ANNA HAZARE IROM SHARMILA & FAILED STATE OF MANIPUR
Irom Sharmila Charu, also called the “Iron Lady of Manipur” has been on hunger strike since November 5, 2000, for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in her home state. She went on fast after witnessing the killing of ten people by troops of the Assam Rifles in Malom, on the outskirts of Imphal.The Assam Rifles is a North East-based paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is officered by the Indian Army.
Sharmila was taken into custody for attempting suicide and has, ever since, been force fed through her nose. Sharmila is definitely a woman of substance, a rare human being who has chosen to follow the Gandhian non-violent route to register her protest. Post the “Anna phenomenon” there is a groundswell of support for finding ways and means to put an end to her agony. There is not one person in India or the world who would not appreciate Irom Sharmila’s peaceful commitment to her cause and not empathise with her.
Yet, her cause has not been able to gain centre stage or strike the collective will of the nation. It can be reasoned that the remoteness of the Northeast region results in limited engagement with the media for which reason the issue has not impacted the national conscience. But then, even the people of Manipur have not risen to, at least, propel their own government into action and find ways and means to ameliorate her suffering. There are a number of reasons behind this very obvious lack of momentum for the cause that she is espousing. Manipur comprises of two main communities, the Christian Naga’s and the Hindu Meities.
The main bone of contention is an offshoot of the Naga aspiration of a Greater Nagaland that would comprise of about two third of the territory of Manipur, which is obviously not acceptable to the Meities. This has resulted in the proliferation of dozens of so called insurgent groups who have ended up in literally running a parallel government and indulging in rampant extortion for personal gains. Ironically, these groups regularly enter into Suspension of Operations (SOO) pacts with the security forces and the government, earn handsome rehabilitation packages and then return to the so called insurgency.
It is this corruption and lawlessness that is responsible for the continued backwardness of the region despite a regular flow of development funds and declaration of the region as a disturbed area. Immigrant labour which ventures into the region for work is intimidated and at times killed. The resultant shortage in skilled and unskilled labour causes delays in the completion of development projects and other forms of economic activity. Ambitions projects like connecting Imphal with a broad gauge railway line and construction of extensive highways, which can change the face of the region, have been going on for years but are not being completed due to incessant disruption ofwork.
The local intelligentsia is not asserting itself and all those who get a job outside the State do not go back, such is the level ofsuffocation. Disruption of life due Bandhs is a common feature. The resultant instability is being exploited by inimical foreign forces, leading to smuggling of arms and narcotics; this adds a critical dimension to the security environment.
If AFSPA is removed the region will, most likely, degenerate into absolute chaos. Insurgents will rule the roost and cause widespread mayhem; whatever little development is happening will cease. Surely, Irom Sharmila would not like to see this happening to her beloved state for which she is making such a great sacrifice.
The Government of India is seized with the challenge of finding ways and means to protect human rights. Recently, Home Minister P Chidambaram has gone to the extent of saying that he shares the disappointment of Irom Sharmila, but consensus is not emerging on the subject.
Nobody can condone a barbarous human rights violation of the type which propelled Irom Sharmila into resorting to this extreme step, but, it also has to be accepted that the act was more of an aberration than a norm. Over a period of time the Assam Rifles and the Army have instituted a number of checks and balances to ensure that such incidents are kept to the minimum and exemplary punishment is meted out to violators should they take place. That no such violation has happened for over a decade is ample proof of this fact.
Irom Sharmila Charu, also called the “Iron Lady of Manipur” has been on hunger strike since November 5, 2000, for the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in her home state. She went on fast after witnessing the killing of ten people by troops of the Assam Rifles in Malom, on the outskirts of Imphal.The Assam Rifles is a North East-based paramilitary force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is officered by the Indian Army.
