Denominational Migration - 10.10.10

The 10.10.10 event of KBC (No.1) has not come as a big surprise to many of us. As this was already written on the walls. (walls - local newspapers, kukiforum, etc.). This is what I would like to christen as the "denominational migration" - a rare characteristics of Christianity among the Kukis.

10.10.10 is rather the result of what was churning and storming within KBC in last few months/years. In military parlance this was nothing short of a mutiny though liberationists will view this as victory/liberation. Bottomline is change; change is taking place in our Churches as well and if we go by history, no force ever withstood the brute force of change.

The recent most denominational migration occurred early this year within the fold of ECA when ECA Tuinom unanimously embraced KCC. Enabling factors and forces for this one probably has some resemblances with that of 10.10.10. This may interest some of our future doctorates as a researchable thesis.

Though some yardsticks behind or ahead of the larger society, Kuki community today is experiencing change at the grassroots. This permeates religion, tradition and relations within and around us.

At the Christianity front the Kuki Worship Service (KWS) has already piloted a potential alternative as a sustainable model for a community affected by violent conflicts, poverty stricken population less than 10 lac grappling to overcome internal divides and differences that threatens our identity and any effort of nation-building.

Probably, time is ripe to seriously consider initiating KWSs in our own backyards -Manipur, Assam and Nagaland.

KWS (Guwahati) CHURCH DEDICATED

Oct 3 (Sunday): Rev.Dino L TouthangChairman, AIKWSCC dedicated the beautiful KWS Church at Chachal, VIP Road in the august presence of leaders and representatives of KSWs, local Churches, members and other invitees.

Established on the 4th of January, 1998, KWS(G), a non-denominational Fellowship initiated by Kuki Students Organisation Guwahati, grew from strength to strength by the grace of God. In 12 years time, the membership has grown from 120 in 1998 to 400 in 2010, and 4(Four) missionaries are being sponsored by the Church as on date. The Church Building construction which started with the turn of the new millennium in 2000, received continuous outpouring of contributions and prayer support from various quarters and God’s amazing work unveiled magnificently for all of us to rejoice and celebrate on the 3rd of Oct., 2010, when the Church was rightly dedicated to the glory of God.

An election of a different kind in KSO history...

IMPHAL, Nov 18: The Kuki Students Organisation has elected Peter Holkhomang Mate and Lalrobul Pudaite as president and general secretary respectively for the students body for the term 2009-11 in its election held today at the Kuki Inn Imphal.

A press release of the KSO said the election was participated by electorates from seven students organisations namely the Gangte Students Organisation, Mizo Zillai Pawl, Zillai, Zoumi Sangnaupang, KOREM Students Union, Hmar Students Association, Khangthah Zun Pawl, Thadou Kuki Students Organisation and KSO branches and blocks.

In an election of the students' body held today at Kuki Inn here, Jangkhomang Baite and Semhao Khongsai were also elected as the vice-president and finance secretary respectively.

The standing committee of the KSO has entrusted elected members of the students' body to appoint other vacant posts of the organisation within the end of this month.

The apex Kuki students' body was formed in 1963 with the motto, 'learn, unite, and march.' The election held today was the 28th general election of the students' body.

68 voters have cast their votes today.

A radical musing on some Root Causes, Ice Berg and Problem Tree of The Kuki Society; by Mangneo Lhungdim

A radical musing on some Root Causes, Ice Berg and Problem Tree of The Kuki Society; by Mangneo Lhungdim

“I am delighted to read “Kuki Nampi Ekhehsuhnao” a very rarely discussed topic such as this has featured after a long time in the forum” Note: I wrote this small article in response to the discussion initiated by Mangboi Haokip on “KUKI NAMPI EKHEHSUHNAO..!!” on kukiforum

What Is Our Favorite past Time?
Politics has constantly topped the topics discussed in the kukiforum for last 1-2 years and while many of us are trigger-happy netters reacting instantly on issues of politics, of accusations, of counter-accusations and even stressing the discussions over personal trifle issues, but sadly whenever any discussion is initiated on socio-economic (poverty dynamics, village governance, NGOs, role of the Church, role of village chiefs, etc.) there are no takers.

