Imkong Walling
Armed violence, especially the kind related to the Indo-Naga political imbroglio, has subsided in Nagaland and other parts of the north-east region affected by it. That’s what reports have been stating time and again, over the past few years. While many would not agree, people living in the state would likely say so, too.
Nagaland nevertheless continues to be deemed a ‘Disturbed Area’ to remain in the grip of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. The Act, which gives unprecedented power to the military for security purposes, even superseding that of the civil administration, has remained in effect for over 60 years, while it has been revoked in other states of the region.
The purpose of the Act is well justified from the security perspective. Conversely, it would not be unfair to label it repressive given the humanitarian toll and the apprehension it has imbued on the civilian population.
It cannot be denied the military forces deployed here have toned down its approach, as far as reacting to security situations is concerned, while, by all accounts, consciously building a more civilian-friendly countenance over the past two decades. The citizenry has also began to shed the cloak of fear as opposed to the days when a civilian’s worst fear was coming across a military check-point or even encountering military trucks and foot patrols on the general thoroughfares.
Currently, the Act remains operational in the entire states of Assam and Nagaland, while partially revoked in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. In Tripura, the state government withdrew the Act in May 2015 after 18 years. It was followed by the Centre revoking it in Meghalaya in April 2018 after 27 years of enforcement. In Mizoram, it remains in a state of suspended animation since the signing of the Mizo Peace Accord in June 1986.
The recent comment of the Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Mukund Navarane on the security situation in the region and Nagaland in particular was quite reassuring given that it was his second, in a space of a year, hinting at an improving situation.
The General told journalists earlier this month in New Delhi that the security in the region has made marked improvement while he hinted at further reducing military footprint here.
If one is to go by data, two years ago, a Parliamentary report has also described the situation in the NE as relatively improved.
The report - Security Situation in the North Eastern States of India – was published in 2018 based on data from the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Crime Records Bureau and the Seventh Report of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission.
According to the report, Nagaland experienced a marked improvement in the security situation between 2012 and 2017 with security-related incidents falling by 43 percent in 2016 as compared to 2015. It reduced by 67 percent in 2017.
Barring some isolated incidents, the years since has been relatively peaceful, too.
The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com
