The Hindu : Front Page : 'Action plan to counter insurgency threat in North-East'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

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Front Page

'Action plan to counter insurgency threat in North-East'

By Sushanta Talukdar

GUWAHATI, OCT. 15. The intelligence chiefs of the North-Eastern States have chalked out an action plan to counter the threat posed by insurgent groups of the region.

This was disclosed by N. Ravi, Joint Director, Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau, at the inaugural session of the two-day 18th annual conference of DGP and IGPs of North-Eastern States here today. The action plan was chalked out at a meeting held at the Assam Police Headquarters here on Thursday.

N.C. Padhi, Special Director, Intelligence Bureau, underlined the need for optimal utilisation of all resources at hand by police in the North-Eastern States and the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations to meet the challenge of foreign agencies instigating militant groups to indulge in subversive activities.

He stressed on the need for setting up a mechanism for regular coordination between the police force of the region and the security and Central paramilitary forces.

Besides the DGPs and IGPs of the region and senior officials of the Research and Analysis Wing, the Army and Central paramilitary forces also attended the conference organised by the Union Home Ministry.

`Bid to stabilise N-E'

Delivering the keynote address, the Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, exhorted the police chiefs of the region and the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations to ensure full coordination to counter the threat posed by foreign forces instigating insurgent groups of the North-East to destabilise the region and the militant groups taking shelter in neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Mr. Gogoi stressed the need for a two-pronged strategy: undertaking development activities in a big way to prevent further recruitment of youths by militant groups and curbing insurgency with a firm hand. "There may be many reasons for some of the youths to be disgruntled. But there can no justification for taking the law into their hands or indulging in violence, senseless killings," he said. Assuring full support to efforts made by police and security agencies, he said that police alone would not be able to deal with the problem unless their efforts were backed by political support.

The Chief Secretary, J.P. Rajkhowa, said the cross-border movement of insurgents, illegal migrants and smuggling of arms and contraband posed serious security threat to the region.

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