Put the cards on the table
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: April 04, 2015 -
The killings of three security personnel in Arunachal Pradesh, two in Manipur and injuries to four others in Nagaland within a few days have a common denominator although it is not known whether the movers and shakers at Delhi have read the writings on the wall.
The NDA government vaguely said that talks will be held only when the outfits in the NE region eschew the path of violence.
It is significant to note that apart from the non-resumption of the talks the ceasefire was not extended in case of the NSCN (K).
Does it mean that the NDA government accuses the outfits of indulging in insurgency related activities?
The bloody pages of the history of this trouble torn region bear testimony to the fact that the insurgents who are pass masters in mountain warfare had inflicted casualties.
All scrub lands and dog legs in the high mountains are ideal places for ambushes and escaping before arrival of the reinforcements.
The common target of the insurgent groups in this region is the security force.
At least in Manipur, the major groups are not attacking the state forces though it was erroneously misinterpreted by some agencies.
Apart from the butcher's bill in each ambush or encounter the common villagers have been at the receiving end since they are charged with crimes they never committed.
In the past many of them were bashed up and some others who were whisked away were not seen again. The growing fear is that history may be repeated.
New Delhi ought to keep all the cards on the table. It is inexplicable why talks are not resumed and why ceasefire is not extended.
Several outfits were lured overground under the provisions of SoO.
However, they were left midstream and the serious charges for which many of them have to appear in the NIA courts at their personal expenses were never withdrawn making the path to joining the national mainstream thorny.
Durable peace cannot be achieved through such dubious policies.
The NDA government is giving special attention to the developments and the inculcation of a sense of belonging among the denizens of the NE.
However it drives a silent message home that with the military might it will crush the rebellion.
That it is a hard nut to crack was shown by the way the Naga insurgency has been burgeoning all these decades despite the multi-pronged crackdowns.
One justification of the confusing stand of New Delhi is that meaningful and durable peace may not be achieved in view of the existence of numerous anti-talk groups.
Whatever it is something meaningful should be done even at this belated hour remembering the fact that people long for durable peace.
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