Meghalaya's Insurgency
The Meghalaya government had formed a 10 company- strong counter-insurgency force, Special Force 10, in 2014 to fight the militants. Since then, it has neutralised several top insurgents in the region, including Garo National Liberation Army ’s self-proclaimed ‘commander-in-chief’ Sohan D Shira in February, 2018. Born Manoj Rabha in Assam’s Goalpara district, 50- year-old Dhrishti Rajkhowa alias Bura Dada is believed to have personally trained several top insurgents in the Garo Hills region in jungle warfare, besides providing several militant outfits with arms and ammunition in exchange for money. I too was lucky enough to pick PGDPM, MBA and MCA degrees through armed forces distant learning programmes.
The road blocks in the Jiantia Hills was my second encounter with a bandh in Meghalaya. The first bandh was called on January 26, Republic Day, when shops and roads were empty, city and village life receded, and curtains were closed across seven states of Northeast India. This shutting of the countryside occurred on a national holiday that commemorates the signing of the Indian Constitution. Residents honored the bandh, a display of bullying, because they are intimidated by groups that have varying goals — most of them directed to government breakdown — and are armed with weapons superior to those carried by the police. In the last five years, at least one hundred criminal cases have been attributed to militant activity in the Garo Hills, including killings of civilians or security forces through bombings and shoot-outs.
Twenty-four of 29 states have human rights commissions, which operated independently under the auspices of the NHRC. Some human rights groups alleged local politics influenced state committees, which were less likely to offer fair judgments than the NHRC. In 2015 the Supreme Court ordered the CBI to take over a Madhya Pradesh state government investigation of fraud within the Professional Examination Board, a state government body that conducts school entrance and government service exams. Arrests in the case since the investigation began in 2013 included more than 2,000 individuals.
The law provides for the right to strike but places restrictions on this right for some workers. The law prohibits antiunion discrimination and retribution for involvement in legal strikes and provides for reinstatement of employees fired for union activity. Police engaged in programs to strengthen their role in protecting communities vulnerable to human rights violations and HIV. LGBTI groups reported they faced widespread societal discrimination and violence, particularly in rural areas. Activists reported that transgender persons, who were HIV positive, continued to face difficulty obtaining medical treatment. NGOs reported widespread discrimination, including prohibiting Dalits from walking on public pathways, wearing footwear, accessing water from public taps in upper-caste neighborhoods, participating in some temple festivals, bathing in public pools, or using certain cremation grounds.
On January 17, 2018, State Director General of Police Swaraj Bir Singh stated that only 21 militancy-related incidents were reported in 2017, while there were 310 such incidents in 2013, 341 in 2014, 310 in 2015, and 118 in 2016. The State recorded eight fatalities, including six militants and two civilians, in 2017; as against 26 fatalities, including 10 civilians and 16 militants in 2016, according to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal . Year 2015 had recorded a total of 61 fatalities, including 34 militants, 19 civilians, and eight SF personnel; while there were 76 such fatalities in 2014. Thus, the declining trend of overall fatalities established in 2015 continued through 2017.
The abject backwardness of tribals living in scheduled areas starkly contrasts with the better socio-economic and political development of tribals living outside the scheduled areas and within mainstream society. No estimates exist regarding the fatalities in militancy-related violence during the pre-1992 period in the northeast. According to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, from 1992 to 2015 over 15,600 fatalities have been reported from each of these states, though the actual number is believed to be much more. Even as there were signs that there has been some improvement in the insurgency situation in the North East, with the level of violence declining and some insurgent groups showing signs of battle-fatigue, a sudden resurgence of insurgency in the region is turning out to be a cause of concern. Indeed, even the Indian home minister who had earlier expressed optimism about the security scenario in the North East had to admit during a press briefing on 6 July 2011 that the level of violence in the region has gone up. The former Chief Minister was speaking at the sidelines of the candlelight vigil organized by the party in solidarity with the bereaved family members of the 13 civilians who were killed by Indian Armed forces in Mon district of Nagaland.
According to the NCRBPrison Statistics India 2015report, overcrowding was most severe in Dadra and Nagar Haveli at 277 percent of capacity, while Chhattisgarh prisons were at 234 percent of capacity and Delhi prisons, at 227 percent of capacity. On August 8, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir quoted NCRB data to inform the lower house of parliament that 149 out of 1,401 jails in the country had an overcrowding rate of more than 200 percent at the end of 2015. Prison conditions were frequently life threatening, most notably due to inadequate sanitary conditions and medical care and extreme overcrowding.
Ironically, this was done despite their ire against non-tribals and bouts of ethnic cleansing campaigns between 1979 and 1992 — especially against Bengalis, Nepalis, and Biharis. The history of Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council can be traced to the mother insurgency of the 1980s, when Hynñiewtrep Achik Liberation Council , an ethno-supremacist militant outfit, sought to erase the presence of all outsiders, or “dkhars” as used in native terminology. Shah also said the Prime Minister has also taken up the project of connecting every capital of the northeastern states by road, train and through air connectivity. Shah said that earlier funds allocated to the northeast did not reach the bottom most level, but after Modi became the Prime Minister, funds are reaching villages and being utilised for development, and this is a great achievement.
