Insurgency in Indias
India is a multiparty, federal, parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislature. The president, elected by an electoral college composed of the state assemblies and parliament, is the head of state, and the prime minister is the head of the government. Under the constitution the 29 states and seven union territories have a high degree of autonomy and have primary responsibility for law and order. Voters elected President Ram Nath Kovind in July to a five-year term, and Narendra Modi became prime minister following the victory of the National Democratic Alliance coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2014 general elections. Observers considered these elections, which included more than 551 million participants, free and fair despite isolated instances of violence. The security environment for civilians was further strengthened as SFs continued to consolidate their position on the ground through 2017.
As soon as the opposition forces come to power, they stage a surrender making drama with much fanfare by granting amnesty to all militant activists along with provisions for economic rehabilitation. The Jammu and Kashmir commission does not have the authority to investigate alleged human rights violations committed by members of paramilitary security forces. The NHRC has jurisdiction over all human rights violations, except in certain cases involving the army. The NHRC has authority to investigate cases of human rights violations committed by Ministry of Home Affairs paramilitary forces operating under the AFSPA in the northeast states and in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities permitted prisoners to register complaints with state and national human rights commissions, but the authority of the commissions extended only to recommending that authorities redress grievances.
In May national Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said FGM/C should be a criminal offense. UNHCR and refugee advocacy groups estimated that between 25,000 and 28,000 of the approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu were “hill country” Tamils. While Sri Lankan law allows “hill country” refugees to present affidavits to secure Sri Lankan citizenship, UNHCR believed that until the Sri Lankan government processes the paperwork, such refugees were at risk of becoming stateless. In July media watchdog The Hoot reported internet shutdowns had risen from eight in the first half of 2016 to 23 in the first half of the year.
Tibetans reportedly sometimes faced difficulty acquiring citizenship despite meeting the legal requirements. NGOs estimated the number of IDPs in Chhattisgarh at 50,000 and in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh combined at 27,000. The Chhattisgarh government reportedly did not acknowledge IDPs in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana camps as Chhattisgarh residents, and the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments reportedly provided them basic support, including food rations and education for children. Telangana forest authorities, however, reportedly destroyed several settlements of the Gotti Koya in Bhupalpally District on the charge that they were engaging in unsustainable farming practices by cutting down trees.
Till eight years ago, the entire northeast was only known for bandhs, strikes, bomb blasts and firing, and the people of the region could not live peacefully due to the activities of different militant groups. Prime Minister Modi, Governors and Chief Ministers, senior officials of several northeastern states participated in the NEC meeting. To overcome insurgency related problems and counter the unlawful activities perpetrated by insurgents groups, Counter-Insurgency Operations are carried out by the Security Forces in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura from time to time. Meghalaya continued to be affected by Garo Militancy which dominates the insurgency scenario. On 9 August 2012, security forces arrested 5 GNLA separatists in Resubelpara, North Garo Hills district, as the militants were extorting money from a local citizen.
Unfortunately, Modi appears to personally support these policies and key constituencies are demanding the consolidation of a Hindu chauvinistic state. If the armed forces are deployed without the power of search and seizure, then their deployment is meaningless. Therefore, there is a need to continue with AFSPA but the forces must also be wary of human rights violations and must be accountable for their actions and behaviour towards the public. "Insurgent activities, especially in states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya are increasing. The Union government has been fighting insurgency in the northeast for nearly five decades now," the deputy CM observed. The event was attended by state home minister Roshan Warjri, PWD minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, chief secretary W M S Pariat, DGP P J P Hanaman and other top government officials.
As the expenditure incurred in the name of counter-insurgency operations, like other secret services, remains beyond audit surveillance, there is hardly any way of making the ruling elite accountable even if a large share of such funds is siphoned off for personal gratification. In the context of the high level of corruption and nepotism prevalent in all the states of northeast India the motive of attracting additional central assistance may also be another plausible factor behind the perpetuation of certain insurgent movements in the region. Geopolitical forces are very active in this region in attempting to split India on the basis of ethnicity and religion. Till the birth of Bangladesh, batches of Naga and Mizo insurgents made regular visits to Dacca to seek financial and military help. Even today, Bangladesh Army provides all arrangements for insurgent's training in Chittagong Hill Tracts ,6 even after signing of the Ganges water sharing accord. In March the NGO Compassion International, which had been placed on the government’s prior approval list, closed its operations due to the inability to transfer funds to its implementing partners.
Their main experience of outsiders was that of British officers and Christian missionaries only. Additionally the situation presents itself as an interesting case study on relevance of forming a dedicated force (in this case formation of SF-10 the Commando force of the Police) for anti-militancy operation can deliver result in a rather short span of time. GNLA, a separatist militant group which has been demanding a separate ‘Garo land’ in western Meghalaya, comprising the Garo Hills region has been the most violent in the state. The group was formed in November 2009 by a former Deputy Superintendent of Police Pakchara R. Sangma alias Champion and Sohan D Shira who was formerly part of now disbanded Achik National Volunteer Council .
