A REPORT

“Every demand and action for Human Rights should never be at the expense of other’s Freedom and Rights” is the echo of the Shillong Consultation, 2009.

A three day Regional Consultation organized by the NCCI-COT & COU in Partnership with SEAPP-WCC and PCI on “Violence and Violation of Human Rights: Patterns and Perspectives for Peace” was held at the PCI Headquarters in Shillong during November 24-25, 2009.

The Consultation began with Lunch followed by Registration. The Inaugural function which began at 2:00 pm was chaired by Rev. Lalramliana Pachuau, the Chairperson of the Commission on Tribal and Adivasi, The National Council of Churches in India and the Administrative Secretary of the PCI, Shillong also played as a Local Co-ordinator. The function was started with a word of introduction by Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi, the Secretary, Commission on Tribal and Adivasi, NCCI, emphasizing the rationale and the importance of the Consultation theme in the violence context of the North East India region followed by a quick round of personal introduction. Rev. Laldawngliana, the Administrative Secretary, PCI and the Local Host welcomed the gatherings with a note of thanks to the NCCI for choosing the PCI, Shillong as the local host while stressing the important role plays by the PCI in the Ecumenical movement in the North East India as one of the prominent NCCI constituent bodies. Rev. Dr. Solomon Rongpi conveyed Greetings from the NCCI on behalf of the General Secretary, Bishop Dr. D.K. Sahu to the gatherings while stressing the important roles of the NCCI in taking the issues of the North East into the lime light within the Ecumenical churches in India.
       
The Inaugural Worship was led by Rev. Lalramliana Pachuau inviting the gatherings to have a deeper commitment towards our Mission of the Church in peace building. Rev. Dr. Vanlalnghaka, an Evangelist from the Presbyterian Church, Shillong delivered a very thought provoking reflection basing on the text St. Mathew 3:37-39. The preacher challenged the Church in the North East India to lead and guide the society in the fear of God in order to respond the challenge of violence in a just and appropriate manner.

After a short tea break, the session proceeded with the Keynote address delivered by Rev. Dr. P.B.M Basaiawmoit, the Vice-President of the NCCI, the Chairperson, Peace and Justice, Presbyterian Church of India, Shillong and moderated by Rev. D.C. Haia, Executive Secretary Biate Ram Synod, Assam/Meghalaya. While stressing the intensity of violence in the North East India and the Churches significant roles in the society, Dr. Basaiawmoit made a bolt statement saying “the 21st Century Indian Church looks up to the NEI, as NIE learns to live with violence” Highlighting various issues on violence perpetuated in the North East by various agencies such as the intertribal conflicts, insurgency, various patterns of denial of justice due to failure of law and order by the Government, structural violence of caste and patriarchal system, etc. The Keynote address provoked the church leaders with multiple challenges and guided the floor in perspectives for Peace initiatives. In the light of the recent brutal conflict in Biate Ram Synod Constituent, the moderator of this session had raised a crucial issue on the atrocities and violence perpetuated by the State authority and the response of the Church towards this. After intense and serious discussions, by 5:30 pm, the 1st day of consultation came to a close with delicious dinner.  

The Second Day of Consultation began with devotion led by Rev. Vanmawia, Senior Executive Secretary, Manipur Presbyterian Synod. Rev. Awala Longkhumer, former Executive Secretary, Commission on Tribal and North East India Concerns, the NCCI delivered a challenging message through Bible Study from a select text on Mark 1:40-45. Positing the leprosy as the context of oppression, Rev. Awala cited many untold stories of atrocities and oppression within the NEI and urged the church leaders to realize the urgent task in bringing healing to the people of the NEI by playing prophetic roles in our ministry today.

