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06/20/2006: "NSCN(IM) brings to table J-K model for autonomy"
NSCN(IM) brings to table J-K model for autonomy Kuknalim.com
NEW DELHI, June 19: Examining the feasibility of a Jammu and Kashmir type of autonomy for Nagaland will be the focus of talks between the government and NSCN(I-M) to be held at The Hague in Netherlands between June 22 and 24. The NSCN(I-M)’s call for greater autonomy is included in the charter of demands, also called ‘‘substantive’’ issues, that has been placed before the government. This encompasses a wide range of issues ranging from greater rights over natural resources to having a separate constitution for the state.
Nagaland already enjoys a special status in the Constitution under Art 371 A like some other states of the North-east but the NSCN(IM) is the of the view that the autonomy enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir is greater in scope since the state has its own constitution and flag.
Sources said the issue came up for discussion during the previous round held last month in Amsterdam. ‘‘They (Nagas) are expected to submit their opinion on the kind of autonomy they want which would then be evaluated by the government since it might entail a change in the nature of relations between the Union and the state,’’ sources said.
The NSCN(I-M) has made a case for a federal relationship with the Indian Union. It has argued that the nature of the relationship should be incorporated in both Constitutions (including in Nagaland’s if it is granted) since only then would there be a long-lasting settlement.
The NSCN(I-M) has enlisted the services of renowned constitutional expert Yash Ghai as an adviser. Ghai currently holds the Sir YK Pao chair in public law at the University of Hong Kong. He is believed to have discussed the issue of autonomy during the last round of talks with Oscar Fernandes. The government delegation will be led by Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation GK Vasan and include interlocutor K Padmanabhiah and Home Ministry officials. The NSCN(I-M) will be represented by general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and senior functionaries from Nagaland. (Indian Express)
NSCN(I-M), Centre talks on June 22 From Our Staff Correspondent Assam Tribune
NEW DELHI, June 19 – Negotiations with the NSCN (I-M) has entered a crucial stage with the Naga militant outfit expected to submit a proposal for a separate constitution on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir when it meets Government of India officials at The Hague. The three-day talk gets underway on June 22-24. But the two sides are expected to meet informally a day earlier on June 21. Chairman of the Group of Ministers and Union Minister of State, Oscar Fernandes besides, interlocutor, K.Padmanabhaiah and top Home Ministry officials is leading the Union Government team. General Secretary Th. Muivah is leading the NSCN (I-M).
According to sources, the talks this time assumes significance because the Nagas are likely to submit their proposal for a separate constitution. The I-M had recently broached the issue calling for a special status for Nagaland along the lines enjoyed by J&K. The Central team requested them to submit the proposal in writing, sources said. With various strife plaguing the region, the Centre seems to have been flooded with pleas for special constitutional provisions for the North-East. If the Nagas want it for their State, the North East Students Organisation (NESO) has also pleaded for special status for the entire region with special rights over land and natural resources.
The special status of J&K is guaranteed by the Constitution under Article 370 Significantly, the NSCN (I-M) has engaged a top-notch constitutional lawyer, Prof Yash Ghai to help them in drafting the proposal. Ghai is a distinguished academic currently holds Sir YK Pao Professor of Public Law at the University of Hong Kong, where he teaches human rights and public law. The Professor had a meeting with Oscar Fernandes in Amsterdam on the sidelines of the talks last May. The dialogue process to resolve the Naga problem has gathered momentum with the two sides agreeing to hold negotiations every month. The issue of integration of Naga inhabited areas spread across Manipur, Asom and Arunachal Pradesh, however, to be the hurdle in resolution of the vexed problem.
Though the NSCN (I-M) has been pressurising the Central Government to open negotiations with the adjoining three States, the Centre has apparently developed cold feet and is dragging its feet. That all the three States are Congress-ruled has also added to the UPA Government’s discomfiture. Meanwhile, sources said that both sides have agreed to take up one issue at a time instead of discussing the whole gamut of issues at one go.
Singh rebuts Rio theory Kuknalim.com
KOHIMA, June 19: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has indirectly told the Nagaland government that conflict between the Naga factions is a law and order problem which the state home department has to solve on its own instead of blaming Delhi for it. Singh chose to convey the message through a seven-member Congress team that called on him in New Delhi last week.
