Aftermath of Operation
Summer Storm in Manipur

B B Sharma *

In Manipur, the Army and the Assam Rifles conducted a major operation in the second week of April 2009 in Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the northeast to flush out militants ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Several camps belonging to the Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) were destroyed and as many as twelve militants were killed during the operation, code named 'Summer Storm'. Large number of arms and ammunitions were recovered from the operation site. As a result the two-phase polling of the Lok Sabha elections in Manipur ended peacefully without any insurgency-related violence.

There was hue and cry about the Operation Summer Storm. People of the operation affected area threatened to boycott the Lok Sabha polls. Of course, political parties remained silent about the operation. But the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. 1958 was figured as a major issue during the election campaigns.

In 2007, in the Manipur State Assembly Elections, barring a few parties, almost all racked up the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 as one of the major issues to gain votes.

Surprisingly people voted overwhelmingly for the party which even did not mention the issue of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. 1958 in its manifesto. This time too, the Congress party won the two Lok Sabha seats of Manipur. This is one of the glaring examples of the people's understanding of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. 1958.

Now, the election is over. The Loktak lake which was turmoiled by the Summer Storm Operation is calm. But the debate on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 continues as before. Irom Chanu Sharmila who began her fasting in November 2000 in protest against the Act is still continuing her fasting.

A JNU teacher from Manipur citing a Supreme Court judgment observed that “the disturbed conditions wherein the Act has been invoked is not caused by armed rebellion and that it is not of such a magnitude as to pose a threat to the security of the nation!

Similarly, a retired chief of Indian Army said in a local newspaper that 'the Act was not for counter insurgency purpose. And yet, many, if not majority of the people- including those dominant classes such as educated members of the intelligentia in Manipur continue to believe that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. 1958 is there to tackle armed insurgency and poses a threat to the security of the nation."

Today, the people of Manipur are feeling highly vulnerable and exposed to the militant threats. The problem of electricity and water, bad road conditions, limited job scope and constant intimidation in the name of 'nationalism and counter-nationalism have broken individual courage and dignity and people are living under the dark shadow of suspicion even friends and neighbors.

The sense of insecurity and mistrust is so clearly visible in the form of barricades erected at the entrance of a number of houses in the capital city Imphal. It seems everybody wants to take care of his or her safety and security first.

Commenting on the prevailing situation, the PRO, IGAR (South), Lt.Col.Prashant K. Wankhade in a letter to the editor of a local English daily said that 'in the world of uncertainty and insecurity of today, the sorrows of the Manipuri need to be viewed holistically and pragmatically in the context of India as a rising economic power.

He further said '...it is alright for the UG cadres and some anti-national elements to raise a hue and cry about the misgovernance in the state and the so-called atrocities committed against them by security forces under the garb of Armed Forces Special Powers Act. 1958 and create an atmosphere of suspicion thereby nurturing ill-will and hatred towards security forces' efforts to keep the machinery of the state moving in a self-sustained manner.

However, what need to be understood is that do we need an environment of insecurity, lawlessness, poverty and fear psychosis among the public in general or we need a state machinery which is accountable and under scrutiny of the law and public. Notwithstanding, the not-so-encouraging level of efficiency of the government machinery, do we need a machinery which can be questioned or changed at public will or laws in hands of a few gun-totting, incompetent and selfish individual who are answerable to none. Let's ask this question to our inner-self and our children who are our future.'

Though Lt. Col. Prashant wrote this letter on his individual capacity it speaks volumes about the perception of the Assam Rifles on the vexed insurgency problem in the state. 'The soldiers, who hail from all parts of the country is like any person of the state with same heart, mind and blood. They also have similar feelings and aspirations.

They are in the state to carry out a task in favour of the security concern of the state' as stated by the PRO, Assam Rifles. But the gap between the local population and security forces need to be bridged with a constant and especial efforts, mere military civic action programme is not enough.

The Assam Rifles, which spearheads the counter-insurgency operation is now of the view that force or gun can not solve the insurgency problem. Rather it will increase the miseries of the people. This is exactly what is happening in Manipur.

It is more than a month since the Operation Summer Storm was called off. However, the villagers in and around Loktak lake are still gripped by a sense of insecurity. Scary memory and sound of booming guns and mortar shelling are still fresh in their minds.

Even teams of doctors including psychiatrists from the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal visit the area to provide counseling to the people with trauma in the aftermath of the Operation Summer Storm.