KOHIMA, Feb 21 � The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) and the Peace Coalition of North East India (PCNI) have called for �forgiveness�, �reconciliation� and peaceful resolution of the ongoing communal conflict in Tuensang district.
Lamenting that tensions continue in spite of �attempts� made by the church to diffuse the situation, the church organisations in a statement on Thursday appealed to all stakeholders to �consider any appropriate action that will lead to a solution that is credible, peaceful and timely for the sake of posterity.�
The Church body also called upon all contending parties to refrain from further violence.
The NBCC in order to strengthen and coordinate peace initiatives in the interior district of the State, has formed a committee while also assigning various constituent associations to visit the two communities �with the message of forgiveness and reconciliation.�
In a separate release, PCNI appealed for peace amongst the �conflicting parties� in Tuensang.
�Violence begets only violence and that there were no victors in violent conflicts. Peacefully resolving problems through mutual dialogue and fostering the Christian spirit of peace is the way to resolving any dispute in sustainable manner,� it said.
The PCNI also appealed to the district administration and concerned departments, civil societies, and churches to do all they can to prevent recurrence of such conflicts and mediate on the issues to restore normalcy and better understanding among the different conflicting communities.
Mention may be made here that the situation in the district has been volatile since November last year over a plot of land while three persons, including two teenagers have been killed and properties damaged in the conflict between Chang and Yimchugru tribes. � PTI