Soon after the Bible Study, the floor was set for series of Panel discussions. The first Panel discussion was on “Violation of Human Rights within the NEI Context” and the Panel leader was Ms. Fanella Lyngdoh Nonglait, Professor of Law College, Shillong. Ms. Fanella gave a comprehensive understanding of the meaning of Human Rights and its implications for the NEI. The Panelists were Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, Principal, Aizawl Theological College, Rev. Dr. H. Chongloi, Professor, Trulock Theological Seminary, Manipur, Adv. Alin Kamei Rongmei, member of CLA, Nagaland. Each panelist spoke from various perspectives. Dr. Roger succinctly raised the relevant of the terms Human Rights, which to him a bit vague and suggested the usage of ‘peoples’ rights’ on the basis of each community’s rights and their own human dignities. He also emphasized the important of the right understanding of “Rights” within the frame works of ‘duties’. If Rights were understood correctly without coercing force (as often found in Global terrorist combat and also within the NEI inter-tribe conflicts), much of the violence and violation of Human Rights could have been avoided and averted, which is ultimately the basic principal of our Christian teachings too. Rev. Dr. H. Chongloi speaking from the specific Manipur context informed the Church leaders the intensity of Human Rights violation in his home state. AFSPA 1958 continued to be the major cause of violence as though the Prime Minister of India suggested to have a more humane form of AFSPA 1958, but it remains a billion question for the victims of AFSPA…! Adv. Alin Kamei Rongmei strongly suggested that the church should be well equipped with legal awareness of our rights and duties in order to defend and works for the peoples’ rights, each community without infringing other’s rights.

The second panel discussion was held under the topic “Violence and Socio-Politico-Economic Scenario in the NEI” led by Rev. Dr. Edwin Kharkonger, Registrar, Martin Luther Christian University, Shillong. The panelists were Rev. Dr. Vanlalchhuanawma, Vice-Principal, Aizawl Theological College, Mizoram, Mr. Amrit Kr. Goldsmith, President, CBCNEI, Guwahati and Rev. Dr. S. Chongloi, Professor, Trulock Theological College, Manipur. Identifying the identity crises as one of the major important issues for the people of the NEI and while acknowledging the patronizing, condescending and shielding approach of the Central Government of India Rev. Dr. Vanalalchhuanawma stated that “…violence in NEI is mostly caused by the problem-parents not of the problem-child….”. To address the inter-tribal identity crises due to various reasons among the NEI peoples, Dr. Vanlalchhuanawma strongly suggested that the Church Unity (organic pattern) within the NE Indian churches could be one of the most important instruments to bring Unity among the inter-tribes as this Unity could bring in a better understanding and harmony among the peoples of the NEI. Mr. Amrit Kr. Goldsmith while exposing the harsh reality of Economic backwardness of the region on the one hand but on the other hand he also cautioned the people of the NEI to be watchful with the Look East Economic Policy of the Central Government as the policy implies various socio-cultural and political changes for the region in order to implement the policy in its true sense. Mr. Goldsmith urged the Church not to be a silent spectator but to actively involve and be a watchdog in the Government policy in order to be a true steward for the society. While narrating the crude reality of the undeveloped stage of the region in various aspects, Rev. Dr. Chongloi emphasized the specific difficulties in the area of communication, which in fact is a shame for the Nation in the era of electronic communication. This lack of communication too came as a hindrance in sharing our North East problems and common concerns from each other as well as to the wider communities within and outside our country. To add to our misery, certain areas are branded as disturbed areas and often communications are barred. Dr. Chongloi thus raised crucial questions saying “is this not a socio-violation of our rights?”… “what keeps the problems of NEI problems today?”

