
Along Longkumer
Consulting Editor
A Parliamentary panel on Home Affairs has come out with its latest report, which has been submitted to the Government of India. Recommendations have been made to bring about some changes in the overall peace strategy for the Northeast region. Among others, it has been mentioned that all trade discussions with the countries bordering States of the Northeast should include a clause demanding closure of rebel training camps being run on their soil. The committee also observed that despite adoption of various strategies to bring peace to the Northeast, an environment conducive to investments to ensure accelerated economic growth was yet to become a reality. This is not the first such Parliamentary report nor will it be the last. Whether such exercises will bring about the desired changes on the ground, it looks unlikely given the prism through which Delhi sees the NE region.
One of the problems with Delhi’s policy or strategy is the tendency to view the entire region as a single entity. While no doubt some uniformity in approach is inevitable while drawing up policy, yet the fact remains that each of the Seven Sister States (including Sikkim) has their own uniqueness. One-size-fits-all kind of thinking should be changed as far as dealing with the specific concerns or needs. Also the so called peace mantra has become so loud for Indian politicians that it is unable to listen to the actual voice of the people. While peace is a universal need, yet people also want answers or solutions to their problems. Question marks over unresolved conflicts linger on while the threat from illegal migrants is writ large on the face of the region.
Against this backdrop, it is simply amusing that the Parliamentary panel did not find it important to address some of the specific problems. There are voices of despair from the local populace against illegal migrants from Bangladesh, which is now becoming a major security issue at least on the part of the indigenous people. Add to this is the unresolved boundary dispute across the NE region. Sad but true, Delhi is too far off in the horizon. Whether the so called Parliamentary Panel even met people to listen to their needs and grievances, it is doubtful. Whatever little that is known about the panel’s report seems to be more inclined towards ensuring trade and economic returns for Indian businesses.
Whether it is the latest Parliamentary panel report, the NE Vision 2020 or the Look East Policy (LEP) of the Government of India, a policy document should be aimed at betterment of the people of the region. For instance, the LEP should not become a mere foreign policy initiative to facilitate free trade with the neighbouring countries. In fact, there is apprehension that the policy may involve using the northeast only as a corridor for facilitating free trade with India’s neighbours and without keeping in mind the interest of the people of the northeast. Hopefully such exercises on the part of Delhi will give attention first and foremost to the Northeast.
One of the strategies mentioned by the panel—good governance—is welcome. The rate at which funds flow to the targeted groups is abysmally low and the fact of the matter is that corruption has dried up development funds. The Vision NER 2020 has rightly mentioned the need to transform governance and ensuring a corruption-free administration. Greater importance must be given to this point if at all the development strategy being adopted is to work. More importantly, as mentioned in the panel’s report, there is a need to create the climate for investment and growth to take place and also to drive the engine of development. However for this, permanent peace has to prevail. And for this, New Delhi should understand the underlying need for a peace policy, which is to address the grievances whether political or other aspects. Development in the North Eastern Region has lagged behind the rest of the country due to historical and ‘political’ reasons and this, the parliamentary panel report utterly fails to address.
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