Sharmila was taken into custody for attempting suicide and has, ever since, been force fed through her nose. Sharmila is definitely a woman of substance, a rare human being who has chosen to follow the Gandhian non-violent route to register her protest. Post the “Anna phenomenon” there is a groundswell of support for finding ways and means to put an end to her agony. There is not one person in India or the world who would not appreciate Irom Sharmila’s peaceful commitment to her cause and not empathise with her.
Yet, her cause has not been able to gain centre stage or strike the collective will of the nation. It can be reasoned that the remoteness of the Northeast region results in limited engagement with the media for which reason the issue has not impacted the national conscience. But then, even the people of Manipur have not risen to, at least, propel their own government into action and find ways and means to ameliorate her suffering. There are a number of reasons behind this very obvious lack of momentum for the cause that she is espousing. Manipur comprises of two main communities, the Christian Naga’s and the Hindu Meities.
The main bone of contention is an offshoot of the Naga aspiration of a Greater Nagaland that would comprise of about two third of the territory of Manipur, which is obviously not acceptable to the Meities. This has resulted in the proliferation of dozens of so called insurgent groups who have ended up in literally running a parallel government and indulging in rampant extortion for personal gains. Ironically, these groups regularly enter into Suspension of Operations (SOO) pacts with the security forces and the government, earn handsome rehabilitation packages and then return to the so called insurgency.
It is this corruption and lawlessness that is responsible for the continued backwardness of the region despite a regular flow of development funds and declaration of the region as a disturbed area. Immigrant labour which ventures into the region for work is intimidated and at times killed. The resultant shortage in skilled and unskilled labour causes delays in the completion of development projects and other forms of economic activity. Ambitions projects like connecting Imphal with a broad gauge railway line and construction of extensive highways, which can change the face of the region, have been going on for years but are not being completed due to incessant disruption ofwork.
The local intelligentsia is not asserting itself and all those who get a job outside the State do not go back, such is the level ofsuffocation. Disruption of life due Bandhs is a common feature. The resultant instability is being exploited by inimical foreign forces, leading to smuggling of arms and narcotics; this adds a critical dimension to the security environment.
MANIPUR WRIT OF STATE DOES NOT RUN IN THE STATE
Manipur is one of seven states located in one corner of North East India & hence always out of media glare. It is presently ruled by a Congress government & has a population of 25 lakhs.Hindus, Muslims; Christians consist of 58%, 7% & 35 % of the population respectively.
The insurgency in Manipur has, over the years, become increasingly homicidal,. While 416 deaths were caused by militancy in 2009, fatalities Dcreased to 138 in 2010. More than 50 Deaths have already been caused up till now in 2011. The State, thus, remains most violent in India's troubled northeast, leaving behind the much larger Assam (384), and Nagaland (201). Manipur has just 8.52 per cent of the territory and 6.12 per cent of the population of the Northeast, but accounted for as much as 50 per cent of the terrorism related fatalities in the region.
Manipur shares boundaries with Nagaland, Assam, Mizoram & Myanmar. Bangladesh is also near thus adding to problems of migration. It has 13 tribes & 17 terrorist groups operating in the state. The terrorist groups can be divided into Valley Based Insurgent Groups (VBIGs) & Hill Based Insurgent Groups (HBIGs) operating from Manipur valley & hills around Manipur valley respectively.
The state is mountainous, with the Imphal Valley located in the centre. This Valley, which constitutes only about 10% area of the state, is inhabited by 65% of the total population. The people here are Meiteis who are predominantly Hindus. The remaining 90% hilly areas of the state are occupied by approximately 35% of the population, who are Tribals.Logtak Lake, provides convenient hiding places within the valley. Limited roads are regularly blocked by terrorists.
The Meities is a major tribe & Manipur insurgency is linked to the perceived threat to its culture & religion. All Manipur Students Union (AMSU) has launched massive stirs in the past. The Hill Based Insurgent Groups (HBIGs) felt threatened by Valley Based Insurgent Groups (VBIGs) of the Meities & their bloody fight continues. The situation was further aggravated by Muslim insurgency which started in 1993, after Pangals (Muslims), Meitei riots. Army was deployed in Manipur in April 2004. Armed Forces sp- Powers Act was revoked (AFSPA) as the terrorists were in complete control of the state capital and Manipur; and the state government was running at their diktat.