The Prime Minister’s statement was apparently meant to silence chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who has said in the Assembly that the ceaseless conflict between the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) and the S.S. Khaplang faction is the fallout of a “political problem” and should not be viewed as a law and order issue.
The state Congress delegation called on party president Sonia Gandhi and home minister Shivraj Patil, too. The team submitted a list of incidents in May, all involving the two militant groups, and specifically intimated the Prime Minister about the threat by the NSCN (I-M) to superintendents of police after notifications were issued to the outfit’s cadre to adhere to the ground rules of the ceasefire. Adherence to the ground rules of the truce is monitored by the Ceasefire Monitoring Group and the Ceasefire Supervisory Board. The Congress said the ceasefire ground rules were “toothless” and the monitoring groups were only expected to ask rebel outfits to adhere to the rules.
“The implementing agency is neither the monitoring mechanism nor the Centre. The security forces cannot act because of the ceasefire; so, maintenance of law and order is the responsibility of the state, but it is not handling it well,” state Congress president Hokheto Sumi told the media today on arriving here from New Delhi.
“Unless various groups come together, there can never be a solution. There can be a settlement, but not a solution,” he added. Talks between the NSCN (I-M) and the Centre will resume in Amsterdam in two days. (The Telegraph)
NSCN-IM to focus on autonomy at talks with Centre
Press Trust of India Hindustan Times New Delhi, June 20, 2006
With the government reluctant to concede the NSCN-IM's key demand for unifying all Naga-inhabitated areas in the Northeast, the rebel group is expected to focus on "greater autonomy" for Nagaland during crucial talks with the Centre's negotiators at the Hague on June 22-24, sources said.
Autonomy is part of the 30-point "charter of demands" submitted by the NSCN-IM, and this includes a greater say in the utilisation of natural resources, a separate constitution, a separate flag and control in areas like finance, defence and policing, they said.
In the talks, the Naga side is likely to put pressure to get "some kind of concession" from New Delhi on its charter of demands to "please the domestic constituencies" that have become desperate due to the "delay" in the peace process, the sources said.
The NSCN-IM, which began talks with the government in 1997 after the two sides agreed to a ceasefire, is also likely to submit a fresh proposal on the kind of autonomy it wants for evaluation by the Centre, they said. The Naga outfit has made a case for a "federal relationship" with the Indian Union. It has argued that the nature of this relationship should be incorporated in the country's Constitution as well as the separate one for Nagaland, if it is granted, since this alone can ensure a lasting settlement to the nation's oldest insurgency problem, the sources said.
Another round of Naga talks in Amsterdam from Thursday The Imphal Free Press
Dimapur, Jun 19 : Another crucial round of peace talks between the government of India and the NSCN-IM will begin within three days time. The talks is considered very crucial by the NSCN-IM leaders in Dimapur.
Informing this development to Newmai News Network tonight in Dimapur, NSCN-IM`s deputy kilonser for Information and Publicity said that the crucial round of talks will be held in the Netherlands on Thursday in which NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chisi Swu will lead the outfit`s team of negotiators.
The MIP deputy kilonser disclosed that emissary for the collective leadership of the NSCN-IM V.S. Atem, Home Minister of the outfit Puni, Angelous Shimrah, Kilonser Tongmeth, Khayo Huray, defence Kilonser Zarsie, Q.Tuccu and another leader of the outfit Imcha have left Dimapur for Amsterdam to participate the talks.
The talks will cotinue till June 24 and some core issues will be the agenda of the talks, according to a separate source. The June 22 talk is expected to be crucial as the current ceasfire terms ends next month and is the source of great speculation among the Naga populace who are eagerly curious to know the outcome of the talk.
NSCN talks, but what of extortion? Open Forum By Anil Bhat The Statesman
A few weeks after an Indian negotiating team, led by Oscar Fernandes, met with Th. Muivah of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim in Amsterdam, there are credible accounts of a surge in extortion and intimidation in Nagaland and Assam by the organisation, despite the so-called peace process, now in its ninth year.
