A senior official in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has asked insurgents in the northeast region to drop their guns and participate in the process of development.
Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary (Northeast), was speaking to ANI during his recent visit to Imphal in Manipur.
"They (insurgent outfits) need to understand that it is a no win situation for them. Groups are groups. Their numbers are limited. If it comes to handle them militarily, the might of the government is always more than what they can muster," said Singh.
He added, "Instead of holding the gun they (insurgents) should come out and participate in the process of development. Those who are not participating in the process of development are mainly the people who have been creating groups and participating in anti-social activities. I won't call it anti-national; I will call it majorly anti-social because the society suffers because of that."
The northeast region has seen a decline in violence in the last few years as major outfits such as NSCN (IM), Ranjan Daimary faction of NDFB and many more have joined the peace talks with the state and central government.
However, the main challenge has been posed by anti-talk factions who are indulged in targeted killings, extortion and arms smuggling.
Singh added that anti-talk faction of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), which is headed by Paresh Baruah, is behind the supply of arms to India.
"Paresh Baruah is in touch with almost all the groups - NDFB (Songbijit), KLO, PLA, PREPAK, UNLA and NSCN (Khaplang) group. He has basically become a gun trader and is making his money out of it. I would say that he has become much of a scourge of society rather than a rebel or whatever you want to call it. In literal sense he has become a proper criminal who has no ideology anymore," said Singh.
He further revealed that several groups based in Manipur and Nagaland, who have signed peace pacts with the government, are violating the ground rules.
"NH53 and NH37 in particular have been quite vulnerable to one of the groups which is having ceasefire with the government. We are dealing with that. Along NH2 we have the problem but the problem is basically more confined to Nagaland rather than Manipur," he said.
Singh further added, "In Manipur also, some (Suspension of Operation) SoO groups have tried to disturb but to a great degree we have been able to control it except may be one point where ceasefire groups have been operating. But it's an offence and it's a crime under all conditions. These are violations of ceasefire ground rules; these are violations of SoO ground rules. If we come across such situations we allow the law to take its own course. We don't leave them."
Singh, who recently visited the Indo-Myanmar border near Moreh town in Manipur, said both countries are working on to form a joint working group to look into the fencing at the international border.
He said, "Till the issues are sorted out my approach would be to maintain calm and peace because Myanmar is not an unfriendly country. We have agreed to have a working group on the border issue. We have already signed the draft. On any occasion when some dignitary visits either of the country the final agreement shall be signed. Then both sides will sit down and look at the issues. I would accept that there have been some mistakes and those mistakes have to be rectified. Unless both the sides sit down together unilaterally you can't rectify it."
The northeast region has diverse ethnic groups and international border that makes it prone to insurgency.
However, Singh added that the government is positive about bringing rapid development in the region, but the insurgents need to drop their guns and do not disturb the peace and tranquility.
