GUWAHATI, Nov 8 � In a marked departure from the earlier practice of just talking to the elected representatives and government officials, Naga peace talk interlocutor and Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee RN Ravi had deliberations with a few representative youths of insurgency-affected districts of Tirap, Changlang and Longding in Arunachal Pradesh, yesterday in New Delhi to discuss the problems created by members of the NSCN in those areas.
This was a follow-up meeting of an earlier deliberation between Ravi and Editor-In-Chief of Eastern Sentinel and social activist of Arunachal Pradesh, Jarpum Gamlin.
This was a first meeting of its kind in more than two decades of insurgency in the areas. The process has been set rolling, said Gamlin while adding that if everything goes as per the plan, there would be more of such consultative meetings between the well-meaning people, not necessarily leaders, and the Government of India.
There would be a follow-up consultative meeting sometime in the second week of December within the North East, said Gamlin while adding that the group has been told to work out a plan.
While acknowledging the districts as victims of insurgency activities, Ravi unequivocally said that violence and atrocities must stop and things must change for the better.� Also, he said that issues and concerns of the affected locals in Arunachal Pradesh shall be taken into consideration while addressing the Naga peace talk.
While responding to the concerns over efficacy of security forces in terms of patrolling the international border and military operations deployed in the districts as raised by youths, including lawyer Sarah Wanglat and civil service aspirants -Ranphoa Ngowa, Kenlik Tangha and Ejoy Ketok, Ravi said that the government is besieged of the situation along the Indo-Burma border and therefore, an alternative to Assam Rifles could be looked into.
Significantly, Ravi acknowledged the pitfalls in the ceasefire agreements when youths raised their concern over the non-transparency in truce agreements, including ambiguity over operational jurisdiction and members of the ceasefire monitoring committee. �We will bring in more transparency into the process and address grievances,� Ravi added.
When his attention was drawn to the lack of �coaching-counselling� for the deprived youths of the districts to pursue higher education, Ravi agreed to provide support to career-oriented youths, said Gamlin.
