Shillong, Feb 23: The North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) has written to the Union Minister Home, requesting him not to enhance unlimited carrying out various Sections of Cr.P.C. by Assam Rifles Personnel in five States of North East India
The NEDF come to known Government of India through the Home Ministry has decided to delegate and empower the Assam Rifles personnel with various Sections of the Cr.P.C. to search, arrest without warrants of any citizen of India residing in these five border States with Myanmar, with Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, without ascribing any reason for such pre-emptive actions by the concerned para-military force.
The NEDF said in the letter sent to the Union Home Minister “ It is most surprising for such a decision to be taken when the B.S.F. have been constituted for the basic purpose of manning and defending international borders and to liason with State Border Wing Home Guards and local and village Defence Parties to carry out joint undertakings to check border infiltrations without the necessity of turning to the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973. Perhaps, you have made the decision through prior consultation with the Border Security Force leadership”.
However, it does not imply that either the Assam Rifles or the Border Security Force or both be bestowed with such unlimited powers. The NEDF thank the Home Ministry to have kept in abeyance implementation of such a decision for it has to be revisited as it would obviously create tensed and conflict situations among the local and innocent populace all along the international border with Myanmar.
The NEDF, are aware of what is taking place in Northern Rakhine State of Myanmar, i.e. the violent conflict prevailing between the Myanmarese Army and the Arakan Peoples’ Army with the local Myanmarese tribal population facing the brunt of this fluid and volatile situation there.
The NEDF had written to Union Minister for External Affairs on 21 February, 2019, requesting for Government of India to play a proactive role to diffuse the situation prevailing in Rakhine State. However, they did not expect that putting the Assam Rifles all along the international border with Myanmar, would be the solution.
Instead, it might generate another bad situation in which Government of India will further seek to temper the situation by invoking the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958 even where it is no more operative.
What the NEDF is expecting are political and humane approaches to bring about peaceful solutions and not by entrenching structures of violence of the establishment. Such an approach, would evoke suspicion and instil deep seated hatred whereby confidence and integrity become casualties.
The urge upon the Ministry Home Affair and the Union Government as a whole to kindly desist from such an approach and to therefore, rescind your earlier decision on the issue. Said Dr Dr. P. B. M. Basaiawmoit in the press statement on behalf of the NEDF.
