Guwahati: The Union government of India should revisit its policy towards peace processes in the Northeast. This was the general sentiment expressed in a regional dialogue titled “Peace Audit: Northeast” organised by two leading think tanks: the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) in New Delhi and the Centre for Development and Peace Studies (CDPS) in Guwahati.
The intense regional dialogue including participants from New Delhi and the entire Northeast aimed at auditing the multiple peace processes in the region. Why have the peace accords signed between the various groups and the State have not resulted in achieving peace was the primary focus of the dialogue, on which various speakers and participants provided their inputs.
Dr NG Mahanta spoke on the multiple peace processes within Assam and highlighted the challenges and issues in four peace processes vis-a-vis the Bodoland, ULFA, Karbi Anglong and NC Hills. He concluded that “though we are winning the battles but not the larger war in achieving positive peace.” The question of whether the Union government should have a moratorium on talking to new factions was discussed.
Chitra Ahanthem, Associate Editor with The Imphal Free Press, and a leading media voice from Manipur underlined the conflict as not only between the State and non-State actors, but also a series of infighting within these groups. She also highlighted the problem of splinter groups, and what generally happens after the government signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The non-State actors occupying the civilian space and the issue of child soldiers were also discussed. The dialogue also focussed on the issue of taxation by the various non-State actors, which is complied not only by common men, but also even by the government officials.
Wasbir Hussain, executive director of the CDPS explained the dangerous phenomenon of the Naxal spread into the Northeast in terms of their linkages with local non-State actors along with multiple pull and push factors. PP Shrivastava, former Member of the NEC, Mr SP Kar, former IG of Assam Police and SG Kashyap, Special Correspondent, Indian Express, underlined the road ahead in terms of what could be done. Kashyap called for halt to the easy availability of weapons which is encouraging insurgency in the Northeast.