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons faced physical attacks, rape, and blackmail. Some police committed crimes against LGBTI persons and used the threat of arrest to coerce victims not to report the incidents. With the aid of NGOs, several states offered education and sensitivity training to police.
Women of Manipur has come under the influences of cultures at various times and contributed to the growth of civilization. Binalakshmi Nepram, a 30-something activist from Manipur has traded guns for history. On the other hand, Ibetombi said that poverty is limitless in the country and social workers are actively involved in any of the issues. Rashmi Singh stated that the ability to bring changes lies in the empowerment of women.
But while direct Chinese support decreased in the decades following Mao’s death, ties between guerrilla groups and Chinese military and intelligence services continued. In 2009, a captured insurgent claimed that sixteen platoons had been trained by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army . In 2015, Indian intelligence intercepted phone calls from a Chinese PLA officer to Naga separatists. That year, regional expert Bertil Lintner wrote of Chinese intelligence officers engaging representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam , Naga groups, and rebels from Manipur in the Burmese village of Taga.
The insurgents are yet to respond to Manipur Governor Vinod Kumar Duggal’s call for peace talks. During his speech in the Assembly on Monday, Mr. Duggal said that there are 60 armed underground organisations in Manipur. The representation of women in various district councils in Northeastern States is very less, Manorama Sharma, history professor at North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, has said. Admitting that people in the northeast had many grievances, Laloo said militants were exploiting these to attract young recruits. "Terrorists mostly recruit young people as it is easy to brainwash them," he pointed out. Addressing an "Anti-Terrorism Day" function at the main secretariat here on Monday, deputy chief minister R C Laloo said there had been a rise in insurgency activities in Meghalaya.
These criminal activities and continued lawlessness create an environment that supports Indian guerrillas. Rather than choose a constructive approach to addressing Chinese behavior and the situation next door, the Modi government has adopted policies that play well with its populist base but are likely counterproductive. Given these circumstances, it appears more likely than not that the stage has been set for greater insurgency in India’s northeast.
In Shillong I usually ordered strong coffee, opened the day with a packaged chocolate bar, and waited until it was time for lunch. Meghalaya’s wild elephant herd, which the Ministry of Environment and Forests now numbers at over 1,800 animals, is growing so fast that splinter herds, made up of independent males and young adult females, regularly crash through villages and tear up fields. So elephants have taken charge of the forests and valleys, a trend celebrated by the state news media. At the end, the last half-kilometer, the driver turned left onto a choked boulevard and headed east against three lanes of oncoming traffic.
As soon as the opposition forces come to power, they stage a surrender making drama with much fanfare by granting amnesty to all militant activists along with provisions for economic rehabilitation. The Jammu and Kashmir commission does not have the authority to investigate alleged human rights violations committed by members of paramilitary security forces. The NHRC has jurisdiction over all human rights violations, except in certain cases involving the army. The NHRC has authority to investigate cases of human rights violations committed by Ministry of Home Affairs paramilitary forces operating under the AFSPA in the northeast states and in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities permitted prisoners to register complaints with state and national human rights commissions, but the authority of the commissions extended only to recommending that authorities redress grievances.
In May national Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi said FGM/C should be a criminal offense. UNHCR and refugee advocacy groups estimated that between 25,000 and 28,000 of the approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu were “hill country” Tamils. While Sri Lankan law allows “hill country” refugees to present affidavits to secure Sri Lankan citizenship, UNHCR believed that until the Sri Lankan government processes the paperwork, such refugees were at risk of becoming stateless. In July media watchdog The Hoot reported internet shutdowns had risen from eight in the first half of 2016 to 23 in the first half of the year.
Tibetans reportedly sometimes faced difficulty acquiring citizenship despite meeting the legal requirements. NGOs estimated the number of IDPs in Chhattisgarh at 50,000 and in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh combined at 27,000. The Chhattisgarh government reportedly did not acknowledge IDPs in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana camps as Chhattisgarh residents, and the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments reportedly provided them basic support, including food rations and education for children. Telangana forest authorities, however, reportedly destroyed several settlements of the Gotti Koya in Bhupalpally District on the charge that they were engaging in unsustainable farming practices by cutting down trees.
Till eight years ago, the entire northeast was only known for bandhs, strikes, bomb blasts and firing, and the people of the region could not live peacefully due to the activities of different militant groups. Prime Minister Modi, Governors and Chief Ministers, senior officials of several northeastern states participated in the NEC meeting. To overcome insurgency related problems and counter the unlawful activities perpetrated by insurgents groups, Counter-Insurgency Operations are carried out by the Security Forces in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura from time to time. Meghalaya continued to be affected by Garo Militancy which dominates the insurgency scenario. On 9 August 2012, security forces arrested 5 GNLA separatists in Resubelpara, North Garo Hills district, as the militants were extorting money from a local citizen.
