Bibhu Prasad Routray surveys issues that were dominating the debates in the media of the northeast during the second fortnight of March 2004

 

People?s Power in Nagaland

 

The onset of the Lok Sabha elections has given rise to a debate of sorts in Nagaland over people?s power and the politicians? accountability to the electorates. Commenting on it the Nagaland Page (18 April) in its editorial ?Prison Line? said: ?The crucial issue that the rural poor in Nagaland are facing today is very simple: Does a poor illiterate farmer, artisan or rural woman have a right to demand from the government the details of development expenditure carried out in their village? Do they have the right to ask for copies of bills and vouchers and names of persons who have been paid wages contained in the muster rolls on the construction of schools, dispensaries, roads and community centres that in paper have been shown to have been completed?? Ã‚  In the 22 March issue of Nagaland Page, Ayangla Longkumer in an article ?Naga Women Breaking New grounds? lamented that despite the Naga women having played no less a role than the men, the question of women?s empowerment has remained mere lip service or a part of election sloganeering.

 

Election scene in Tripura

 

Commenting on the political domination of the ruling left parties in the State, the Tripura Times (22 March) in its editorial ?A virtual walk over in Tripura? reported: ?It seems to be a virtual walkover for the ruling CPI (M) in the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll in the state. The opposition parties have not been able to come to the forefront in terms of making sure that the two sitting MPs from the state get a real run for the money in the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll.?

 

ULFA?s demand for autonomy

 

The NorthEast Age (23 March) in a front-page news item, ?ULFA reiterates plebiscite demand? produced a detailed report along with a copy of the letter written by the outfit?s chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa. This was a significant turn of event as newspapers in the state, of late, have restrained themselves from reproducing copies of the handouts issued by the terrorist outfits. The report said: ?The banned ULFA has called the forthcoming election a burden on the people and has called for a plebiscite on whether Assam should be with India or have its independent statehood.? Earlier, vernacular Pratidin (20 March) reported in a lead item ?Bhutanaar Biparjayar Pratishodh loba Nirbachanat? (Revenge of Bhutan operation during elections): ?A meeting held in Bangladesh by leaders of ULFA, NDFB and KLO has decided to attack leaders and activists of BJP in the State of Assam and other NE States. This is a move of revenge against the military operations in Bhutan. ULFA will take care of Upper Assam and the NDFB areas in Lower Assam. The KLO will carry out attacks in the areas of Assam-Bengal border.?

 

Insurgency in Manipur

 

The killing of a college student on 22 March by KYKL terrorists in Thoubal district led to a series of protests in Manipur. Commenting on it, the Sangai Express (24 March) in its editorial ?Wild East? wrote: ?Gun culture has today become the identifying hallmark of the Manipuri society and this can be gauged from the numerous cases of unexplained killings as well as the regular news item that one sees about a bullet riddled body being found at some desolate place. How did this culture of violence and unexplained killings come to be associated with the Manipuri society is a question that ought to have been asked a long, long time back.?

 

Northeast and the Look East

 

Possible benefits for the northeast region through interlinking with the markets in the Southeast Asian countries have been a matter of serious debate. The Assam Tribune (31 March), in its editorial ?Looking towards East? said: ?Given the geo-political situation of the region, cross-border markets are likely to be most cost-effective business for North-East?s surplus production as also for imports of some consumer items in comparison to far-away location of our national markets.? The editorial further opined, ?What is most essential at the moment is for the Centre to develop special economic zones at appropriate places of the north-eastern region in order to translate its ?Look-East Policy? into realisation.?