Critically examine the drivers of various conflicts and insurgency in north east region in India.

March 12, 2022 February 21, 2024

The several drivers of various conflicts and insurgency in north east region are:
Political Mobilization by Insurgents:
The insurgent groups construct a social imaginary based on real or perceived political or ethnic or cultural subjugation by other communities. By doing so, they vindicate the need for violent assertion of their concerns. The insurgent leaders also showcase their armed cadres, weapons and financial power in the affected regions which attracts the unemployed youth to join them. Further, any insurgency is hard to be destroyed once it is successful in acquiring the popular social support.
Porous International Border and Availability of Arms:
The long International Border of India in north east region is porous and has resulted in easy flow of arms, illegal immigrations; drugs to India. Due the porous border, the insurgents can easily flee to neighboring countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh and also establish their underground insurgent bases. Moreover, the youth of north east is vulnerable to drug addiction due to the flourishing drug trade in the so called Golden Triangle. Certain insurgent groups such as UNLF, NSCN (IM) and NSCN (K) have used drugs as a tool to attract youth towards insurgency.
Tough Geography:
North East India is connected to the Indian mainland by a narrow stretch of land called Siliguri Corridor (aka Chicken’s neck) which is only few kilometres wide. This type of geographic isolation along with tough hilly terrain, densely forested and extreme weather condition of north east have supported the insurgency activism to its best.
Issue of Governance:
With increasing number of unemployed and poverty at its peak in the region it shows a clear picture that the government policies has failed to bring in a genuine living condition in the region. Furthermore, the Ethnic Security dilemmas among people is another reason for demand of separate autonomous areas in the region.