Wither finance intrusion and war on people
Dr. Malem Ningthouja *
Good afternoon friends
My warm greetings to strategic friends, tactical friends, progressive
individuals and democratic forces who have gathered here today…
I want to begin with this remark that this day is remarkable. The topic of
this public seminar War on People is really remarkable… This day is also remarkable
because we have conglomeration of speakers and crowd from diverse political,
professional, organization and national backgrounds.1 This day is remarkable to me
because we are being brought together by prevailing distressful conditions prevalent
in the sub-continent. I again repeat that this day is remarkable because we are here
not for merry making in praise of a fascist regime.
Over the years, particularly in the last few months, we have seen escalation
of carnages in the sub-continent perpetrated by the men in uniform who are supposed
to be security guardians of the people. The Indian foot troops… whether military or
paramilitary or police or underpaid auxiliary contract agents like the SPOs, Salwa
Judum or whatever forces they have given name to; mostly recruited from lower
class for lump sum monthly salary, are being exposed to some kind of civil war
fronts. I say again that this people, these… foot soldiers are in-secured. They are
living with frustration. They are living with war hysteria in Kashmir, in Manipur,
Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and other areas
where structural oppression is being enforced deliberately with muscle powers.
They are exposed.
I am talking about the soldiers who are being exposed to the war front. The
soldiers recruited from the lower ranks. I am speaking on behalf of them little bit,
mentioning about their plight. They are there to obey the instructions of the rulers
that live on their blood and labour for profit. These helpless foot soldiers, to defend
themselves and to protect their salary and promotion, are being converted into
oppressive and killing machines. They are being indoctrinated with draconian laws
to indulge in widespread carnage upon democratic forces, patriotic sections and
the masses that are defending economic and democratic rights. They also suffer
losses. And they also created lots of losses and destructions. And these soldiers,
many of them, are also crying due to pain and frustration.
At the same time the carnage inflicted Kashmir is crying. The subjugated
and oppressed Northeast is crying. Oppressed and displaced masses in the Special
Economic Zones are crying. Exploited labours are crying. Pauperised peasants are
crying. There are only cries. Cries of suffering and cries for justice. I should say
that, but one thing is very clear to us, the rulers that have designed these cries are
not crying. They never cry. They enjoy the carnage. They enjoy the war. They
glorify the war and share war booty among themselves.
And, of course, we are not here, to glorify them. Our gathering today is
remarkable because we are here to condemn this carnage. We are here to oppose
the war that is being waged in the name of the Indian nation, security and
development. We are here to share with the pains and frustrations of the soldiers
who have been misled into war of aggression on civilians. We are here to share the
pains and cry of our people who are being subjected to a war condition that is being
waged against their will. Our gathering is remarkable, because this is how we should
begin our journey to build a powerful democratic force, to bring real development,
peace and democracy in the subcontinent.
When it comes to Northeast regions, particularly Manipur and the
surrounding regions, I should say that an extensive war front has been opened up
under the policy banner of Look East Policy, which is now being rechristened as
Act East Policy. Let me tell you friends. Look East Policy is not an absolutely
foreign trade orientation. It has a lot more to do with … Well, India’s security and
commercial interest with the South East Asian countries is remarkable. But Look
East Policy is a hype created by the Indian State and its protagonists that covers up
the actual geographical space and the mode of operations encompassing the Northeastern
region. LEP should be seen as an integrated whole where the Northeast is
always involved. The Northeast Vision 2020 published by the Indian State
substantiate my point.
My argument is that Look East Policy has created a vast geographical hub
comprising the entire Northeast into some kind of Special Economic Zone of absolute
territorial control, economic exploitation, political subjugation and, of course,
carnages in various forms. What becomes inherent with LEP is the visible increase
of foreign capital intrusion and economic plunder by big market forces. All these
become symptomatic which are to be seen in terms of infrastructural components
of what I would like to call aggressive projects to control hydro-energy power,
carbon reserves, precious stones, minerals, forest products and, of course, market
and labour. The components that have been tremendously enforced include
railways, dams, mines, and forests resources (extortive kind of farming) and all
other infrastructure components related to roadways, trade related buildings and
commercial hubs. All these have brought about destructive changes on landscape,
in the cultural ecology of the people, in the demographic harmony among the
people (which have also created cultural insecurity) and finally income disparity
and underdevelopment.