After a deliberate and violent operation the Army cleared the area and the VBIGS’s were forced to operate from Myanmar. In Jan 2006 the Army launched “Op Dragnet” to clear the remote regions of Churuchandpur Dist which till then was under the cont of the VBIGs (predominantly UNLF).
The strength of VBIG’s is between 3000-3500 with 2500 weapons. The strength of HBIGS’s is 1300 – 1500 with 1000 weapons. Various Naga groups have strength of 1500 to 2000. The Muslim terrorists groups have strength 50 – 100. Thus the total strength of terrorists operating in the state is 6000 – 6500, more than 10 the number of terrorists operating in J&K. Deinduction of the Army from the State in 1999, gave an opportunity to these groups to regroup and consolidate Cease fire agreement was reached between the terrorist and govt in 2008. However the agreement has not reduced the violence level in the state and the extortion has increased more during the intervening period.
Manipur was brought under the Armed Forces (Assam & Manipur) Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958, for another year with effect from December 1, 2010, "because of violent activities of various extremists/insurgent groups" as a result of which "the entire state of Manipur is in such a disturbed condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary." Manipur has been under the AFSPA since the late 1970s. The escalation in violence is not only reflected in fatalities, but also in the number of bomb explosions triggered by various militant groups.
RELOCATE THE SECURITY FORCES TO LIFT ECONOMIC BLOCKADE ON NH-2 IN MANIPUR
A significant section of National Highway (NH) no. 2 (earlier known as NH-39) connecting the border state of Manipur remains cut off from mainland India due to (an indefinite) economic blockade imposed by the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) in Senapati district since July 31, 2011.Prices have shot through roof .Army must be used to keep the roads open for essential goods to move in.
This state of self denial of the people of Manipur is the root cause for most of the ills that plague the region; not the security forces. In fact, the trickle of development that is happening is mainly due to the presence of the Army and the application of AFSPA which keeps the insurgents on check and ensures a semblance of law and order. If AFSPA is removed the region will, most likely, degenerate into absolute chaos. Insurgents will rule the roost and cause widespread mayhem; whatever little development is happening will cease. Surely, Irom Sharmila would not like to see this happening to her beloved state for which she is making such a great sacrifice.
The Government of India is seized with the challenge of finding ways and means to protect human rights. Recently, Home Minister P Chidambaram has gone to the extent of saying that he shares the disappointment of Irom Sharmila, but consensus is not emerging on the subject.
Nobody can condone a barbarous human rights violation of the type which propelled Irom Sharmila into resorting to this extreme step, but, it also has to be accepted that the act was more of an aberration than a norm. Over a period of time the Assam Rifles and the Army have instituted a number of checks and balances to ensure that such incidents are kept to the minimum and exemplary punishment is meted out to violators should they take place. That no such violation has happened for over a decade is ample proof of this fact.
Manipur most volatile
Today the insurgency situation in Manipur is the most volatile in the country. The writ of the VBIGs (Valley Based Insurgent Gps) runs in the state. Civil society is completely under the fear of the terrorist gun and does their bidding. Militant taxes are being paid by all, including govt employees. The state is slowly sliding into a state of anarchy. Writ of state does not run in the state, if it is not restored quickly Manipur will join list of a failed state?
Irom Sharmila has made her point, the government has taken cognisance, a national awareness has been created, now is the time to move on. A vibrant and healthy Irom Sharmila can push her people towards joining the success story of the Indian mainstream. She can work towards rooting out corruption, extortion and exploitation to create a conducive environment for the eventual repeal of AFSPA and DSA.It is time for the people of Manipur and the Nation to join hands in convincing the gutsy “Iron lady of Manipur” to put an end to her misery and espouse the larger cause of her people. Her life is too precious to be thus wasted
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