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India's Internal Security Challenges: New Frontiers

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India's Internal Security Challenges: New Frontiers INDIA’S INTERNAL SECURITY CHALLENGES: NEW FRONTIERS “Arrows may not kill a soldier but skillful intrigue can kill even those in the womb.” Kautilya in Arthshastra The whole of South Asia- India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Pakistan- is going through internal unrest and upheavals due to insurgency movements, ethnic conflicts and religious fundamentalism. Such unrests have a history of crossing national boundaries and leading to inter-state tensions. With regard to India, the unrest is brewing in Indo Nepal border and Indo Bangladesh border. The situation has become grave owing to the development in the chicken neck area i.e the area in and around Siliguri (West Bengal), Assam and the border areas of Jharkhand ,Chhattisgarh ,Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. Geo-politically, India has become a cauldron of merging insurgent movements which has developed internal networks which can create horrendous logistical repercussions .On the other hand, India has special ties with each of her neighbours–of ethnicity, language, culture, common historical experience, or of shared access to and dependence upon vital natural resources – of a character and to a degree of intensity that is not shared by any two others. Although India does not have serious territorial security problem with neighbours other than Pakistan, there are issues like the Indian secessionist groups using their territory as sanctuaries, trans-border immigration, gunrunning and narcotics, which affect the country’s security. The neighborly unrests, therefore, have special significance and implications for India. Attributes of Internal Security Secure territory Prevalence of peace and order Freedom for people Rule of law – law must protect everyone irrespective of status and equality Growth through equity - -egalitarian growth - prosperity for all Visible egalitarianism Unity in plurality 1 Internal Security Challenges Terrorism / Militancy Left wing extremism Communal divide – it can divide us and even lead to fragmentations of nation Caste and ethnic tensions Organised crimes Forged Indian currency notes Coastal security Cyber crime Mushroom growth of Madrasas and religious fundamentalism [growth of deobandis / Qaumi Madrasas along Indo-Bangladesh border] they are not recognised by government. Illegal immigration, 12.5 lakh Bangladeshis have not gone back,entered India and staying illegally. Reduction in illegal migration, though it is going on through West Bengal. Narcotics trade – smuggling and trafficking – unproductive lifestyle of people. Hawala transfers(illegal money transfers) Reasons for Internal Security Problems Unfriendly neighbour Weak state structure – poor governance Abject poverty in large numbers – because of deforestation, sustenance has decreased Political insecurity – secessionism, revolutionary movements Polarisation of society Hardening class barriers – haves and have nots Drug trafficking and arms smuggling Rise in intolerance and fundamentalism [despite rise of literacy, intolerance is increasing] Tentacles of Terrorism (External Influences) Al Qaeda Jamat-e-Islami, Ahle Hadith, Jamal-Ul –Ulema-Islami etc. Hijbul Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohamad, Al Badar., Al-Umar, all groups (1200 approx). 2 United liberation Front of Asom(ULFA) and terrorist networks in Bangladesh Some specific issues that are faced in the country are: Problems of national assimilation and integration particularly of Border States in the North East. Porous borders with Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka which enable illegal trans-border movements and smuggling of weapons and drugs. These days AK rifles, machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, land mines, RDX, even shoulder fired surface to air missiles are easily available in our neighborhood. Weak governance including law and order machinery and large-scale corruption. Nexus between crime, insurgency and politics. The internal security has become a cause for serious concern for those in the national security apparatus. The Indian map below shows the extent and spread of terrorist and leftist insurgents. Source :South Asia Terrorism Portal,New Delhi 3 India - Insurgent and Extremist Groups In India few of the extremist groups including that of the naxalites/Maoists have slowly started to assert themselves in threatening the internal security apparatus of India which are given in the map above and the details are as follows: Assam United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) Bodo Liberation Tiger Force (BLTF) Dima Halim Daogah (DHD) Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) Rabha National Security Force (RNSF) Koch-Rajbongshi Liberation Organisation (KRLO) Hmar People’s Convention – Democracy (HPCD) Manipur United National Liberation Front (UNLF) People’s Liberation Army (PLA) People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) National Socialist Council of Nagaland – Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) Hmar People’s Convention- Democracy (HPCD) Meghalaya Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) People’s Liberation Front of Meghalaya (PLFM) 4 Nagaland National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isaac Muivah)(NSCN-IM) National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang)(NSCN-K) Tripura National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) Tripura Liberation Organisation Front (TLOF) United Bengali liberation Front (UBLF) Mizoram Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) Hmar People’s Convention –Democracy (HPC-D) Arunanchal Pradesh Arunanchal Dragon Force (ADF) Left Wing Extremist Groups People’s Guerrilla Army People’s War Group(PWG) Maoist Communist Centre(merged with PWG to form CPI-Maoist) Communist Party of India -Maoist (CPI-Maoist) Communist Party of India (Marxist –Leninist) Janshakti Other Extremist Groups Akhil Bharat Nepali Ekta Samaj (ABNES) Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) Ranvir Sena 5 The major threat to India's internal security apart from terrorism is from Naxalism.The movement which started from Naxalbari in 1967 has assumed very sinister proportions. One hundred fifty nine districts spread in 13 States are under the evil influence of this violent creed. Forty, big and small groups, including the two major ones--People's War Group and Maoist Communist Centre,(which have merged together in 2004 to form Communist Party of India –Maoist) are active in the different parts of the country. In fact the danger to the internal security of the country has grown manifold in view of the fact that Maoist groups active in Nepal and Bangladesh are working in tandem with other Maoist formulation and global groups such of LiberationTigers of Tamil Ealam(LTTE) and Lashkar-e-Toiba(terrorist group operating in Kashmir ). During the last one year, these Naxalites have gone out of control and berserk. During the last one month 24 security men have lost their lives in different states of India . It only underlines the ugly reality that the menace of Naxalites is increasingly assuming dangerous proposition. In a way if one analyses the spread of extreme leftist forces then there are startling facts about the area of spread and the immense logistical support that the extremists have developed .In this case a selective state wise analysis would be stressing on the new emerging areas. Orissa On May 27, 2005 the Maoists in Orissa went on rampage and killed three villagers and injured several others in the Burda village under Jujumura police station. Prior to this the Maoist activities were only confined to abductions followed by ransom. The incident came as a shock as the Maoists generally target the police, forest officials, contractors and other businessmen. This incident has been considered important with regard to the course of Naxal growth in the underdeveloped and tribal dominated Western Orissa. The timing of the incident speaks in volumes about the greater aims and ambitions of Naxals in the region. The incident came barely after nine hours of an important meeting of high-level police officers held at Sambalpur district headquarter to discuss problems related to the Left wing extremism in the area. It clearly signals the Naxal game plan of defying the Government and creating an environment of terror and suspicion. For long Naxal activities in Western Orissa was considered as a spill-over from Jharkhand. However, things have changed for worse and now the Maoists have created a red corridor from the Sarnda forest of 6 Jharkhand to Rairakhol forest in Orissa. Earlier it was confined to some parts of Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj but now the Maoists have managed to put their foot in different parts of Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Deogarh and Anugul. The successes of all counter measures in these areas need a proper coordination among the officials of Orissa and Jharkhand. They must devise a sort of joint strategy to fight the Maoist threat, but this is what seems to be lacking. So far it has been alleged several times that in the name of anti-Naxal operations, the Jharkhand police harassed the residents of bordering villages of Orissa. This has been a constant cause of worry for the local populace, which is being successfully exploited by the Naxals in their favour. Over last three years the Naxals have strengthened their position in the tribal districts of Orissa. With their activities the Naxals have managed to spread the message of terror
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