The killing of 18 soldiers of the Army, and injury caused to nearly a dozen, in an ambush by militants in Manipur’s Chandel district, not too far from the Myanmar border, should serve to wake us to the reality that politics has lately been given a back seat in dealing with armed rebel groups that have a significant place in the Northeast.
The ambush appeared well planned and the military convoy of four trucks that was attacked may have been a bit complacent since militant activity has been low key in the area for some time. While the viciousness of the attack has been commented on, it is also to be noted that the loss of so many soldiers in a single encounter has occurred after three decades in the Northeast.
Although a laid back attitude can hardly be recommended, it may be going too far to suggest that insurgency in Manipur may be on a rebound. But what does appear to be the case is that this March, since the government let the Khaplang faction of the Naga underground walk away from a ceasefire that had held for 14 years, there has been an uptick in militant activity. The NSCN (K), with bases on the Myanmar side of the border, is able to combine with relative ease with the Meitei groups of Manipur to retaliate against the troops.
A political and diplomatic approach can brook no delay. Since groups from the region easily straddle the frontier with both Myanmar and Bangladesh, a constant dialogue with these countries is needed. The discussion link with NSCN (K) should not be allowed to be ruptured even if this group can sometimes make unreasonable demands.
Approximately half the 60-odd groups active in the north-eastern states are to be found in Manipur where there is a history of hostility. On account of geography, sections of the Naga underground are able to combine with Manipur groups for occasional impact. The Nagas are known to often shelter in Myanmar. In the case of the Thursday ambush, the level of weapons used was reportedly sophisticated. The investigators need to get to the bottom of this.
However, it might be a mistake to give the impression of an all-out war in the Northeast. The BJP may feel obliged to take on that tack as it generally seeks to give out the message that it is “tough” on terrorism. Military action must go hand in hand with politics and diplomacy.
