Insurgent North Eastern Region Of India

Since the British withdrew from the subcontinent, nations in the region have been at war with each other. But instead of fighting long-drawnout wars like that between Iran and Iraq, nations of South Asia have sponsored guerrilla armies and armed, trained and equipped them to harass, bleed or embarrass their rivals. The four wars in the region’s post-colonial era were also born out of sponsored guerrilla wars. In 1948 and 1965, Pakistan first tried to have its way in Kashmir by sponsoring irregulars on a large scale and then followed it up with unsuccessful military campaigns aimed at ensuring the state’s secession from India. In 1962, China attacked India not so much over a disputed border or India’s much publicized Forward Policy but essentially in response to what it felt was a joint Indo-US covert effort in Tibet. In 1971 India rounded off its successful sponsorship of the Bengali guerrilla struggle in erstwhile East Pakistan by a speedy military campaign that resulted in the break up of Pakistan. Insurgent Crossfire examines the origins of sponsored insurgencies and how they have shaped South Asia’s tense diplomatic environment. Having done that, it studies the major sponsored guerrilla campaigns in South Asia and then seeks a detailed case study of the phenomenon by focusing on the far eastern slice of the subcontinent. The author argues that this region, with its multitude of tribes and battling ethnicities, has been the most durable theatre of insurgent crossfire – in which nations like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China (a major actor in South Asian politics) have backed insurgencies against each other.

Written with empathy and lucidity, Mukherjee’s book combines hard fact with sensitive insight in his approach to the region’s landscape, people and history. The author analyses problems intrinsic to this enigmatic area, offering viable solutions where possible.

Northeast India comprises of seven states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. This region has been the theatre of insurgency and ethnic-based armed conflicts for more than half a century making the region one of South Asia’s most disturbed areas. The instability in Northeast India is characterized by two distinct factors – ethnic clashes among the indigenous groups and political movement against the Union Government. The conflicting dynamics in the Northeast ranges from insurgency for secession to insurgency for autonomy, from terrorism to ethnic clashes, to problems of continuous inflow of migrants and the fight over resources. Moreover, vested interests and inter tribal and inter factional rivalry have led militant groups to continually clash among themselves, plunging the region in a vicious cycle of militancy, social violence and lack of economic growth. These armed conflicts have given impetus to small arms proliferation, narcotics trade and a parallel economy. The democratic deficits and how the Central Government and the states have addressed these concerns are of interest. The location of the region, politically and geographically, has a fundamental bearing on it and its people who aspire for different goals and how they try to reach these goals. The region shares borders with four countries: Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Tibet/China and is connected to the Indian mainland by a narrow stretch of land. This adds to the trans – border ramifications to the conflicts. To address these issues CSA with the help of Centre for Northeast Studies and Policy Research, Guwahati engaged a few experts who have contributed papers which were presented at the Seminar in New Delhi in July 2010 and the same stand published through this book.

Papers presented at the National Seminar on Insurgency in Northeast India organised by NEICSSR at Shillong on 24-26 July 1995.

The Book Makes A Critical Intervention In Contemporary Discourses On Human Rights And Examines Them In The Context Of Insurgency, Particularly In Northeast India. Occupy Different Positions Centering Round The Conflict.An Attempt Has Been Made Here To Bring Together A Host Of Critical Views From These Various Perspectives. This Book Would Be Immensely Useful To Scholars And Social Activists Who Are Looking For A Starting Point For A Dialogic Encounter In A Climate Of Confusion And Unrest In Ne India.

Explores the current status of this national problem in parliamentarians, officers and officials of the government of India, and residents of the North-Eastern (NE) States. The author, combining extensive practical experience with research and scholarship, considers the NE insurgencies within the larger context of the Indian constitution.