31 Mar :A two day long seminar on “Human Security in North East India : Problems Responses and Strategies” jointly organised by Mizo Research Scholars’ Association and Zawlnuam College was inaugurated by Higher & Technical Minister Lasawta at the I&PR Conference hall today.
The Minister in his inaugural address mentioned numerous signs of insecurities and various incidents of violence that still grip the north east region. While the old saying goes “A pen is mightier than a sword”, the Minister said this does not hold true and that “might is apparently still right” in case of the region. He also explained how Assam and other states in the region still witness cases of kidnapping and killing of innocent people out of insurgency or ransom and said gender discrimination, domestic violence etc are still very common in many places. Even in Mizoram, which is considered to be one of the most peaceful states in the country, one can tell insurgency hang-over still lingers even after 20 years of peace by looking at shops and all businesses close down at dusk. The Minister expressed hope that the seminar would pave the way for tackling these problems being faced in the region.
Giving a keynote address, Prof.C. Nunthara, Dean, Willian Carey University, Shillong described the term security in relation to seven dimensions, economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security, community security and political security and that these seven dimensions are inter-related and bound to affect one another. According to Armed Conflict Report on Northeast, he said approximately 20,000 to 25,000 have died due to insurgency conflicts in the North east since 1992, over 1000 people were reported killed throughout the region in 2007 including 453 civilians, 65 security personnel and 501 militants where Assam, Manipur and Nagaland continued to be the areas with largest number of casualties.
In this seminar, 20 research scholars will present papers and will hold discussion during the two days.