Participating in BJP's National Executive Committee meeting here on Monday, party president Rajnath Singh attacked the Congress-led UPA for woes of the North-East and claimed that BJP would help form next governments in Meghalaya and Tripura to relieve people of "misgovernance" by Congress and Left Front in those states after the Assembly polls in February and March.

Despite the President's rule in Nagaland, Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) will again form the next government in that state, he said.

According to Mr Singh, Congress misrule for decades is to blame for lack of development in the North-East and ever-increasing influx of Bangladeshi immigrants which has had grave implications on the identity of the people and their limited avenues of economic sustenance in the region.

Successive Congress governments at the Centre and in the northeastern states have treated illegal immigrants as captive vote banks for narrow political gains, socially and politically destabilising all parts of the North-East, he said.

"Congress has never properly understood the unique situation in the North-East, and under the UPA Government, the entire North-East has continued to suffer serious neglect," Mr Singh said.

He also criticised Congress' short-sighted approach to the region leading to emergence of various insurgent movements seeking to protect their identity as well as regional interests.

The BJP-led NDA Government sought to permanently reverse this trend and focus on development to ensure that economic prosperity percolated to all parts of the North-East. There has been an evident slowdown in this process during the UPA Government and once again violent incidents are on the rise in the region, the BJP leader added.

SP has already decided to field former KHADC Chief Executive Member PK Raswai in Jirang constituency and State SP convenor Shutis Dkhar in Nartiang seat.

The party hopes to finalise names of other contestants soon.

"SP is confident of making an impact in the coming Assembly poll," Mr Dkhar said at a press conference here on Monday.

Meanwhile, Mr Raswai, who is also State SP adviser, said he opted to contest the elections from Jirang constituency because he had kept his promises made to the people of Langrin constituency as an MLA.

Mr Raswai is a former Congress MLA from Langrin seat and was Minister of Mining and Geology twice.

"I feel it's time I started a new innings in a fresh constituency to accomplish the unfulfilled dreams of the people there. Representatives of that constituency (Jirang), according to me, miserably failed in the past," Mr Raswai said.

Admitting that he had a tough challenge ahead, the State SP leader said, "Congress is no threat to me. I will be facing a tough contest from UDP candidate JD Rymbai and NCP nominee Laborius Manik Syiem."

In 2003, Mr Raswai contested the election from Langrin on an NCP ticket but lost the battle to State Assembly Speaker MM Danggo.

The Shillong Bench of the High Court, while setting aside a writ petition filed by the Meghalaya Government, on Monday said neither FIR nor criminal proceedings had been registered by the State Government against Mr Mawlong.

The court order, passed by Justice T Vaiphei, also said the investigation machinery had not been activated in the case for long five years.

In his order, Justice Vaiphei directed the State Government not to pursue its direction made on December 12, 2002 urging the Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances to entrust the case related to the controversial construction of Meghalaya House in Kolkata to CBI.

The court, however, said if there was any proof against Mr Malwong, the State Government was free to submit the documents related to the case to CBI.

The High Court has finally removed the stigma from Mr Mawlong on the Meghalaya House issue. Mr Mawlong is one of the prominent UDP candidates seeking election to the 8th Legislative Assembly.

The EK Mawlong-led Government had collapsed in 2001 when two BJP ministers resigned and several of his ministerial colleagues broke away from UDP to form MDP following the controversy over the alleged shady deal on Kolkata Meghalaya House. The then UDP-led Government had signed the Kolkata House deal with a private company AHCL.

According to sources, doctors of Nazareth Hospital, led by Dr Bernard T Lyngdoh, recently performed a successful micro-neurological surgery on a patient who had a life-threatening brain tumour.

The 27-year-old patient, named Note Lyngdoh Kynshi, had suffered visual impairment and was on the verge of becoming totally blind due to the presence of tumour in the pituitary glands situated at the base of the brain.

Besides causing visual impairment and hormonal imbalance leading to consequences like Cushing's disease, growth of such tumours may result in even more life-threatening obstruction to the flow of brain fluid. Timely removal of the tumour can prevent such harms.

According to doctors in the hospital, the patient had regained most of his vision after the surgery and hoped to return to his work as a driver within a few weeks.

With the newly-acquired micro-surgical equipment in the hospital, such kind of surgeries and other micro neuro-surgical process of the brain and spine were now being routinely performed at the hospital, doctors added.