There are accounts about extortion demands received last month by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), India’s largest oil producer, from the NSCN(I-M). ONGC’s Nazira office in Assam received the letters signed by a “Lt Col” Angpa, who described himself as secretary, Konyak Region, NSCN(I-M), demanding Rs 3 crore. The extortion demand made by NSCN(IM) came within days of ONGC getting an exploration license from the state government for two blocks it had won under the Centre’s New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP). The extortion demand, apparently on the letterhead of Office of the Chairman, Konyak Region, NSCN, stated that the ONGC may begin work only after “fulfillment of our demand”.
ONGC had received an extortion demand of Rs 500 crore in January this year from the United Liberation Front of Asom. It may be recalled that the state-owned Oil India Ltd had shut operations in 2001 in Arunachal Pradesh after extortion demands from NSCN(I-M). ONGC says it is unfazed by the threat and plans to go ahead with exploring in blocks in Nagaland.
ONGC has proposed an MoU with the state government spelling out the local area development activities including payment of additional royalty to Nagaland, offering a minority stake in the blocks to state government companies, recruitment of local residents and scholarships to Naga students. ONGC has already paid a royalty of Rs 33.83 crore against the crude oil extracted from Changpang field in Nagaland. In addition, it proposes a goodwill grant of another Rs 67 lakh and a special royalty (calculated at two per cent over the applicable royalty rate) to Nagaland on crude oil produced from the state. But there is a legal snag: under Article 371A of the Constitution, which gives Nagaland special status and powers over its natural resources, unlike other states, ONGC will need special permission to take oil out of the state.
The extortions, however, continue merrily. In what security officials describe as the tip of the iceberg, a senior NSCN official with two aides was recently arrested and a large amount of cash and a pistol as well as ammunition recovered from their car. The men were identified as Azheto Sumi, a deputy kilonser (minister), Semaho Sema and Hivishe Sema. Later they were released and the NSCN went to town attacking security forces for allegedly kidnapping their men and saying this would harm the peace process. The security forces, on the other hand, proclaim that extortion and intimidation is at a peak in Nagaland. This was also the core of a complaint by a group of Naga Congress leaders who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this week, alleging that inter-factional clashes were also surging, especially with a newly strengthened Federal Government of Nagaland (which owes allegiance to the Adinno Phizo group of the Naga National Council) and the NSCN (Khaplang) taking on the NSCN(I-M) and hitting the latter hard.
Partly as a consequence, tribal councils are organising peace rallies in several parts of Nagaland denouncing the violent activities of the underground. But the general public is still confused, unsure and uninformed of the conduct of the peace process, now in its ninth year with both security forces and the NSCN(I-M) continuing their mutual mud-slinging. There is little on record about the talks barring brief, bland official statement which say nothing except that the two sides met and discussed issues of mutual interest. There are occasional articles in one section of the media reflecting the NSCN viewpoint which becomes even more confusing for the Nagas because this group is not seen as representative of all Naga groups or communities, even though its leadership role is acknowledged. In fact, Naga groups supporting the NSCN(I-M), which is conducting talks with the Government of India on an eventual settlement of the Naga imbroglio, have tried to mobilise Nagas in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh in a dramatic anti-government gesture: village chiefs are being asked to return their red shawls, given by state governments as acknowledgement of their authority. The United Naga Council (UNC) of Manipur, which wants a united Naga homeland, including parts of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh merged with Nagaland, had spoken of a non-cooperation and civil disobedience movement in Manipur’s four Naga inhabited districts to support the aim of such a “Nagalim”.
The UNC fixed 15 March 2006 as the deadline by which the shawls were to be returned and payment of taxes to the state stopped and instead be paid to UNC. At the same time, the NSCN(I-M) made similar demands on Naga leaders in Arunachal Pradesh but with a slight change: the taxes were to be paid to the organisation!
Apart from Senapati district of Manipur bordering Nagaland, the response to the non-cooperation demand has been limited. In Senapati, out of the 69 red shawls returned to the district administration, 46 are from Maram tribe and 23 from Poumai tribe. The district administration has also been approached to change its name from Senapati to Tahamzang. However, the UNC’s directives about hill house tax and non-association of Nagas with Meiteis have not been followed.
