Contain terror to make Look-East policy work

[1]

One cannot but lament at how a state so rich in its heritage of culture, sports and arts is held to ransom by a deadly combination of lack of development and progress; armed groups which began as classic insurgencies but converted to terrorism, extortion, murder, and even treachery; corruption; vote-bank based politics; foot-dragging bureaucracy; poorly trained and led police force etc.

One of the major terrorist groups, National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isaac-Muivah) faction (NSCN-IM), which has been in a state of ceasefire with security forces and engaged in talks with the Central government since August 1997, has made a mockery of both the ceasefire and talks without surrendering its arms and freely using them to extort money and commit murders. For two consecutive years, it caused months-long blockades of the major artery to Manipur as part of its attempts to consolidate its hold in the state; has unabatedly been continuing extortion and selective killings/ambushes; apart from its earlier links with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) based in Bangladesh, it has links with the Chinese also as part of its “business” of acquiring and supplying arms to left-wing extremists/Maoists-Naxals.
The other terrorist groups are United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) — both having links with ISI and Chinese intelligence, Kangla Yawol Kana Lup (KYKL), Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and a number of others, who are also involved in extortion, recruitment of cadres, including from schoolchildren and killings.
On February 17, 2009 the brutal murder of sub-divisional officer (SDO) Thingnam Kishan, his driver Aribam Rajen and Yumnam Token in Manipur’s Ukhrul district by the cadres of NSCN(I-M) had sparked off widespread protest paralysing normal functioning of administration for several days. Self-styled Lt. Col. Hopson Ningsen of NSCN(I-M) was taken into custody by the CBI on May 28, 2009 as the prime accused for the gruesome triple murder.
On April 30, 2013, M.K. Preshow, MLA elected on a Congress ticket from 45 Chingai (Scheduled Tribe) constituency of Ukhrul District, survived an ambush by suspected underground (UG) cadres. When the MLA’s convoy of 10 vehicles came close to Kuiva Kacho village, suspected UGs lying in wait opened fire at them after hurling and exploding hand grenades. The hand grenade aimed at the MLA’s vehicle missed it and hit a bullet-proof Maruti Gypsy of escorts following the MLA’s vehicle and exploded. There was an exchange of fire between the security escorts of MLA and the unidentified persons for some minutes after which the ambushers left the spot, with no casualties of any of the targeted persons.
In an interview with Newmai News Network on May 5, 2013, Muivah had said that they had done whatever was to be done and they are waiting as to what decision the government of India will take in this connection. He also had said that the outfit “is not in the position” to tell the timeframe when the settlement would be made. “What we want is solution to the Naga political issue. And what the government of India wants is the solution to the Naga political issue. So given this point of situation we are hopeful of a settlement. However, it is hard to say when,” Muivah had stated.
In January this year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured a Manipuri delegation of various political parties that all unauthorised camps of the NSCN(I-M) in the state would be demolished. The delegation had urged for an amendment to Article 3 of the Constitution for ensuring the security and territorial integrity of Manipur. Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde also conveyed to the delegates that the Assam Rifles director-general (DG), lieutenant-general Ranbir Singh had been instructed to crack down on all unauthorised camps of the NSCN(I-M) located in the state.
Late last year, speculation had reached very high about the protracted Naga political problem being settled in a few months. The Union home minister was reported to have stated that “settlement” to the Naga issue would be brought about by March 2013 or before the Nagaland Assembly elections.
Cutting across party lines, all 60 MLAs of Nagaland called on Dr Singh on Tuesday and sought an early settlement of the vexed Naga issue. Chief minister Neiphiu Rio even offered to resign to pave the way for a “partyless interim” government and return of peace in the state. Mr Yenning, in an article in a Manipur daily titled “The Manipur Project and the NSCN(I-M)”, wrote, “Nagaland has given support to the callous demand of Muivah in return for his contribution of resources and manpower. Thus, Nagaland has agreed and supported the Muivah faction to find an exit from Nagaland”.
Another reason why the Muivah project does not draw flak from the armed groups in Nagaland is that the armed Nagas of Nagaland have declared their intention to resolve the movement by and for the Nagas of Nagaland.
According to South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) database, total fatalities, at 110 in 2012, increased by 69.23 per cent over the 65 recorded in 2011. While civilian fatalities remained at the same number, fatalities among the security forces increased by two, from 10 in 2011 to 12 in 2012. There was a two-and-a-half fold increase in militant fatalities, from 30 in 2011 to 73 in 2012. Sixty-three incidents of killing were recorded in 2012, as compared to 33 in 2011.
According to a January 18, 2012, report, a probe carried out by the NIA discovered that the UNLF alone earned around `1.5 billion between 2007 and 2010 through extortion.
On April 15, 2013, a day before President Pranab Mukherjee’s Manipur visit, terrorists triggered a powerful IED explosion at Lilong Heinoumakhong village in Thoubal district about 7 km south of Imphal. On April 30, 2013, a hand grenade was placed at the doorstep of the school room of the headmaster after a sit-in-protest was staged by students of Lamlai High School at Pungdongbam under Imphal East district against the demand for `1.5 lakh along with intimidation to the teachers of the school by cadres of an underground organisation. While no lives were lost, the police recovered the grenade and destroyed it, some KCP faction cadres were arrested, but some school teachers were intimidated by KCP for informing the police.
These are just a few incidents. The much-talked about Look East policy cannot succeed till terrorism is meaningfully contained. What exactly are New Delhi’s plans for this geo-strategically vital part of India?