In the past, writers hesitated and shilly-shallied to write about women but now, the situation has been changed and as they are. As time moves on, women are progressing in all spheres of life. Enough human energy, time and ink have been wasted, spent and spilled in discussing, criticizing and writing about women in many places. Despite they are the only animate objects of critical observation; their speed of progress is unhindered. This perhaps, is a new understanding of the people outside Manipur. Our society is witnessing since many decades, the vigorous and active contribution and involvement in taking care of family economy, community, and social issues at large. Still, there is a question that lingers around, "Why women have not achieved equality with men in any place?" I do not expect this, at least in Manipur, but it does! Anyway, this is not the domain of my essay, though, it strongly relates indirectly. Many women have fallen victim to the carnal desires and illicit behaviour of security personnel.

For decades, Manipur has been suffering from virtual army rule, operations of security forces, movements of the underground groups and revolutionary groups, curfews, mass rallies and hunger strikes. Worth enough to claim room in Guinness Book that Manipur is the only place where the mixture of democracy, dictatorship, tyranny, classlessness, marshal law, revolutionary movement, extremism, fanaticism…coexist. Moving forward to my central theme, the conduct of people in uniform is best known by their acts of fake encounter, custodial killing, torture, rape, assault and destruction. There are many cases full of horror that will remain forever as unhealed wound in the psyche of our brethrens and all.

Years ago, when school students were asked to write an essay on 'discipline' or 'moral values', they used to write a lot about Army and Policeman. In fact, that was their inherent impression about the uniform-people. What a nice ramification! But few decades are enough to change one's mind. I have a strong feeling that those students who wrote about and compared discipline with army and police, now, in their adulthood might be feeling repentant. Their lamentation when mixed with the behaviour, which security forces are exhibiting in the eyes of people of all generation resulted people to spit out the fake and ephemeral image of uniform-people.

Mr. R. Hariharan, a retired intelligence officer articulated his emotional tie and logic about Manipur in, "Key to Northeast: governance" (The I E, Oct.6, 2004) wherein, he submitted: - "I feel sorry for Manipur, where I have served, and the beautiful people of Manipur many of whom, I know, are silently living in this abysmal situation for more than 30 years denied their basic rights." "The time has come for politicians and people to clean up the act". "But the fact is that if normal law and order is enforced through good governance, the Manipur Rifiles can round up the extremists, the army will not be required to do so". However, his words to wash the dirt from the face of Indian Security forces with reference to the Thangjam Manorama rape and murder case were just like affirming as if there is no army group operating in Manipur, and army men are always and everywhere discipline bound would be wrong. - "Operationally, it (Assam Rifles) is under the Army, but administratively it comes under the ministry of home affairs"- Mr. Hariharanji, values, attitudes and discipline are developed from their own pre-security force joining personality traits, and values through the training they got for operations. There are many evidences that show the sorry-effectiveness of the education and training they received. Mention ably, "Capital shame: Armyman 'rapes', kills cop's wife, cuts body to pieces" (The I E, Jan.11, 2005): A Sikkim Armed Police constable D R Sharma's wife Indira (29) was allegedly raped, beaten to death and her body chopped into pieces on Jan.4, 2005 by Lance Naik R N Garai.

Lieutenant General HS Kanwar, a former DG (AR) also submitted the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs over Assam Rifles as a tricky issue. The Ministry of Defence is apparently seeking the transfer of AR to its control since, 90% of its officer cadre is drawn from the Army. He said, "We are a force of and for the people of the northeast and therefore better understand the sentiments of the people". Similarly, high-ranking officers have made statements that value humanity and human rights. Let us see how far they value the sentiments of people:

• The Miss Rose case of 1979, first rape of a girl by Indian Security forces that came out in the open. A BSF officer repeatedly raped her. She committed suicide.





• March 1984: CRPF personnel shot 13 spectators watching a volleyball match to death at Heirangothong in Imphal when insurgents attacked them. Judicial enquiry found the CRPF guilty of killing innocent civilians.





• Tera Massacre, Aug.1993: Unidentified militants shot at two CRPF personnel fetching water. Moments after, all CRPF personnel came out from their outpost and started directionless firings in the market place that killed five innocent civilians.





• Jan.1995: In retaliation, 9 Civilians are shot dead at the RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences), Imphal by CRPF jawans when militants attacked them. Judicial probe blamed the CRPF for the killings.





