The despised elite force
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: July 27, 2012 -

Imphal-Moreh Road being blocked in protest against move to deploy Cdos at Moreh :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

In a reminiscence of the mass protest in the hill districts of Manipur during August, 2009, people of the border town Moreh, more particularly the Kukis, have revolted against the decision of the state government to deploy State Police Commandos.

Following a decision of the State Government to open a unit of the elite police force at Moreh to neutralize the presence of various UG groups in Myanmar and monitor the movements of UG cadres, a convoy of police commandos was dispatched to the border town in the morning of July 26.

But they were blocked from going ahead by a large number of Kuki men and women who resorted to road blockade at New Mongjang village, about 5 kms from Moreh police station.

Instead of open arms to welcome them, the police commandos were greeted with placards and festoons inscribed with wordings like 'Go back commandos', 'Commandos! No thanks', 'We don't need Commandos in Moreh', 'We want peace', 'Don't disturb peace in Moreh', 'Where there is Commandos, there is bloodshed', etc.

Following the public protest, the six Commando teams comprising 9 personnel each could not reach Moreh and they have to put up for the night along the way somewhere in between Tengnoupal and Lokchao.

Even though the protest over the move of opening up a unit of the elite police force in the border town is said to have settled following an understanding between the Kuki organizations and the state government, we are compelled to think over why there is no much opposition over any move to deploy Police Commandos especially in the hill areas of Manipur?

How the denizens in the five hill districts of Manipur reacted strongly to a similar decision of the state Cabinet to deploy police commandos and IRB personnel in the hill areas in August 2009 and responded with massive protest rallies simultaneously in all the district headquarters to exert pressure for withdrawal of the Cabinet decision is still fresh in the mind of the people.

The intention of the state government to open a Commando unit at the sensitive border town to aid the police, whose strength are woefully understaffed, in maintenance of law and order may be good, but the people seem to despise them simply.

Why is it so? The answer may not be far to seek.

Given their track records of involvement in various criminal activities right from serious crimes like fake encounters, custodial tortures and rape to petty crimes like snatching gold chain, cash and mobile phones from innocent public, brutality and police commandos in Manipur have come to be regarded as synonymous or like the two sides of the same coin.

Instead of instilling a sense of security among the people, the very sight of approaching police commandos makes the people insecure.

This is indicative of a far greater rot within the system of policing the uncouth and unscrupulous police commandos. Hope Mr Home Minister, who promises to make the police commandos more humane, is listening, nay, reading.