Over the last few
decades the North-east has been witness to ethnic, political and combined
insurgencies and through it all the occasional peace talks have resulted in a
puzzling enigma for both sides. Thus, whenever a peace initiate to quell
state-level insurgency seems to make progress, one realises these parleys are
doomed to spin on because of the political dogma involved.
Now the Centre has claimed to have made progress in the Naga peace
talks with the 3 August signing of a probable solution, even as several
questions beg answers.
Significantly, optimism should guide the future turn of events.
In this context, what remains to be scrutinised is that the Modi
government is also pursuing peace talks with other militant groups like the
National Liberation Front of Tripura and the Ulfa. Talks with the latter began
during the UPA regime in February 2011 and, like the Naga dialogue, the process
has been slow and halting. Unlike negotiations with the NSCN(IM) leadership,
which enjoyed favourable going since 2011, a lot needs to be done with regard
to dealing with the Ulfa. New Delhi is talking to only those leaders who
surrendered in 2009.
The Ulfa (Independent)
breakaway faction led by self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Barua, which is
now in league with the Khaplang faction of the NSCN, is yet to come forward. A
backroom channel was recently opened and spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar had
a telephone conversation with Baruah.
The latter was quoted
by the local press as having said, “The spiritual leader requested that we
should come for talks for an amicable solution to build India. He told me he
would help facilitate talks with the government of India. But I told him
categorically that talks can be possible only if Delhi agrees to include
sovereignty in the agenda.”
For its part, the
Centre has reason to welcome Ravishankar’s initiative to “break the ice”. This
is perhaps for the first time in last few years that Baruah has spoken to “someone
who urged him to accept the inevitability of peace”, according to Intelligence
sources in Delhi.
Ulfa peace negotiator
PC Haldar, a former Intelligence Bureau chief, has been told to keep the Union
home ministry abreast of the developments of his talks with the Ulfa faction
led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa. The latter has demanded Scheduled Tribes
status for Koch-Rajbongshis, Morans, Muttocks, Tai Ahoms and tea tribes.
Scheduled Tribe status for these communities is also being linked to next
year’s Assam polls as this could give BJP prospects a big boost.
On the other hand,
formal parleys with the NLFT are in the offing with Central agencies having
cleared the decks in coordination with the Tripura government’s Tribal Welfare
Department. The Marxist government headed by Manik Sarkar and the Centre
believe the time is “ripe” to drag the NLFT to the negotiating table as the
outfit, with a “reduced strength of less than 100”, is in no position to
bargain with the government. The hold of Biswamohan Debbarma, a first
generation NLFT leader, is already on the wane and the group is now being led
by Sachindra Debbarma.
Security specialists
say the Modi government is preparing a plan even though most of these
negotiations to end insurgency in the North-east are considered “business as
usual”. The Prime Minister, they say, appreciates the clamour for peace and thus wants to deliver on this front.
Regional leaders like Manik
Sarkar are cooperating.
The challenges are complex, but many feel peace prospects are brighter compared to demands for price control and mainstream jobs because the region has slowly turned violence-fatigued.
Youngsters in the
North-east no longer harbour the ideological moorings of their forefathers, as
used to be the case in the 1970s and 1980s.
In Assam, people are growing vocal against the
Ulfa (Independent) and rallies have been held with placards reading “Enemies of
India are enemies of Assam” and “Enemies of Assam are enemies of India”.
Whatever arguments these militant groups have, the message from the street is
clear – let’s live in peace and harmony and strive for development.
(ends)EDITED VERSION appeared in The Statesman
No comments:
Post a Comment