Villagers stage massive protest against Indian army in Manipur

A civil rights group, the Forum Against Corporatization and Militarization (FACAM), making a strong exception to the Indian Armed Forces' Assam rifles that "moved in and captured nine Naga villages from the Ukhrul district of Manipur," said that the action is not supported by the Indian state giving "any explanation".

The "intrusion" and "occupation" of the villages have been carried out without the consent of the Naga village councils and the indigenous Tangkhul people, to whom the lands belong, FACAM said in a press release on Friday.

“The Indian state has been flouting its own constitution by constantly violating Article 371(A) of the constitution, through such intrusions, land grabs and Atrocities past and present and granting them impunity under draconian laws like the Special Powers of the Armed Forces. Act,” the statement said.

The group also remembered Mon and Oting, where 14 people were killed by Para SF of the Indian Armed Forces and are still not prosecuted due to AFSPA's impunity.

1. Occupying the public spaces such as schools, playgrounds, community centres etc., And are turning them into military camps.
2. Private properties are taken over and constructions are carried on them to build military camps. 
3. An overall atmosphere of fear among women, children and old due to such presence of armed forces, having past records of Brutal Atrocities against the very people, and building checkposts across the area is affecting the peace of the people. 

Affirming that the Naga Civil Society and the Naga Global Forum have reported on the situation through press releases and media reports that the Armed Forces are occupying public spaces such as schools, playgrounds, community centers, etc., and are becoming military camps, FACAM noted, "Private property is taken and construction is carried out on it to build military camps."

Based in Delhi, FACAM added: "A widespread atmosphere of fear among women, children and the elderly due to the presence of the Armed Forces, who have a history of brutal atrocities against people and the construction of checkpoints throughout the area, is affecting the peace of the people".

Protesting against the move, on September 15, 2022, FACAM stated, "More than 5,000 people took to the streets of Ukhrul city to pressure the central and state governments for the immediate withdrawal of security forces from nine villages in Tangkhul where troops have established military camps/bases without the consent of the villagers."

Similarly, the people of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have protested against the paramilitary camps, with 12 major sit-in protests in Bastar, continuing for months. Recently, the Indian State has moved on the idea of ​​establishing a Joint Command Center in the Bhadradri Kothagudem district on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border on behalf of Fighting the Maoists. Said command center will house the District Reserve Guard (DRG) formed by inducting the infamous Salwa Judum SPO, Chhattisgarh Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), Greyhounds of Telangana, etc.

The Home Ministry has also dispatched a contingent of 100 National Security Guards (Elite Force) comprising more than 50 per cent of Indian Armed Forces personnel on a trial basis to the same District and are believed to be operating from this same joint command center.

The camps, in these forested regions of central India, are being built as forward operating bases under the Indian state military operation SAMADHAN-PRAHAR to suppress all forms of fighting corporate looting of resources. Similarly, camps are being built in Manipur, Kashmir, Nagaland, etc., to suppress the nationalities' struggle for the right to self-determination and plunder their natural resources in the interest of big corporations.

FACAM says the camps, in these forested regions of central India, are being built as forward operating bases under the Indian state's military operation SAMADHAN-PRAHAR to crack down on all forms of fighting "corporate looting of resources."

"Similarly, camps are being built in Manipur, Kashmir, Nagaland, etc., to suppress the nationalities' struggle for the right to self-determination and plunder their natural resources in the interests of big corporations."

“The similarity behind the modus operandi of the Armed Forces and the Paramilitary Forces in occupying land and building Multiple Paramilitary Camps in a given area reflects a similar military psyche behind these activities. We believe that Operation SAMADHAN-PRAHAR is the embodiment of this military psyche and must be resisted throughout the country to stop this rampant militarization,” they said.

• How ocean biodiversity will be affected by global warming?
• Why are insects disappearing; Can we survive without them?
• How you can Save Sanjay Van in Delhi?
• Why the holistic development plan of the Andaman is dangerous?

Follow Ground Report for Climate Change and Under-Reported issues in India. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Koo App, Instagram, Whatsapp and YouTube. Write us on [email protected]