The Third Panel discussions was held soon after lunch break on a topic “Biblical, Theological and Church’s Response to Violence for Peace Initiative” under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Solomon Rongpi, Secretary, Commission on Unity, Mission and Evangelism, NCCI. The panelists are Rev. R. Lalnunzira, Lecturer, Academy of Integrated Christian Studies, Aizawl, Mizoram, Ms. Ladbasuk Lyngdoh, Lecturer, John Robert’s Theological Seminary, Shillong, Meghalaya and Mr. Marishang Chitung, Lecturer, John Robert’s Theological Seminary, Shillong, Meghalaya. Rev. Lalnunzira, speaking from the Christian Ethical perspective challenged the church leaders to critically look into the forms and patterns of violence and systematically unwind the structures of violence perpetuated in the church and society. He also urged the church leaders to take serious note of their responsibilities as peace-makers while adopting comprehensive and integrated methods of peace building with sensitivity towards harmony among the Christian traditions, inter-faiths, eco-justice, etc. Mrs. Ladbasuk Lyngdoh, while making an in-depth study of the term violence in the New Testament writings, she stated that responding violence with violent will only endorse violence. While responding to the multiple-violence in the North East, with specific reference to inter-tribal conflicts Mrs. Lyngdoh maintained that Tribal/Ethnic-consciousness should never come in the way in establishing peace in the society. While looking at the peace building process from a Christian theological perspective, Mr. Marishang Chitung emphasized that peace within the NEI context cannot be achieved by our narrow understanding of individual salvation but by social transformation which can be met with community salvation. As the peoples of the NEI believe in a communitarian system of life, it is therefore important that the church’s activities towards peace building also should be in patterns of community ethos which practically away from the western theological and philosophical approach of individualism.

In the light of the Panel discussions there were four major issues taken up for the group discussions, such as;
1. How do we understand identities (ethnic, youth, women, children) in the light of Human Rights violations in the NEI?
2. How do we understand the intrinsic relationship of development and violation of the local peoples’ rights in the NEI?
3. How do understand the Christian Stewardship in our attempts to bring peace within the NEI context?
4. How do we go along with the Government when it comes to claiming back our rights through our Constitutional Rights (Economic-Health-Education-Development-Political, etc.)

The third day began with a Bible study by Rev. H.C. Vankairinga, Faculty, Academy of Integrated Christian Studies, Aizawl, Mizoram base on the Texts John 20:19 – 23 and Matthew 28: 16 - 20. Dwelling on the select texts, Rev. Vankairinga emphasized the crux of the Mission of God in three dimensions. To quote in length “… being, doing and telling the good news. That being corresponds to what the Bible calls koinonia (fellowship), the doing to the biblical diakonia (service) and the telling to the biblical kerykma (preaching). We evangelize through being the good news, doing the good news and telling the good news. Therefore, the protection of human rights is a task of us all, which always includes those three aspects of life, love and lips.”

Bible study was followed by presentation of the draft statement with action plan by Rev. Dr. Roger Gaikwad, leader of the drafting committee and was moderated by Rev. Dr. P.B.M. Basaiawmoit and Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi. With care and commitment the draft statement was discussed and accepted. A three-day consultation came to an end with the closing worship under the leadership of Rev. N. Sandywell Phawa, Secretary, NEICC, Shillong. Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi mentioned the Vote of Thanks to all the participants, the church leaders of the NEI and to the Local Host, the PCI, Shillong.                                        
            

Post script: The Pre-consultation committee on Peace and Justice Meeting, The Presbyterian Church of India was held before noon, before the Consultation began at the same venue at The PCI Headquarters where the two secretaries of the NCCI, Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi and Rev. Dr. Solomon Rongpi were invited to say greetings and stay for a while for a brief sharing of the ministry of NCCI. The Peace and Justice Committee members of the PCI and the NCCI secretaries found this committee as a good platform to share our common concerns. Rev. D.C. Haia, the Executive Secretary, Biate Ram Synod, Assam/Meghalaya shared his experienced with the NCCI visit to the recently violence inflicted area of the North Cachar Hill tribes in Assam/Meghalaya. He expressed his earnest desire to hear the positive response from the NCCI Headquaters concerning their crises. The Committee was happy to have the Secretaries of the COT and the COU of the NCCI in their midst and they have conveyed their trust and their hopes to have a closer working relationship with the NCCI. The same hope and trust is reciprocated from the NCCI especially to response to the crises in the North East India without delay.

Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi
Secretary, Commission on Tribal/Adivasi