From across the land of the Nagas, we converged at Kütsapo village from 160 prayer centers, churches, various Naga cultural bodies, gaon boras, Naga political groups, civil society organisations, state and public leaders and citizens, from 16 to 18 February, 2024, to pray and listen to the voice of God. We acknowledge and confess that Nagas have disobeyed God, individually and collectively. Our story points to structural realities of hate and rage, of pride and exclusion, of justification and isolation, and of self-preservation and rejection. For this, we repent before God and submit to His will.
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At this determining moment, Kütsapo Village known for its unyielding defense of Naga history, has become the occasion for renewal of faith in God. There will be no forward journey out of the darkness of faith for the Nagas without a people willing to live and work together out of this present condition. The passing into liberation begins with humans. This forward journey involves all people who make up the Naga nation — a journey all-encompassing where no one is left out.
To this end, the Kütsapo gathering proclaims the following regarding:
THE MISSION OF LIBERATING THE NAGA SPIRIT, the Kütsapo gathering acknowledges the wounded Naga nation is sick and stuck as it cries for liberation. Recognising that liberation always begins from within, we commit to discerning and correcting ourselves from within in order to mend divisions and nurture a renewed, healthy, and intact Naga peoplehood.
IN OUR JOURNEY TO NAGA RECONCILIATION, we uphold the “Covenant of Reconciliation” signed on 13 June 2009, through which violence ceased among the Naga political groups. We will continue to uphold this in words and actions. With this common sense of belonging, the Naga public calls on the Naga political groups to sincerely find ways to enter into genuine relationships of cooperation.
FOR PEACE AND HARMONY TO PREVAIL, and in order to transform to being self-determining people of free will, we call upon the Government of India to revoke building fences that separates the people of same cultural groups. We further urge the GoI to peacefully consummate the Naga political issue with dignity and respect that is founded on Naga historical and political rights.
APPEAL TO ALL THE CHURCHES ACROSS NAGA-LAND to humbly pray for peaceful resolution, reconciliation and unity, and the rebuilding of the Naga homeland.
TOWARDS REGENERATING CULTURAL VALUES, our appeal is holistic in nature that values reconnecting with our deep cultural values, the land, and our way of life. We recognize how structural violence has institutionalized many conditions leading to corruption and impunity which are eroding our quality of life. We can become whole again by uniting to bring healing through a shared vision of Naga peoplehood.
We, the people gathered here raise our hands to publicly affirm and adopt The Kütsapo Proclamation on February 18, 2024.
(Nagas from all across the Naga land convened from February 16-18, 2024 under ‘Nurturing Naga Peoplehood’ with the theme ‘Liberating the Naga Spirit organised by Naga Shisho Hoho and Forum for Naga Reconciliation.)
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