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10/31/2005: "Rio skates on talks thin ice ..Can one peace process be more important than the other?"

Rio skates on talks thin ice NISHIT DHOLABHAI The Telegraph Kohima, Oct. 30: Can one peace process be more important than the other?
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio may have just sown the seeds of a debate on this thorny topic by warning Delhi against allowing its dialogue with an Ulfa-constituted team of mediators to overshadow the Naga peace talks.
Rio said the Naga community’s demand for integration was one of only two “pre-Independence issues” — along with Kashmir — that Delhi was still grappling with. “There were only two issues in pre-Independence India and one of those was the Naga issue. Therefore, there is no way the Ulfa talks can overshadow the Naga talks.”
Rio’s statement was in contrast to the NSCN (I-M)’s measured reaction to the first round of negotiations between a People’s Consultative Group from Assam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the capital on Wednesday.
Engaged in a dialogue with Delhi since 1997, the Naga insurgent group offered “to give suggestions" to Ulfa, if asked for by the outfit, anytime during the course of its peace process.
Phunthing Shimrang, convener of the Naga group's ceasefire monitoring cell, said his organisation was keeping watch on the progress of peace processes across the Northeast.
Rio, too, welcomed the start of “preparatory talks” to restore peace in Assam, but said Delhi and everybody concerned should not forget that the Naga issue was vastly different from the subjects raised by Ulfa.
The Assam militant group’s main demand is “sovereignty”, while the NSCN (I-M) wants all Naga-inhabited areas of the Northeast integrated with Nagaland to form “Nagalim”. Some of these Naga-inhabited areas are in North Cachar Hills, Golaghat, Jorhat and Sivasagar districts of Assam and the rest in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
On the possibility of a clash of interests between Ulfa and the NSCN (I-M), Rio said the Naga and Assamese communities could resolve their territory dispute but could find the presence of illegal Bangladeshi migrants in the disputed area a big hurdle. Nagaland claims that Assam has helped illegal migrants settle in the border areas.
The boundary dispute has been dragging for three decades and is now pending in the Supreme Court.
Though he claimed to be “positive” about the outcome of the peace process, Rio cited the Prime Minister’s remark on the primacy of the Constitution during Wednesday’s talks to rule out sovereignty for Ulfa.
“Let us see how the government of India takes forward the peace talks.”
The Prime Minister is understood to have agreed to discuss all issues raised by Ulfa, but it remains unclear how both sides intend to tackle the issue of sovereignty.
The People’s Consultative Group’s brief is to prepare the ground for a direct dialogue between the Ulfa leadership and Delhi.
The S.S. Khaplang faction of the NSCN, which is known to be close to Ulfa, is one of those already doubting the effectiveness of the nascent peace process.
The outfit’s senior kilonser (minister), Kughalu Mulatonu, said the process was set to become “the biggest” political drama.
“The government of India will prop up any outfit that crawls at its knees.”

