North-east insurgents in Britain

The perceptible increase in the bloody manifestations of the several insurgencies in the north-east, more particularly that conducted by the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has more to do with geopolitics than any expectation of success in their mission. ULFA’s mindless attacks on Hindi-speaking migrant labour and petty businessmen have already boomeranged at some places when terrorists caught in the act of extortion were lynched. That sentiment has yet to acquire the momentum of a groundswell but it should give the ULFA something to pause and ponder.

So far as the talks with the NSCN (I-M) are concerned, they have pulled back several times from the brink of collapse which would have ignited a fresh round of open hostilities. The current ceasefire is up for renewal and there are signs of frustration among the insurgents that there have been no tangible signs of progress.

Central to the Naga issue is the integration of Naga majority areas in contiguous States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Manipur which are vehemently opposed to the creation “Greater Nagaland”. On at least one occasion the depth of antagonism became came upfront. Manipur burst into flames during the NDA regime when Delhi indicated it might consider the demand. On the other hand, the Nagaland assembly has on several occasions passed resolutions calling for integration of Naga areas.

Between the two postures there does not appear to be much room for manoeuvre, calls for “transparency” notwithstanding. The geopolitical scenario is also acquiring new dimensions. Last year the NSCN (I-M) delegation had travelled to China raising the spectre of a fresh dose of Chinese-sponsored insurgency on India’s north-eastern flank. The latest development in which China has asserted its claims on Arunachal Pradesh will further tend to muddy prospects for peace not just in the north-east but further afield as well.

A British Labour MP of Kashmiri descent, Lord Nazir Ahmed, has once again managed to bring together in London in May on one platform the Sikh Khalistani separatists and the Naga (I-M) group. The worrying aspect is that here is British lawmaker who is involved in promoting “self-determination” for organisations that have not hesitated to use terror tactics in trying to attain their goal of separation. This, even as Britain itself is suffering the consequences of terrorist attacks from home-grown Islamic fundamentalists who have received training and indoctrination in Pakistan. It is natural in this context to put question marks over the West’s commitment to fight terrorism.

The London conclave adopted a resolution that devoted a paragraph on “Indian colonialism” against the Kashmiris, the Nagas, Assamese, the people of Manipur, the Bodos, but the central theme was the revival of the Khalistan movement in Punjab. Ever since the Sikh separatists were crushed in the late 80s, Pakistan has been maintaining a special cell within the Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to try and resuscitate it and one of its former directors-general was appointed to head the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. His name is Lt-General Javed Naseer. The sporadic bomb blasts in Delhi and Punjab two years ago were credited to the Babbar Khalsa which is funded and maintained by the ISI.

Instead of making its displeasure known to the NSCN (I-M) for attending the London conclave it would be more appropriate for Delhi to take up the matter with London and let it know that such dual standards of fighting global terrorism on the one hand and pandering to it on the other will not be in its own interest much less of India’s.

The consequences of such encouragement to terrorism have long-term effect and India must jog British memory to the days when “President” of Khalistan Jagjit Singh Chauhan (he died recently in India) who was provided consular facilities by the American Government to obtain a passport and Britain provided him sanctuary and the propaganda wherewithal to propagate his brand of terror.

With all the proof at their disposal both Britain and the US should be able to bring more pressure to bear on the Government of Pakistan to stamp out the germs of terrorism that germinate on its soil. But before that they must practice what they preach and in any case dissuade parliamentarians from stoking the embers.

(http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6218)