In a remote area of Northeast India, in Aboi town in Nagaland, a Peace Rally was held on Monday, June 18, 2018. This could be such a small event that nobody would notice. But it shows that in many places around the world, far from the eyes of the global press, people express their hopes for peace and give voice against those who in their names use violence.
Nagaland has been engaged in a long struggle against the government of India from the late-1940s onward. Many times the struggle has been intensely violent, and Naga insurgent groups have split repeatedly fighting each other as well as Indian troops. That story along with the various peace initiatives is told in greater detail in Dan Buttry’s Peace Warrior.
On Father’s Day weekend the main Naga faction (NSCN-K) that has not been continuing in the peace process ambushed and killed a number of Indian troops. Local people from the Naga Koyak sub-tribe, the same tribe as most of those in NSCN-K, spoke out with signs such as “We Want Peace” and “Father’s Day with Tears in Aboi.”
Part of making peace comes from the communities in the center of struggles who reject the legitimacy of the violent voices being raised in their name.
For more, click here to read the article about the Aboi rally in the Nagaland Post.
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