The Naga inhabited districts of Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel have not responded well to the UNC call. This is despite appeals by tribal bodies in Tamenglong district and an earlier call that development schemes and plans initiated by the Manipur government for the district should not be accepted or implemented from April 2006.
(The author, a security analyst, is Editor, WordSword Features & Media.)
Consensus reached for Naga Traditional Court The Morung Express
Meeting of all the Deputy Commissioners, GBs and DBs held last week, has agreed in principle to set up a Naga customary court, while implementing the exercise of separation of judiciary from executive. However, such court will directly come under the Deputy Commissioner, said Nagaland Commissioner T.N Mannen. The objective is to ensure the effective implementation of Article 371 (A) of the Indian Constitution, under which the Nagas are allowed to keep their own customary laws and practices. Mannen also said that the established court system presently in place had many procedures to be adhered to, and because of which many a time justice is delayed.
“Justice delayed is justice denied”, Mannen said, while adding that under Naga customary law the dispensation of justice will be much faster without much procedure involved as is proven from the past practices. “However, if a person is not satisfied he or she can seek redressal from other courts”, Mannen further said.
Amsterdam talks from June 22 The Morung Express
Dimapur, June 19 (NNN): Highly crucial round of peace talks between the government of India and the NSCN-IM will begin June 22. The talks have been considered very crucial by the NSCN-IM leaders in Dimapur. Informing this development to Newmai News Network tonight in Dimapur, NSCN-IM’s Deputy Kilonser for Information and Publicity said that the crucial round of talks will be held in the Netherlands on Thursday in which NSCN-IM Chairman Isak Chisi Swu will be leading the outfit in the talk. Emissary for the Collective Leadership of the NSCN-IM V.S. Atem, Home Minister of the outfit Puni, Angelous Shimrah, Tongmeth, Khayo Huray, Zarsie, Q.Tuccu and another leaders of the outfit, Imcha, have left Dimapur for Amsterdam to participate in the talks.
Suu Kyi spends another birthday under house arrest The Morung Express
Dancers in traditional attire pose for photographs at an event to mark the 61st birthday of Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in New Delhi, June 19. (AP Photo)
YANGON (Myanmar), June 19 (AP): A lone man who staged a protest in Myanmar’s main city was detained by police Monday as pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi marked her 61st birthday, alone and under house arrest by the military government.
The military beefed up security outside the barricaded home of Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy and the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She has spent 10 of the last 17 years in confinement, making her one of the world’s most prominent political prisoners.
Her birthday was marked around the world by supporters, who oppose the ruling junta for its human rights abuses and failure to hand over power to a democratically elected government.
In neighboring Thailand, Myanmar exiles held a small Buddhist religious ceremony in Bangkok, while in the Philippines, activists wearing chains and carrying a replica of a giant cake marched to the Myanmar Embassy to demand Suu Kyi’s release. Similar activities took place in India, Bangladesh and Italy, as well as elsewhere.
“I’m bitterly disappointed that today Aung San Suu Kyi will spend her 61st birthday under house arrest, cut off from her family and friends, having had her house arrest extended yet again,” British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in a statement. “This is utterly unacceptable.” In her homeland, Suu Kyi’s political party celebrated her birthday at its headquarters, several kilometers from her home. They released nine doves into the sky along with hundreds of colored balloons with letters attached calling for her freedom.
About 200 supporters then held a daytime candlelight vigil and chanted “Free Aung San Suu Kyi!” nonstop for 10 minutes. About two dozen plainclothes security officers filmed the event with video cameras from across the street. Separately, a male protester was detained by police after staging a solo protest near Sule Pagoda, near City Hall in downtown Yangon.
Witnesses and supporters said he wore a white T-shirt with Suu Kyi’s picture and shouted slogans urging her release as police took him away.
Suu Kyi is allowed virtually no contact with the outside world, although last month a senior U.N. official was allowed a rare visit to her home. The meeting stirred hopes that the regime was considering releasing her. But hopes were dashed when the government extended her house arrest on May 27 for another year.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and world leaders, including U.S. President George W. Bush, have called for her freedom. Suu Kyi’s father was the country’s martyred independence hero, Gen. Aung San, a legacy that adds to her popularity.
