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The demand raised by the Women Joint Action Committee, Moreh that the 24 Assam Rifles be replaced by another force at the border town is a matter of grave concern and it should not be simply swept aside as the ranting of some disgruntled elements. It is not only a question of the relationship between the civilian population and the Assam Rifles at Moreh that is at stake here but about the future of the border town, especially in the backdrop of the Look East policy enunciated by the Indian Government.

The memorandum submitted to Governor Dr SS Sidhu through the Deputy Commissioner of Chandel by the women folk of Moreh clearly reflects the deep chasm between the Assam Rifles and the civil population of Moreh and this is a matter that should be addressed to on a priority basis. The protest rally staged at the border town on January 20 against, what they say is the excesses of the 24 Assam Rifles, can be said to be the curtain raiser to the things that may develop in the near future. Fighting militants is not an easy job, and it is something very different from conventional wars where the enemy is easily identifiable. It is this difficulty that the Assam Rifles personnel must be facing while discharging their duties that we should also acknowledge. However on the other hand, it will also not hurt the Assam Rifles authority to study why the people have come up with a series of allegations against its men.

Any development, especially of the law and order type, at Moreh can have far reaching consequences and these likely consequences should not be seen only through what is happening inside the State or the country, but about the cascading effects it can have across the border, in neighboring Myanmar too. The allegations against the Assam Rifles raised by the women folk run long and while we do agree that not all allegations can be taken at face value, the significant point is that a demand has been raised to take away the Assam Rifles from Moreh and from along the Moreh-Pallel route.

Counter insurgency operations should not only mean flushing out militants from their hideouts and eliminating them, but should also mean earning the trust and confidence of the local people or the general population. And it goes without saying that it will take much more than Military Civic Action programs to earn the trust and goodwill of the people. This is of course not an easy task to accomplish, but a serious introspection is needed on the side of the security forces. The civil population too on its part needs to realize the trying times under which the men in uniform are discharging their duties.

(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)

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