National Seminar on Conflict Transformation, Peace and Ethnic Divide begins
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 03, 2013: A two-day long ICSSR (New Delhi)-sponsored National Seminar on 'Conflict Transformation, Peace and Ethnic Divide in India's Northeast: The Context of Recent Trends' has begun from today at S.Kula Women's College, Nambol.

The seminar is being organized by the department of Political Science of the college.

The inaugural function of the seminar was graced by Prof..NLokendra Singh, Registrar of Manipur University as Chief Guest; Dr L.Birendrakumar Singh, Principal of the college as President and Prof.Rakesh Batabyal, Dy.

Director of ASC, JNU, New Delhi; M.Ibohal Singh, former Principal of Nambol L.Sanaoi College and Vice President of GB, SKWC and N.Ibomcha Singh, Secretary, GB, SKWC as Guests of Honour.

On the occasion, the Chief Guest also released two books as hardback and ebook titled "Conflict Transformation, Peace and Ethnic Divide in India's Northeast: The Context of Recent Trends" authored by Dr L.Muhindro Singh along with compendium of the seminar.

Giving the keynote address, Dr L.Muhindro Singh, convener of the seminar said, within this pandemonium of conflicts appearing in the India's northeast, this seminar is attempted to accentuate different views and the way how ethnic assertions are becoming a prime target of all the ethnic groups.

All the peoples are living in a very insecure life where umpteen vexatious issues dominant people mindset.

Besides it is also attempted to relook the matters of territorial integrity, autonomous, alternative arrangement, homeland, sovereignty.

In these backdrops, day by day ethnic assertion and ethnic politics assimilated to even in minor issues and eventually distrust atmosphere appeared.

As a measure to resolve conflicting issues Government of India has been taken up peace process in many stages, but still it is a big question that how far both the counterpart have sincere to resolve the matter through a, amicable and acceptable to all the ethnic groups.

It is witnessing, increased autonomy for ethnically defined areas and groups has frequently been proposed as a solution to problems of insurgency and, as a policy, it has been implemented in several cases.

In the welcome address, N.Ibomcha Singh, Secy of GB.

.SKula Women's College mentioned that Day by day, distrust attitude is also seemingly serious in the recent past.

It is predictable that it will undergo until an acceptable solution to all the ethnics is arrived in the state as well as in the north east.

In such unrest and mistrust situation the core theme of the seminar attempts to find out a proper mechanism to analyze dynamics of peace process and subsequent effect in different ethnic groups in India's northeast.

Manipur has emerged as a conflict zone with the elites of the three struggling communities competing and contesting to carve out their exclusive political space through ethnic mobilization.

Addressing the gatherings, Prof.Rakesh Batbyal, Dy Director, JNU, as guest of honur said that the Indian intellectuals and the leaders of the nascent Indian nationalist movement did not like this appellation at all.

They argued that though it is a geographical experience, it would become a nation.

It had a politics.

Within this conflict situation Prof..NLokendra, Registrar, Manipur University reiterated the needs of understanding the situation far from ethnic perception otherwise the issues may not be resolvable.

In his presidential speech, Dr L.Birendrakumar drew attention that Conflict in India's Northeast is one of the vital issues.

Strategically this region is very important in the sense that it is sharing border with forgin countries like China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

In the mist of pandemonium state of affairs, ethnic-conflict creates a situation where ethnic minorities and even the state authorities feel insecure to administer appropriately adding another dimension to the conflict.

As a guest speaker Prof.Rakesh argued that Manipur, or for that matter the entire North east, is a crucible of that test where the link between geography and Nation shows myriad pathways.

The histories and politics of the region provide both ironic and tragic ways in which this link was tried to be established.

He attempts to invoke an intellectual engagement with politics so that new meanings can be gleaned and inserted into the present state of hopelessly tragic situation.

In the first technical session, Prof.Rakes Batbayal chair the session and Prof.Rajendra Khestri, Nagaland University and Dr..R.KTamphasana Devi, GP Women's College presented their papers.

Prof.Rajendra pointed out that in a multi-ethnic society; it is quite natural that differences in value-judgements and perceptions among the members of different ethnic groups exist.

Conflicts of both violent and non-violent type between the groups are also bound to occur.

The social tensions and conflicts between the ethnic groups may successfully be resolved through various social mechanism evolved by the society.

On the other Dr R.K Tamphasana observed some view from the perspective of lessons of negotiating conflict over claims for commons from modern Canadian history.

Second session was chaired by Prof.Rajendra Kshetri and six resource persons presented their papers in different themes.

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