Nagaland: Kohima Peace Memorial and Eco-Park inaugurated

The soft inauguration programme of the Kohima Peace Memorial and Eco–Park was held on 8th May 2024 at Kohima with Ambassador of Japan to India Suzuki Hiroshi, as the special guest.

Speaking at the Inaugural programme Ambassador of Japan to India, Suzuki Hiroshi, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the people of Nagaland who were caught in the crossfire during the war between Japanese forces and the British Commonwealth Forces eighty years ago. 

He said that the people of Nagaland who had nothing to do with the war inevitably had to go through a great ordeal where many were coerced into cooperation and many people lost their lives and most people were forced to flee from the land of their ancestors. 

He further added that he was deeply honoured to witness the inauguration of the Kohima Peace Memorial and that the monument enabled us to offer our most solemn prayers to all the victims of the battle. 

Also Read: Nagaland: CM Neiphiu Rio, Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Suzuki visit Kohima War Cemetery, pay tribute

He expressed his gratitude to the people of Nagaland for their warm welcome and support provided to the Kohima-Japan Bone collection team and for enabling former soldiers and their families to collect the remains of the fallen soldiers. 

He said that the Eco-Park will be developed as part of the Nagaland Forest Management Project with Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Japanese Government. In conclusion, he expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chief Minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio and also to the people of Nagaland for erecting the peace memorial and hoped that the peace memorial would be a reason for more Japanese people to visit Kohima. 

“I am convinced that the friendship originally fostered through the remains collection between Japan and Nagaland will be further strengthened through the construction of the Eco-Park as well as the exchange of young people, and they will become new bridges between India and Japan” he said.

Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio who also spoke at the inaugural programme said that the event marked an important milestone in the narrative of the Naga-Japan partnership which though started under the cloud of conflict had today matured into one for advocating peace and brotherhood of humanity, the message that has been embodied by the Kohima Peace Memorial. 

He expressed his admiration of Japan for its perseverance and industriousness and how Japan has shown the World what can be achieved through dedication, precision and hard work.

Rio highlighted how Nagaland’s association with Japan had started almost five decades ago through the Japan Association for the recovery and Repatriation of War Casualties, an Association that continues till date and the association has now matured into bi-lateral cooperation with Japan under which we have two on going Externally Aided Projects in the forestry and medical sectors. 

Rio further added that the inauguration of the Kohima Peace Memorial and the ceremony of laying Foundation Stone is the expression of the Naga People’s commitment to forge stronger ties between Japan and Nagaland. 

Rio concluded by saying that the Eco-Park once completed will turn out to be a critical center of urban space and public utility and the park will also become a testament of our newfound partnership and collaboration between the people of Japan and India, especially the Naga people and will strengthen bonds, enhance bilateral ties and open opportunities for the citizens of the two countries to always pursue common goals.

Minister, Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Village Guards C. L. John thanked all officials and dignitaries who have travelled all the way from Japan and Delhi to attend in the Soft inauguration of the Kohima Peace Memorial and Eco-Park. He emphasised that this Peace Memorial and Eco Park is the realization of a long -felt need in the state given the history of association between Nagaland and Japan.

He further highlighted about how 70% of state population is engaged in agriculture mostly traditional method of jhum and shifting cultivation and how this type of traditional method is major reason for loss of forest cover in Nagaland. In such Situation, the Sanctioning of JICA assisted Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) seems providential in rescuing the rich biodiversity of the state. 

The project objective is to restore forest cover through tree plantation in jhum and promoting conservation of forest through community participation and the project aims to bring an area of 790 square kilometers under forest cover by planting 17 million saplings. He concluded by expressing his gratitude and appreciation to the government and people of Japan for the invaluable assistance towards safeguarding the forest and ecology of Nagaland.

The programme was chaired by Chief Secretary Nagaland J. Alam, IAS who also gave the welcome address while the Vote of Thanks was pronounced by Commissioner & Secretary, Environment, Forest & Climate Change Y. Kikheto Sema, IAS.