In a letter submitted to the Chief Election Officer (CEO) PK Naik here on Monday, MTWA general secretary DH Warjri urged the CEO to issue an order to all MLAs concerned to erase their names for the sake of justice and fair polls or electioneering in the State.

Further, Mr Warjri said anything purchased by any MLA under the State or Central schemes became a public property. "It is improper on the part of the MLAs to project their names on the materials purchased as it sends a wrong message that the items belong to the MLA," Mr Wajri pointed out.

Meanwhile, former FKJGP president and UDP candidate from Nongkrem Ardent M Basaiawmoit has said State will change for the better only when people have changed their mindset on how to elect their legislators.

Addressing a public rally at Smit here on Monday, Mr Basaiawmoit lashed out at the current lot of politicians for failing to fulfil the aspirations of the people and work for socio-economic development of the State.

UDP leader Hardinge L Massar, party's Youth Wing president Allan Dkhar and others spoke at the rally.

Former KHADC MDC from Laban Sanbor Shullai, who recently resigned from Congress, formally joined NCP along with several of his supporters on Monday. Mr Shullai will contest the March-3 Assembly elections on NCP ticket.

Meanwhile, in order to strictly follow the guidelines of the Election Commission on poll code of conduct, accounts maintenance and filing of affidavits, NCP conducted training for its candidates and polling agents from various constituencies of the city and Khasi Hills districts. Similar training programme would be held at Williamnagar on January 31.

On Sunday, NCP leader Purno A Sangma, at a meeting at Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills, askee the youth to wake up and join the movement for change.

Speaking at a public meeting held at Madan Smit on Monday, Mr Basaiawmoit alleged that some of the candidates are reportedly enticing voters with monetary assistance and are canvassing in the name of religion.

"In a democratic set up, this is incorrect as it defeats the real essence of democracy" Mr Basaiawmoit said.

Notwithstanding the Election Commission's announcement of the mode of conduct, a number of candidates in the poll fray, are nonchalantly indulging in such activities.

He called upon the concerned authorities to take strong action against such candidates.

He further cautioned voters of Nongkrem constituency against such unscrupulous candidates who play carrot-and-stick.

Meanwhile, UDP leader Hardinge L Massar, who spoke on the occasion, blamed power-hungry politicians that led to internal bickering within Congress barrack while claiming that a large number of Congress members and party workers have switched to the UDP sides.

Attacking KHADC Chief Executive Member HS Shylla, Mr Massar said what could the people expect from a CEM who tried to sell out properties of the District Council if he is elected to the State Assembly.

Others who spoke on the occasion include UDP Youth Wing Shillong City president Alan Dkhar and others.

The West Khasi Hills district administration has prohibited unauthorized use of loudspeakers beyond the stipulated decibel limit for electioneering campaign in the whole district with immediate effect. A release issued by the District Magistrate, West Khasi Hills said the order comes into force with immediate effect.

The recovery on the river bank has given credence to the suspicion of security forces that militants have been occasionally using the Brahmaputra channel to ferry arms and ammunition dodging tight security vigil on land areas.

Police informed that acting on information provided by some alert people, the CRPF team recovered a huge packet of arms and ammunition that was dumped on the river bed near a docked vessel of Assam Inland Water Transport Department.

The recovery included three universal grenade launchers, three Austria-made grenades, two kilograms of RDX explosives, one kilogram of gunpowder, gelatin sticks and detonators. No one was arrested so far in connection with the recovery. The arms and ammunition dump was found not far away from the Superintendent of Railway Police of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).

Police suspected that it was the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) that was involved in ferrying the arms and ammunition across the river Brahmaputra with an intention to strike terror in the city located bang on the south bank of Brahmaputra River.

Though the security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations in the State usually maintain very tight vigil on all land routes in the State to check movements of militants, the vigil along the course of Brahmaputra River that flows from East to West throughout the State, is limited to only occasional patrolling across the channel near Guwahati and few other urban centres of the State.

The Army have been maintaining that the banned ULFA have struck a good rapport with the immigrant population in river isles on Brahmaputra river and using those unguarded inhabited areas which are totally cut off from the main landmass of the State, as hideouts and arms ammunition dumps.

According to the police, the whereabouts of the trio were yet to be known.

The accused was remanded to judicial custody.

