RPF slams Civic Action programme of Indian Army
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 02 2014:
In a 15-page booklet entitled "Civic Action programmes of Indian Army", the Publicity Department of the proscribed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has said "Indian security forces have been resorting to violence and terror to suppress the armed struggle for freedom of the erstwhile independent Manipur" .
Atrocities, rapes, custodial killings and disappearances after arrests are features of the violence and terror perpetrated by Indian security forces, alleges RPF while charging the Indian forces of resorting to military terrorism which is condemned by the civilized world.
By taking up ideological weapons in the spheres of religion, health care, philanthropy, suspension of military operation, treaties, commercial exchange and civic action programmes, the Indian Security forces have also been trying to tame the colonized and oppressed people, the booklet says.
Quoting the "Classis Colonial Situation" by Annie Summer, the booklet recalls the definition of colonial situation as invasion and conquest of territory, cultural domination of the inhabitants, divide and rule policy, extraction of profits from the colonized territory etc.
Mentioning that "in military connotation, art of fighting battles is called 'tactics' and the art of fighting wars is the 'strategy'", the booklet observes that Indian regime adopts military, paramilitary, political, economic, psychological, civic action, and divide and rule strategies in Manipur.
Citing the imposition of AFSPA as a design for military rule, the RPF booklet also alleges that Indian forces have used tactics like the displacement of villages, grouping, forced labour, surveillance on the people and encamping the people in the name of counter insurgency.
It further says, Nandini Sunder's book 'Interning Insurgent Population: The Buried History of Indian Democracy' clearly depicted how Indian forces used such tactics in Mizoram and Nagaland.
As a result, 82% of the Mizoram population was forced to displace from their villages in 1972, while the number of villages was reduced from 764 to 248, the booklet states.
The Indian security forces, who were earlier involved in cutting down the forests, have now started planting saplings with promise to make a green Manipur, ridicules the booklet while saying that the activities like organization of medical camps, distribution of TV sets, computers, clothes and tailoring machines, arranging tour programmes outside Manipur for women and children, organising interaction programmes for Meira paibis etc.
are the colonial strategies to repress the armed independence struggle.
Looked after directly by the Chief of Army staff, Civic action programmes in the name of "Operation Good Samiratan" came into being under the Army Development Group under Headquarters 3-Corps in 1995, asserts the booklet saying Indian security have also resorted force settlement in Church buildings, community halls, health centres, local clubs etc.
Among the civic actions programmes of Indian Army, the booklet points out Surrender policy, Home coming ceremonies, Designated Camps, recruitment rallies, etc.
are also becoming frequent nowadays.
The institutionalization of Photo ID cards, Unique ID cards, Voter Cards etc.
is also one of the strategies for counter insurgency, the booklet claims.
In its booklet, the RPF appeals to all people of all communities residing in this land to support the movement for freedom as their indispensible duty.
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