It is the irony of the times that the same people who protested, had undertaken “fasts” and had demonised the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles with die-hard determination are now demanding the re-imposition of an Act which until some years ago what was being castigated as a “draconian” piece of legislation.
Indeed, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) of 1958 has been one of the most debated of Acts of the Indian Parliament.
Although it is this author’s considered view that aberrations committed by the men in uniform have been but 15 per cent of the charges that have been levied against them, a goodly section of the population of the North East where the Act was in force had held that the Act was inhuman and had been enacted to subjugate the people of the region.
Analyses inform that the anti-AFSPA mindset was a misnomer and one that had been driven into a gullible populace’s mind by way of coercion. Myriad insurgent groups in the region whose devious objectives were stymied by the Act encouraged the pliant people of the region to demand the repeal of the Act.
The Mon incident in Nagaland when the Indian Army mistakenly killed several innocent civilians was the last straw on the camel’s back and a high-powered committee appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended its withdrawal from several places in the North East.
There was a rationale for the decision as well. In Assam, the insurgency situation had improved considerably with the National Democratic Front of Bodoland coming over ground and lesser groups such as the ones that had been spearheaded by ethnic militias such as the Dimasas, Karbis and the Adivasis had turned their back on the “little wars” that they were attempting to wage. Under the circumstances, there was no need for the Act. This author can state with some authority that even the Army was happy to share its Internal Security Management duties and return to the primary role of guarding the nation’s borders.
However, the government in its wisdom did not entirely repeal the Act. It decided to (a) marshal out the AFSPA from areas where the law and order situation had improved considerably and had indeed entered a phase where the state police or at best paramilitary forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force could handle it.
Some years ago, in a conference organised by the Army, this author had observed that the continual deployment of the Army for Internal Security Management was chipping away at the cutting edge of the state police. It did not augur well for correct management of law and order which is a state subject. Also, with “dark clouds” looming in the North, it was perhaps time for the Army to pass on the baton to the state police and concentrate instead on aspects that it had been trained for. The conference, it is recalled, was held well before both Doklam and Galwan took place. There were mixed reactions at the time, but many years later the government acted on those lines.
There are some among many who would say that the insurgency situation in Assam for instance is far from over. While it is true that the ULFA (Independent) continues to stay away from a dialogue process, it is analysed that the belligerence that is still being exhibited is only cosmetic and to an extent because of the adamant attitude of Paresh Baruah, the “Chief of Staff” of the outfit.
ULFA (Independent) neither possesses the firepower which characterised its ‘revolutionary’ innards at one point in time, nor does it have the support of the people of Assam. Furthermore, the handful of cadres that are still billeted in Myanmar’s Sagaing Division are a frustrated lot and were the Assam government and its police to make the right overtures (as one is certain that it is so doing) then the day is not far when ULFA (Independent) would return to home and hearth en masse leaving Paresh Baruah to his own idiosyncratic device and perhaps the clutches of the Chinese intelligence.
AFSPA is no longer needed in Assam, or even in Arunachal Pradesh (the latter is a mere corridor for insurgent movement from Myanmar into the rich oil, coal and tea belts of Assam and for the purpose of extortion).
As a matter of fact, the Chief Minister of Assam has indicated that the Act would be removed from even the few districts of the state as a result of the marked improvement in the law and order situation.
But Manipur is an altogether different story. Indeed, the cry for the repeal of AFSPA was the loudest in the “Land of Emeralds” and memories of Manorama Devi and the marathon fast by Iron Sharmila had entered the pages of history never to be erased. Even the historic Kangla Fort had to be vacated as a result of widespread protests.
It is, therefore, interesting that there should be a renewed call for AFSPA by a section of Manipuris. While there is no gainsaying that the demand is being voiced because of the failure of the Manipur state police to control the unprecedented violence, the fact remains that the Army has been able to gain the confidence of the people through its non-partisan stance.
The Indian Army is one institution in the country that has proven itself as a force that is willing to make the supreme sacrifice for the sake of its countrymen. It has fought five wars and has ensured that the unity and integrity of the nation remain intact. It comes to the aid of beleaguered people in times of calamity, whether it is floods or earthquakes. It battles terror and not the terrorists. It lays open its doors for medical assistance uncaring of commerce. Today, in trouble-torn Manipur, its absence is being felt.
In this context, it would be important to note that the BJP government has decided to appoint the hero of the 2015 surgical strike that was carried out across Myanmar on Insurgents as a Senior Superintendent of Police (Combat) in the Manipur Police. Col (Retd) Nectar Sanjebam, who led the 21 Para (Special Forces) team to avenge the deaths of the soldiers of the 6 Dogra Regiment, has been recalled from retirement and into active duty. This is a good move for a number of reasons.
The Manipur Police will gain from an experienced and decorated Indian army officer (Col Sanjebam is a Manipuri to boot!) and the bad blood that has of late being witnessed between the Indian army/Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police would lessen considerably.
A new chapter could, therefore, we’ll be on the anvil.
Jaideep Saikia is a conflict theorist and best-selling author. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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