Police said that the Playwin counter belonged to one Rajeev Dhar. No arrest has been made yet in this connection.

The budget time is not a very happy period for the mandarins of the North Block. But finance minister, Mr. Chidambaram, and his team mates are a happy lot as Indian economy is in a buoyant mood, growing at the rate of approximately 9 per cent per annum. Moreover, we are also experiencing a surprising degree of price stability, with the rate of inflation currently under 4 per cent.

Above all, there has been a remarkable increase in the Central government’s tax revenues. The growth in direct tax revenues upto November has been as high as 42 per cent. While indirect tax revenues have not grown at quite the same rate, the growth in overall tax revenues has more than met the target specified in the budget speech last year. The ratio of tax revenue to gross domestic product is finally reaching respectability. This is no mean achievement in view of the fact that only a small number of Indian households pay direct taxes—an overwhelming majority of households have incomes falling below the exemption limit.

What must be particularly heartening for the finance minister is that this impressive performance has been achieved without any sudden imposition of draconian measures in the form of very high rates of tax. Tax rates have remained more or less stable for several years now. A part of the increase in tax revenues has been due to the sustained rise in income levels. Quite naturally, people pay more taxes when their incomes increase. Similarly, corporate income tax receipts go up with company profits. More goods and services are bought and sold and that too culminates in larger indirect tax receipts.

Of course, if this were the full story, then there would always be the fear that a sudden fall in fortunes for the economy—caused, for instance, by a bad monsoon or a global recession—would wipe out the gains completely. Fortunately, this is not the case. There have been two important structural changes as far as the country’s fiscal regime is concerned.

Over the last few years, the government has managed to bring new activities within the scope of direct taxes. For instance, most service activities—starting from those provided by travel agents to insurance companies—now attract service tax. The importance of this cannot be overstated. The structure of the Indian economy has been changing quite rapidly, with the service sector expanding far more rapidly than other sectors. Unless the service sector was brought into the tax net, the government would have found it increasingly difficult to increase the tax to GDP ratio.

There has been the steep increase in tax compliance. Growing numbers of people are reporting larger fractions of their incomes to the government. This is not because Indians have suddenly become more honest. The credit for the increased tax compliance lies entirely with the tax authorities. The greater use of computers has allowed them to gather and organize information about tax payers. This has been supplemented by a whole host of new regulations, such as the use of PAN in many financial transactions and stipulations that tax be deducted at source in a larger number of cases.

Chidambaram seems so satisfied with the volume of the tax revenues that the Central government has collected that he has almost hinted at the possibility of reducing tax rates in the future. But, are we really overtaxed? Do we deserve some relief in the form of lower tax rates or should the government put the higher tax revenues to productive use?

There was a time when rich Indians faced really draconian rates of income tax. As far as one could remember, the highest marginal tax rate at one time was as high as 97.5 per cent. Quite naturally, only a handful declared incomes that attracted these rates of tax. The benefit from tax evasion was simply too high. "Honesty does not pay" must have been the motto of the vast bulk of the relatively well-off Indians. Despite these incredibly high tax rates, the government managed to collect a relatively small volume of tax revenue.

But, there has been a sea-change in tax regimes. Tax rates have been relatively stable. Once the exemption limit and all other tax concessions are taken into account, hardly anyone pays more than a third of his or her income in direct taxes. And this certainly cannot be construed as a punitive rate of taxation.

How do Indian tax rates compare with rates in other countries? Indeed, income tax rates are higher in several western European countries. For instance, highest marginal tax rate in the United Kingdom is 40 per cent, and this kicks in at relatively low levels of incomes. Even some university lecturers have to pay this rate on a small part of their incomes. Tax rates are significantly higher in Scandinavian countries.

However, international tax rate comparisons are fraught with difficulty. Citizens can well ask what they get from the government in return for the taxes collected from them. Only a handful of Scandinavian citizens would send their children to private schools. And even members of the royal families go to public hospitals because the public health system is so good.

Although the public healthcare system in other European countries does not quite match that in Scandinavian countries, it is vastly superior to what is available in India. Compared to Europeans, Indians are forced to spend a significantly larger fraction of their incomes on health and children’s education. This needs to be taken into account in any comparison of tax rates across countries.

Of course, it is highly unlikely that Chidambaram will actually lower direct tax rates. And he should not for at least two reasons. First, it is politically difficult to raise income tax rates, even if this comes after a reduction. So, if some future government feels an economic need to restore rates to current levels, it may not have the political will to do so.