IG Ftr HQ BSF Meghalaya said that the insurgency, militancy gets opportunities to prevail due to illiteracy and unemployment. He urged the local population, village heads to work hand in hand with BSF to eradicate these evils. IG BSF further said that BSF is continuously encouraging the youths of bordering areas to pursue their career in defence and CAPF services and lead a life of peace, tranquillity and prosperity. The condition of a working woman / "mou" is even worst whether she is contributing her energy to the economy of the family. No matter what position she holds in the workplace but in the family and society, she remains as "mou". She is still expected to carry on all kinds of household chores even after a tiring day's work outside and expected to give all her earned money otherwise she will be called as lazy mou and blame her in each of her step.
Insurgency in the region arises from economic backwardness and political alienation of the tribal population from the national mainstream. Essentially their economic backwardness stems from the unexploited natural resources, inadequate infrastructural development, rampant corruption and the strong nexus between the politician-contractor-insurgent in the region. The paper therefore examines the present state of turmoil in the background of these issues.
Only women who are in courtship took the decisions, if in case, they could not solve the matter then only the matter was being referred to King. Looking at the conditions of Meitei women in Manipur, there was a reflection of high status seen among women in pre-Hindu period. During the pre-Hindu period, though the patriarchal concept was there, women status was equally better with counterpart men. In 1715, during the Garib Niwaz , in Manipur there used to have four kinds of court over and above the king court which is the highest. Introduction The concept of Culture is developed by beliefs, faith, practices, customs, way to live, language, food habits, etc. Through the generation it has been noted that women are the one who carry the culture to generation to generation at different forms and at different level.
The report also found that security forces planted arms and ammunition, including a hand grenade with Chinese markings, as incriminating evidence. The CRPF refused to make the inspector general’s report public, although a pirated, online version was available. The effectiveness of law enforcement and security forces varied widely throughout the country. According to the law, courts may not hear a case against a police officer unless the central or state government first authorizes prosecution. Nonetheless, NGOs reported that in many instances police refused to register victim’s complaints, termed “first information reports” , on crimes reported against officers, effectively preventing victims from pursuing justice.
Some human rights organizations claimed these actions were sometimes used to target specific NGOs. Persons continued to be charged with posting offensive or derogatory material on social media. For example, the BJP filed charges against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for posting election-related material on Facebook.
In some cases refugees and asylum seekers under UNHCR’s mandate have faced challenges regularizing their status through long-term visas and residence permits. The law provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation. In 2015 the implementation of a land boundary agreement between India and Bangladesh enfranchised more than 50,000 previously stateless residents, providing access to education and health services. Experts also reported that it was increasingly difficult to secure FCRA registrations for new NGOs.
The road blocks in the Jiantia Hills was my second encounter with a bandh in Meghalaya. The first bandh was called on January 26, Republic Day, when shops and roads were empty, city and village life receded, and curtains were closed across seven states of Northeast India. This shutting of the countryside occurred on a national holiday that commemorates the signing of the Indian Constitution. Residents honored the bandh, a display of bullying, because they are intimidated by groups that have varying goals — most of them directed to government breakdown — and are armed with weapons superior to those carried by the police. In the last five years, at least one hundred criminal cases have been attributed to militant activity in the Garo Hills, including killings of civilians or security forces through bombings and shoot-outs.
Twenty-four of 29 states have human rights commissions, which operated independently under the auspices of the NHRC. Some human rights groups alleged local politics influenced state committees, which were less likely to offer fair judgments than the NHRC. In 2015 the Supreme Court ordered the CBI to take over a Madhya Pradesh state government investigation of fraud within the Professional Examination Board, a state government body that conducts school entrance and government service exams. Arrests in the case since the investigation began in 2013 included more than 2,000 individuals.
The law provides for the right to strike but places restrictions on this right for some workers. The law prohibits antiunion discrimination and retribution for involvement in legal strikes and provides for reinstatement of employees fired for union activity. Police engaged in programs to strengthen their role in protecting communities vulnerable to human rights violations and HIV. LGBTI groups reported they faced widespread societal discrimination and violence, particularly in rural areas. Activists reported that transgender persons, who were HIV positive, continued to face difficulty obtaining medical treatment. NGOs reported widespread discrimination, including prohibiting Dalits from walking on public pathways, wearing footwear, accessing water from public taps in upper-caste neighborhoods, participating in some temple festivals, bathing in public pools, or using certain cremation grounds.
On January 17, 2018, State Director General of Police Swaraj Bir Singh stated that only 21 militancy-related incidents were reported in 2017, while there were 310 such incidents in 2013, 341 in 2014, 310 in 2015, and 118 in 2016. The State recorded eight fatalities, including six militants and two civilians, in 2017; as against 26 fatalities, including 10 civilians and 16 militants in 2016, according to partial data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal . Year 2015 had recorded a total of 61 fatalities, including 34 militants, 19 civilians, and eight SF personnel; while there were 76 such fatalities in 2014. Thus, the declining trend of overall fatalities established in 2015 continued through 2017.
