The Silent War - A BBC Documentary by Rupa Jha

It is high time the various insurgent groups of Manipur, who claims to represent the people of Manipur to rethink if the people really thinks so. The common people are left with doubts to what are their main objectives when extortion, donations etc in the name of the Motherland has became a reality to their lives.

This more then 50 years of long running insurgency has claimed thousands of life. Who are we to blame for the dead of this thousands? Manipur which has a small population of only 2.5 million has an estimated 80,000 Indian Security Forces to combat insurgency.

An investigation by Rupa Jha, broadcasted by BBC on the 7th of March, 2011 carried out the message of the sufferings of the Manipuris and the effort of Irom Sharmila Devi to the world, which has been until now widely neglected by the world media and even in India at large.

A paintings about Irom Sharmila's struggle by NEOGENE artist based in Imphal
Check out the full Painting Gallery from NEOGENE here

Jha tells to the world the sad stories of Idina and Nina, two of the many widows, who has never achieved justice of any kind. Their husbands were abducted from work and killed by the security forces for mere suspicion of being involved in anti social activities.

The special powers given to the military in the region, under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 covers the military personals from taking them to any legal procedure of their misconducts. Under this act armed personnel can arrest suspects without a warrant, and enter and search any premise they wish to make arrests. Irom Sharmila, has been fasting for the past 11 years, her only demand to the Government of India is to repeal this AFSPA from the Northeast states of India.

In an interview by Jha, Sharmila says that she is doing this for the sake of the downtrodden ones against the inhuman activities of the rulers. In an ill fated day, 2nd November, 2000, troops of 8 Assam Rifles fired indiscriminately towards a group of civilians at the bus waiting shed at Malom along the Tidim road killing 10 civilians apart from inflicting injuries to several others. This incident made her take the decision of fasting till dead until the Act has been removed.

Human Right activist Babloo Loitongbam in an interview with Jha says, since AFSPA, Manipur has around 500 extra judicial killings every year which the DGP of Manipur, Joy Kumar denies. The DGP on a very contradictory statement about the allegations said, "Allegations are made about this extra judicial killings, but this are allegations which has not been proved. Killings of the militants will always take place, however, all the killings can't be extra judicial" implying that some of them are.

When Jha hooked him with his own statement, he corrected himself by saying that if these allegations are proved to be true, legal actions would have been taken against the involving party. unfortunately for the people, no matter how hard they try to take this matter into the court, the armies comes in and stops any kind of procedures.

G.K.Pillai, Secretary of Home Affairs, GOI says that the Government Commission recently recommended the Act be repealed. His message to Sharmila was that her life was precious and she should engage in talk with the GOI. He too denies the fact that there are hundreds of killings every year by the security forces under this act agreeing that there has been some misuse of this act which they don’t encourage.

According to him, government has decided to review on the functioning of the act and proposal for amendment is now currently before the cabinet committee on security and the changes will be before us in few months from the time of this interview. But up till now, no changes has been seen and the people continues to suffer.

You can listen to the entire documentary at BBC website link here.