The government still needs a significant increase in overall revenues despite the comfortable levels of tax collection today. Investment in infrastructure has to be stepped up quite dramatically in order to meet the requirements of a growing economy. Government spending in the social sectors is still woefully inadequate for a country which portrays itself as one of the world leaders in the 21st century. INAV

Some senior soldiers, including a former Chief of Army Staff, have been openly voicing reservations from time to time over the desirability of the Indian Army being frequently called out for counter-insurgency and internal law and order duties, especially in the North-East. They argue that deployment of the Army for such duties is sapping their "fighting ability". In a graphic description, though inappropriate even in terms of classic military strategy, it is portrayed as "fighting with one hand tied at the back". A secondary refrain in such arguments is that the Army is being increasingly inducted for such duties because of "failure" of the civil administration to control large-scale disturbances.

Ironically, the arguments by these soldiers have little validity if examined from the angle of military strategy itself. It betrays a mindset steeped in the military doctrines espoused by 18th and 19th century European military rulers, who viewed war as infliction of maximum damage, both human and material, on the enemy, employing maximum force. The military aristocracy governing these states, directly or by proxy, idealised combat as a contest of "individual valour" and "national honour". A swashbuckler came to be idealised as a model soldier.

It is but axiomatic that our military, like militaries elsewhere, is trained and equipped to fight, and fight effectively with all available force. It is armed to overpower and annihilate the enemy. But a crucial aspect of military strategy is overlooked. This should be the last resort. With the worldwide acceptance of the concept of popular government, war has come to be defined, mainly since the last century, as pursuit of national politics by other means. The earlier objective of a national army to fight to kill or to annihilate the enemy merely for the sake of "winning the war" is abandoned. This is to be exercised only if other tactics to achieve the overall political objective fail.

Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese thinker is, arguably, the greatest military genius of all time. Though he wrote almost 2,500 years ago, his concepts both on military tactics and strategy have been studied mainly in the last century. Now increasingly acknowledged in the West, his military strategy has been termed the "concentrated essence of wisdom on the conduct of war". According to leading Western military thinkers and historians of the last century like Liddel-Hart, Sun Tzu on the subject of war has "never been surpassed in comprehensiveness of depth of understanding". In China and the Far East though, Sun Tzu’s concepts influenced military thinking for centuries. According to him, the acme of military skill is to "subdue the enemy’s army without fighting". This was relevant even in ancient times when bows and arrows were used freely. This wisdom would be germane to the doctrines of modern warfare when the cost of arms and ammunition is becoming prohibitive even for affluent Western nations.

Apparently, the military wisdom of Sun Tzu has escaped the attention of the Indian Army. Like any modern army, our Army should be psychologically prepared and trained to fight—ground conditions permitting—without close physical combat or annihilation of the enemy.

Undeniably, annihilation of the enemy may sometimes become an absolute tactical necessity, other options failing. But this conceivably cannot be an overall strategic objective today in any case of conflict among nation states. Sun Tzu says: "The skilful military strategist should be able to subdue the enemy’s army without engaging it, to take his cities without laying siege to them and to overthrow his state without blooding swords".

From the angle of overall strategy, a soldier should not be so restrictively trained as to be psychologically conditioned to eliminate his opponent physically at the very first go, without employing and exhausting other options. These tactical options are to bypass the enemy, to outflank him and race to capture the target on the ground; to confine and encircle the enemy and induce him to realise that resistance would be too costly, or futile; to hoodwink it into believing that an ostensible target is the actual one.

No doubt, at times, it may just not be possible to surprise the enemy or to outwit and outflank him. Therefore, to eliminate the enemy, as the ultimate option, should continue to be an important part of training and conditioning of an Army. But to say that if our Army is deployed temporarily for internal security duties where limited force is required, it would sap its "fighting ability", is both psychologically inadvisable and strategically unwise.

The example of large-scale warfare amongst nation states in the last century, beginning with the First World War, is instructive. Opposing European armies dug themselves in face-to-face in virtually parallel trenches. They employed maximum force which largely resulted in fruitless combat and physical elimination influenced by—quite literally—destructive strategic doctrines of Western military thinkers and generals.

