The Hindu : National : Army orders inquiry but sees a pattern to protests

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 18, 2004

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National

Army orders inquiry but sees a pattern to protests

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 17. Even as the Army assured it would begin a court of inquiry within 10 days against Assam Rifles personnel for their role in the death of a Manipuri woman last Sunday, officials here said the protests peaked because the woman died around the time the Armed Force's Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was due for extension.

The senior Army officers said there was a "pattern to the protests'' whenever the application of the AFSPA came up for periodic renewal. They also claimed that the middle-aged women who stripped in front of the Assam Rifles complex in Imphal came from "one village'' in an area that had been "indoctrinated heavily'' by militants of the underground People's Liberation Army (PLA), one of the largest among the 27 militant groups operating in Manipur.

The Army is still sticking to its version about the death of 30-year-old Manorama Devi — she was shot dead after she did not heed a warning to stop while fleeing from Army custody. Officials said the intelligence reports had proved that she was a self-styled corporal in the PLA and was "close to'' "Captain" Shyam of the same outfit.

But human rights activists who regularly visit Manipur said the nude demonstration was a clear signal that it was a rape case. They did not agree with the Army's claims of having recovered a grenade and radio set as proof of Manorama Devi being involved with terrorist groups but agreed that the crux of the problem was the AFSPA. It gives the security forces immunity against killing a person on the suspicion of his presence being detrimental to "public order." It is enforced in seven north-east States and, quoting Manipur-based civil rights activists they say the security forces get immunity to indulge in rape, loot and torture.

Recently in Srinagar, the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, remained non-committal over the new Government's stand on the AFPSA.

The Army claims that its men in the two counter-insurgency theatres of the north-east and Jammu and Kashmir are disciplined. Strict action is taken against rogue elements — in the last 14 years, the Army has punished 66 of its men in the north-east and 71 in Jammu and Kashmir after they were found guilty of excesses.

Some of them including officers were awarded rigorous imprisonment of up to 12 years and dismissal from service without retirement benefits for rape. Human rights violations of a lesser nature have resulted in deprivation of rank and forfeiture of seniority.

About 1,300 complaints were filed against the Army in Jammu and Kashmir and 451 in the north-east. Of these, the Army claims that an overwhelming number of complaints were "false and baseless'' and only 25 and 30 in the north-east and Jammu and Kashmir, respectively, stood the scrutiny of the Army's internal investigations, which translated into a conviction rate of 2.4 per cent and 6.5 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, an atmosphere of terror prevails in Imphal and nearby districts with several human rights activists based there unable or unwilling to speak out.

Protests leave 4 hurt

PTI reports from Imphal:

Police opened fire with rubber bullets and lathicharged demonstrators at two places here today leaving four injured. The indefinite curfew in Greater Imphal and Imphal continued for the third successive day amid widespread public protests over the killing of the woman.

Official sources said police fired rubber bullets in Lamlong area near here to disperse a mob which tried to take out a procession. Two persons were injured.

In the second incident, police lathicharged a mob which also wanted to take out a procession in Pishum area here.

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