New Delhi, January 16: There are more to the North East than insurgency and violence, said PR Kyndiah, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) while inaugurating a 3-day media workshop at Gandhi Peace Foundation here today, reports our Bureau Chief Bijoy Kakchingtabam.

The workshop is being organised by Federation of North East Journalists (FNEJ) under the sponsorship of North Eastern Council (NEC) and Oil India Limited.

In all 27 journalists and Government media officials from the North Eastern States of Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram are participating in the workshop.

Kyndiah stressed on the need for the National media to give more focus on the positive sides of North East other than insurgency related stories and urged media personnel to visit the region and see the �peace spots�.

"As DONER is now a full-fledged Ministry, we can put up all the major issues as National agenda," he added.

Kyndiah observed that the North East is not only strategically located in the merging South Asian economy but has also abundant natural and human resources.

The success of the recent Indo-ASEAN car rally has opened up a new potential.

The North East is now the economic bridge and gateway to South East Asia.

However, these have been neglected and there are tendencies to sensationalise insurgency related stories.

These have discouraged investment in the region causing a vicious cycle, he said, adding that journalists have a role in breaking this cycle.

Kyndiah underlined the need for peace to return in the region and said �there is need for dialogue with various militant groups in North East and the Govt is taking up steps�.

Let us now sensationalise peace effort rather than the law and order problem, he exhorted the participating journalists.

Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi, who was also present at the inaugural of the media workshop, said North East need not necessarily worry of the perception other people have of it.

What is needed is opening up so that other people under us, he said.

Gogoi was, however, concerned about national papers which have failed to project the rural and remote areas of the country.

He said regional pages added in some National papers hardly go out of the region.

It is occasionally that news of the region � North East � finds mentioned in mainstream media, he added.

Former Mizoram DIPR official Denghnuana in his presentation called for opening of resource centres or data banks which can facilitate media organisations seeking information on North Eastern States.

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