The combatants inflicted, months on end, maximum human casualties on opponents, merely to gain, or regain, largely valueless physical ground. It eventually proved to be too expensive both in human and material terms. It was an unwise strategy of seesaw victory, defeat and again victory in successive battles. Apparently, the generals who conducted these operations were entirely innocent of the strategic brilliance of Sun Tzu: "He who struggles for victory with naked blades is not a good general". The other argument about occasional internal deployment of the army in aid of civil administration is again not valid. Law and order is a state subject. The total police force available with the district administration, particularly the armed reserves, has not been augmented proportionately to the rise in population, almost since the time of independence. The district armed reserve police strength is three or four companies or so, on an average. Of course, as a supplement, reserve armed police battalions are available with the state government for duty anywhere should large-scale civil disturbances erupt. But the district civil authority continues to make do with limited local resources available. These can check and contain small disturbances or localised insurgency.

In case of large-scale disturbances or conditions of insurgency in the state, the total armed police reserves available with the state government are generally inadequate. A continual augmentation of armed police reserves by the state governments is expensive. To keep raising, training, equipping and maintaining armed police reserves is a recurring, and ever increasing, revenue outgo of a non-development nature. A study of the last few Union budgets shows that the outlay on paramilitary forces has increased manifold, in comparison with that on the defence forces.

They cannot be expected continually to raise non-development outlays without taking into account, entirely as reserve strength though, the availability of the military forces stationed in various states. INAV

Sir,

This is a clarion call to the like-minded people of Tura, to start a campaign 'Save Tura, Save the Peak'. We have been too lazy to stir out of our own cocoon and work for a better Tura, where the rule of law should prevail. Just take a look at the condition of the roads; they are full of potholes and even deep gorges. Pollution is increasing without any check from the concerned authorities. In case you are an early riser and prefer a morning walk, you will find that the road from Hawakhana to Dakopgre is full of trucks carrying water to the BSF, CRPF and the Fire Brigade. All these trucks are accompanied by another escort vehicle with gun wielding guards as though the water tankers are transporting gold or uranium. The trucks are ill maintained and spew thick smoke, making life miserable and injurious to the morning walkers and the pedestrians. Moreover, heavy vehicles are allowed to ply on the roads round the clock. The ills are many, and the remedy is also in our hands.

Tura Peak used to be the dream of every Tura resident, young and old looking for a bit of adventure. Some of us had the fortune (misfortune?) of climbing the peak during the last Christmas holidays. The old path is virtually non-existent due to soil erosion and landslide. Consequently, climbing has become difficult. And what do you see on the Peak? Virtually nothing. Sheer neglect has reduced the viewpoint to an eyesore. Dirty and stinking.

Government of Meghalaya has a declared policy of developing tourist spots, so why not develop Tura Peak as a tourist attraction. I am sure that there are enough funds, but only lack the political will. Elections and politicians will come and go with monotonous regularity, but Tura Peak will stand forever. The jungles in and around the Peak are being destroyed; trees are cut with impunity, leading to landslides. Anyone can see a deep gash on the left side of the peak and God forbid further erosion!

Yours etc.,
PL Sebastian,
Tura (via e-mail)

Sir,

Apropos the news item "Aide recollects Netaji's NE sojourn" (ST January 23), Netaji on release from Myanmar's Mandalay prison lived for a few months at Kellsol Lodge neat the lake, then a property of a tea garden owner before it was sold to the Postal department. He lived in both the main building and in the annex in 1927. His brother Sarat Chandra Bose came to live with him for some time. Dr Pulin Behari Deb and his family looked after him. Gopinath Bordoloi, Nabin Chandra Bordoloi, Tarun Ram Phukan and all leading Congress leaders were frequent visitors to Kellsol Lodge.

The United Muslim Party under the leadership of Muhammad Saadulla formed the first ministry under the Provincial Autonomy Scheme of Government of India Act 1935. Rev JJM Nichols Roy of Progressive Party was one of the ministers. But on September 12, 1938, Saadulla was forced to resign. Acting Governor Henry Joseph Twynham invited Gopinath Bordoloi, the leader of Congress party, to form the government. Congress president Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose along with Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad came to Shillong to advise Gopinath in ministry formation and lived at Ashly hall with Gopinath.

Netaji was invited by Rev Brother JI O'Leary in 1938 during his Shillong visit to address the students and staff of St Edmund's College, Shillong. There was an apprehension that the British government would react unfavourably in Bro. O'Leary's welcoming Netaji Bose. But the Governor of Assam Sir Robert Reid told the Irish Brother O'Leary that he was right in inviting Netaji to the College.

