HINTERLAND SECURITY:

PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES

by

Prakash Singh Padmashri

formerly Director General BSF, DGP UP and DGP Assam

HINTERLAND SECURITY –An Overview

Fifties : North-East in flamesSixties : Naxalbari eruptsSeventies : Assam in turmoilEighties : Terrorism in Punjab Nineties : Insurgency in Kashmir Current Decade : International Terrorism

MAJOR CHALLENGES

1. International TerrorismJehadi Terrorism Economic Terrorism

2. J & K3. North-East4. Maoist Problem5. Illegal Migrations from Bangladesh6. Other Challenges

INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

Greatest threat to Internal Security Seeks to destroy India politically, economically and

culturally Exacerbate communal divide Re-establish Mughal Rule in India Symbols and Icons of India are targeted

“The confrontation that we are calling for with the apostate regimesdoes not know Socratic debates… Platonic ideals… or Aristoteliandiplomacy. But it knows the dialogue of bullets, the ideals ofassissination, bombing and destruction, and the diplomacy of thecannon and machine gun.”

– A Qaeda Manual Declaration of Jihad

LeT CHIEF’S STATEMENTS

“The jihad is not about Kashmir only …. About 15 yearsago, people might have found it ridiculous if someonehad told them about the disintegration of the USSR.Today, I announce the break-up of India, Insha-Allah.We will not rest until the whole (of) India is dissolved intoPakistan.”

“Jihad in Kashmir will end when all the Hindus will bedestroyed in India…. Jihad has been ordained by Allah.It is not an order of a general that can be started one dayand stopped the other day.”

MUMBAI – 26/11

Dates : November 26 to 29, 2008

Location : Mumbai, India

Causalities : 173 killed (including 9 terrorists) and 308 injured

Perpetrator : Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)

Type of Attack : Coordinated shootings and bombings at 10 places across Mumbai

Taj Mahal Palace & Towers

Oberoi Trident

Leopold Café

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) Railway Station)

Nariman House, etc.

“India will continue to face a serious jihadi terroristthreat from Pakistan-based terrorist groups for theforeseeable future….most likely the threat willcontinue to grow…Therefore, at the strategic level,the Mumbai attack underscores the imperative ofaddressing the transnational sources of Islamistterrorism in India.”

FUTURE SCENARIO

MEASURES TO STRENGTHEN INTERNAL SECURITY IN WAKE OF 26/11

NSG hubs established at Regional Centres (Hyderabad,Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai)

Counter – Insurgency and Anti-Terrorism Schools (20) National Investigation Agency set up Police strength being augmented Police equipments being modernised Multi-Agency Centre (within IB) for effective intelligence

sharing Coastal security beefed up

DISTURBING OFFSHOOTS

1. Re-kindling Punjab Militancy Targeting “villains” of 1984 Cyberspace BKI & KTF recruiting hitmen

2. Economic Terrorism

Objective Subvert the economy Finance terrorist groups

Extent 10 to 20% of total currency in circulation (approx. Rs. 6,10,000

crores)Sponsored by

Pakistan/ISI Organized criminal groups (Dawood)

Conduit Dubai/Bangkok/Singapore/Kathmandu/Dhaka

J&K – OUR BLUNDERS

Referring the matter to UN when Indian Army was in the process of flushing the invaders

Nehru’s assurance that wishes of people of the State would be ascertained

At Tashkent, territorial gains of 1965 were bartered away Indira Gandhi could have dictated terms to Bhutto in 1972

following the liberation of Bangladesh Release of militants in exchange for Rubaiya Sayeed by

VP Singh (Dec 13, 1989) Kargil – not crossing the LOC Kandahar - handing over three militants (Masood Azhar,

Omar Sheikh, Mushtaq Zargar) on Dec 31, 1999

GOVT’S J&K POLICY

confidence building measures with Pakistan withemphasis on promoting and facilitating people-to-peoplecontacts on both sides of the LoC.

promoting all round economic development of the State encouraging dialogue with and among different

segments of population in the State relief and rehabilitation of persons affected by

militancy/terrorism – related violence coordinated operations against the terrorist outfits with

minimal collateral damage to civilian life and propertyand protecting human rights

allowing people to exercise their democratic rights –holding elections periodically.

J&K: LATEST SITUATION

‘Intifada’: Incidents of stone pelting by youth in2010 (112 casualties)

All Party delegation visits State on Sep.21-22,2010

Govt. approves eight-point plan for J&K: Rs. 100cr. released, Rs. 5 lacs to families of deceased.

