COMBATTING TERROR OF THE 'RED BRIGADE -PART TWO

" Violence will only bring greater miseries to common people. We have to counter this (Maoist/Naxalite) threat with determination. But while violence can not be tolerated, tribals must be the primary beneficiaries of the development process.-------------But No sustained(development) is possible under the shadow of the gun.Nor have those who claim to speak for the Tribals have offered an alternative economic or social path that is viable----------------" Dr. Man Mohan Singh, Prime Minister Of India, while inaugurating conference of Chief Ministers and state ministers of tribal affairs on the implementation of 'Forest Rights Act 2006' as reported in The Tribune, dated November 05, 2009.

It is undoubtedly true that any movement supported by the people has their genuine concerns, which had remained unattended and uncared for a considerable period of time by the 'powers that be'.The real causes have been rightly observed and listed by Mr.Ashok Sahu, as brought out in Part One. Therefore, I do believe that Naxalites/Maoist movement is a result of consistent neglect and exploitation of the poor people which includes socially downtrodden, tribal and the farmers. While their land and forest wealth is being exploited, they have not been adequately compensated for in terms of development, health care, basic social amenities and employment opportunities.

This needs attention of the State and Central Governments. I won't like to dwell much on this as there were many qualified people to work out a blue print for the betterment of the lives of affected people in the Naxalite infected areas. Dr Man Mohan Singh, as quoted above, has clearly revealed two-pronged government policy to deal with Naxalites/Maoists menace. Development and growth with sincerity would be the biggest disincentive for the locals to not only not to support the Maoists but also not to provide easy recruits to be used as canon-fodder against security forces by the Maoists.

I would like to devote more time to military strategy to combat Maoists/Naxalites. In modern military parlance this kind of warfare has been named as SUB-CONVENTIONAL WARFARE or even FOURTH GENERATION WARFARE. But come what may, I would prefer to call it as 'War by Other Means' (WOM) . This appropriately describes the conditions we are facing. Indian Maoists have suddenly become very active after the success of Maoists of Nepal. There is no denying the fact that they have chosen to confront the nation with active assistance from China. Even home secretary, Mr. GK Pillai, confirmed this in his media conference on November 08, 2009, when he returned from Nepal. So, we are in a state of war thrust upon us. Dr Man Mohan Singh has rightly pointed out that no sustained development activity can take place as long as there was fear of the gun. It must be silenced or neutralized to usher the age of growth and development. One can not say, "What First". Both must start concurrently. But operations by Security forces have to be extensive and all-encompassing to allow foot hold for growth and development.

I always hold a view and very passionately that the best medicine for 'terrorism' was 'terrorism'. Put the fear of God in the Terrorists. Siege the initiative and let them be hunted and be on the run. They are rats when death haunts them. Yea, you heard me right because in most cases, the game of terrorism does not provide a leveled playing field for the security forces. A lot of restrictions are laid by the authorities to conduct operations. Such provisions not only prolong the ordeal but also allows militants and terrorists to regroup and reorganize. A number of outside actors , such as media, human rights organisations and local politicians have vested interests to slow down the operations. Even international pressure is built to prevent total elimination of the insurgent organisations. This is the duty of the authority who orders security forces to conduct anti-militant/anti-terrorist operations to withstand such unwanted interference. It must be recognised that, as a diversionary tactics, the militants would use such ruses to exaggerate the alleged cases of violations of human rights, molestation and rape. Government must have its own sources to verify and authenticate.

The successful conduct of anti-militancy/ insurgency operations , whether in Indian Punjab in the 90s of the last Century or Sri Lanka in the year 2008-09, bears testimony to what I have said. Even Malayan insurgency in the 50's was put down by British forces with a heavy hand. Moralistic sing-songs are unwarranted when security forces have been given a mandate to destroy the enemy. It was Beant Singh, late Chief minister of Punjab who did not dither in asking his police to cut diamond with diamond, meaning use all kinds of methods to eliminate the militant leaders. At times people call these kind of operations as illegal. It might be so but there is no alternative as long as the other side does not accept your laws. They openly challenge your constitution. It is only their front line organisations who cry aloud in the name of Human rights. President Rajpakshe of Sri Lanka rightly kept all these human rights organisations at bay and he succeeded in demolishing the invincible LTTE and its Supremo Prabhakaran.

Nation and the government must understand that as for as security forces were concerned , it would be a war against the 'enemy of the State'. There should be no cries for "Our Innocent and Misguided Boys". The person who kills his own country men most brutally and flaunts his weapons openly can not be "innocent and misguided". They say that it was war and war it should be. No half -hearted measures to be undertaken, if we recognize anti-Maoist operations as war. When the war takes place, definitely a lot of bloodshed occurs and sometimes genuine mistakes would be committed. The first principle of fighting this war successfully is to exonerate security forces of the collateral damage that would take place when they use force against the 'enemy'. The Maoists are treating it as war, why would the security forces operate with their one or two hands tied at the back. The 'Peace Brigade' of Maoists apologists in the form of their front line political organisations, Foreign- backed NGOs and their Indian beneficiaries, Human Rights Organisations and misinformed Indian legal luminaries must be kept at bay. Security forces should be allowed to legally sue journalists and media for false publication of reports of rape, molestation and extortion. Willful distortion of facts by media persons must be a non-bailable offence.