Yours etc.,
B Datta Ray
Shillong (via e-mail)

All the eight states have recorded lowest credit mobilisation and disbursement, according to the status report brought out by the Union Rural Development Ministry.

The report was released at the National Conference of Project Directors of District Rural Development Agencies (DRDA) inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil here on Monday.

Though percentage of credit mobilisation has increased from 32.96 per cent to 79.33 per cent, yet the rate of increase in credit mobilisation is below than expectation.

Credit mobilisation is poor in Assam (42.72), Arunachal Pradesh (21.81), Manipur (20.82), Meghalaya (10.63), Mizoram (18.56), Nagaland (6.97) and Sikkim (41.42) (per cents), besides other States.

The same is the story in case of credit disbursement with all the states in the region recording disbursement below national average.

The Ministry had in last February urged the states to launch a focused campaign to reduce the pending loan application by 50 per cent by December 31, 2007.

Even the credit subsidy ration during the last fiscal was below the targeted 3:1.

The credit subsidy ratio is below national average in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland Sikkim and Tripura. The report also admitted lack of bank branches in the region.

The report also expressed concern over the fact that despite consistent efforts, only a few states have completed the BPL list.

Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Mizoram are among handful of States, which have finalised the BPL list and the rest including Meghalaya have failed in this front too, the report said.

Although the father died in the well, the son was rescued by the police and fire fighters later. The deceased was identified as Ali Mohammed (70) while the son is identified as Jumon Ali (26) of Kailashpur locality of Guwahati. Jumon was later taken to hospital.

Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Debojit Deuri said a case of unnatural death was registered. The ASP further said that Jumon had recently been discharged from the Tezpur mental asylum. According to neighbours, the incident took place at around 5 am on Monday when Jumon allegedly took his father Ali Mohammed in his arms and threw him into the well.(NNN)

Counting began on Monday morning despite rain and cold wave sweeping the entire State in all the 19 districts, where election took place.

There was no counting in Hailakandi and Goalpara districts, where polling had been suspended because of local violence.

As the results were trickling in, it was apparent that the Congress was all set to control upper Assam and north bank of the river Brahmaputra. They were locked in a tough fight with the AGP in some lower Assam districts like Barpeta, Kamrup as well as Nagaon.

The AGP did exceedingly well in Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh districts but could not keep the Sonitpur district, home of the party president Brindabon Goswami.

Counting started on Monday morning at 8 am but in most of the districts there was delayed start amidst chaos and great enthusiasm of candidates and supporters.

About 76,000 candidates are in fray for various posts in the panchayat.

The Congress and AUDF had turned the poll into a prestige battle as each of them made it look a like a general election with money, muscle and even helicopters for the two month long campaign period.

On the other hand, the AGP played a subdued marginal role in the electioneering, unable to match the money and muscle power of the Congress and AUDF.

But the AGP surprised everyone by putting up a better fight than it was expected, wresting Bongaigaon, Kamrup (Metro) and Dibrugarh and giving the Congress run for their money in Dhemaji, Barpeta and Lakhimpur districts. The rebel AGP(P) has some semblance of respectability in Nagaon district, home of former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. But surprisingly the AIDF had not done very well so far in the minority- dominated areas. (UNI)

All the four persons were kept in a Myanmar jail for six months, the sources said. (PTI)

Guwahati: Conflict was a scourge on all development activities and needed to be addressed, more so in the north east region faced with various natural challenges, British deputy high commissioner to eastern India Simon Wilson said on Monday.

"Conflict does not only destabilise significant parts of this region, but also deters growth", he said.

"Apart from the tragic loss of life and displacement of people, conflict has catastrophic economic effects - depriving people of their livelihood, homes and farmland, property and other access to basic facilities like education and healthcare", he pointed out.

"With development being stunted, employment opportunities shrink and economic stagnation leads to frustrations which add to instability", Wilson said at a `Workshop on Identity and Development: The twin Challenges in India's Northeast' here organised by the entre for Development a.d Peace Studies.

"Conflict, which invariably only sustains criminals and terrorists, is most shattering on the world's poorest and helpless people. Conflict as a rule undermines rights to freedom of expression and transparency in the judicial process", he emphasised. (PTI)