The state of Assam in northeast India is the region's most violence-stricken state – a fertile ground for insurgent organizations to recruit youths for terrorist and criminal activities. Last month, India intelligence reports warned that members of al-Qaeda may be infiltrating Assam's border with Bangladesh, forging alliances with Muslim fundamentalist and militant groups.
The people of Assam suffer from violent acts committed by some 43 insurgent groups, and from stagnating development caused by the collusion of militants, criminals and corrupt government officials. This collusion allows them to plunder Assam's forests and wildlife, causing extensive environmental damage.
Soumyadeep Datta's organization Nature's Beckon offers a constructive alternative to Assam's frustrated and demoralized youths by making them custodians of the region's rich environmental resources. It offers young people a viable, non-violent alternative to the terrorist movements they are constantly pressured to join, and trains them to preserve and protect the area's fragile eco-systems.
