By the time you are reading this piece, the Pakistan-India talks must have commenced. It is a positive omen although India has been dragging its feet refusing to restart the Composite Dialogue process; reportedly, it even had the composition of the Pakistan delegation changed for the talks on the eve of their departure for New Delhi. Before blaming Pakistan for its woes, India must look inwards at its own homegrown insurgencies, which need a brief examination.
Indian Punjab: The province of Indian Punjab is in the state of a virtual siege since 1984 when the Sikh’s demand for Khalistan led to the storming of the Golden Temple, Amritsar, the holiest of Sikh shrines in India. The Golden Temple attack launched a wave of Indian state terrorism against the Sikhs. More than 20,000 Sikhs were killed in these attacks. After the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, later that year at the hands of her Sikh bodyguards, a reign of terror was unleashed on the Sikhs and thousands were massacred and continue to be persecuted. Assam: The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is the main group of freedom fighters in Assam, which is demanding freedom from India. In 1983, when the Assamese raised their voice for freedom, extreme violence was resorted to; razing entire villages to the ground and President’s rule was imposed citing the dismal law and order situation. The state continues to reel under draconian laws. On January 10, 2009, Assam government adopted a tough anti-terror law under the provisions of the Assam Preventive Detention (Amendment) Bill 2009 but the people are being beleaguered and unnecessarily hassled under the garb of interrogation. Gorkhaland: The Gorkhas inhabit the area around Darjeeling, just South of Nepal. They too have raised their voice against Indian oppression and demanded a separate homeland. Their movement met with stiff resistance by the Indian forces and they came down hard on the Gorkhas. Presently an uneasy peace prevails there because of the promise of greater autonomy by the Indian government. Bodoland: Adjacent to Darjeeling in the west lies Meghalaya where the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) are fighting for their Independence from India. They commenced their freedom struggle humbly, armed with mere bows and arrows but as the Indians tried to crush their movement, they have acquired full-fledged guerrilla tactics. The Indians have been trying their best to suppress them with violence. Nagaland lies in between China, India and Burma. Nagas as a distinct nation remained unconquered and independent till the British occupation in 1881. The Nagas, who comprise mostly of Christians, had been promised an independent homeland for their active participation in the British forces against the Japanese in the Second World War. Neither the British nor the Indian government fulfilled the promise. On May 16, 1951 a plebiscite on the issue of Naga independence was held to which the Indian government was also invited to witness. The result of the plebiscite was 99.9% in favour of an independent Nagaland state, which was promptly conveyed to India and the UNO. Thereupon India, instead of respecting the results, sent thousands of her armed forces and occupied Naga territory in the early part of 1954. The whole population was driven into jungles and herded into concentration camps. Thousands died of starvation, disease and torture. Bitter fighting continues until today, while the Indian rule of atrocity is perpetrated through 250,000 troops. Mizoram: The Mizos, like the Nagas, are mostly Christians. Their freedom movement has been on the same pattern as that of the Mizos. Their leader Laldenga was willing to hold peaceful negotiations after the emergence of Bangladesh. He was brought to Delhi, but when the talks failed, he was imprisoned in direct contravention of the immunity provided to him. The movement for the independence of Mizoram continues while India terror campaign to crush the insurgency prevails unabated. Tamils reside in Southern India. Their freedom movement started in the early 60s, however with Indian moves on Sri Lanka in support of the minority Tamils against the majority Sinhalese, this movement was thwarted. During the 80s, the Indian secret agency RAW established numerous camps in Tamil Nadu for the Tamil guerrilla movements. RAW operatives ferried most of the supplies to Tamil areas across the straits to Jaffna and other areas in Sri Lanka. At that time Sri Lankan Tamils had total freedom to move about in Tamil Nadu. However, with the advent of the ‘Indian Peace Keeping Force” into Sri Lanka, the major Tamil group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), led by Prabhakaran, revolted against Indian sponsorship. The Indian protégés now became India’s implacable enemies. So great was their reaction to Indian atrocities against their former tutors, that the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination took place at the hands of a suicidal bomb attack by a LTTE member. The Indian backlash was swift and severe. The South Indian Tamils still shudder at the Indian atrocities. Maoist/Naxalite movement is a legitimate and rightful effort to fight against the Indian repression. The movement has posed serious threat to Indian union and government is undertaking extreme and tough measure to crush the movement. Hence another human tragedy is in the offing in India. Reportedly the Maoists have also developed the expertise of cloning sophisticated weapons such as Assault Rifles of AK series. The threat of India’s homegrown insurgencies remains its Achilles’ Heel. India must not only formulate policies to resolve the problem, but also improve its human rights record. Various independent local as well as international agencies have concluded that Indian Government and its State agencies have been committing human rights abuse of its minorities as well as the various factions, which has resulted in rebellion. Take the case of Kashmir, which is being labeled as an insurgency but in actuality it is a freedom movement, which has erupted because of India’s insensitivity to the rights of the Kashmiris, which were protected by UN Resolutions but India refuses to discuss it.
