Third Historic North East India Indigenous Women Peace Congregation held
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 26 2020: With the theme, "Working Towards Our Collective Peace, Justice and Our Rights", the Third Historic North East India Indigenous Women Peace Congregation was held online via zoom at the backdrop of a global pandemic where indigenous women of North East India and the world gathered to share experiences, lessons and to adopt resolutions for their future on November 21 .

The peace congregation was organized by the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, North East India Women Initiative for Peace & The Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice & Peace.

The congregation saw the gathering of over 51 indigenous scholars, practitioners and women rights activists from eight States of North East India and also from around the world including indigenous women leaders from America, Peru, Japan, Philippines and Bangladesh.

Laishram Niketan, a story teller and a pena player from Manipur performed a beautiful song called 'Yakairol' meaning awakening song at the inaugural session of the peace congregation.

Binalakshmi Nepram, founder of Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and the convener of the peace congregation gave the opening remarks narrating the importance of how she and many others in North East India Women Initiative for Peace started the First Women Peace Congregation in March 2015 in Imphal followed by the second congregation in August 2016 in Guwahati with the aim to ensure that women of North East India are made equal stakeholders in peace and conflict resolution processes" to bring lasting peace in the region.

She added "North East India has been torn by seven decades" of armed conflict where over 50,000 people have been killed" .

She reiterated that lasting peace can come when women are made a part of the efforts.

The keynote speech of the peace congregation was given by Professor Elsa Stamatopoulou, Columbia University where she stated, "Indigenous women have bravely taken up the role of mediators and peace builders and have sought to address these issues at the local, National and international levels.

At the United Nations, indigenous women have been advocates and leaders since the very first year of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982 in Geneva.

Indigenous women were active participants and contributors during the two decades of negotiations regarding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which was adopted by the General Assembly in 2007" .

Professor Stamatopoulou further stated that the struggles of indigenous peoples are embraced by International Law and that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) is a major normative framework for preventing and solving conflicts that contains a number of significant articles where it says that military activities shall not take place in territories of indigenous people unless justified by relevant public interest or requested by indigenous people concerned and that States shall make effective consultations through appropriate procedures, especially representative institutions of indigenous people, prior to using lands for military activities.

Indigenous people shall not be forcibly removed, no relocation will take place without free, prior and informed consent, and agreement on just and fair compensation; indigenous people have the right to redress by means that can include restitution, and just, fair, equitable compensation for lands and resources.

She concluded her speech by stating "Resistance, persistence, resilience, vision for life" are the four words that embrace indigenous women's struggles for peace Important sharing was also done by indigenous women and men scholars and community peace workers from all across the Northeast and around the world that included Tarcila Rivera Zea, an eminent indigenous woman leader from Peru, Professor Lalneihzovi from Mizoram University, Homen Thangjam from Indira Gandhi National tribal University, Ima Lourembam Nganbi noted Meira Paibi woman leader from Manipur, Adine from Non-Violence International Southeast Asia and Pradip Phanjaobam, noted media personality from Manipur among others attended the congregation.

The online historic peace congregation concluded with a melodious Tangkhul folk song by Chonshimlan Huileng, a class X student from Ukhrul.

The vote of thanks was given by Reena from Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network.

The congregation recognized the 116 year old women's movement in Manipur and North East region that started with First Nupi Lan or Women's War of 1904 against British colonial rule, followed by the Second Women's War of 1939 and the setting up of the legendary Meira Paibis in 1980s following the start of counter-insurgency operations.

They also recognized the historic work done by Naga Mothers Association, Kuki Mothers Association and many others who paved the way for the emergence of a strong indigenous women's movement in North East India.

The congregation also adopted many new resolutions at the historic convening.

Some of the important resolution includes to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for North East India to investigation all forms of death, disappearances and acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing of indigenous people from North East India since 1949 till date, to recognize racial, gender" and environmental violence, population engineering, distortion of our histories, cultures, languages, rituals and indigenous ways of life and indigenous faith in our region and find ways to protect these, acknowledge the rising violence against indigenous women and girls, arms and narco-trafficking and call for the setting up of an anti-racial law to stop racial violence against indigenous peoples of North East India and call to repeal the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act passed in Dec 2019 as this Act also impacts and discriminates indigenous peoples among others.

The Women Congregation also recognized that the Armed Forces Special Powers' Act has been continuously imposed in the North East region since 1958 and that its removal will be the greatest Confidence building measure that the Government of India can do to the people of North East India.

Sincere efforts must be made to demilitarize the region so people and children of North East India can grow up in a peaceful, nurturing environment.

The congregation is also launching the "Demilitarise, Indigenous Territories North East India", "Lay Down Your Arms" campaign.

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