The Impact of Religious Institutions on Peacebuilding: Case of Nagaland

Abstract

Nagas are an ethnic and religious minority in India and they are a Christian minority in Hindu majority India. Nagas in North East India have been in violent conflicts for more than seventy years and that situation encourage them to be engaged  in peace building efforts. This problem originated as a struggle for independence from the Union of India but degenerated into a cycle of the Naga political group’s factional clashes that have drawn the society into a whirlwind of hatred, suspicion, and vengeance. The purpose of this research is to show the impact of religious institutions on peacebuilding and restoring stability in Nagaland. This paper discusses the role of a Christian prayer center, namely, Naga Shisha Hoho, in the formation of the Naga Forum for Reconciliation and the reconciliatory journey it took among the Nagas. The literature used in this work consists of religion and violence and religion and peace. The research methodology used in this article was the qualitative case study research design focusing on the work of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation. Findings reveal that the peace initiative in Nagaland by religious institutions has a positive impact on peacebuilding. This paper recommended the potential of religious actors to resolve conflict and decrease tensions.