Nagaland Govt. to continue ban on swine import The Hindu
Kohima, Oct. 31 (UNI): The veterinary and animal husbandary department has decided to continue ban on import of pigs from outside the state following report of fresh cases of japanese encephalitis in UP, Bihar and parts of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
A press communique, issued by the Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, N Meyase, today said the decision to the effect was taken during a technical consultative meeting with the departmental officials held here on Saturday.
As per record, the transmission season for Japanese encephalitis in Dibrugarh district of Assam starts from end of May reaching its peak in August and September, the communique said, adding that Arunachal Pradesh was the latest entrant in the list of states reporting Japanese encephalitis cases.
The meeting decided to quarantine the population of swine in Nagaland during the period of ongoing sero - surveillance work by imposing ban on the movement of live swine across the inter state and international boundary with Nagaland.
It also instructed all veterinary officers in their respective areas of the state for quarantine check post to remain extra vigilant.
UCM against Delhi move on integration Newmai News Network October 30
IMPHAL: Sapamcha Jadumani, former president of United Committee Manipur (UCM) today threatened to launch a liberation struggle if New Delhi fragments Manipur while finding a solution to the Naga insurgency movement.
Speaking at a one day "Leaders Meet on Territorial Integrity of Manipur" at Hotel Excellency at Imphal today Jadumani cautioned New Delhi against breaking Manipur to resolve the Naga issue. "The UCM and the people of Manipur will launch a freedom movement," he warned.
Jadumani reminded that the people of Manipur had submitted numerous memorandums and had held a number of rallies to voice the demand for protection of the state’s boundary. "Now it is not the time to send memorandum or hold processions. Because, the people of Manipur made it very clear to the Centre that Manipur’s territory is not negotiable. The people should get themselves prepared for safeguarding their territory", he said.
Today’s programme came in the wake of reports that the Prime Minister is planning to convene a meeting of leaders of the Meitei and Naga communities in New Delhi to discuss about the NSCN (IM) demand for integration of Naga inhabited areas of the North East under one administrative unit. Several speakers during today’s discussion said calling a meeting of only Meteis and Nagas is a communal move by the Centre. "Manipur is inhabited by many communities. The land does not belong to any one particular group. It belongs to all communities", the UCM leader said.
While demanding action by political parties against the four Naga MLAs who attended the recent Kohima rally for Naga integation, Jadumani appealed to the people to boycott the political parties that refuse to take action against their MLAs who are working for disintegration of Manipur during the forthcoming State Assembly Election.
Today’s crucial discussion was organized by the UCM and it was presided by K. Langamba, the president in charge of UCM. Abdul Qaiyum, the General Secretary of All Manipur Bar Association was the moderator.
Representatives from different organizations like Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur, National Identity Protection Committee, Apunba Manipur Kanba Ima Lup, Nupi Samaj attended the discussion. There was no difference of opinion on the question of safeguarding the territorial integrity of Manipur.
R.K. Anand, social worker said that the people of Manipur should launch an agitation to put pressure on the Centre not to make Article 3 of the Indian Constitution applicable in the states of the North East.
3-point resolution adopted to safeguard Manipur’s territorial integrity
* Re-affirmed peoples stand for the protection of territorial integrity of Manipur
* To submit peoples stand to competent authorities
* To launch democratic movement to protect the Manipur territorial boundary
UCM has been entrusted to chalk out the programme.
WRITE-WING
Nagas exiled in their own Homeland Rev Dr V K Nuh The Morung Express
It would have been a different story if the 16-points Agreement had not been accepted. It is now proved that both the giver and the receiver have made a grave mistake. After this 16-Points Agreement was signed, no conclusive solution had been arrived at.
Now for sixty years, Naga people have gone through insurmountable sufferings. Naga Churches, and the Civil Societies perused the Government of India for the last forty years that, the sooner it is solved the better so that India will be a peaceful country. No Prime Minister of India denied the uniqueness of Naga people’s struggle, but none had the political will to settle the long-standing Indo-Naga political crux. The Federal Government of Nagaland and the Government of India reached its first Cease-Fire in 1964. Six rounds of talk had concluded with the Government of India without success. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India affirmed this way, "Take everything except sovereignty." Mr. Kughato Sukhai, then the Prime Minister of Federal Government of Nagaland said, "Take everything but give us sovereignty." In between, they could not find solution. Today, peace talk is still going on between Government of India and the NSCN-IM. Three years back, NDA government’s Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee recognized the uniqueness of Naga history. Today, UPA government again recognized the unique history of the Nagas. Mr. Th. Muivah, Gen. Secretary of the NSCN-IM said, "Federal relations with India, Integration of all contingous Naga inhabited areas."
A few days back Oscar Fernandes, Union Minister and leader for Indo-Naga peace talks visited Nagaland. His visit had sharp reactions from various quarters because he has no interest to talk to the people of Nagaland. We thought he had come with a specific purpose and to know more about the opinion of the general mass but contrary to that a negative attitude has been shown to the Naga people.
Talks have been concluded forty-two times but most of the writers said it would take time to solve the problem. Now it has been sixty years, leaders should find out solution because most of the documents for talk are in the possession of India. Developing and buying time tactics will not make the problems less; rather it will multiply the problems. One generation have gone but the problems remains the same. If Naga people demand court of justice demanding compensation from the Government of India for burning down 950 villages and for killing two lakh innocent people, will the Government of India be able to pay the price? If the expenditure spent for fighting the Naga resistance had been spent on developmental works then India would have been in a better position. If the Indian Government recognized Naga peoples rights in 1947, by now, India wouldn’t be having problems that is spreading and expanding to adjoining areas and the Nagas should not have been less than any other nations in Asia. With all these rights, will the Government of India be prepared to apologize to the Naga people for forced marriage to the Naga politics? History will not forgive unless wounds are healed through the right perspective. Naga people made six agreements for final political settlements but the Indian Government have no real political will to settle the issue. Any settlement made without the mandate from the Naga people and without unity between factions, any decision or agreement would be disastrous. There will be divisions, bloodshed. Unity must take process and not pre-condition. Reconciliation and Unity must go side by side.
Nagaland to have its own co-operative laws New Kerala
Kohima: Nagaland, which did not have its own co-operative societies act even after 42 years of statehood, will soon have its own co-oparative laws.

