NBCC holds prayer meet with NSCN (I-M) leadership

DIMAPUR, OCT 23 (NPN) : A 25-member Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (NBCC) delegation led by its president Rev Dr Hukashe Zhimomi and general secretary Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho called on NSCN (I-M) chairman Q Tuccu and held a prayer meeting with the outfit's leaders at Tuccu’s residence on Monday.
According to a statement issued by the council later, the delegation conveyed to the NSCN (I-M) chairman that the need of the hour was unity among all factions so that the final accord is signed to avoid bloodshed and confrontation.
The statement further clarified that NBCC’s main purpose of meeting the NSCN (I-M) leaders was to let them know that the Church was praying for them, for wisdom, for understanding and for guidance. And that in any given situation, the Church would continue to stand above the solution and pray that unity and mutual understanding prevailed among the leaders in particular and the Nagas in general, the statement added.
Explaining that the council had set out on a mission to pray for Naga political leaders and organisations for unity and reconciliation, which would also give a positive boost to the pursuit of signing the final accord, NBCC general secretary told the NSCN (I-M) leaders that Naga public was weary and anxious with so much speculations going around.
He added that it was the leaders who, in the name of God, could dispel all such thoughts from the hearts of the people and lead them in the right direction.
Noting that perhaps the Naga people were experiencing the silence of God because God wanted them to be strong in prayers and go according to His will, Keyho said the Church had not given up its prayer for peace, understanding, unity, reconciliation and forgiveness among Naga people for it was only through God that Naga people would get deliverance.
He remarked that as followers of Christ, Naga people must follow the teachings of the Bible. Else, it would be like tearing away pages of the Bible, if Naga people had to give up repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation and unity, he added.
Tuccu regretted that civil societies had not done enough to bring unity among the factions and remained a divided house, even as he assured that he would go as per the voice of the people as the struggle was a people’s movement.
He said before any final accord was signed, people’s views and opinions would be taken as he was aware that conflict was not what the Naga people wanted.
Tuccu said he was hopeful that the bottlenecks would be resolved amicably between the Naga negotiators and Government of India (GoI) with mutual understanding in the next formal talks to avoid any bloodshed, which would pave the way for permanent peace in the region.
Appreciating the effort of NBCC, the NSCN (I-M) chairman remarked that all Naga people should pray for early solution, hoping that the NBCC initiative would be fruitful in bringing about a long-felt need of unity and reconciliation among Naga groups. 
Emissary to NSCN (I-M) collective leadership, VS Atem, stressed that the matter be resolved through understanding and acceptance and said no one could suppress the Naga people if they were one. Welcoming the humility with which NBCC was praying for the cause of Naga people, he pointed out that Church was the right platform to exercise the prophetic word of God and that people must live according to proclamation of Christianity.
Naga people must understand one another and not be defiant but have to be truthful to themselves, to one another and to God because a Nation could not be build on the foundation of falsehood, Atem added.
Easter Swu, wife of late Isak Chishi Swu, and Ikato Chishi Swu, CNC general secretary, who were present at the prayer programme, also spoke on the need of unity of Naga people. Stating that everything was possible through the will of God, they urged the people and the Church to continually pray for the Nagas.