Unfortunately, Modi appears to personally support these policies and key constituencies are demanding the consolidation of a Hindu chauvinistic state. If the armed forces are deployed without the power of search and seizure, then their deployment is meaningless. Therefore, there is a need to continue with AFSPA but the forces must also be wary of human rights violations and must be accountable for their actions and behaviour towards the public. "Insurgent activities, especially in states like Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya are increasing. The Union government has been fighting insurgency in the northeast for nearly five decades now," the deputy CM observed. The event was attended by state home minister Roshan Warjri, PWD minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, chief secretary W M S Pariat, DGP P J P Hanaman and other top government officials.
As the expenditure incurred in the name of counter-insurgency operations, like other secret services, remains beyond audit surveillance, there is hardly any way of making the ruling elite accountable even if a large share of such funds is siphoned off for personal gratification. In the context of the high level of corruption and nepotism prevalent in all the states of northeast India the motive of attracting additional central assistance may also be another plausible factor behind the perpetuation of certain insurgent movements in the region. Geopolitical forces are very active in this region in attempting to split India on the basis of ethnicity and religion. Till the birth of Bangladesh, batches of Naga and Mizo insurgents made regular visits to Dacca to seek financial and military help. Even today, Bangladesh Army provides all arrangements for insurgent's training in Chittagong Hill Tracts ,6 even after signing of the Ganges water sharing accord. In March the NGO Compassion International, which had been placed on the government’s prior approval list, closed its operations due to the inability to transfer funds to its implementing partners.
Their main experience of outsiders was that of British officers and Christian missionaries only. Additionally the situation presents itself as an interesting case study on relevance of forming a dedicated force (in this case formation of SF-10 the Commando force of the Police) for anti-militancy operation can deliver result in a rather short span of time. GNLA, a separatist militant group which has been demanding a separate ‘Garo land’ in western Meghalaya, comprising the Garo Hills region has been the most violent in the state. The group was formed in November 2009 by a former Deputy Superintendent of Police Pakchara R. Sangma alias Champion and Sohan D Shira who was formerly part of now disbanded Achik National Volunteer Council .
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex persons faced physical attacks, rape, and blackmail. Some police committed crimes against LGBTI persons and used the threat of arrest to coerce victims not to report the incidents. With the aid of NGOs, several states offered education and sensitivity training to police.
Women of Manipur has come under the influences of cultures at various times and contributed to the growth of civilization. Binalakshmi Nepram, a 30-something activist from Manipur has traded guns for history. On the other hand, Ibetombi said that poverty is limitless in the country and social workers are actively involved in any of the issues. Rashmi Singh stated that the ability to bring changes lies in the empowerment of women.
But while direct Chinese support decreased in the decades following Mao’s death, ties between guerrilla groups and Chinese military and intelligence services continued. In 2009, a captured insurgent claimed that sixteen platoons had been trained by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army . In 2015, Indian intelligence intercepted phone calls from a Chinese PLA officer to Naga separatists. That year, regional expert Bertil Lintner wrote of Chinese intelligence officers engaging representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam , Naga groups, and rebels from Manipur in the Burmese village of Taga.
The insurgents are yet to respond to Manipur Governor Vinod Kumar Duggal’s call for peace talks. During his speech in the Assembly on Monday, Mr. Duggal said that there are 60 armed underground organisations in Manipur. The representation of women in various district councils in Northeastern States is very less, Manorama Sharma, history professor at North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, has said. Admitting that people in the northeast had many grievances, Laloo said militants were exploiting these to attract young recruits. "Terrorists mostly recruit young people as it is easy to brainwash them," he pointed out. Addressing an "Anti-Terrorism Day" function at the main secretariat here on Monday, deputy chief minister R C Laloo said there had been a rise in insurgency activities in Meghalaya.
These criminal activities and continued lawlessness create an environment that supports Indian guerrillas. Rather than choose a constructive approach to addressing Chinese behavior and the situation next door, the Modi government has adopted policies that play well with its populist base but are likely counterproductive. Given these circumstances, it appears more likely than not that the stage has been set for greater insurgency in India’s northeast.
In Shillong I usually ordered strong coffee, opened the day with a packaged chocolate bar, and waited until it was time for lunch. Meghalaya’s wild elephant herd, which the Ministry of Environment and Forests now numbers at over 1,800 animals, is growing so fast that splinter herds, made up of independent males and young adult females, regularly crash through villages and tear up fields. So elephants have taken charge of the forests and valleys, a trend celebrated by the state news media. At the end, the last half-kilometer, the driver turned left onto a choked boulevard and headed east against three lanes of oncoming traffic.
Replies