The second annual Lecture of the Nagaland International Research Centre (NIRC) was held at the Duolhou Garden in Kohima on December 11. During the first session, Bertil Lintner, an author and journalist with Asia Times online and Asia Pacific Media Services, delivered a speech on “Southeast Asia in Global Context: Building Peace and Prosperity.”
Lintner stressed the importance of examining the geopolitics and considering the broader context when evaluating the region. He highlighted China’s rapid rise as a global superpower as a critical factor to consider when forecasting the future of the region, particularly its impact on not only the Northeast, but primarily Myanmar. Lintner underscored the significance of understanding the complex dynamics between Myanmar and China, emphasizing that Myanmar offers the most direct and convenient access to the Indian Ocean for China—an essential requirement for China’s export industry.
The challenges of the interrelated border issues and its ramifications and impact in various ways, was also pointed out.
Drawing attention to the importance of these discussions, Lintner noted that it is crucial to take a wide-ranging perspective instead of solely concentrating on local concerns. He stressed the necessity of becoming more involved in the developments in this region, pointing out that it is not just a competition between global superpowers, but rather an intricate network of interconnected interests and influences.
He also highlighted the potential for Nagaland to contribute to peacebuilding in the border region of Myanmar by providing its people with access to quality education. He stressed that education has the ability to empower individuals to attain self-sufficiency and can also facilitate the development of personal relationships and the exchange of ideas. Additionally, he observed significant changes in recent years and expressed that these positive developments have stemmed from improved access to education, but emphasized the need for further efforts.
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During the welcome address, Dr. Khriezo Yhome mentioned that the NIRC serves as a platform for fostering discussions and debates on significant issues within our community and neighboring areas. “The importance of recognizing our neighborhood, particularly Southeast Asia, as an area of immense relevance and significance to us,” said Dr. Yhome highlighting that the selection of Bertil Lintner as the speaker was intentional, given his extensive knowledge of the region and his extensive travels throughout it. Yhome emphasized that a critical issue for people in the region, especially in the Northeast and among the Nagas, is to consider ‘how we position ourselves within the broader global context’. “There is a tendency to narrowly focus on our region or state, which can lead to an obsessive preoccupation with internal matters while losing sight of the bigger picture,” asserted Dr. Yhome.
He remarked that without maintaining a broader perspective, our understanding is limited, which is why this initiative aims to reach out and connect with the outside world to gain insights into global developments. This will provide us with a comparative viewpoint to assess our own position, maintained Dr. Yhome.
He emphasized that a crucial focus of this program is to recognize the significance of Southeast Asia. While there is considerable intellectual discourse and governmental interactions at the provincial level, there remains ample room for further exploration, which could be mutually beneficial for all parties involved, said Yhome adding that the objective is to initiate conversations and advance in a constructive manner.
The program was blessed with an invocation by Fr. Christudoss, the campus administrator of Don Bosco College Kohima.