With due respect to the sentiments of the forum members and the objectives guiding the forum founders; I would suggest we start addressing/discussing some of the common root causes of all the ‘problems’ we today live with. Experiences (history) tell us that many of our present problems are actually mere effects of the core or the tip of the iceberg. We should try understanding the “core” or the “iceberg” rather than struggling at the “effects/tips.”

Mangboi Haokip has started on the right note by listing/analyzing some of the causes - Corruption, lack of honest leaders, public mindset, and education. And mind you, this is not the entirety of the iceberg yet. If we are to construct a tree/iceberg using all the issues/problems afflicting our society as building blocs, ours will be no different from many counterparts in South Asia.

Be Grounded
My personal orientation is in redirecting all our efforts in identifying the micro-issues and thereby tackling them through micro level solutions and it does not take a Nobel laureate, social scientist/economist or a bigwig politician to do this. All it needs is the village women/men coming together in Self Help/Cooperative platforms to manage their local issues. There are handful of examples “success stories” in India and neighboring South Asian countries where communities have come out from the vicious cycle of abject poverty, conflicts/insurgency and, from all the forces Mangboi Haokip and Jesse John mentioned.

Once we are able to manage our micro level problems, most of the larger issues will find appropriate solutions through a spiraling effect. Well, few contentious macro issues such as the Kuki identity, Kuki autonomy or unification, re-unification do not really affect immediately the rozi roti (daily bread) of the common Kuki householder, while the family has to survive every single day on these basic needs.

Whose Issues and Whose Priority?
What issues/needs/aspirations would top if a common Kuki householder was asked to rank his priorities today? The householder who mortgaged his only livelihood (pension book, plot of land) away to the money lender, the widows of Naga-Kuki/Paite-Kuki conflict whose entire struggle is to feed her virtually-orphaned kids, the faceless Eimi boys in various Manipuri Hotels serving you mira mirch (Vegetarian dishes), the marginal Eimi farmer whose harvest is destroyed by Mautam, the thousands of landless Kukis who still languish under the dictates of whimsical hereditary ‘village chiefs’, the above average child in every family whose only dream is to study in a good college away from the killing field, etc….

All that the majority Kuki populace would list will be an overwhelmed BASIC NEEDS. And that’s it!

DFID’s paper on “Ending Poverty in India” categories the country into three Indias: The Global India, the Developing India and Poorest India. (http://www.dfid.gov.uk/consultations/three-indias.pdf) Whether one likes it served hot or cold, the Kuki society today is categorized into these similar classes in which more than 90 % population would fall under the third category. What is more appalling unfortunately is that few privileged Kukis have become so insensitive to the grassroots issues of Kuki village and are blatantly hogging the limelight with perceived ‘Kuki Issues/problems’ that do not touch-base with the priorities of the majority.

At the Church’s front
The Church in Kuki society has always stood behind the society during thick and thin and more than once rose to the occasions even in situations where civil administration, politicians, and social scientists failed miserably to dispense their legal duties. The first Theology College, the first Christian hospital, (KCC) the first state level development NGO, the first Peacebuilding institute (KBC), and so on and so forth…. though we can further improve by a thousand yard on this front. We may have a number rather too many denominations for a below 8 lakhs population in which most of the smaller denominations are overshadowed by bigger biggies like the KCC, KBC, ECA, TBA etc.

In other local churches like the Presbytery, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army, Seventh Day Adventists etc., social services /community development is given equal importance to that of evangelism. As such, through their social development departments these congregations create community assets, livelihoods, responds to humanitarian relief, health, education, all the way winning though both hearts and bodies.

All is not lost; but nothing is there
Yes, all is not lost if we survived thus far. Many Kuki development initiatives have been put in place at the micro level innovative and clusters approach that are working steadily and stealthily in improving access, livelihoods, create models, and motivate communities as strongly as the strong current blowing against such initiatives. Mentionable leading grassroots workers are Pu Thangsei, Pu Lamkhomang, Pu Thongsei, Pu Sem Haokip, Pu Zamlal & Pu Jamhen, Pu Thenkhogin, Pu Paojalen, Sangamuon Inn mothers, and hundred more women and men The yeoman’s’ services contributed by the above persons through their various not-for-profit organizations deserve to be acknowledged by the larger society. They can be role models for the younger generation for a sustainable Kuki nation.

