Northeast India - Political Unrest

Political Unrest

The northeastern states, having a comparatively small electorate (3.8% of India's total population) are alloted 25 out of a total of 543 seats in the Lok Sabha (Which is 4.6% of the total number of seats).

Thought during the British Raj, the North-eastern states were isolated from their traditional trading partners like (Bhutan, Myanmar and Indo-China). In 1947 Indian independence and partition made this a landlocked region, exacerbating the isolation that is being recognized lately, but not studied yet. Soon it became a captive market for mainstream India.

The northeastern states are home to many ethnic groups, that are engaged in self-preservation. A large majority of tribes where converted to christanity and been forced to adopt the modified yet westerned inflenced living standard and forgo their traditional lifestyle.

Of late there is a wide recognition among policy makers and economists of the region that the main stumbling block for economic development of the Northeastern region is the disadvantageous geographical location. The coming of globalisation propagates deterritorialisation and a borderless world which is often associated with economic integration. With 98 percent of its borders with China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, Northeast India has better scope for development in the era of globalisation. As a result, a new policy developed among intellectuals and politicians that one direction the Northeastern region must be looking to as a new way of development lies with political integration with the rest of India and economic integration with the rest of Asia, with East and Southeast Asia in particular as the policy of economic integration with the rest of India did not yield much dividends. With the development of this new policy the Government of India directed its Look East policy towards developing the Northeastern region. This policy is reflected in the Year End Review 2004 of the Ministry of External Affairs, which stated that: “India’s Look East Policy has now been given a new dimension by the UPA Government. India is now looking towards a partnership with the ASEAN countries, both within BIMSTEC and the India-ASEAN Summit dialogue as integrally linked to economic and security interests, particularly for India’s East and North East region.”

However, the heavy and privileged status of the security forces in Northeast India, as well as seeming discriminatory treatment against Northeast Indians (see Ethnic relations in India) remain factors that contribute to tensions in the region. For example, the hunger strike by Irom Chanu Sharmila following the "Malom Massacre" has not received widespread coverage in India.