Sumi Hoho clarifies on NSCN ceasefire The Morung Express
Dimapur, June 19 (MExN): The Sumi Hoho has clarified that the signed agreement between the representatives of the two NSCN factions on June 14 clearly mentioned entire Sumi areas and not Zunheboto district alone, stated H.S Rotokha and Aheto V. Yepthomi President and General Secretary respectively of the Sumi Hoho. “Therefore, it is reminded to the concern parties not to create further confusion, rather request them to sincerely uphold the same in letter and in spirit”, the Sumi Hoho stated. The clarification of the Sumi Hoho comes in the wake of an earlier clarification issued by the CAO, Sumi region of the NSCN (IM) stating that the area of ceasefire agreed was for Zunheboto district alone.
NESO demand rejected Nagaland Post
Aizawl, June 19 (Agencies): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has rejected a demand of the North East Students' Organisation (NESO) to announce the Northeast as a special economic zone on the ground the region is more or less like a special economic zone due to NEC's functioning as a mini-planning commission. A delegation of the NESO made the demand before Dr. Singh during their meeting held in New Delhi recently.
The other demands of the apex student body of region included the need to establish an administrative centre in the region in view of India's Look East policy re-opening of the Stillwell Road in Arunachal Pradesh, which can provide easy road connection to China etc.
NESO vice president Lalmuanpuia Punte while speaking from Delhi on Monday said taking into consideration the country's Look East policy, it was mandatory for the Centre to establish an administrative centre in the Northeast and re-open the Stillwell Road. The Stillwell Road was built during the Second World War to provide a supply line to China by the British.
Dr. Singh was reportedly astonished to learn that pre-paid cellular mobile connections did not have roaming facilities in the region. "He was so surprised that he called in his private secretary to verify our report. When he was informed that pre-paid CellOne mobiles did not have roaming facilities in the Northeast, he said he would take necessary action to see that roaming service is provided," Laltlansanga said. On the plea to give the region the same status as J&K, the prime minister reportedly said this was a matter that needed to be taken up by the Parliament and that he also would be required to consult the Home Ministry. Members of the NESO delegation were scheduled to meet Home Minister Shivraj Patil, AICC president Sonia Gandhi and DONER Minister P.R. Kyndiah on Monday.
Port in Myanmar to connect NE Nagaland Post
Petrapole (WB), June 19 (PTI): India has decided to build a port at Settwe on the Myanmar coast to give connectivity to the northeastern state of Mizoram, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said today. India, he said, would invest 103 million dollars to develop the port which would be an alternative route to the north eastern region. It would provide direct link to Myanmar and Visakhapatnam through the Kaladan river. The project would be implemented by RITES and was expected to be completed in three years' time.
Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran was now in Yangon to discuss the matter, he said. The minister also said that a USD 3 million Tata project in Bangladesh was delayed. "For the time being now it is in pause mode," he said. Meanwhile, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Veena Sikri said that the neighbouring country has agreed in principle for double entry of cargo and passengers from the Northeast to Kolkata via Bangladesh.
"But, in practice it has not been working properly," she added. Talks were also in progress for the Guwahati-Dhaka bus and rail connectivity with Bangladesh would improve.
Assam Rifles to become a full-fledged army unit By Pinaki Das
Agartala, June 19 (ANI): The outgoing director-general of Assam Rifles, Lt. General Bhopinder Singh, has described the passing of the Assam Rifles Bill in Parliament as the "biggest achievement" of his career.
Talking to reporters here, Lt General Bhopinder Singh said that with the passage of the bill, the country's oldest paramilitary force would become a full-fledged unit of the Indian Army and could visualise doing deployment duty in other areas apart from the restrictive border areas.
With more than 45 battalions, the force has a total strength of about 65,000. Addressing Assam Rifles officers and soldiers at their headquarters, Lt.General Singh urged them to continue the "good work" done by them for the country and its people. He also said that militancy was on the decline with the active support of the people and the counter-insurgency operations. Asked about the progress made by the army court of inquiry into the Thangjam Manroama case, he said he did not wish to comment. It would besub-judice" as the matter is pending in court, he added.
