The Angami Baptist Church Council on Saturday appealed to NSCN (IM) and other groups to refrain from any more bloodshed whatever the outcome of the Naga talks may be.
The church made the appeal while sensing the “fragile situation” as the talks between Centre and NSCN (IM) as well as seven Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) is moving towards a closure.
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Executive director of Angami Baptist Church Council V Atsi Dolie said, “Violence begets violence and history’s verdict must not be that the Naga struggle destroyed the people for whom it was launched.”
He said life belongs to God and no one has the authority to take away someone’s life.
Quoting the Old Testament, the church said there were no sanctuaries to flee to, not even the altar of God, for those who committed premeditated or deliberate murder because murder is a direct challenge to God’s sole authority over life.
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The church body said it stands by the Bible and that it will not tolerate taking away someone’s life, even if that be a humanly justifiable one.
Noting that it is undeniable that the Naga society is angry with almost everything, the church body said even a call for prayer and fasting by the church is possibly resented.
“But that could be very true for some people because it is not easy to pray for the welfare of those who mercilessly killed loved ones and made our land unliveable,” the church observed.
Dishonesty, betrayal, trust deficit and greed have taken a huge toll on the Naga society, it said.
“We cannot expect a good outcome while all the inputs in the process are dirty and evil. Consequences and ideas expressed in actions are interrelated,” it added.
It said while some are busy trying to arrive at inking a deal, it is possible that some others may be waiting for the opportune time to unleash their anger which has been suppressed for so long.
The church cautioned the Nagas that if they allow themselves to the dictate of their human desire and revengeful spirit then they may be at the threshold of the worst moment of their history.