The death of three women including a mother and her girl child at the hands of troops of the Assam Rifles at Saitu village is no ordinary transgression. It is a vicious, unspeakable, appalling brutality against defenseless and vulnerable women and children, as well as a human rights violation in every sense of the word.

The roll call of the dead reads like an invitation list to an evening dinner: two mothers and a child under the age of two. Considering the many tragedies that Manipur has seen in recent years, this is a disturbing warning. The killings at Saitu have really nothing to do with fighting insurgency.

It has to do with the unquestioned capacity of the armed forces for taking, destroying, killing, and liquidating all forms of human life that do not correspond or subscribe to a rather amorphous doctrine on regional security: A doctrine which has been widely rubbished, but yet manages to confound and disgust young and old alike.

I, unlike the Annie's and the RS's of our limited literary sphere who profess an admiration for the gallant visage of the armed forces, cannot simply give credit where it is undue, or withhold criticism, if it is overdue. I have tried to avoid a discourse on the pros and cons of the armed forces, because I feel, and still do, that they serve as an indispensable buffer between the devil and the deep blue sea. Without them, the state would descend rapidly into irreversible anarchy.

Having said that, I also believe that their gung-ho approach is taking us down the same road. At a somewhat more reckless and thoughtless pace than the other side. The tragic irony among all this is that civilians are almost always at the receiving end from both sides of the barrel, and the arbitrary violence of the armed forces only succeeds in providing more fuel to the fire of secessionist movements.

The security forces undoubtedly operate under trying circumstances, but that is part of their job description. It is their solemn duty to protect, preserve and defend above and beyond all odds. Nobody said that life in the army was going to be a picnic. However, a democratic country's commitment to fundamental rights, including the right to life, cannot be put to the test by trying circumstances.

When the army continues on its unbridled path of extrajudicial killings, it contributes to sustenance of insurgency, and defeats the army's very purpose for being there in the first place.

It is not uncommon practice for the paramilitary forces to walk into any village and start beating, shoot indiscriminately, torture and harass innocent and unarmed civilians - all under the rationale of operations against insurgents. In most cases, the innocent, the weak, and the defenseless are the victims. Killed in cross fire is the official explanation offered for retaliatory attacks on unarmed civilians.

What really transpired before, during, and after the shooting is anybody's guess, but your guess is as good as mine. Their fates were sealed. They had absolutely no chance whatsoever.

The Indian government has used a variety of restrictions to hide the serious human rights situation in the north-east region. This has resulted in a climate being created in which the security forces are able to use excessive force with impertinence.

The all too familiar pattern of killings strengthens the argument against the armed forces act further, especially when the act includes powers that bestow unrestricted and essentially unchallengeable authority. An authority which has allowed it to get away with murder once too often. Lost in all this has been the trauma and anguish faced by the families of the victims.

What has happened to all those left behind to deal with an irreversible tragedy? How are they surviving and how do they deal with the fact that the killers would probably never be brought to justice? Legal checks and balances against violations by the security forces only exist in theory. In practice, the vicious circle of violence carries on unabated.

The dividing lines between collateral damage and atrocity are sometimes blurred. By the laws of war, civilians are not to be made the deliberate targets of military operations. When deliberate attacks are made despite knowledge of civilian presence, it is a clear abuse of the laws of war intended to protect civilians. To call it anything other than a war crime would be a grave travesty to justice, as well as an insult to the intelligence of the common man.

Despite the compelling evidence brought to light by Commissions of Inquiry appointed by the Government of Manipur, very few, or none of those involved have been brought to justice. In the light of this premise, perhaps the only conclusion is that there is an official policy of sanction for unlawful killings in the region.

It is high time for the government to send a clear message to all armed forces stationed in Manipur that the excessive use of force will no longer be tolerated, and that they will be held accountable for their actions. If there is to be true security in Manipur, it is essential that justice be done.

Otherwise, we are a land and people destined for damnation. And hell embodies the very meaning of damage, collateral or otherwise.

Once you're in it, there simply is no way out.