: these draw scarcely any attention, while full dresses or a suit and tie appear strangely out of place. Relaxed, even rumpled informality is in; suiting up in our "Sunday best" is out. The question I want to raise here is, What should we make of this shift in worship attire?

Many seem convinced it's a good thing, because, again, it's the heart that counts. Yet precisely for this reason—because it's the heart that counts—I want to suggest that what we wear in our public worship may matter more than we think. To grasp this connection, let us draw on some helpful insights from the field of communication.

Verbal and Nonverbal

Verbal behavior refers to all those ways we use language to communicate: speaking, writing, sign language, etc. Nonverbal behavior focuses on all those ways we communicate without words: facial expression, gesture, posture, eye behavior, vocal inflection ("paralanguage"), our use of space ("proxemics"), or touch behavior. Some experts estimate that in our everyday relationships only a small percentage of what we communicate is conveyed via verbal channels. The rest is conveyed nonverbally.

Of special interest here is that avenue of nonverbal communication we will call physical appearance and dress. Here are seven observations drawn from the literature on this aspect of our human interaction

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2012/januaryweb-only/clothingmatters.html

As I grew up in the History of the Konyaks from 1981 until 2000, the nature of the nature around the Konyaks profound amenable in many aspect. We lived without a barrier among ourselves for we grew up together in a join family cultural practice. We knew and were accessible to anything happened in our neighboring villages. We shared our cultural value, from crops to raw materials with no expectation in return. Baptist Christianity was the center of our heart, for moral and cultural values intrigued every individual to remain honest and faithful within the family and to a larger society. To borrow Rs. 100 to our fellow neighbors in their needs, was a joyous moment for God sees our loving and kindness in our both faith and action in Him. The coexistence of entire nature and human being availed without being thirsty for we help one another to wet our throat. 

By 2001, social and religious changed impinged among us, as an impact of the outside world emerged. Today, the barriers avail among us widely, the culture of sharing turn into hiring, caring into faring, community into individualist, from Rs. 100 down threaten to the challenges of borrowing a penny or 1 rupee. Fear or livelihood, Survival of the fittest (Darwin's theory), are marketing day to day live in our community. 

Hope: Despite the religious and social change in our tribe, for the younger generation, be continually attached to our rich cultural and moral value of living together as a sharing community. Get out of the fear of livelihood for we break the barriers of greed, self-centered, ignorance of fellow folks and deprivation. I say, it is not as easy as the way I say, yet, it is not hard to adopt and adapt. Comparison and retrospection of the past and the present will enormously help every young konyak to build our future generation. Having this concern, FOCUS in needed at hand, whatever each of us does, FOCUS, our Career starting from a carpenter to the well Intellectual level, FOCUS for your achievement will never go in vain for our Konyaks future generation.

Be optimist toward life, life is not about facing both good and bad, but it is more about how we handle these elements with our positive attitude and approaches. This optimism within each of us shall be multiplied among ourselves for the transformation of our own community. 

Peace begin from within. It is you and I, where we can bring a peaceful coexistence in our community. Not matter how fiercest grievances lies among our parents and clans, we find hard to forget the bad memory, but in Him, we can surely forgive, forgiveness is needed among our younger Konyaks. Bloom where you are planted, be faithful to our God and his blessings. Make use of every blessing wisely for He never cease to give you and me, His wisdom and Knowledge from above. 

Above all, God knows the best for our future Konyaks. Once again GET OUT OF THE FEAR OF LIVELIHOOD and Be faith to God and yourself. We can change our future konyak society into a better place. 

"There is always a victory to be achieved"

Peace