Fake encounters
Killing of innocent persons during the counter-insurgency operations in
Assam, launched in 1990 has been turning out to be a major problem and if such
unfortunate incidents are not checked, these would result in growing sense of
alienation among the common masses of the State. Recent killing of one
Buddheswar Moran in Tinsukia district by Army once again resulted in widespread
protests and though the Chief Minister has ordered a probe into the incident,
it failed to defuse the tension. The Chief Minister should immediately send a
senior Minister to the area to defuse the tension before the situation goes out
of control and adequate compensation should be paid to the bereaved family.
Killing of one Ajit Mahanta in the Kakopathar area of Tinsukia district also
led to widespread protests and at least ten protestors lost their lives in
firing by the police and security forces. The Government should keep in mind
the Kakopathar incident and take immediate measures to defuse the
tension. Language barrier is one of the main reasons for harassment of
innocents by the Army and security forces during the counter-insurgency
operations and efforts should be made to do away with the problem and the
Government can examine the feasibility of imparting crash course on local
customs to the Army personnel before they are inducted into counter-insurgency
operations. Such unfortunate incidents can also be avoided if the Army
personnel, instead of launching operations on their own, take local policemen
along with them in all the operations as the local policemen are in the best
position to know who is a militant and who is not. The Unified Command
Structure for launching counter-insurgency operations is now headed by the
Chief Minister himself and he should issue strict orders to all the forces to
avoid harassment of innocent persons as far as possible during the operations
against militants. The Government should also remember the fact that moulding
of public
opinion against violence will play a major role in fighting insurgency and
efforts should be made in this regard. Only ordering of probes into the alleged
fake encounters will not be of any help in defusing tension and the Government
should make public the action taken on the basis of the reports of such probes.
Assam Tribune, Editorial 12.05.09
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