Terror, Terror, Terror

By Geoffery *

India has been having a liberal dose of terror attacks since the beginning of 21st century. Parliament attack in 2001 has been followed by number of attacks at other places to bleed the nation through many wounds. Most of the big cities like Bombay, Hyderabad, Bangalore & Delhi along with smaller places of importance like Panipat (in Haryana) and Jaipur in Rajasthan etc. have been targeted.

It takes its toll (tangible & intangible) in terms of men, material and spread of fear psychosis. There comes the question of finding a solution to this unending bane.

Anti terror laws enacted by the affected states are awaiting approval by the centre. In a democratic country like ours the citizens are more concerned about their own rights than duties. That is the reason that anti terror laws are not being enacted. Similar is the case with imposition of far- reaching Armed Forces Special Powers act (AFSPA) in North East (NE) region of this country.

There had been number of outcries to repeal this sweeping legislation in favor of human rights. In a liberal democratic setup like ours personal liberties and personal rights are well understood but what about societal liberties and societal rights? Does not the society has right to enjoy peace, prosperity and progress?

Need to learn from the experience of more liberal countries like USA, Australia ,UK etc. who have been able to check terror activities by enacting tough laws and making it more difficult for the miscreants to operate. But these have to have a centrifugal effect i.e. cleansing terror from inside out.

The USA PATRIOT ACT of 2001 (uniting & strengthening America by providing appropriate tools required to intercept and obstruct terrorism act 2001) has allowed the US security agencies to search telephone, email communications, medical, financial and other records. Australia has given "stop and search" powers to their police, which allow the police to stop and search people.

The country also has a "control order" that empowers police to approach a closed court and ask restrictions to be placed on some one who poses a terror threat. The UK's new counter terrorism bill extends the pre charge detention of terror suspects from 28 to 42 days.

NE region has been conflict ridden for past six decades now. In 1958 AFSPA was enforced in this region to provide safety to armed forces personnel (Officer, JCO, NCO) against the impunity and freedom enjoyed by insurgents for violence. Under this act armed forces personnel are empowered to arrest a person without warrant on suspicion and open fire incase required for maintaining public order.

These special powers are only vested to armed forces in case the area has been declared disturbed by the state and notification issued by the central government. It is always voiced that armed forces commit excesses but a silver lining is that human rights commissions (HRCs) exercise check on these excesses.

There are numbers of cases that come to light where armed forces personnel have been booked by the court (army/civil) for the excesses committed and victim granted compensation (thanks to HRCs). But in a democracy and free society this kind of laws that restrict individual freedom but ensure societal well being are unwelcome.

The beautiful canvas of NE region is stained with blots of militancy. So called insurgents have turned to terrorists and criminals. Various feeder highways (NH-39, NH-53, NH-150) have been divided as per area of influence of various outfits. Besides this all employees and businessmen these taxes get added to the costs which a common man pays. Cyclic effect of all this is widespread corruption.

All employees charge money to do the official work by ensuring governance of deprivation where a common man is compelled to grease the palms of officials. It is also learnt that the outfits collect and spend money on welfare. Readers need to think about whose welfare it is (own leaders who are staying abroad) pseudo organizations (who only know to put fuel into the fire) or cadres (used as cannon fodders).

The status of pseudo organizations is like an unscrupulous monkey who deprived the two cats of bread by his clever moves and ate up the same himself. Hierarchy of the outfits is not interested in finding solutions because it will strip them of unwarranted privileges. The case of higher echelons of the outfits owning prime properties in the country and outside the country is well known.

Mizoram has been freed of the yoke of AFSPA. States of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh of this region did not need such an act. This act was repealed with in Imphal municipal limits in response to large scale protests after Th. Manorama case in 2004.

But has the repealing made Imphal a safer place or more unsafe? Readers may draw their own conclusions because maximum numbers of kidnappings, extortions, bomb attacks, grenade attacks etc are reported from that area. There is a need to predictably localize the movements of the UGs by befitting restrictions and empowering agencies meant to ensure safety and security of common man.

The writer is not canvassing for AFSPA but there is need to introspect and arrive at a point when the state does not feel the necessity to declare the area as disturbed. Part III and IV of Indian Constitution deal with fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy.

Article 21 reads; "No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law". There is need of whole hearted contribution by law makers, law keepers and society at large to uphold the spirit of the said article.

There is need to change our mind set from only self welfare to societal welfare. There is need to create conditions for repealing the hated act and there should be no need to impose it ever.