We are said to be inflicted with the Bihari delima, Bihar like the NE is notoriously famous for all the wrong reasons - daylight murder, violation of rule of law, goondagiri, caste wars, corruptions etc. and at the same time is the janma bhoomi (breeding ground) of the bestest of civil servants, diplomats, politicians, scientists, and freedom fighters. Similarly the Kukis, despite being a minority (with not even a single ‘Kuki district’) in Manipur, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura or even in Myanmar, Bangladesh has produced the largest civil servants, diplomats, police officers, central servicemen, doctors, engineers, nurses, researchers and pastors.

While the society has also produced a surprisingly silent tribe of ‘development professionals’ whose expertise and resources remained under utilized both human and financial and they includes Rev. Dino Touthang, Paul Touthang, Hethong Haokip, Thongmang Kipgen, Kim Kipgen, Jamkholal Lhungdim, and few more names including the author himself.

What is not there?
Coordination, willingness to leave aside personal ego and saying in unison: “let’s do it for the nation/society”
For further reading:• Two Myths that keep the world poor: http://www.awakenedwoman.com/shiva_poverty_myths.htm
• Mountains Common: changing space & status at community levels in Himalayas (ICIMOD) http://www.indiana.edu/~iascp/bali/papers/Jodha_Narpat.pdf
• The Asia & Pacific Forum on Poverty: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Presentations/Health/AP-Forum-on-Poverty-J-Hunt.pdf
• The Kuki People; By PS Haokip http://www.kukiforum.com/whatsnew/the_kuki_people_march2005.htm
• http://www.kukiforum.com/whatsnew/the_kuki_people_march2005.htm
• http://www.karunacenter.org/reports/indiadec05.pdf
• Stagnant Development in NE http://www.manipuronline.com/Features/May2003/stagnantdevelopment31_3.htm
• An Ethnic Audit of Selected Poverty Reduction Strategy http://www.ilo.org/dyn/declaris/DECLARATIONWEB.DOWNLOAD_BLOB?Var_DocumentID=5776
• PRI V/S Traditional Governance by Mangneo Lhungdim

Christianity under fire

I recently visited a new site www.christianaggression.org expecting some fresh testimonials but was rudely shocked to discover www.christianaggression.org is a well disguished attack on Christianity.

No background information of the webmaster or organisation is available which strongly suggests a case of a propaganda by some well organised Hindu fundamentalist group.

Though I personally find the articles (all negatives side of Chistianity) a very good points for introspection.

Read on and do check the website on your own risk...


What Aggression?

You are probably wondering what is the aggression caused by Christians in India. You may wonder how can a minority religion that is only 3% of the population cause aggression in a nation of over 1,000,000,000 people. In the press, the aggresion and "persecution" of Christians is often publicized. However it is never publicized how Christian Fundamentalists often incite this cycle of violence and aggression.

The root cause of Christian aggression in India is caused by the fact that Christianity believes that Jesus Christ is the only son of god. He is supposed to have been sent to earth to wash away the sins of the people, and so redeem them. Of course, this happens only to those who accept him as the only son of god. All the others do not get the benefit who do not have this shared belief will be burnt in hell for all eternity.

Christianity says that it has a unique path to salvation, and all the other paths are false. While there is supposed to be some modification in these views, the acceptance is that all the other paths may at most be second best. Therefore, it is better if people accept Christianity and not take a chance.

Christians believe that they have been commanded by Christ to go and “save” (convert) the people of this world. This is also supposed to give them special merit when it comes to the day of final judgment.

While there are many Christians who today do not believe in this exclusivity, there are a still large number of misguided Christians who still believe that in the exclusivity of Christianity and the concept of saving souls.

It is this misguided belief that causes breeds a hatred and intolerance for other religions. and from this hatred, these Christian Fundamentalists begin their aggression to convert. And often they will go to any means to convert even if it means violence.

This website seeks to educate the world about the atrocities that conversions bring and to bring this aggressive nature of Christianity to an end.

I am back from self exile

It has taken me some reviews and redesigning of the blog to come back again. I found the contents and issues discussed on my blog too far away from me and hence went for this change. I hope you like it.

Much water has flown down river Brahmaputra ever since I wrote my last blog. I am committed to catch up with lost grounds by posting some very interesting articles and writings. I have also moved on from CRS to IGSSS.

Cheers

What is so particularly black about 14th Sept

Please share your thoughts directly here!