Articles

One of the most important aspects that govern cessation of hostilities by an insurgent group is the anvilling of ground rules that would govern ceasefire and the setting up of “Designated Camps” for the insurgent group. While, it has been seen that ground rules for insurgent organisations ceasing hostilities have more or less been carbon copies of the ones that were prepared for NSCN, leading thereby to post-hoc complication, it seems little or no thought has been brought to bear when “Designated Camps” are set up.

Ceasefire with an insurgent outfit is expected to adopt a progression of steps which would lead to a comprehensive resolution of conflict. Indeed, the path, which a peace process normally takes after a ceasefire is entered into, is expected to be less cumbersome than the one that precedes a ceasefire. Whereas the dynamics that could witness the pre-ceasefire stage could be a long-drawn-out process, with protracted in camera confabulations, engagement of intermediaries etc, a properly managed post-ceasefire situation should ideally result in early resolution.

For some reason or the other, the three blasts that rocked Mumbai recently are being largely attributed to a group that is being termed as Indian Mujahedeen. However, at the time of writing, investigators are also reportedly looking into the possibility of the involvement of senior Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives Faiyaz Kagzi and Zabiuddin Ansari. Kagzi was allegedly instrumental in carrying out the 11/7 serial train blasts, after which his real association with Lashkar began.

Even as there were signs that there has been some improvement in the insurgency situation in the North East, with the level of violence declining and some insurgent groups showing signs of battle-fatigue, a sudden resurgence of insurgency in the region is turning out to be a cause of concern. Indeed, even the Indian home minister who had earlier expressed optimism about the security scenario in the North East had to admit during a press briefing on 6 July 2011 that the level of violence in the region has gone up.

Water—one of the most important natural resource on earth—has taken centre-stage in the North East and is steadily becoming a weapon of geopolitics. It began as a mass movement engineered by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and its demand to halt all mega dam projects in the North East. While some of the concerns are bonafide, the fact of the matter is that the rich blue resource of the region—awashed as it is with the white waters from the Tibetan plateau—would not only be a power reservoir for the North East, but also for the rest of the country.

Janjati Dharm Sanskriti Suraksha Manch would like to draw your kind attention on the topic – “Christianity: For a New Status in Arunachal Pradesh”, published in ‘The Sentinel’ dated 19th March 2011 written by Wangpon Sabin, Ex-President of Tutsa Baptist Church Council, Arunachal Pradesh and also on the appeal of Arunachal Christian Forum published in a section of local media of Arunachal Pradesh on 19th March, 2011. In these writes-up, they have challenged the credence and relevance of Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill 1978.

At a time when the reconciliation process to bring the different factions in Nagaland together was gaining in ground, the announcement by NSCN (K) and NNC that their respective leaders, SS Khaplang and S Singnya would not be participating in the forthcoming highest-level summit that was expected to take the process of reconciliation to a higher plane has come as a disappointment.

The virtual end of the 17 year old ceasefire between Kachin and Myanmar will turn out to be a dilemma for India, particularly in New Delhi’s quest to control the insurgency in the North East. The normalising of ties between India and Myanmar in recent times would, in all probability, require that New Delhi supports the junta’s action, or at least does not oppose it.

India is on a surge; a great destiny awaits it. If there is one single factor that could negate or retard it, it will be its failure to govern itself. Ensuring safety and security of its people, upholding the rule of law, managing change with order and ensuring legitimacy of power by those who wield it shall be critical components of that governance. Should it fail to happen, history will once again lament India couldn’t do what it could.

Nations accustomed to episodic response to high profile security events run the high risk of missing out subterranean trends and realities that could have unaffordable consequences. Small print news of a Chinese spy woman Wang Qing, masquerading as a TV reporter, visiting Headquarters of Naga rebel group NSCN(IM) in Hebron, 30 kms. from Dimapur, being quietly arrested and deported attracted little attention in the country .