According to official sources, till date the Assam Cooperative Societies Act(1) of 1950 and rules were in force in the state.

Realizing the importance of enacting the state's own cooperative societies act, the Nagaland government has taken a decision to appoint Prof K Elimalai, a veteran academician and legal expert from Vaikuntha Metha National Institute of Cooperative Management, Pune, for drafting of the state acts.

Prof Elimalai had held a series of meetings with the parliamentary secretary (cooperation), principal secretary, law and justice, secretary, cooperation on October 24 before drafting the acts and the laws.
Rio heads panel on information officer post OUR CORRESPONDENT The Telegraph
Kohima, Oct. 30: The Nagaland government has constituted a committee to look into the appointment of the state’s chief information commissioner in connection with the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Headed by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, the committee comprises I. Imkong, the leader of the Opposition, and Tokheho Yepthomi, minister for works and housing. Yepthomi was nominated by Rio last week.
The committee shall recommend to governor Shyamal Datta the appointment of the commissioner “and/or state information commissioners for constituting the Nagaland State information Commission”, a government release said.
As reported in The Telegraph, after a workshop by an NGO on the information act, the state government realised how sensitive the appointment of a chief information commissioner is, as it is equivalent in rank and pay to the chief secretary.
Even the chief minister is taking a personal interest in the appointment.
A senior IAS officer from the state is likely to be appointed to the post, sources said.
The Right to Information Act was implemented all over the country on October 12 except in Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the act, citizens have the right to ask for information, which affects them.
The government departments are now in the process of preparing the “citizens’ charter”.
“We have made a draft and are trying our best to get it printed early,” said a senior official in the department of industries.
For the time being, the government has appointed directors of the more than 70 departments as public information officers while departmental heads in various districts have been appointed as the district public information officers.

Indo – Bangla Border security alerted
By Raymond R Kharmujai - Meghalaya - Asian Tribune -

Shillong, 31 October, (Asiantribune.com); The Border Security Forces has put on high alert along the porous international Indo-Bangla border in wake of the 10/30 serial bomb blast at New Delhi.

“We have already alerted our men in the border”, Inspector General BSF (in charge for Assam Meghalaya Manipur and Nagaland), S.K. Ghosh said.

