[Assam] Army admits to torture - IANS/Gulf News

[Ram Sarangapani]

C'da,

>Have you heard of the perpetual sinner who revels in sin six days of >the
week and on the seventh confesses and cleans his soul out, >just to return
to sin on Monday again :-)?

Of course! I do that all the time:)

>Remember Kakpothar and Ajit Mahanta? And the thousands of >others that were
tortured, brutalized and shot down like 'cats and >dogs', merely on
suspicion?

Yes, and no one condones those (or even make excuses). But since we are
finger-pointing, you do of course remember all the ulfa killings and
extortions - even as recent as a few days ago in Dhemaji, and yesterday a
trader's son shot 'cause he wouldn't pay up. The ulfa list is pretty long.

But one doesn't see the same vociferous condemnations from ulfa supporters.
Innocent lives are just that - innocent. There can't be excuses when
the Ulfa does it and outright condemnation when the army does it.

 >This army's confessions backed up by the ever so generous Rs. >20,000
compensation no doubt absolved the perpetrators of their >crimes, and
satisfied the urge for accountability of their >democratically dedicated
desi-defenders :-), but does it even come >CLOSE to ACCOUNTABILITY ?

Agreed - but have we seen any gestures by the ulfa for compensating the
families of all they killed over the years. Now, they have learned a new
trick - just deny they had anything to do with any or all killings or
extortions.
That, obviously absolves them of all the mayhem that is going around in
Assam.

--Ram



On 10/16/06, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
>
>  Ram:
>
>
> Have you heard of the perpetual sinner who revels in sin six days of the
> week and on the seventh confesses and cleans his soul out, just to return to
> sin on Monday again :-)? Remember Kakpothar and Ajit Mahanta? And the
> thousands of others that were tortured, brutalized and shot down like 'cats
> and dogs', merely on suspicion?
>
>
>
>
> This army's confessions backed up by the ever so generous Rs. 20,000
> compensation no doubt absolved the perpetrators of their crimes, and
> satisfied the urge for accountability of their democratically dedicated
> desi-defenders :-), but does it even come CLOSE to ACCOUNTABILITY ?
>
>
> c-da
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 11:22 AM -0500 10/16/06, Ram Sarangapani wrote:
>
> This is for folks who think that the army is never held accountable for
> their actions.
>
> _______________________
>
>
>
> Published: 10/15/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)
>
> IANS
>
>
> Guwahati: The Indian Army engaged in anti-insurgency operations in Assam
> is once again mired in a row over torture in custody of a separatist
> suspect, forcing authorities to apologise and order a court of inquiry.
>
> Hundreds of people on Friday blocked a highway for hours near Khowang in
> Dibrugarh district, 450km east of here, protesting alleged torture of a
> farmer, Nipul Saikia, after he was picked up by soldiers from his house five
> days ago.
>
> "I think Saikia was not treated properly and so we have ordered a court of
> inquiry. I would like to assure you that the guilty would be punished,"
> Major Gen N.C. Marwah, general-officer-commanding (GOC) of the 2nd
> Mountain Division, said. Saikia was picked up from his home on Monday on the
> suspicion of being a linkman of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom
> (ULFA) and was kept in custody until Thursday before he was admitted to the
> Dibrugarh Medical College with serious injuries.
>
> "Saikia was brought to hospital with rectal bleeding and his condition was
> serious. The injuries were suffered probably due to electric shocks," a
> doctor attending on him said, requesting anonymity.
>
> The GOC visited Saikia at the hospital and tendered his personal apologies
> to him for the incident.
>
> There were similar protests in the eastern Tinsukia district where people
> in their hundreds took to the streets to protest the detention of about 20
> villagers, including women and children.
>
> The villagers were picked up by the army earlier in the week after an
> explosion triggered by the ULFA injured a soldier in the area. The army
> authorities on Friday released 10 women and children after the protests.
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
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