This policy comes along with heavy militarisation, policing, proxy wars
and suppression of democratic voices. Therefore, when one looks into LEP, we also
have to relate it with militarisation and increasing amount of policing. It is against
this backdrop that I try to locate Armed Forces Special Powers Act, National Security
Act, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Seditious Act and all forms of other
repressive laws. These laws became legal instruments that give constitutional validity
to an oppressive policy and very aggressive developmental projects. These legal
instruments provide the law enforcing forces to unleash a very distressful reign of
terror with impunity… in the name of defending India’s national security,
development, and, of course, peace, or say, they call it law and order. It is against
this backdrop that there is violation of democratic rights, economic inequality,
denial of proportionate and sustainable development, obstructions to political peace
and social justice. This has led to widespread culture of impunity and, you know
that, cycle of violence by the law enforcing forces at the grass root become selfpropellant.
Our speakers who have spoken before me have emphasised on the manner
how the law enforcing forces have taken law into their own hands. The situation
seems to be similar everywhere across the sub-continent wherever structural injustice
and restive tendencies exist. On records, we already have 1528 documented instances
of fake encounter. In January, this year, a killer cop confessed to me, before he made
it public, that, he had killed 133 people. That individual had killed, that killer cop had
killed 133 persons just as a game. Imagine! He was authorised to do so, informally,
by the higher officials. In fact, this man was responsible for the July 23rd 2009 fake
encounter in the heart of the capital in broad day-light. The matter was covered up
by the Chief Minister of Manipur and the Home Department.
However, Tehelka
came up with photographic evidence of the situation and people resisted and the
matter was exposed. After CBI inquiry, this man was suspended along with … other
team mates. But then why would he confess now? This man began to feel insecure.
He thought that he would be killed by superior cops as the case is nearing to an
end. … he thought that confession could either save him or expose the whole
modus operandi of secret killings being commanded on him by superior forces. He
thought that he had killed for the sake of the country but, later on, he had realised
that he was just a pawn.
When he was suspended no help has been coming from
the government. No help has been coming from the higher officers. He had to live
a very miserable livelihood. He realised that to save himself and to avenge for the
crime that he committed, he confessed. The case is still pending in the high court.
What I would like to say is, … structural injustice and killing, fake encounters
and sufferings, all forms of oppression go together. These are symptomatic of an
aggressive and unjust war that are being perpetrated in the name of the country, in
the name of nation, in the name of development and peace.
And the war had to be
halted if there had to be development, peace and democracy in the sub-continent.
I can only trust myself and the like-minded comrades who had been fighting
for justice for democratic rights. I think, we have to build a powerful democratic
forces on some common strategic and tactical agenda. Otherwise, we are all going
to be losers.
Long live democratic struggle! Thank you
Note:
Reproduction from seminar speech delivered at the public seminar on the 26th of
September at 2 pm at the Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, near Central Secretariat
Metro Station, New Delhi. Organised by MATIDARI: Forum for People’s Right
to Land, Life and Dignity.
1 The public seminar was addressed by D Raja (National Secretary, CPI and MP,
Rajya Sabha), Felix Padel (Anthropologist and Activist), Isha Khandelwal
(Lawyer, JagLAG), Jagmohan Singh (General Secretary, APDR), Kamal Shukla
(Editor, Bhumkal Samachar), Malem Ningthouja (Chairperson, CPDM),
Mohammad Shoaib (President, Rihai Manch, UP), Mrigank (CPIML (New
Democracy), N Raghu Ram (Professor, GSSIP University), Prakash Ambedkar
(Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh), Rajeev Yadav (General Secretary, Rihai Manch
and PUCL), Rinchin (WSS), Shivani Taneja (WSS), Vara Vara Rao (founder,
Virasam and President, RDF), Vernon Gonsalves (CRPP) and Vira Sathidar (actor,
‘Court’ and activist).
* Dr. Malem Ningthouja (Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur)) wrote this article for a booklet publication of Irabot Day Observance Committee Delhi
This article was posted on October 3, 2016.
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