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Key Text Survey of Conflicts and Resolution in India's Northeast

Author: A Sahni
Date: 2002
Size: 18 pages (359 KB)

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Summary

India's Northeast has a long history of conflicts, corruption and terrorist violence. How are the conflicts to be defined and what methods of conflict resolution are appropriate? How should development and security be promoted in the region? While there have been several governmental peace initiatives, multi-track diplomacy and non-governmental organisations' peace activities are at an incipient stage. International interventions - direct or indirect - in any conflict resolution processes are not encouraged by the government, though mediated developmental interventions are sanctioned.

The seven states making up the Northeast, which has five international boundaries, are populated by hundreds of tribes and illegal migrants. Misguided policies in pre- and post-independence India have led to uneven modernisation and democratisation. These policies have exacerbated existing tensions over scarce resources, especially land. Sometimes one element in the conflicts concerns tensions between terrorist groups and the nationalist state. However the major components are either tribal groups vs. the regional state, tribal vs. tribal (internecine) or tribal vs. non-tribal. When more than one of these components are involved it gives rise to considerable complications over analysis and resolution.

A complex collusive arrangement between various legitimate power elites and terrorist groupings exists in each of these terrorism-affected States, and this arrangement facilitates a continuous transfer of resources into the 'underground economy of terrorism'. While this reduces militancy, it encourages the formation of more such groups.

The total figure for deaths of civilians, security personnel and militants from 1992-2001 is 12,181. The population of the Northeast in the 2001 census was 38,495,089.
Increased developmental expenditure and activities, creation of infrastructure resources and employment generation have often been proposed as a panacea for political violence. Unfortunately, this has neither propelled the region into prosperity or contained insurgency and may have exacerbated the problem.
In the absence of political will and with the pressure of electoral vote banks, there appears to be no coherent initiative to translate any proposals to check or control the influx of illegal migrants in the region.
Current illegal trade across borders is controlled by, or run under the protection of, terrorist groups.
The collective strength of the Northeast States in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) is 24 in a 543 member House. This has led to a neglect of issues relating to this region.
Given the scale of alienation of tribal populations from their land, and the entrenchment of the non-tribal populations, it is not clear how practicable any efforts to restore land can be, and whether they will result in an abatement or escalation of violence .

The primary task is to restore the integrity of governance, and the various institutions of civil governance, including justice administration. Related tasks include the following:

To restore and strengthen institutions of local self-governance, including strong village and tribal councils. This is an area of significant potential, but needs to be approached with caution.
The lucrative regime of collusion between terrorists and various overground entities, including political parties, the bureaucracy and business organisations must be challenged and dismantled.
There must be active promotion of a 'culture of peace' that rejects and de-legitimises political violence as a means to the resolution of political problems or grievances.

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Source: Sahni, A., 2002, 'Survey of Conflicts and Resolution in India's Northeast', in Faultlines: Writings on Conflict & Resolution, Vol 12, South Asia Terrorism Portal and Institute for Conflict Management