Apart from directing its frontier guards to keep an extra vigil along the Indo-Bangla border to prevent terrorists from fleeing the Country, the Union Home Ministry has also sounded a red alert to all the police headquarters’ in the North Eastern region to prevent and also to check the movement of terrorist groups.
UCM meet Sangai Express
IMPHAL, Oct 30 : The one day public session organised by the United Committee Manipur at Hotel Excellency today re-endorsed the standing resolution of protecting territorial integrity of Manipur. The meeting held in the backdrop of constant threat posed to the territorial integrity of Manipur as a consequence of the ongoing political talks between the Centre and NSCN (IM) also resolved to apprise authority concerned on preserving status quo of state's boundary by submitting public pledges and relevant document. The day long session also entrusted UCM to chalk out future course of action on the issue. UCM's president in-charge Konsam Lanngamba presided the session with general secretary of All Manipur Bar Assn Abdul Qaiyum as the moderator.
Thoubal phones
IMPHAL, Oct 30: Telepho-ne subscribers under Tho- ubal Telephone Exchange would be facing service inconveniences for some time due to non-supply of electricity to the Exchange following the defused of the main electricity transformer since October 22. The existing two power generators in the Exchange would also not be able to run the Excha-nge round the clock, JTO, Thoubal Group Exchange informed in a statement.
‘Bandh culture in NE has negative impacts’ Newmai News Network October 30
Guwahati: Concerned by the frequent bandhs and economic blockades in the Northeast India region, leading industry and commerce body Federation of Industries and Commerce of North East Region (FINER) have now vowed to create public awareness against the bandhs.
This was informed by newly elected FINER president SK Jain today and added that the FINER is currently working on a project on the prevailing "bandh culture" of the region.
The bandhs and economic blockades called by numerous political and social organizations of the northeastern region to exercise their democratic right to protest had given a negative impression about the region outside; he said and added that the bandhs and blockades had harmed the region in several ways.
"There are instances when the investors from outside had refused to invest in the region due to the bandhs and blockades," said Jain adding that changing of this attitude and mindset is the need of the hour to bring in development uplift the region economically.
The FINER would like to play a vital role in this connection and it would now aggressively take up the issue for mobilizing public opinions against the ill-effects of these bandhs and blockades.
"The FINER had earlier carried out a survey on bandhs and economic blockades in the region showing its negative impacts on the development and economy," he said and added that the current survey would depict a clear picture in the present scenario.
Jain pointed out that the bandhs and economic blockades serve no purpose of anybody and added that there are several other democratic ways to register our protests, which would solve the purpose without harming anybody.
On the other priorities of the organization, he said that the FINER would also take up issues like the revitalization of the NE Industrial Policy and added that it would look at the issues with the NE specific attitude.
"The FINER will take up new contours of economy like health care, Infrastructure, information technology, road transport, tourism entertainment and others," said the newly elected president of the organization.
Human Rights violations by Army reported in Jiribam operation
The Imphal Free Press

Jiribam, Oct 30: Large scale human rights violations have been reported during and in the aftermath of the Army operation in Bekra area some 30 kilometer south of Jiribam police station in Jiribam subdivision of Imphal east district.

There are reports of attempted rape, molestation, third degree torture and robbery by Army troops in the aftermath of the operation. Six villagers of Lamdaikhunou including one girl who was reported to have been apprehended by Army are yet to return home though the Army claimed to have released them.

The Army has also reportedly imposed curfew in the area from 6 pm to 6 am everyday.

The offensive began on the intervening night of October 24 and 25. It is being jointly conducted by four battalions of the Indian Army. Helicopters are also being used to air drop troops for the operation, the report said.

Initially, when the offensive began there were reports of heavy fighting between the advancing Army troops and the MPA cadres of the UNLF, the source said adding no such heavy fighting is reported though Army randomly fired towards suspected areas. There was however no report of any casualties on either side.

During the entire operation, Army used at least 10 masked men commonly known as zorros to identify underground cadres.

The Army recovered a Mahindra jeep and a scooter allegedly used by the underground cadres. One trunk filled with explosive materials and devices was also recovered by the Army from a house in Dholakhal village.

A team of mediapersons was allowed to visit all the cordonned off villages in the area today. However, the Army officers supervising the operation declined to divulge details of the operation though an officer informed that the offensive is one of the biggest so far conducted in Manipur and it has a codename.

Villagers of Lamdai Khunou were about to leave the village when the media team reached. The villagers said that they were leaving as they could no longer bear the excesses of the Army personnel.

Meanwhile, state works minister Th Debendra, who is also the local MLA has again appealed to the Army not to commit any human rights violations in the operation.

Our Staff Reporter adds: around 30 members of 10 families who have been displaced from the conflict zone are still taking shelter at Town Hall, Jiribam.

Further, two members of the Manipur Human Rights Commission namely Lt Col (Retd) Rajendra Singh Rajkumar and Ng Nongyai along with members of civil society organisations and mediapersons left Imphal today for Jiribam.

The MHRC team along with the delegation of the civil society organisation are to visit the conflict zone and make on the spot inquiry about the reported human rights violation in the aftermath of the Army operation.
Centre-ULFA peace process making steady progress By A Staff Reporter Assam Tribune
GUWAHATI, Oct 30 – The peace process to bring the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) to the negotiating table finally got under way with the first meeting between the Government of India and the ULFA appointed People’s Consultative Group (PCG) on October 26 but that meeting materialised after a long preparation of the ground and exchange a series of letters with noted litterateur Dr Mamoni Raisom Goswami playing the lead role in the entire process. The first meeting ended on a positive note with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh himself attending the same and assuring to discuss all the issues concerning Assam and both the Government and PCG agreed to the need for a political solution of the issues raised by the ULFA. The PCG will meet the officials of the Government of India again next month to discuss the ways to clear the hurdles for bringing the ULFA to the negotiating table and the major points to be discussed in the next meeting include release of the central committee members of the ULFA, release of the women and children handed over to India by the Government of Bhutan, restraining the forces to create a congenial atmosphere for talks, etc. Those issues were raised in the first meeting by the PCG but the issues would be discussed in detail in the next meeting to clear all the hurdles in the way of talks.

