Women Empowerment & Women Of NE States

Robert Lanky *

Women Reservation Bill is yet to see the light of the day although two Lok Sabha tenures have lapsed. A lot of hue-n-cry is being made by some political leaders, both at state and national level, for their own political gains.

Despite debates being generated by electronic media, the political leaders are busy mudslinging and blaming each other's parties for doing nothing in the past and sadly, diverting the focus from the main issue.

Hopefully, the 15th Lok Sabha under the UPA chairperson, Mrs Gandhi will be able to pass the Bill. Rightly, they have included 'Women Reservation Bill' in the first 100 days Agenda of the Govt.

With the election of first women Speaker Mrs Meera Kumar , backed by first women Rashtrapati and UPA Chairperson, there is a fair chance that the women reservation Bill will be passed despite ' reservations' from some political quarters. Induction of women and youth in Mr Manmohan Singh Cabinet is also an indicator of women and youth empowerment.

For the people of the North Eastern States, induction of Agatha Sangma in the Monmohan Singh ministry is a welcome sign. She is the first women Minister of State from the NE and is representative icon of youth and women empowerment.

But... what are the ground realities and condition of women, children and youth in our NE region? Are our leaders and policy makers aware of the existing situation? Will the Women Reservation Bill bring about empowerment of women of the North East? Or will it meet the same fate of child labour, child abuse, sex exploitation despite existing laws and regulations being in vogue.

Since independence most of the NE states has been engulfed in insurgency which is now synonymous to militancy or more aptly terrorism. It is thriving in all forms. Innumerable women and children have lost their husbands and fathers and have become widows and orphans.

But recent trends have shown that militant organization are now exploiting women and children for their evil deeds. Women and children are being used for smuggling of drugs (for their coffers) arms and ammunition.

They are also being used as decoys and forerunners for issuing of threat/demand/ransom letters and collection. The arrest of a women of Manipur in connection with the abduction and killing of a contractor has exposed her involvement in collection of Rs 25 lakhs as ransom.

There are many instances wherein women and children have been exploited by the militant organization by using them as 'human shield' ' decoys' and active members as well.

The ugly face of violence against women and violation of human rights of women and children is becoming more pronounced in the NE States of Nagaland, Manipur and Assam. Recently a number of young Naga children were sold as domestic helps by an NGO on pretext of giving them better education and welfare, young's girls too have been used for sex exploitation.

In Dimapur, a convention 'Domestic violence against women' organized by Naga Women Hoho, have highlighted that women in 'conflict zone' are being discriminated, and instances of rape and domestic violence against women and children are on the rise.

Further, on many an occasions, women relatives of militants are being targeted by the state and other non state actors. Besides women being recruited forcibly by militant organizations they are also being coerced to work as over ground worker.

The excessive presence of Security Forces in these states are a cause of worry of women folk due to increasing vulnerability and have voiced their concern in many forum..

The region have been under conflict since last six decades. People have seen evolution of insurgency taking the shape of terrorism. Uncounted numbers of human lives have been lost. Many a times women, children, and youths have been targeted knowingly or unknowingly by both state and non-state actors.

Initially insurgency, now terrorism have aggravated the problems of the region especially for the innocent women and children, due to lack of development, corruption and unemployment. Women in the region also have become victims of the World's third largest crime of human trafficking.

The issue of rehabilitation of victims of ethnic clashes (such as in NC Hills) is another burning issue for the states like Nagaland , Assam & Manipur where these innocent have become victims. The killing of 15 persons (including eight innocent children) on 16th & 17th of Jun 2009 in NC Hills by Dimasa Militants is not only an act of desperation but inhumane and barbaric.

We, irrespective of religion, caste and tribal affiliation have to condemn such barbarous attitude being perpetrated by the militants or miscreants and it must be stopped. It is not just a 'law & order' problem. It is the problem of the society at large which will cast its shadow on future generations.