He also hesitated to react on the necessity for the removal of of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 as a high-powered committee was set up by the Centre to review Act.
Lt.General Singh has served as DG AR for more than two years. He will retire from service on June 30. His troops gave him a farewell at the 21 Sector Headquarters of AR at a simple function here. Lt.General Singh has since left for Shillong. (ANI)
No unilateral offer to ULFA: Cong By A Staff Reporter Asam Tribune
GUWAHATI, June 19 – The Congress today claimed credit for taking the initiative for ‘in-depth’ discussions with the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) but said the party, or the UPA government that it leads in the Centre, would not make any ‘unilateral offer’ to bring the outfit to the negotiating table. Congress spokesman and Supreme Court lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who arrived here to plead before the Guwahati High Court in a government case tomorrow, said during a press conference this afternoon that the talks process has progressed well so far and “we should have a positive result. But there cannot be any unilateral offer by the UPA,” he said.
Singhvi said it is the UPA government that has taken ‘historic initiatives’ to bring extremist elements across the country to the talks process. The Congress believes in participatory democracy, he said. Asked by newspersons about demands within the party to build bridges with the nascent Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), Singhvi almost dubbed the Badruddin Ajmal-led front as communal by stating that the Congress had never sided with religion-based parties. “Of course in politics nothing can be ruled out,” he added.
The Congress spokesman said development and security of the minorities have always been given top priority by his party. “It is in the party constitution.”
Commenting on the demand for an Upper House in the state Assembly, Singhvi acknowledged that there are similar demands being made elsewhere also but said there is noting under active consideration now. He said the Congress-led government in the state has tried to ensure proper representation of all sections of the people within limitations.
Singhvi claimed that Asom is poised for resurgence with both the state and the Central government taking measures ensure its development. “It is on the threshold of a take off,” he said while mentioning that the state figures in the scheme of things of all Central development initiatives. “There is not a single major programme where Asom is missing,” he claimed.
“It is the heart and soul of all economic development projects of the UPA government,” said the Congress spokesman. It is the result of the initiative by the Congress party. “Asom is as much in focus of the Congress as it is in the UPA government.” The Tarun Gogoi government in the state has the opportunity to take Asom to the top, he stated.
Speaking on the flood situation in the state, the Congress spokesman said a flood-free state could not be promised. “What we can promise is necessary relief.” Every possible distribution measure to reach out to the flood-affected people is underway, he said. Meanwhile, state Congress president Bhubaneswar Kalita visited the three flood affected districts in the Barak Valley last week for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. He met the officials as well as party workers and appealed to them to ensure proper distribution of relief, a party press release said. Kalita also met Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and apprised him of the situation in the three districts.
Transporters strike disrupts Indo-Myanmar trade Sobhapati Samom Assam tribune
IMPHAL, June 19 – As the ongoing transporters strike entered the eighth day today, the Indo-Myanmar border trade in North East India through Moreh has been severely affected. The joint action committee of the Imphal-Moreh road transporters launched the strike on June 13 in protest against the frequent confiscation of goods from the transporters and subsequent restriction on goods transportation by the Assam Rifles posted at Lokchao on the Imphal-Moreh route.
The committee is demanding removal of the Assam Rifles post from Lokchao. Moreh, had been disconnected with the rest of the country since then. Till date none of the transporters has agreed to ply vehicles along the Indo-Myanmar route as the Assam Rifles authority failed to give any prompt response to their demand. The general public are suffering a lot as forty per cent of Manipur’s population depend on the border trade which was opened way back in April 1995. Imphal-Moreh road has become one of the most important road in the region after authorities of both India and Myanmar started business through Moreh and Tamu under the Indo-Myanmar border trade agreement. But the route have been witnessing frequent bandhs, strikes and blockades which have disturbed the business activities from time to time.
