Imphal, July 04 2009: The first 181 days (six months) of 2009 saw 270 people killed in insurgency related fatalities in trouble-torn Manipur which causes a serious concern among all people of the state.

A provisional compiled report of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs with regard to the insurgency related fatalities in Manipur states that a total of 264 people have been killed in insurgency related fatalities during the period from January 1 to June 26.With at least five more killed in five days from June 27 to June 30, the figure rose to 270 .

The report says that more than 262 insurgency related incidents, 21 more than that of the total for the corresponding period in 2008, occurred in the state during the last six months.

This increase, however, primarily reflects a sharp rise in the insurgents' fatalities to the level of 38 percent.

While the number death of Security Forces (SF) personnel stood at just six for both years, a significant 45 percent decrease has been recorded in fatalities among the civilian population, analysis report of the South Asian Intelligence Review stated.

Manipur remains the most violent State in India's Northeast, as the first half of 2009 draws to an end.

Assam, the other major theatre of conflict in the region, with 11 times the population and 3.5 times the land mass, stands at second place, with 224 fatalities.

There are tentative trends, however, that suggest some gains for the counter-insurgency grid in Manipur, which is beginning to inflict costs on the insurgent outfits, neutralizing significant numbers of their cadres and reducing their areas of dominance.

Manipur had by-passed Assam in 2008 with 492 (131civilians, 13 security personnel and 348 militants.

In the same year, Assam recorded dead of 373 (16 civilians, 133 security forces personnel and 133 insurgents).

Nagaland with 145 dead (42 civilians, 2 security men and 101 insurgents) was in the third position.

As per the MHA compile reports, out of the total 268 killed during the last six month 213 were insurgents, 45 were civilians while six are security personnel.

The month wise break up of the killed is, in January, 45 (1-civilian, 2- security men, 42-militants) killed in the insurgency related fatalities, 32 in February (4-civilians and 28 militants), in March 42 (8-civilians, one security men and 33 militants), 48 in April ( 5-civilians, 1-security man and 42 militants, 53 in May ( 17-civilians, two security men and 34 militants) while 48 in June (11-civilians, 37-militants0.Of the 45 civilians killed in 2009, 24 persons belonged to non-locals� comprising migrant labourers and petty traders who were killed in at least 14 attacks in all the four Valley Districts.

In the biggest attack of 2009, unidentified insurgents killed nine non-locals inside the Keibul Lamjao National Park at Khordak Awang Leikai area in Bishnupur District on May 11 .

Exactly a month later on June 11, four non-local labourers were killed when unidentified insurgents opened fire on them inside the Central Agriculture University campus at Iroisemba under Lamphel Police Station in Imphal West District.

The dominance of the insurgent in Manipur is also strongly reflected in the enveloping regime of extortion that targets Government offices, local self-Government and educational institutions, health centres, commercial establishments and the wider civilian population alike.

Thus, in the first week of May 2009, a series of gun attacks were carried out at the residences of the Chief Engineer and three Executive Engineers of the Manipur Minor Irrigation Department following their failure to meet several extortion demands made by insurgent groups operating in both the Hill and Valley regions.

Engineers, like other civilians, continue to be soft targets for the militants and are attacked with alarming regularity.

The militant groups have also not spared the health sector, and people in capital Imphal have repeatedly faced hardship due to militants' targeting of pharmacies with extortion demands, the SAIR analysis report observed.

Most of the persons killed by security men as militants were shot dead by the security forces including the state police commandos as claimed by the families as well as civil organization.

Opposition parties in Manipur Legislative Assembly, taking seriously on the spate of killing by the security forces and police commandos in the last few months has decided to bring up the matter in the house.

A meeting of the opposition members of the house held late yesterday has decided to press the government to check the killing of people by the security forces in the extra-judicial manner, a source said.

In Manipur, JACs were formed against the killing of people by the security forces in alleged fake encounter.

But after some day agitation and the same will suspended after government agreed to pay ex-gratia, opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam said today while speaking at the sideline during a social service camp held at Thangmeiband area today.

People will shout for repeal of Armed Forces (Special) Power Act, 1958 from the state but at the time election, votes will be given to the ruling Congress, a party not willing to repeal the Act, he blamed.

Comment