1. “impact of armed violence on the psyche and personality development of people in North-east India and ways to address it” Presented by BibinazThokchom
2. ‘WHO’ definition of violence The word ‘violence’ is defined as intentional use of physical force, power, threat against another person or group or community that either results in or has a highly likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation- WHO. ‘Armed violence’ is the most highly organized form of violence between social and political groups motivated by specific political, economic or social objectives.
3. Who are armed groups? Broadly….. Central security forces (government of India): especially dealing with the inter-state affairs. Opposition armed groups (regional insurgency groups): discontented with the system and resisting it. Police: maintaining the law and order of a state.
4. Series of armed conflicts since the merger of North-East states in India, 1947 In 1940s, struggle for independent states started in Nagaland and Manipur by those who resisted the ‘unconstitutional merger of states under the duress’. It was a peaceful struggle without use of violence. By the mid 1950s, the Naga National Council took up arms against the ‘Indian Occupation Forces’. The tremors of the movement reached the Senapati and Ukhrul district of Manipur. As the state forces failed to contain the uprising, the army was called in. A legal framework became necessary to facilitate army operations because state conflict was considered an emergency stage. Manipur was declared a ‘disturbed area’ by the then ruling congress heads. Then came into existence the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA) modified from the Armed Forces Special Powers ordinance, 1942, adding vaguely defined powers, the powers to use force to even kill any person on suspicion of disturbing public orders and carrying weapons. In 1960s, insurgent groups of Nagaland and Manipur went outside Indian territory to gain military trainings. This method was followed by Mizoram insurgents. In 1970s, opposition armed groups send troops for training paying heavy prices. Vibes of militancy swelled in other North-East region, Assam protesting against illegal migration. in 1980s, stronger struggle movements disseminated the North-East regions of India, mainly in Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram. 1990s, brought the intra-state, conflicts amongst various ethnic groups in insurgency born areas of North-East India. Comparatively peaceful states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh also got singed by the fire of militant groups’ struggle movements.
5. Changing nature of conflicts created in the NE region Anyone from the North-East India may observe the dynamic changes in the nature of the armed conflicts. The approach and cause of such conflict has taken many forms since 1950s. The revolutionary groups had definite aims to safeguard the ethnic culture and tradition of the North-east which is unique and starkly different from the rest of the mainstream India. Circumstances are created both by those extremists and their followers as their response to the policies of the ruling government. Both govt. and opposition armed groups have stated and clear objectives of resolving the existing socio-political conflicts. However, due to their disagreements based on their preconditions, the conflicts are made rather vigorous and mystifying. Although all the movements started with good cause, they are all becoming addictive to the same killing strategy and have been proceeding without accurate assessment and realization of the atrocious consequences. Different armed groups are turning highly violent towards the civilians for whom they were assigned to safeguard and provide security. One can also observe the apparent negligence of the sufferings of the poor helpless civilians by the central govt. by dumping the AFSPA to control the uprising. No constructive results has been observed for the last five decades of such ruling policies. Besides, violence of different forms e.g. rape, domestic violence, kidnapping etc. are reinforced further. Recently cases of kidnapping small school children thronged the regional police stations of Manipur as a sign of frustration of unidentified armed groups. There is fear in every house, the feasible upcoming of child soldiers because they can become a popular source of recruitment for militias, particularly as they tend to be more malleable and less query with the authority. ‘These patterns needs to be broken down and employ constructive strategies to begin anew.’
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7. Some people with higher needs of power uses force or weapons to gain control over others in perceived desperate circumstances.
8. Violent strategies are employed as symbolic justification of conflicts in the name of ‘nation’, ‘democracy’, ‘religion’, ‘ethnic’, ‘Anti-terrorism’ and so on. But the warring armed groups, in their attempt to control over some state territory, property, preserving ethnicity, economic and political powers etc. forgets the fundamental rights of the unarmed civilians who receive torture from both the warring parties.
9. ‘Safeguarding citizens’, ‘heroism’ and ‘patriotism’ with the use of arms and violence are terrorism for the mass who have been deprived of their rights to safety and peaceful living.
10. Resolving conflicts, loving one’s country or territory does not necessarily have to recourse through violence. Vengeance, with ‘an eye for an eye’ policy seems to be growing from unstable and callous ego states amongst the battling groups. Power only suppresses the issues for a short period of time, ultimately it never brings solution to any dispute. Negative consequences of power struggles are tolerated only by the conditionally submissive unarmed population.
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12. Injury to the family members: Totally depending on the whims and fancies of the armed groups (police commandos, insurgencies and Indian security personnel).
13. Added number of widows: Often armed groups of any kind targets the male members of the family viz, husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, son-in-laws, cousin brothers etc. Ultimately women and children suffer the most in the process. women living alone without a male family member are looked upon with suspicion and suffer various forms of social exclusion.
14. Loss of safety and security: High uncertainty of who will be picked-up or shot next, when will be the next raid by armed groups in any family or community, where will be the next shoot-out place etc.
15. Loss of authority over our earned properties: Some opposition armed groups even have illegitimate command over anybody’s property viz, money, vehicles, shops, public or private institution etc. in the name of ‘raising fund for revolution’. Civilians consent are nullified and thereby meaningless.
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17. Social dysfunctions and chaos: Frequent bandhs, blockades and strikes are called for different social and armed groups as a protest or symbolic expression of disagreement with the government policies and activities. These rather hinder the continuity of any socio-economic progress and worsen the normal implementation.
