Guwahati: The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum (NJCF) has observed that the recent formation of the North East Christian Forum here has failed to take the Church into confidence, and has, on the contrary, created more confusion rather than addressing pertinent issues concerning the region.
“To say the least, it is wrongly motivated and NJCF urges the Church to stay alert because in the name of the forum, the Church will be divided in the region,” NJCF president Rev. Dr Zelhou Keyho has said.
“The NJCF is not part of the North East Christian Forum, which must have been formed without the church leaders in the region. Though the intention of the formation is not known, one can safely assume that it is done by a certain group of people who are not part of any of the forums in the region,” Dr Keyho said.
“The NJCF would also like to clarify and put it on record that the North East Christian Forum is not even part of the United Christian Forum of North East India (UCFNEI),” he said.
“Be it known to the Church that the formation of the North East Christian Forum has failed to take the church into confidence and has created more confusion than solving the pertinent issues facing the region. To say the least, it is wrongly motivated and NJCF urges the Church to stay alert because in the name of the forum, the Church will be divided in the region,” the NJCF president said.
Dr Keyho, who is also the general secretary of the Nagaland Baptist Church Council, said, “Individuals cannot just form a forum for their own religio-socio-politico agenda. The theme of the formation of the forum, “Call to Oneness,” though beautiful in presentation, can also be divisive in nature. The word “Christian” is used to confuse the region where the Church remains strong and united.”
“Let us be reminded that recently the Church in the region was blamed as instrumental in false conversion by those who are trying to suppress freedom of religion and expression of faith,” he stated.
“The very mechanism and authority that are supposed to be defending the rights of the citizens in the region are creating confusion and playing the double standard tactics which is in fact very unfortunate,” he added.
“On the eve of the formation of the forum they remain silent to the false accusation and what right do they possess to form a forum calling for unity?” Dr Keyho said.
He further said that UCFNEI, comprising all the major religious bodies, has just come out strong against the “false allegations” of false conversions labeled against the region.
“At this time of confusion, the leaders of the region should come out clean rather than try to appease people with the hidden agenda of the big brothers who are trying to suppress the diversity of socio-religio fabric of the region. The strength of the region lies not in unity and oneness alone but in diversity and respect,” he said.
“People in the Northeast have always opposed the imposition of value systems, divisive thinking (tactics) and narrow-mindedness that are alien to our collective ethos. We have always believed in harmony, cooperation, warm-hearted relationships and our mind has always been inclusive,” the UCFNEI had stated earlier.
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