Interlocutors submitted their report on October12, 2011 – recommended ConstitutionCommittee to examine retention or otherwise ofcentral laws extended to State since 1953 andmaking Article 371 permanent.(Padgaonkar/Ansari/Radha Kumar)

NORTH-EAST: SEPARATIST MOVEMENTS

CAUSES a feeling of neglect by Central Government, alienation of tribals, changes in the demographic pattern caused by

influx of people, inept handling of problems by Central Government, assistance to rebel groups by countries inimical to

India, availability of sanctuaries in Myanmar and

Bangladesh.

NE STATES IN TURMOIL

ASSAM NAGALAND MANIPUR TRIPURA

ASSAMAssam Accord on August 15, 1985

ULFA

Drops sovereignty demand Apologised for murders committed during 30 years of

armed struggle ULFA delegation calls on PM/Home Ministry ULFA C-in-C, Paresh Barua, still holding out

NAGALAND Statehood granted on December 1, 1963

Shillong Accord in 1975

NSCN formed in 1980

Cease fire from January 25, 1997

Major insurgent groups

National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) NSCN(I-M)

National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) NSCN(K)

MANIPUR

Three-tier problem

Insurgency of Meitei extremists inValley

Depredations of Naga rebels

Inter-tribal clashes

MANIPURMajor insurgent groups People’s Liberation Army (PLA) United National Liberation Front (UNLF) People’s Revolutionary Party of

Kangleipak (PREPAK) Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup (KYKL) Manipur People’s Liberation Front

(MPLF) Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF)

TRIPURA

Cause of Unrest : Tribals reduced to aminority

Major insurgent outfits:

National Liberation Front of Tripura(NLFT)

All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF)

TRIPURA

Year % of tribal population1941 53.161951 37.231961 31.501971 28.951981 28.441991 30.952001 30.00

PEACE INITIATIVES

Shillong Agreement with the Nagas in 1975

Assam Accord in 1985

Mizoram Accord in 1986

Tripura Accord in 1988

Bodo Accord in 1994

GOVERNMENT’S NE STRATEGY

meet the political aspirations of ethnicgroups by giving them autonomy/statehood

economic development of the area, improving governance, engage the outfits in peace dialogues, and Coordinate CI ops. with neighbouring

countries (Myanmar/Bhutan).

REASONS FOR CONTINUED UNREST IN NORTH-EAST

impression among tribals that politicalconcessions are given because of weaknessof GOI

widespread corruption among ruling elite active involvement of foreign intelligence

agencies connivance of neighbouring countries in

permitting insurgent groups to set up trainingcamps and allowing them to buy/procure armsand even supply the same, esp. NORINCO.

LEFT - WING EXTREMISM

MOVEMENT ACTIVE IN 13 STATES OF UNION

Andhra Pradesh Bihar Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra Orissa Chhattisgarh Jharkhand Uttar Pradesh West Bengal Kerala Karnataka Haryana Tamil Nadu

182 districts in 20 states are affected – MHA

NINTH CONGRESS OF CPI (MAOIST), JAN/FEB, 2007

Re-affirmed Party line on

New Democratic Revolution withagrarian revolution as its axis.

Protracted people’s war Establishment of base areas Strengthen People’s Army Broaden mass base Militant mass movements against the

policy of globalization, liberalization

DISTURBING FEATURES OF THE MOVEMENT

Spread over a large geographical area Increase in potential for violence Unification of PW and MCCI Plan to have Red Corridor Nexus with NE insurgents

“The problem of Naxalism is the single biggest

internal security challenge faced by our country”

- Prime Minister

Year Total Incidents Deaths2001 1208 564 2002 1465 482 2003 1597 515 2004 1533 566 2005 1608 6772006 1526 6942007 1588 7002008 1591 7212009 2258 9082010 2213 10052011 1755 606

PROFILE OF VIOLENCE

Source: MHA

PROFILE OF VIOLENCE

CAUSES

Poverty Land Reforms Unemployment Corruption Tribals’ Rights Governance

HOME MINISTRY’S CURRENT STRATEGY

(Clear – Hold – Develop)

Wrest control of areas of Naxal influence byundertaking well coordinated counter-insurgency operations – “precision strikes”

Expeditious restoration of civil administrationin those areas

Undertake development works on a priority

REPORT OF EXPERT GROUP OF PLANNING COMMISSION, 2008

“..the inequalities between classes, between town andcountry, and between the upper castes and theunderprivileged communities are increasing…

The development paradigm pursued sinceindependence has aggravated the prevailingdiscontent among marginalized sections of society.

…government have in practice treated unrest merelyas a law and order problem.