Indian Punjab: The province of Indian Punjab is in the state of a virtual siege since 1984 when the Sikh’s demand for Khalistan led to the storming of the Golden Temple, Amritsar, the holiest of Sikh shrines in India. The Golden Temple attack launched a wave of Indian state terrorism against the Sikhs. More than 20,000 Sikhs were killed in these attacks. After the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, later that year at the hands of her Sikh bodyguards, a reign of terror was unleashed on the Sikhs and thousands were massacred and continue to be persecuted. Assam: The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is the main group of freedom fighters in Assam, which is demanding freedom from India. In 1983, when the Assamese raised their voice for freedom, extreme violence was resorted to; razing entire villages to the ground and President’s rule was imposed citing the dismal law and order situation. The state continues to reel under draconian laws. On January 10, 2009, Assam government adopted a tough anti-terror law under the provisions of the Assam Preventive Detention (Amendment) Bill 2009 but the people are being beleaguered and unnecessarily hassled under the garb of interrogation. Gorkhaland: The Gorkhas inhabit the area around Darjeeling, just South of Nepal. They too have raised their voice against Indian oppression and demanded a separate homeland. Their movement met with stiff resistance by the Indian forces and they came down hard on the Gorkhas. Presently an uneasy peace prevails there because of the promise of greater autonomy by the Indian government. Bodoland: Adjacent to Darjeeling in the west lies Meghalaya where the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) are fighting for their Independence from India. They commenced their freedom struggle humbly, armed with mere bows and arrows but as the Indians tried to crush their movement, they have acquired full-fledged guerrilla tactics. The Indians have been trying their best to suppress them with violence. Nagaland lies in between China, India and Burma. Nagas as a distinct nation remained unconquered and independent till the British occupation in 1881. The Nagas, who comprise mostly of Christians, had been promised an independent homeland for their active participation in the British forces against the Japanese in the Second World War. Neither the British nor the Indian government fulfilled the promise. On May 16, 1951 a plebiscite on the issue of Naga independence was held to which the Indian government was also invited to witness. The result of the plebiscite was 99.9% in favour of an independent Nagaland state, which was promptly conveyed to India and the UNO. Thereupon India, instead of respecting the results, sent thousands of her armed forces and occupied Naga territory in the early part of 1954. The whole population was driven into jungles and herded into concentration camps. Thousands died of starvation, disease and torture. Bitter fighting continues until today, while the Indian rule of atrocity is perpetrated through 250,000 troops. Mizoram: The Mizos, like the Nagas, are mostly Christians. Their freedom movement has been on the same pattern as that of the Mizos. Their leader Laldenga was willing to hold peaceful negotiations after the emergence of Bangladesh. He was brought to Delhi, but when the talks failed, he was imprisoned in direct contravention of the immunity provided to him. The movement for the independence of Mizoram continues while India terror campaign to crush the insurgency prevails unabated. Tamils reside in Southern India. Their freedom movement started in the early 60s, however with Indian moves on Sri Lanka in support of the minority Tamils against the majority Sinhalese, this movement was thwarted. During the 80s, the Indian secret agency RAW established numerous camps in Tamil Nadu for the Tamil guerrilla movements. RAW operatives ferried most of the supplies to Tamil areas across the straits to Jaffna and other areas in Sri Lanka. At that time Sri Lankan Tamils had total freedom to move about in Tamil Nadu. However, with the advent of the ‘Indian Peace Keeping Force” into Sri Lanka, the major Tamil group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), led by Prabhakaran, revolted against Indian sponsorship. The Indian protégés now became India’s implacable enemies. So great was their reaction to Indian atrocities against their former tutors, that the Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination took place at the hands of a suicidal bomb attack by a LTTE member. The Indian backlash was swift and severe. The South Indian Tamils still shudder at the Indian atrocities. Maoist/Naxalite movement is a legitimate and rightful effort to fight against the Indian repression. The movement has posed serious threat to Indian union and government is undertaking extreme and tough measure to crush the movement. Hence another human tragedy is in the offing in India. Reportedly the Maoists have also developed the expertise of cloning sophisticated weapons such as Assault Rifles of AK series. The threat of India’s homegrown insurgencies remains its Achilles’ Heel. India must not only formulate policies to resolve the problem, but also improve its human rights record. Various independent local as well as international agencies have concluded that Indian Government and its State agencies have been committing human rights abuse of its minorities as well as the various factions, which has resulted in rebellion. Take the case of Kashmir, which is being labeled as an insurgency but in actuality it is a freedom movement, which has erupted because of India’s insensitivity to the rights of the Kashmiris, which were protected by UN Resolutions but India refuses to discuss it.
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