• The Ahanjaobi case of 1996, she was brutally raped by two Indian Army personnel in front of her disabled 12 year old son.





• In 1998, Sanamacha Yumlembam (15) preparing for matriculation exam was dragged away by Indian Army and the boy never came back home. In the same year, Army personnel raped two married women, Pramo, a pregnant, of Keirengphabi village (However, military court ruled that it was molestation) and Thoinu of Kakching village.





• In March 1999, Chabungbam Jamini (11) was taken into AR custody and interrogated on the charge that she was the girl friend of an underground activist. Few days after, she committed suicide, the reason is best known to the AR and people.





• The case of Khuraijam Pranam, July 2000: AR picked him, blindfolded and took him to their camp. He was arbitrarily detained and brutally tortured for a week. Forced him to eat tobacco, removed his clothes, hands & legs tied up, administered electric shocks, hung upside down and beaten. Chili powder was applied to his eyes and private parts. Wooden rod was inserted and stirred in his anus (it broke inside) causing severe pain, bleeding, intestine protruding etc.





• The gang rape of M.Cecry Kabui, July 2000: The married woman (25) was gang raped by CRPF personnel in her resident by keeping her husband forcibly aside. In Nov. 2000, 10 civilians are killed after a bomb attack on an AR convoy in Malom. Magisterial inquiry holds the Assam Rifles responsible for the killing of the civilians. Irom Sharmila (32) began fasting unto death in protest against the incident.





• June uprising of 2001: The lives of 18 youths were cut short by the indiscriminate firing of the security forces at the peak of the agitation against NSCN (IM) - Government of India ceasefire extension.





• In 2003, Sanjita Devi committed suicide following an alleged rape during Army's search operations. On Aug. 15, 2004, Pebam Chittaranjan (19) burned himself to death demanding an end to the AFSPA. There are many cases of immolation protesting against AFSPA.





• The case of Manoram, July 11, 2004: She (a weaver, 32) was tortured by AR in front of her family, whisked away and allegedly raped then murdered. Forensic test confirmed sexual assault.

The case of Manorama sparked off a mass public outcry but the concerns were silent. Their silence added fuel to the burning fire and brought a dozen of grief-stricken women stripped naked at the then gate of AR Headquarter with a banner "Indian Army, Rape us" displayed. The outlined cases were some of the incidents (there must be many other reported as well as unreported cases too) that gnaw at the heart local people. By now, people know about the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958. It is not only that the armed forces are empowered to arrest and kill suspected people and provided impunity. It is more then that because it insolents humanity and social mores. It is a total disregard to democracy and most importantly to Human Rights. In I E, Aug.6, 04, Debananda Ningthoujam through "Delhi and the Northeast: a bridge too far?" nicely portrayed the GOI's colonial attitude towards the Northeast, especially to Manipur.

From ordinary people to bureaucrats, and from Bolywood to Indian Parliament (e.g. Tango Charlie team proved that they are uninformed, careless and illogical professionals who spread out wrong information and ideas), no one is here and there to look at us and to listen to our voice. We can snicker for a while comparing the name of one Hollywood blockbuster, "The World is not enough" with the attitude of the GOI. Dear GOI, "The Word is not enough", saying Manipur is beautiful, it is endowed with biodiversity and energy resources will not work. You all lack empathy to understand that we also have educated human resources, which can exploit them. Our honorable PM stated, "They (Manipur) deserve our sympathy and support" (HT, 5 Sept.04). Dear GOI, we are human beings; we do have feeling and emotion, and working brain too. Your treatment and our undiplomatic politicians together are making the youths deprived and heated. And, interwoven of the three brought 'hell' here. Shameless and barefaced, everyone is vigorous to shout, "we have done this/that for development…", "We care and understand…." etc etc. Dear elders and friends, words like strike, agitation, condemn, suffer, torture, grief etc. which people of Manipur use frequently to call attention are now trivial for the GOI, and part of oxygen for the Manipur Govt. Let us start discussing, calling and working for DEVELOPMENT, which is attainable, pragmatic and to great extent not ideal as PEACE. Otherwise, it will be just like asking people to control without controlling ourselves.

"Focus on objectives within your reach, not on philosophical beauties like PEACE, EQUALITIES etc., which are very impractical and far from existence"

Legends:
AR: Assam Rifles / GOI: Government of India / IE: The Indian EXPRESS / HT: Hindustan Times