There will be peace, harmony and social progress onlyif there is equity, justice and dignity for every one.”

ILLEGAL MIGRATIONS FROM BANGLADESH

steep rise in population with increasing pressure onland and mounting unemployment,

recurrent natural disasters like floods and cyclones,uprooting large segments of humanity,

better economic opportunities in India, Islamic interests encouraging expansion of territory, patronage extended by vested political

groups in India, and porous and easily negotiable

international border.

CAUSES

BANGLADESH - ILLEGAL MIGRATIONS

Before Partition – Encouraged by Sadullah regime

(esp. Muslim cultivators)

After Partition – Exodus (of Hindus) Following persecution

by Pak Army (M/H) Economic factors (70% M)

ASSAM (1991-2001)% growth of Population in bordering districts

Muslims Non-Muslims TotalDhubri 29.5 7.1 22.9

Goalpara 31.7 14.4 23

Hailakandi 27.2 13.3 20.9Karimganj 29.4 14.5 21.9Cachar 24.6 16 18.9

Source :http://telegraphindia.com/1080213/images/13zzpopulationbig.jpg

W.BENGAL(1991-2001)% growth of Population in bordering districts

Muslims Non-Muslims Total

S.24 Parganas 34.2 11.5 20.8

N.24 Parganas 23 22.6 22.7

Nadia 21.9 18.8 19.5Murshidabad 28.4 16.4 23.8

Malda 30.7 19.4 24.7Calcutta 19 0.7 3.9S & N Dinajpur 31.9 22.7 26.1

Jalpaiguri 31.3 20.4 21.5Cooch Behar 18.5 12.8 14.2Total 25.9 15.3 17.8

Source: http://telegraphindia.com/1080213/images/13zzpopulationbig.jpg

SUPREME COURT’S INTERVENTION

demographic complexion changed,Assamese reduced to minority

presence of illegal migrants amounts to“aggression” on the State

phenomenon affects neighboring states also IMDT Act/Rules negate constitutional

mandate contained in Article 355. Illegal Bangladeshi migrants have no legal

right to remain in India, should be deported

(July 2005)

SUPREME COURT VOIDSGOVT. ORDER

Govt. had issued two notifications in Feb. 2006negating key provisions of Foreigners’ Act, re-introducing IMDT by back door.

Supreme Court said GO a cover up for non-implementation of

Court’s 2005 directions Order fails to serve purpose of detecting illegal

migrants Subordinate legislation cannot violate

substantive law.Govt. duty bound to protect State from

aggression

(Dec 2006)

EXTRACT FROM GOVERNOR’S REPORT

“As a result of population movement fromBangladesh, the spectre looms large of theindigenous people of Assam being reduced to aminority in their home state.. This.. demographicinvasion of Assam may result in the loss of thegeostrategically vital districts of Lower Assam.. Itwill then only be a matter of time when a demandfor their merger with Bangladesh may be made.”

(-Lt.Gen.SK Sinha)

OBSERVATIONS OF TASK FORCE ON BORDER MANAGEMENT

“There is an all round failure in India to cometo grips with the problem of illegalimmigration. Facts are well known,opinions are firmed up, and operatingsystem is in position. But the tragedy isthat despite this, nothing substantialhappens due to catharsis of arriving at adecision in this regard due to sharp divisionof interest among the political class.”

(August 2000)

OTHER SECURITY THREATS

Regional disputes (Telengana) Inter-State problems

(Nagaland vs. Manipur, Assam vs. Nagaland) River water disputes Communal

(1984 Delhi, 1992 Ayodhya, 2002 Gujarat) Caste tensions Reservations (Gujjars, Jats)

CONSTRAINTS IN DEALING WITH HINTERLAND SECURITY

Policy – Unclear/Vague Laws – Inadequate Criminal Justice System – Fragile Governance – Poor Centre vs. States – Turf wars Inter-Agency Coordination

INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION

Centre vs. State Maoist Policy NCTC

State vs. StateNagaland vs. ManipurWB vs. Jharkhand

Defence Forces vs. Civil Admin.J & K North - East

Intelligence CoordinationIB / RAW / DMI / State int.

COMBATING THREATS TO HINTERLAND SECURITY

Political : Initiatives, Dialogue, Policy Admin: Laws, Reforms, Criminal Justice

System, Corruption, Improving Governance

Socio-Economic: Redressing grievances, WHAM, Development

Police / Paramily: Manpower, Resources, Equipments, Coordinated Ops.

Intelligence : Coverage, Coordination

“ It is already becoming clear that a chapterwhich had a Western beginning will have tohave an Indian ending”

– Arnold Toynbee