Pillai hopeful of Naga solution

Creation of job opportunities in N-E will curb rebel activities, says ex-home secy


Former home secretary G.K. Pillai addresses the convocation of Martin Luther Christian University in Shillong on Monday.

Shillong, Aug 30 : Former Union home secretary G.K. Pillai, who is here to attend the convocation of Martin Luther Christian University, said he was hopeful of a solution to the demands of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) by end-2012. The group is currently in a ceasefire with the government.
Asked what sort of autonomy the government was looking at, Pillai said, “I cannot divulge anything about the matter as this is at a sensitive stage of negotiation.”
He said the settlement is in the final stages and the NSCN (I-M) supremo Thuingaleng Muivah was happy with the progress of the talks.
Pillai also said the state governments in the Northeast should start creating more jobs for the youths to wean them away from militant activities.
Speaking to reporters here today, he said the primary purpose of many militant groups is to extort money and the youths were joining them only because the government had failed to provide adequate jobs.
Pillai, who retired on June 30, said there is a tremendous talent pool in the Northeast in terms of sports and music and many self-employment avenues could be created. “The Northeast youths are also employed in the hospitality sector elsewhere in the country, which shows the potential of the youths in the region,” he said.
According to Pillai, the “so-called militancy in the Northeast without any ideology” could be described as a cottage industry to extort money.
Citing a case, Pillai said the original purpose of the formation of Ulfa was to fight influx of migrants from Bangladesh, but the same group took shelter in Bangladesh.
Pillai, who had initiated several positive measures to end violence in the Northeast when he was the Union home secretary, said there is no room for militant activities in the days to come in the region.
There would be a logical conclusion to the ongoing peace talks with various militant groups and violence would go down as the people of the Northeast are tired of the unrest and extortions. He also said the term insurgency has become obsolete in the Northeast, as many criminal gangs which sprang up are only running an extortion racket and kidnapping people for ransom.
On the Garo Hills-based Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) luring youths and policemen by offering big pay packets, Pillai said, “They are also getting money through extortions and since the risk of punishment is not there, crime and extortion are thriving.”
Citing an example, he said, “Most of the crimes in Delhi are committed by the first-timers and there is only 10 per cent conviction. Hence, they continue to commit various crimes without the risk of punishment.”
On the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the former bureaucrat said the government wants a more humane law for the region.
Earlier, Pillai held a meeting with members of civil society and NGOs. He stressed the need for effectively utilising the funds provided by the Centre for the Northeast.