[Assam] Softer Handling of Terrorism?

[Dilip/Dil Deka]

The article touches on many issues already discussed in this net. 
 
" Most Indian politicians know little and care even less about the mainsprings of extremism and militancy, impelling some sections of the people to take to terrorist violence. What is even worse, they have but a very hazy idea about the complexities and mechanics of law enforcement in a highly fragmented polity, especially when the security forces are also blatantly politicized and communalized."  
--- It is complicated, isn't it? It gets further complicated when you start to think why "some sections" resort to terrorism. Why don't the other sections do the same? I don't have an answer but a guess. Could it have anything to do with extreme pride as an ethnic/religious group, and the fear of losing identity? 

Tackling Terrorism
KS Dhillon
“Fight terrorism, don’t trample human rights... you should be firm but humane, effective and efficient, in control but unobtrusive and function within the parameters of law and stick to human rights,” Primie Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly advised the security forces in Srinagar a few days ago. Universally respected for his intellectual integrity as he is, the PM, no doubt, meant every word of what he said. But how far would the prime ministerial counsel carry conviction with the force commanders, remains in serious doubt. 
For, the perceptions at the cutting edge levels are vastly different. Even a cursory acquaintance with the nitty-gritty of counter-insurgency operations being carried out in various parts of the country over the last many decades would fully expose the extent to which lawlessness and abuse of human rights have become synonymous with success in counter-terrorism strategies. For the security forces, combating terrorism and insurgency is no different from their other battles, whether against an external enemy or internal malefactors. 
Most Indian politicians know little and care even less about the mainsprings of extremism and militancy, impelling some sections of the people to take to terrorist violence. What is even worse, they have but a very hazy idea about the complexities and mechanics of law enforcement in a highly fragmented polity, especially when the security forces are also blatantly politicized and communalized.
Many highly placed members of the Indian establishment have spoken of the sanctity of human rights and the rule of law on numerous occasions only to turn a blind eye when security forces routinely employ unwarranted and unlawful force, not only against lawless elements but also against civilian populations, while combating organized crime, terrorism and militancy, thus gravely violating human rights and the rule of law. 
That the security forces resorted to highly offensive, illicit and brutal tactics in tackling the Sikh militancy in the Punjab, was hardly a secret from the powers that be, and yet almost the entire Indian establishment and the media went overboard in heaping praises upon the Punjab police. That the apex court was later to hand out stinging censures in a few cases of brazen misuse of powers and lawless conduct of middle-level police officers, out of countless such accusations, is more a tribute to the tenacity of some intrepid rights activists and the objective majesty of Indian judiciary than to a responsive polity. 
It was commonly known that in nonchalantly crossing the boundaries of law, the security forces enjoyed complete endorsement from the highest political executive. The mandate to the police was to wipe out militancy within the law, if possible, outside it, if necessary. 
The horrific modus operandi adopted by the security forces in the Punjab in tackling Sikh militancy and the widespread acclamation they received would make the Punjab police something of a role model in other similarly beleaguered areas. It may be noted, though that the Punjab model merely represents the worst-case scenario, the situation in other terrorist-affected areas is only marginally different. 
Despite the prolonged agitations in Manipur in protest against the excesses of the security forces, the situation remains much the same all over the Northeast. The mounting incidence of custodial violence, not only in counter-insurgency operations but even in normal policing assignments in metropolitan and other areas and the increasing reliance of the state authorities on the so-called encounter specialists to secure urban neighbourhoods, tells its own story. (Manuj Features)
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