Nehemiah Rong
For people to live a life of dignity, honour and respect, it needs an economic prosperity, proper health care, transportation and communication system, quality education system, fearless, fair, free, just and peaceful society. The economic prosperity demands of sustainable livelihood that will enable people to have a basic living standard with modern amenities apart from the surplus income over expenditure. One of the prominent threats to development is armed conflict. When there is a conflict between two countries both lost their economy to meet war expenses.
The first of eighth Millennium Development Goals is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. ‘Development’ focuses on the poverty alleviation and eradication. When talking of interlink between the ‘conflict’ and ‘development’ Gareth Evans rightly said that, ‘Conflict almost always has a negative impact on economic growth: resources directed toward fighting are diverted from development, while infrastructure needed for economic activity is destroyed.’
The north east India being a ‘conflict ridden’ land with a problem of ‘connectivity’ for so long did not see the limelight of major development. The armed conflict between the ‘undergrounds’ and security forces have serious impact on overall development in the entire region. In the region Nagas movement for self determination is longest struggle (Indo-Naga-Myanmar conflict) though it’s a ‘political issue’ has serious implications in development that challenged the very human dignity of the people in terms of ‘militarization’ which amounts to human rights violation and also retardation of the economic growth. The series of operations operated by the security forces prohibit the people to move around and carry daily normal business, the inhuman torture meted out by the security forces to the public that left people to go unhealed, the burning down of granaries, the destruction of standing crops and vegetables by the untended domestic animals, the dismantlement of public buildings and school buildings etc. all have a negative impact on economic growth.
By nature’s mercy, Nagas are self sufficient for family livelihood from olden days though at present the divide of haves and haves not become broader. Each family has its own land, clan and village own joint community land i.e. forest, wasteland etc. Rice is the staple food and agriculture is predominantly the main occupation apart from jhuming and farming. Until the modern era factories and industries were not heard of. During the olden times the development was community base. The implementation and execution of any village developmental work was on people’s participatory basis. However, external forces (British and Indian) divided the Nagas and put them under many other Indian States and some part to the side of Myanmar ( Burma ). As a result of which, the Nagas become minority group in many states of North east India and Myanmar . Again this led to regional disparity, unequal distribution of infrastructures for economic activities. Many Naga areas remain economically backward due to the absence of infrastructures such as roads, hospitals, educational schools. The lack of these facilities added more wounds to the already affected people due to excessive militarization and already existing poverty. People walk miles on foot day in and day out to reach nearby towns and villages where the bus services are operating. Also, due to the bad road conditions, agricultural and other allied products cannot be transported. And people continue to suffer for decades long.
In a family usually father is a sole bread winner. In course of arms battle between the security forces and Naga militants innocent villagers were not spared in torture even upto third degree treatment like giving electric shocks, piercing of sharp objects in anus and other genital parts etc. Such inhuman treatments have a serious affect on the health condition and strength of a person. Many people who were tortured and beaten by the security forces have been suffering from various illnesses and could no longer work in paddy field or in other jobs. Again in this case the livelihood of a family is on threat. Forgetting about getting proper and regular medical check up, getting square meal a day becomes hard. Thus those affected and tortured innocent villagers continue to live in extreme poverty and malnutrition.
Taking the case of ‘Operation Blue Bird’ Oinam 1987 into consideration around twenty villages were affected, 125 residents houses are alleged burnt, 112 like houses were dismantled, 6 schools and 10 churches were dismantled, properties worth of Rs.50,75,000/- were looted from seven villages and villagers belonging to five villages were forced to work, 27 persons are alleged to have been killed in the encounter on different dates in Senapati District of Manipur, 3 women were alleged raped and five women were alleged sexually molested and 300 persons are alleged tortured by Assam Rifles as enumerated by the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights. The Operation Blue Bird Oinam last for more than six months and during that course of time, some villages were severely affected in terms of economy and wealth leaving aside physical and mental torment. July to November is the time of planting rice and harvest time for these Nagas villages where agriculture is the main occupation. As people were kept in concentration camps and forced labour, the cattle were let loose, as result of which the standing crops were destroyed and harvest could not be made for that year. This led to food scarcity and poverty for that year and also for the years to come. This is only one instance. There are many such other cases since 1940s in Naga areas and in North East India.
It is also pertinent to note here that in the hill districts of Manipur, Panchayati Raj system is non-existent and municipal council is also not in exist, the District Councils is defunct for many years. As a result of which fund meant for such bodies could not be availed till to this day. The people suffered due to economic deprivation and infrastructural underdevelopment. The four hill districts of Manipur are inhabited by the Nagas, the people living here suffered as they become minority in the state and their economic status remain backward. The one of the contributing factors can be the arbitrary divide of the boundary by the Indian Government of these Nagas areas to the Manipur State . Nagas being asserting for their birthright of self determination which is a political issue, oftentimes can be seen as shying away from the ‘development’ and economic rights due to non-cooperation movements and civil disobedience launched by its civil societies. The state agency also did not pay enough attention to the hill areas. Not only Nagas by the hill populace in the state experienced the step motherly treatment meted by the State. That can be the fall out of the lack of democratic governance and the denying of the people’s right amongst others. Already having the move for self determination, the hill people(Nagas) began to see only doomsday under the present situation and condition until, the ‘conflict’ that imprison their birthright has been resolved and came to an end.
The initiatives of the security forces trying to help the people through the Military Civic Action Projects is not altogether absence and useless. Under the project water tanks, waiting sheds etc. are being constructed, however to see the resolving of the conflict and development in truest sense, the project is like providing a shoe after the legs of a person has been broken. Shoe is needed to put on even with artificial legs. But the question is why not save the legs as well?
Indo-Naga-Myanmar conflict stands as the longest ‘conflict’ in South Asia which has drawn worldwide attention and recognition. This conflict had affected people not only mentally and physically but also economically from both the ends. Many lives were lost and much wealth and resources have been involved in the course of conflict.
Until people have better infrastructures and proper development, their dignity is at stake. MDGs acknowledges that development rests on the foundations of democratic governance, the rule of law, respect for human rights and peace and security. Inorder to bring back development and dignity to the people, conflict must end. That demands of strong, sincere and committed political will. Gareth Evans while quoting UN’s Shashi Tharoor’s remark which says, ‘convincing politicians to invest resources in conflict prevention is rather like persuading a teenager to invest in a pension,’ has this to comment, ‘the conflicts which are still raging around the world remind us that the alternative is too bloody and too costly to contemplate.’
At the end, the conflict must end not only to bring development but restore the dignity to the people and compensate the sufferings and agonies that people have went through. Therefore, empowerment to the people to determine their own course of action to claim the ownership and belongingness of their resources, traditional rights and values system and self governance at grass root level can be the lasting way to end the conflict and also to alleviate and eradicate poverty so as to let people have a dignified life. The end of the conflict will not only reduce violence but give way to economic prosperity by means of cooperation and partnership in trade and commerce.
