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Its not everyday that one gets to hear news from the
North East (NE) India - especially of the insurgent outfits - that can bring a smile on one's face. Well, today is that rare day. Because, today I heard something that is worth a bunch of smiles: 3 insurgent outfits in our
NE have taken a pledge against using anti-personnel (AP) land mines. The outfits are the
National Social Council of Nagaland (NSCN),
Kuki National Organization or
KNO (an umbrella organization of several outfits) and Zomi Re-unification Organization (I have never heard of the 3rd, but whoever they are, I am sure they believe in being humane).
 |
| Thousands of ordinary citizens in the North east and elsewhere are
helpless preys of the Anti-personnel mines (Photo courtesy: P Min) |
The news immediately made me think of my friend Benjamin (not his real name) a Kuki man living near Indo-Burma border town of
Moreh. Last year, during a conversation Ben told me that one of the hazards that he risked everyday was getting blown by a landmine. Now, Ben is a Kuki tribal himself. But like thousands of others, he too is just a helpless, possible prey to the mines; not knowing where the mine was buried, he could step on one because the insurgents were not going to tell him 'don't go there brother, we got a mine in there.' Ben's fear is not an imagination; till today, 88 people in Kuki community alone have been killed by landmine blasts so far - a fact gathered by the prominent anti-mine campaign organization
Control Arms Foundation of India.
