Growing menace of insurgency: Jamir cautions Arunachal Govt

Seppa (East Kameng- Arunachal Pradesh), March 2 ? Nagaland chief minister SC Jamir cautioned Arunachal Pradesh government against the growing menace of insurgency and suggested them to take every steps to contain it. He reiterated that peace is a prerequisite for development and urged the leaders of Arunachal Pradesh to ensure that peace prevails in the State. Addressing a large gathering of Nyishi tribesmen here at Seppa, the district headquarter township of the East Kameng bordering China, on the occasion of their festival, Nyokum Yullo as the chief guest on Wednesday ,Jamir said, ?The leadership of Arunachal Pradesh should realise that without peace you cannot progress or develop or bring your people together,? he said. ?I therefore caution the leaders of the state not to allow insurgency to flourish in the State.? He went on to say that Nagaland has experienced insurgency in the last 50 years and that it has adversely affected the economic development of the State. ?If a section of the people start to create problems in one district, it will definitely spread to other districts of the State as well,? Jamir said. ?And once insurgency seeds in our soil it will grow into a big tree and the fruits will not be sweet but will be poisonous. In the last fifty years our people have suffered and have faced miseries, hardship and difficulties in all forms. And as your elder brother I want to tell you to please ensure that peace is restored in all the parts of Arunachal. Jamir, who was decorated with the traditional headgear and costumes of the Nyishi tribe as per the tradition, appreciating the rich culture of the region said the ?the Northeast is like a beautiful flower garden and various tribes of the region are its beautiful flowers.? Emphasizing more on the preservation of the cultural identity, the senior most chief minister of the region said, the people of Arunachal should preserve their own cultural heritage. Nagaland, though a Christian majority state, is still practising their traditions, there is no harm in adopting any religion, but religions should not be mixed up with the culture and tradition. Nyokum Yullo the most popular festival of the tribe is mainly connected with agriculture as, agriculture is the mainstay of the Nyshi people as of the people of other parts of the country. Sacrificial offerings are made in order to invoke the goddess Nyokum. The blessings of Goddess Nyokum, or Goddess of prosperity, is invoked so that there may be more production of food grains in the next harvest, and also to ward off any famine or destructive flood, insects or animals which destroy plants or crops. Nyokum is also celebrated to invoke the blessings of the Goddess so that human race may be strengthened and regenerated. Today was the final day of the five daylong festival. Three full grown Mithuns were sacrificed on the occasion. Earlier speaking as the guest of honour the relief and rehabilitation minister of Arunachal Pradesh Tingpong Wangham expressed his dismay over the growing tendency of the younger generation to discard traditional costumes and urged them no to go for Bollywood style of dress and make-up. ?At least once in a year on occasion like this (Nyokum), one must wear traditional costumes,? the minister said who is a Nocte and hails from Tirap district.