The abject backwardness of tribals living in scheduled areas starkly contrasts with the better socio-economic and political development of tribals living outside the scheduled areas and within mainstream society. No estimates exist regarding the fatalities in militancy-related violence during the pre-1992 period in the northeast. According to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, from 1992 to 2015 over 15,600 fatalities have been reported from each of these states, though the actual number is believed to be much more. Even as there were signs that there has been some improvement in the insurgency situation in the North East, with the level of violence declining and some insurgent groups showing signs of battle-fatigue, a sudden resurgence of insurgency in the region is turning out to be a cause of concern. Indeed, even the Indian home minister who had earlier expressed optimism about the security scenario in the North East had to admit during a press briefing on 6 July 2011 that the level of violence in the region has gone up. The former Chief Minister was speaking at the sidelines of the candlelight vigil organized by the party in solidarity with the bereaved family members of the 13 civilians who were killed by Indian Armed forces in Mon district of Nagaland.
According to the NCRBPrison Statistics India 2015report, overcrowding was most severe in Dadra and Nagar Haveli at 277 percent of capacity, while Chhattisgarh prisons were at 234 percent of capacity and Delhi prisons, at 227 percent of capacity. On August 8, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir quoted NCRB data to inform the lower house of parliament that 149 out of 1,401 jails in the country had an overcrowding rate of more than 200 percent at the end of 2015. Prison conditions were frequently life threatening, most notably due to inadequate sanitary conditions and medical care and extreme overcrowding.
Ironically, this was done despite their ire against non-tribals and bouts of ethnic cleansing campaigns between 1979 and 1992 — especially against Bengalis, Nepalis, and Biharis. The history of Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council can be traced to the mother insurgency of the 1980s, when Hynñiewtrep Achik Liberation Council , an ethno-supremacist militant outfit, sought to erase the presence of all outsiders, or “dkhars” as used in native terminology. Shah also said the Prime Minister has also taken up the project of connecting every capital of the northeastern states by road, train and through air connectivity. Shah said that earlier funds allocated to the northeast did not reach the bottom most level, but after Modi became the Prime Minister, funds are reaching villages and being utilised for development, and this is a great achievement.
IG Ftr HQ BSF Meghalaya said that the insurgency, militancy gets opportunities to prevail due to illiteracy and unemployment. He urged the local population, village heads to work hand in hand with BSF to eradicate these evils. IG BSF further said that BSF is continuously encouraging the youths of bordering areas to pursue their career in defence and CAPF services and lead a life of peace, tranquillity and prosperity. The condition of a working woman / "mou" is even worst whether she is contributing her energy to the economy of the family. No matter what position she holds in the workplace but in the family and society, she remains as "mou". She is still expected to carry on all kinds of household chores even after a tiring day's work outside and expected to give all her earned money otherwise she will be called as lazy mou and blame her in each of her step.
Insurgency in the region arises from economic backwardness and political alienation of the tribal population from the national mainstream. Essentially their economic backwardness stems from the unexploited natural resources, inadequate infrastructural development, rampant corruption and the strong nexus between the politician-contractor-insurgent in the region. The paper therefore examines the present state of turmoil in the background of these issues.
Only women who are in courtship took the decisions, if in case, they could not solve the matter then only the matter was being referred to King. Looking at the conditions of Meitei women in Manipur, there was a reflection of high status seen among women in pre-Hindu period. During the pre-Hindu period, though the patriarchal concept was there, women status was equally better with counterpart men. In 1715, during the Garib Niwaz , in Manipur there used to have four kinds of court over and above the king court which is the highest. Introduction The concept of Culture is developed by beliefs, faith, practices, customs, way to live, language, food habits, etc. Through the generation it has been noted that women are the one who carry the culture to generation to generation at different forms and at different level.
The report also found that security forces planted arms and ammunition, including a hand grenade with Chinese markings, as incriminating evidence. The CRPF refused to make the inspector general’s report public, although a pirated, online version was available. The effectiveness of law enforcement and security forces varied widely throughout the country. According to the law, courts may not hear a case against a police officer unless the central or state government first authorizes prosecution. Nonetheless, NGOs reported that in many instances police refused to register victim’s complaints, termed “first information reports” , on crimes reported against officers, effectively preventing victims from pursuing justice.
Some human rights organizations claimed these actions were sometimes used to target specific NGOs. Persons continued to be charged with posting offensive or derogatory material on social media. For example, the BJP filed charges against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for posting election-related material on Facebook.
In some cases refugees and asylum seekers under UNHCR’s mandate have faced challenges regularizing their status through long-term visas and residence permits. The law provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation. In 2015 the implementation of a land boundary agreement between India and Bangladesh enfranchised more than 50,000 previously stateless residents, providing access to education and health services. Experts also reported that it was increasingly difficult to secure FCRA registrations for new NGOs.
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