NESO’s demands Assam Tribune editorial
The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), the umbrella organisation of the students’ bodies of the North Eastern States, has demanded special constitutional status to the region with right over land and natural resources for the indigenous people of the region. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has been demanding special status for the State for a long time and for the first time, the NESO put forward the demand before the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on June 17. Though the NESO did not spell out the kind of constitutional protection required for the overall development of the region, if the indigenous people of the region get the right over land, it may help in checking infiltration of foreigners as no outsider will be able to procure land. However, identification of the indigenous people may pose serious problems even if the Government of India accepts the demand of the NESO as over the years, the State and the Central Governments have not been able to formulate policies for identification of the indigenous people of Asom to give them special constitutional protection under the provisions of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord and identification of the indigenous people of the entire region will definitely lead to controversies in the days to come. Under the provisions of Clause 6 of the Accord, the AASU has been demanding reservation of seats in Assembly, Parliament and local bodies for the indigenous people of the State, but even after more than 20 years of signing of the Assam Accord, the State Government has not been able to formulate the definition of indigenous people.
The NESO, in the meeting with the Prime Minister, pointed out the grave threat posed to the identity of the indigenous people of the region by unabated infiltration of foreign nationals into the region and called for a comprehensive policy to deal with the problem. Of course, the infiltration of foreigners even changed the demographic pattern of some of the districts of Asom and the other States of the region have also started to face the problem and if the infiltration is not checked, it will go on to pose a threat to the security of the entire nation. The Central Government should take immediate steps to complete the fencing along the Indo-Bangla border as soon as possible and deployment of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel along the border should be increased to check infiltration. Of course, it may be difficult for the Government to detect and deport the foreigners who had already sneaked into India, but it should not be too difficult to check further influx if the Government makes sincere efforts in this regard. The quality of the fencing should also be improved to bring it at par with the fencing constructed along the Indo-Pak border and immediate steps should be taken to install floodlights all along the border to improve visibility at night.
The NESO further raised some pertinent demands before the Prime Minister for the solution of the problems facing the youths and called for constituting a special commission for revitalisation of the educational institutions and to introduce new courses. At present thousands of students from the region are forced to go outside for higher studies and it is also a fact that a number of students cannot afford to go outside for higher studies. Improvement of the condition of the educational institutions and establishment of new technical institutions is an answer to the problem. But only opening of new educational institutions will not bring smiles to the faces of the youths of the region and immediate steps should be taken by the Government to deal with the growing problem of unemployment and the NESO has demanded constitution of a national commission to study the problem of unemployment and to suggest measures to deal with the problem. One hopes that the Prime Minister, who started his political career as a Rajya Sabha member from Asom, will take keen interest in solving the burning problems facing not only Asom, but also the other States of the region.
Colonial attitude
Cloud over NRC update A year after tripartite talks, New Delhi yet to fix legal guidelines, tallying modality By a Staff Reporter The Sentinel
GUWAHATI, June 19: When representatives of the Government of India, Asom Government and the All Assam Students’ Union, with an eye on resolving the vexed infiltration problem, agreed ‘in principle’ on May 5 last year to update the NRC, the State had heaved a sigh of relief. But with New Delhi, as of now, softpeddling the matter, a solution to the decades-old problem within two years — as had been pledged by the government in the tripartite talks — appears to be a distant dream.
Ignoring persistent clamour of the masses for an early solution to the grave problem, New Delhi is still to lay down the legal guidelines under which the process of updating the NRC would proceed. A number of reminders from the State Government have failed to evoke any response from the Centre.
As had been resolved in the tripartite talks, New Delhi had instructed the setting up of a directorate last year for updating the NRC of 1951. Seven months after the setting up of the directorate, lack of clear guidelines for updating the NRC has placed a dark cloud over the whole process. In the eventuality, legal loopholes involved in the process have come to the fore seemingly threatening to sabotage the exercise even as the snail’s pace progress of the work is already raising concerns.
How serious or sincere New Delhi is on the matter is open to question, but there are no second thoughts that the AASU needs a more comprehensive knowledge of the whole exercise.
Worse, a modality for tallying the voters’ list of 1971 and 1951 is yet to be fixed by the government. Even though the AASU had apprised the government of its opinion on the would-be modality, the latter is conspicuously treading slow on the matter. This is notwithstanding that scanning of the voters’ lists has reached the final stage and next comes the tallying.
