Insurgency
and the army
Harsha
Kakar
02
August, 2016
Jammu
and Kashmir flared up after the encounter in which Burhan Wani was eliminated. The
situation should have been expected and requisite security measures adopted. The
Centre was compelled to react and the only answer was to induct additional
security forces into the area. The media and political circles debated the
crisis with emphasis on the efficacy of pellet guns and the lifting of the Armed
Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). While employment of pellet guns is a police
decision, AFSPA involves the army. News channels revelled in the AFSPA debate
and also drew parallels to the situation in the North East. However, most failed
to realise the true role of the army.
The
military is the ultimate source of power of any nation. Once employed there is
no greater force available with the government to enforce its writ. Therefore,
it cannot be allowed to fail. It is only inducted into the internal security
environment once the situation deteriorates beyond control of other forces,
hence warranting employment of desperate measures to regain control. AFSPA was
initially enacted to enable the army to function (albeit with hands tied and
severe limitations on use of equipment), but with more freedom than the state
and central police forces, to reverse a situation which had led to the state
losing its writ over a particular area. The decision to employ it is always
political and so is the decision to withdraw it.
By
hands tied, I imply that it only utilises hand held weapons, irrespective of its
own casualties and losses while ensuring minimum collateral damage. The Pakistan
army, on the other hand, employs air power and artillery in its anti-terrorist
operations, without even considering the loss of innocent lives; however it
reduces its own casualties. Similar is the case with most other nations fighting
militancy including the US in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Russia in Chechnya, Israel
and countries in West Asia and Africa.
The
army is not employed for crowd control, hence weapons like pellet guns never
exist in its armoury. The confusion created on pellet guns arises because of the
identical uniforms worn by other central forces. The army only disperses mobs
which try and attack its bases or convoys and when it happens, it responds with
military force to ensure its protection. In J and K, it defends the border to
prevent infiltration of militants and subsequently eliminates those who
infiltrate.
When
dealing with militants who have no morals nor hesitation in killing or raping
locals in their desire to achieve the aims of their masters, especially when
cornered in an encounter, there is always a likelihood of collateral damage.
Even action by locals, resorting to stone throwing to distract security forces,
is handled by the local police, while the army concentrates on its primary
objective of eliminating militants. While precautions are taken, accidents
occur. In insurgency areas it is difficult to differentiate between militants,
supporters and locals, especially when people flee from check posts established
to trap militants. Such incidents result in avoidable
casualties.
This
is the same army which comes to the rescue when the area is affected by natural
disasters. It cares for the population first and then its own. Earthquakes and
floods in Kashmir and Assam bear testimony. Similarly, its actions to win the
hearts and minds of the local population have produced results. It has opened
avenues and facilities which never existed and even taken local children on
guided tours across the nation, thereby inculcating in them a feeling of being
Indian. This will bear fruit with time. This action has never been paralleled by
any other agency including state governments.
In
Kashmir, in the current agitation, the valley continues to burn. This is mainly
due to funding by anti-national and pro-Pak elements to stone throwers and
agitators as also the guidance provided by infiltrated terrorists solely for
this purpose. They instigate misguided youth to launch stone attacks while they
remain in the background. The attackers place women and children in the
forefront; they bear the brunt of the response, adding fuel to fire. In
reality, the agitation is a sign of frustration fuelled by pro-Pakistan
elements.
AFSPA
has been facing criticism from many quarters. While it does need to be
discussed, primarily it should be understood that it does not offer complete
protection to the force. In the initial period of army involvement in
controlling insurgencies, there could have been excessive force employed;
however with passage of time the army has matured, learnt its lessons and laid
down strict codes of conduct. There are provisions within the act to punish
those who break the law and do so intentionally. The last few years have seen
over 104 army personnel including 35 officers punished for taking the law into
their own hands, in J and K alone.
Every
internal security problem has a political solution. Military power is not the
ultimate answer. It is only a tool to regain state writ, while enabling the
government to seek a political solution from a position of strength. The
government should continue to strive for a solution while the army keeps the
security environment under control. This coordination is an essential ingredient
for success. However, as long as it operates it needs AFSPA to remain in force,
thus enabling it to operate independently and judiciously, ensuring that a
majority of the public are protected. An aberration could always be dealt with
summarily. The decision to determine that the situation has returned to normal
will always be of the political leadership.
While
the army operates and suffers casualties in battling militants, it needs
national support. The army represents the nation as it fights for national
unity, security and re-establishing state writ in an area where it was lost due
to political and bureaucratic bungling. Criticism, especially by arm chair
pseudo-intellectuals, who have never experienced a flurry of bullets from a
militant’s gun or watched their own die, does affect morale. My earnest request
is support the men in uniform, as they perform a task which is unenviable and
difficult. The soldiers are sacrificing their lives each day, only to ensure a
secure nation.
The
writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.
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