18. Political instability: a situation of political turmoil with increasing numbers of deaths and deteriorating economic progresses.
19. Reduced quality education: Educational institutions are often shut down due to curfews and strikes. School and college children are invited to be part of protest rallies after any incidental crisis and they are deprived of their rights to proper education. In situations of long-term chronic conflict and insecurity, consistent investment in schooling is no longer a priority.
25. Reduction of these symptoms normally takes three-six months by undergoing psychotherapy provided that the victim has strong supportive environment. For some, it’s a lifelong distress. Many other psychological problems likely to be developed due to the persistent armed conflicts can be mentioned: generalized anxiety disorder, different levels of depression, etc. People often overlook and dismiss minute psychological functions of such kind because of lack of awareness, negligence, accepting it as part of life, unavailability of proper treatment, social stigma, religious beliefs and so on. This however, has high possibility of resulting in a different personality altogether.
26. Continuously shifting perception of armed violence Sudden deaths and injuries have been caused by the arbitrary killings in the public places by the powerful armed groups e.g. indiscriminate firing on civilians by armed forces personnel when a tyre of their own jeep burst in the town of Kohima (Nagaland) in March 1995. This hasshockedmany people whose love ones were killed and who have witnessed such gory actions. Children have been seriously injured or killed as a result of stray bullets. Fear of uncertainty has struck the thoughts of many daily wagers having compelled to search for work facing all odds. Experiences of continual threat of death and abuse at the hands of militants and security forces are common in armed violent conflicts. Protracted militancy in the North-east states gives a sense of learned helplessness to non-violent conscientious civilians. This encourages avoidance and escape behaviour to the natives. Competent human resources and energies have far been misplaced and confiscated. On the other hand, burning blood youngsters with overwhelming anger often fall prey to the armed groups while combating and protesting for their forbidden rights. In actual crisis scenes, groups of women, agitated youngsters would be running across the firing guns hoping that their death might bring some change. Hopealso has become morefitfulthese days. Widespread peaceful rallies are chosen as the only means to reach the ears of the authorities. Majority of the people are loosing hope and circumstances has pushed us back to the survival stage. Emotions and inner voices are suppressed due to decades long conditioning by life threatening consequences when articulated. They are reflected in songs and movies and those are the favourites of the mute listeners and viewers. Frustrations and other forms of distresses are coped to a large extent through alcoholism and substance abuses.
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28. Added vigilance services in the night by groups of women compromising some of their parental responsibilities,
29. Women suffer and tolerate death, injuries of family members and other forms of abuses, Tolerance are indications of helpless state of mind. People in the North-East have learned through generations and incorporated the ability to tolerate. Daily living conditions are getting deteriorated without appropriate remedial measures for the perplexing conflicts. In another sense, we could be acting like passive perpetrators to the exiting violations of human rights by being silent or manifesting non-verbal courageous movement because voiceless and incomprehensible communications rather helps the perpetrators to continue exercising their power with increasing impunity.
30. Distorted environment where children in North-East grow up Macro systemDYSFUNCTIONAL LAW AND ORDER ExosystemCORRUPTED WORKPLACE UNDERDEVELOPEDCONFLICT AFFECTED MesosystemCOMMUNITYFAMILY RESTRICTED CULTURE AND TRADITION FREQUENT RIOTS CHILD EXTENDEDFAMILIES Micro system PLAY AREA NEIGHBOUR DISTURBED SCHOOLING UNEMPLOYMENT VIOLENT ARMED BATTLES MIXED VALUES AND CUSTOMS
31. Excerpts from some bright students who are affected by armed conflicts Waikhom Nydia, HSLC topper, 2009----- “as a student, what was most disturbing me was staging protest demonstrations and taking out for rallies instead of attending class against monetary demands made to the school”. Satyam Takhellambam, Science Topper in HSSLC, 2009,------- “there were instances of fear in going for tuition due to the present turmoil in the state.” Arts topper, Gunibani Devi also expressed her concern over using of bandhs and blockades as means to pursue any demand in the state. Commerce topper, Meisnam Shinapal said, “ school syllabus could not be completed in time due to frequent closure of schools that in turn gave undue pressure in the minds of the students.”
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33. Child soldiering is abusive and destructive and is likely to cause psychological trauma, it may also be a rational livelihood decision in a situation where alternatives are not available.
34. Youths who join armed gangs are most vulnerable to becoming both a perpetrator and a victim of armed violence
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36. Distorted personality development Children are no longer passive observers and recipients of the chaos of war but are sometimes socialized to be the vanguard of political change. If not intervene on time and provide the right kind of education, children are likely to interpret different meaning of any political change and use the easiest available means without acknowledging the moral values. Heavy psychological burdens to the youngsters in the communities
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38. Spreading awareness of mental harassment issues and the related rights to the civilians as well as the government.
39. Give more stress to the complexity of children in armed conflicts and their need for special attention and facilitation.
40. To stop involving school children in protest rallies and give them quality education.
41. Lobby the policy makers through practical research findings on the issues cropped up in the conflicted areas.
42. Establishing a medium for a dialogue both with the state and the central government, if possible with the regional armed groups as well.
43. Educate the mainstream Indian society the cultural differences of North-east states. Ultimately we need to protect ourselves, and our struggle needs to begin within our own states.