Meanwhile, one of the members of the PCG, Hiranya Saikia, who has been involved in the process since the beginning, pointed out that way back in August last year, the ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah had assured that the outfit would keep the people of Assam informed about the talks process and the PCG was formed only to involve the civil society. He said that according to information available with him, the Central Government sent feelers to the ULFA through different government agencies for talks during the tenure of the National Democratic Front (NDA) Government also. But at that time, the ULFA rejected the proposals because the sincerity of the Government was doubtful as on one hand the Government spoke about talks and on the other hand repressive measures including secret killings were going on in the State. But after Dr Singh took over as the Prime Minister, a new beginning was made and the Centre also started the move to bring the ULFA to the negotiating table seriously.

Dr Goswami played a key role in the entire episode and Saikia said that he had introduced the litterateur to the ULFA commander-in-chief over phone after she was awarded the Jnanpith Award. Dr Goswami wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in October last year stressing the need for talks for a political solution to the issue and Saikia said that the letter was read out to Paresh Baruah before it was sent to the Prime Minister’s Office and the ULFA leader made a few minor adjustments. Fortunately, the PMO took the matter seriously and the National Security Adviser (NSA) MK Narayanan replied to the letter in December. In that letter, the National Security Adviser said that the Prime Minister was serious in solving the issue. The NSA said that the discussion should be unconditional and at the same time, he said that the ULFA must abjure violence to come for talks. The proposal of the NSA was rejected by the ULFA. In the last part of December last year, Dr Goswami wrote another letter to the PMO, but the Government wanted a letter from the ULFA directly.

A letter from the ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was handed over to Dr Goswami in February this year , who in turn, handed over the same to the PMO. In that letter the ULFA reiterated that the sovereignty of Assam should be the core issue for talks. The Centre responded to the letter in May saying that the Government was prepared to discuss all issues, but the ULFA, in July, wrote another letter saying that sovereignty must be the primary issue for talks and all other issues would be secondary. In that letter, the ULFA also called for release of the arrested central committee members saying that it would help the outfits to take vital decisions regarding talks. But the issue of talks was deadlocked after the letter and finally the ULFA formed the PCG last month to break the deadlock and to pave the way for talks.

NSCN-K condemns Delhi blasts From Our Correspondent Assam Tribune
DIMAPUR, Oct 30 – The NSCN-K while strongly condemning New Delhi blasts, has termed it as a “sheer act of irreligious terrorism”, which is a threat to freedom of religion of entire world.

It cannot simply be defined as a holocaust at the times of Diwali festivity but against the divinity of the Hindus, which has also sent a visible threat to other religions existing worldwide, the organization said in a release issued by Kughalu Mulatonu, member, Ceasefire Supervisory Board. He added, whatsoever organisation is responsible seems to be imitating the Isak gang linked with the al-Qaida that has been carrying out such terrorism in Nagaland during Good Friday and Christmas in the name of Nagaland For Christ”.

Karbi Anglong: the bubbling ethnic cauldron — Triveni Goswami Assam Tribune editorial
Karbi Anglong was known as Mikir Hills Tract during the colonial period. Post-Independence, the territory was redrawn on the map of Assam as United Mikir and North Cachar Hills District. Created on November 17, 1951, the district was formed under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule to fulfil the political aspirations of the hill tribes by providing them adequate opportunities for their socio-economic and cultural development. For administrative conveniences, the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills District was bifurcated and in 1970, two districts came into being, namely, North Cachar Hills and Mikir Hills. In 1976, Mikir Hills was renamed Karbi Anglong as a mark of respect to the Karbi culture.

Fifty three years have elapsed since the autonomous district of Karbi Anglong was born, yet development in all spheres has been very sluggish. Karbi Anglong is home to numerous ethnic groups and the provisions of Article 244(A) under the Sixth Schedule have spawned several movements for autonomy amongst the people in Karbi Anglong. Subsequently, a number of armed groups have emerged and the presence of at least four such rebel groups, namely DHD (Dima Halam Daogah), UPDS (United Progressive Democratic Solidarity), KLNLF (Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Front), Black Widow (an anti-talk faction of DHD headed by Jewel Garlosa) is very marked in the district. Apart from these four groups, the Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), a rebel group fighting for greater autonomy for the Kukis, is also active in this district.

Karbi Anglong has had a history of fratricidal violence among its various ethnic groups. Clashes between Karbis and Khasis, Karbis and Kukis, for instance, have been common. The roots of Karbi-Dimasa hostility can be traced to an incident in mid-2004, when tension emerged in the Missibailam area in the district, dominated by the Dimasas. The tension was over reports that the area was under the illegal occupation by the Nagas. The popular belief among the people was that some Dimasa tribal leaders had permitted the Nagas to settle in the region. Although the accusation was vehemently denied by the Dimasas, the incident resulted in the Karbi hardliners harbouring suspicions against the Dimasas blaming them for compromising their territory. In course of time, suspicions led to mutual distrust, anger and finally, hatred.

The present cycle of violence can be traced to an incident on September 26, 2005, when the bodies of three auto-rickshaw drivers, all Dimasas, were found near the town of Manza. On October 3, 2005, armed men attacked Hemari Terang, a Karbi village, and killed five members of a single family. A cycle of revenge killings carried out by both the communities have continued since then. According to official reports the total death toll has reached 72 (Karbi-60, Dimasas-9, Nepali-2, Others-1) and 1,014 houses have been burnt. The number of relief camps that have been set up so far is 50 (36 in Karbi Anglong, 7 in Haflong and 7 in Hojai) providing shelter to 22,469 people of 43 villages. The DHD and the UPDS have both entered into a ceasefire with the authorities. Yet, the role of both these outfits in the cycle of violence has come under a cloud of suspicion, with both the Governor of Assam, Lt General (Retd) Ajai Singh and the Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi hinting at their involvement.

The DHD also has its designated camp in Dhansiri, in Karbi Anglong, which has become a bone of contention not only between the two rebel groups but also the common people of Karbi Anglong. The Karbis feel that members of the DHD must not be allowed to roam freely with arms and ammunition, which in a way is a total violation of the ceasefire agreement and have therefore demanded that the DHD designated camp be moved from Dhansiri. Refuting this, DHD stated that UPDS was trying to detract from the main issue by demanding that its designated camp be shifted from Karbi Anglong and instead blamed the entire cycle of violence on the Black Widow.

The present ethnic clashes are just another testimony of how vulnerable the ethnic mosaic of northeastern India is. Beneath the calm exterior, is anger and frustration festering within, waiting to explode at the slightest pretext. The current scenario raises certain significant questions about the role of the media, the policy of the government and the role of the civil society. Such conflicts have multiple stakeholders and it is for us to examine their roles in sustaining the conflict.

Of late there has been a lot of talk about peace journalism and in the current context, we must examine the role played by the media while covering a conflict. The media, being a powerful instrument of disseminating knowledge, can play a pivotal role not only by highlighting the causes of the conflict but also by trying to bridge the gap between various opposing communities thereby, contributing to conflict transformation within the society. The media can raise awareness amongst the people, mobilise them and bring them to the negotiating table to talk things out instead of allowing them to indulge in action confrontation, that is, open conflict.

The civil society too needs to take a proactive role in such a scenario. The intelligentsia has an important role to play by trying to bring the warring factions together. The policies of the government also need to be examined in such a setting. Skewed policies can aggravate an already vulnerable situation creating chaos and disillusionment among the people. For example, in the context of Karbi Anglong, the setting up of a designated camp (of DHD) when there are already several ethnic groups residing in that area, has actually created difficulties, widening the rift between the existing communities.

Therefore, for peace to prevail, a concerted effort will have to be made by the multiple stakeholders to not only reduce the animosity between the various communities but also work on transforming the conflict, to create a more peaceful social order within the society.
(The writer is a Research Associate in OKD Institute of Social Change and Development)