I must add here that once the problem is resolved government must provide immunity from legal harassment to officers and men on flimsy grounds. There have been cases in the past when police officers had to commit suicide. The case of Ajit Singh, a retired police officer of Punjab, comes to mind. In the heydays of militancy in Punjab, he was the hero of anti-militancy operations in Tarn Taran. This was the region where militants writ ran and it was a 'Free Zone' for them. He eliminated them with a heavy hand. But after the normalcy returned,he was so badly harassed by legal cases that he committed suicide by throwing himself before the train. One fails to see all these legal bodies and human rights organisations being active when terrorists/ militants play havoc with normal civil life. Do policemen and security forces have no human rights?. God alone, knows where had they hibernated when the JHARKHAND POLICE OFFICER was beheaded by the Maoists? I did not even hear a wimp of a whisper. Even today , a large number of army officers are hauled up by courts in Assam and Nagaland for their acts committed decades ago. This sure would discourage future combatants of terrorism/insurgency to effectively combat the terrorists. Our legal system is a big dampener on the security forces operations.

Police, all over India, has become ineffective because of such lacunae in our legal system. The cases keep lingering on for decades. Witnesses and investigating officers are eliminated or compromised. There are for too many temptations, allurements and inducements, coupled with discouragements for the police officers to let the cases procrastinate. Consequently, they adopt not only "play safe" attitude but also materialistically benefited. There is a time for the country to think about police reforms and also distinguish between Law and order and Internal security. In fact I am of the opinion that Law and Order must become part of Internal security, which must be a Central Government responsibility. The state Police ought to be invested with the responsibility of only crime investigation and law implementation. Guarding, protection and security of installations must pass on to more vibrant and all India Internal Security Force with security hub initially in each of the 233 Maoists- infected districts and then, later, all 604 districts of India. The Internal security force must be patterned on the lines of FBI of USA. It must have the mandate to act anywhere in the country, if internal security is threatened.

The military strategy and tactics against the Maoists/ Naxalites must be based on close central coordination but decentralized execution. Intelligence apparatus must be effective to provide actionable, tactical and strategic intelligence. Half the battle is won without any action if the information is precise, accurate and timely. Intelligence must be coordinated through a single agency. Too many cooks spoil the broth. There is always a human angle which runs through the contours of personal jealousy, rivalry, self-promotion and materialistic gains.

In fact intelligence operations must be as part of a 'Unified Command' for anti-militancy/insurgency operations. Unified command would include military, paramilitary, police and other governmental resources of centre and state governments. Even the agencies conducting developmental activities must be dovetailed into Unified Command. This command must be answerable to the Home Minister of India, who is responsible for the Internal security of the country. Defence Ministry be left to deal with only external threat and security.

There might be case for the resources of Defence Ministry to be dedicated to Unified Command. But once allocated, they must stay till completion of task. In any case, there is a need to cut the flab of army to make it more 'agile and smart' in view of the 'Brain force wars' or the 'Smart wars' under nuclear threat. We may find that 'foot infantry' may have a very limited role in the 'Brain Force Wars' under nuclear clouds of south Asia in 21st century. Therefore, 60-70% can be allocated to Unified command under Home Ministry. There might be resistance by the army and the Defence Ministry. But this opposition would be more of an emotional expression than any realistic appreciation of the logic. In a nuclear environs, normal infantry is a sitting duck for a 'Nuclear Hunter'. In any case, it is not being disbanded and it would be available on demand from 'Unified Command' once the need arises.

The strategy further envisages establishment of Counter-Militancy Grid (CMG) in the Maoist Infected areas.This CMG should take into account the district hubs so created. Once the CMG is created, then there will not be easy interaction between the Maoists and the local populace. This will cut down the free movement and contain the Maoists into specific areas. Once contained , they would be easily isolated, leading to their break in contact with the people and thus loss of support, too. CMG must also launch certain developmental activities to mollify the local population and thus wean them away from the Maoists and their leaders.

CMG must begin its operations at low key initially to identify the militants and gain information. It is generally seen that any insurgency has only 20-25 % hard core cadres, who are generally the leaders. 75-80 % are either wage earners for their families or they are coerced to join the militants. But the leaders, over a period of times get so much intoxicated with the powers they enjoy that they lose touch with the general public. Their contact is through these 'ERRAND BOYS' who make 75-80% of their strength. The initial operations must be aimed at creating the wedge between these two classes of militants. Break the channel and see the confusion. I had done this in Assam in 90-91 and the stampede began.

All operations must be 'small scale, target- based and unorthodox'. These three tenets are the key to successful conduct of operations. Large scale operations are predictable and cause a lot of hardships to the local people which leads to resentment against the security forces. The targets must be the Leaders and not the small time cadres and operatives. Cadres should be arrested and released and create suspicion about their future loyalty. This will create dissensions amongst the militants.

Target-based operations are akin to 'Searching a Needle in the Hay -stack'. There are two ways of doing it. One is to turn the hay stack upset down and put your men to locate it. It is time consuming , laborious and causing inconvenience to general public. The other way is to have pin-pointed information of the needle's location in the hay stack. This is what i call 'actionable intelligence. This can be only done by inculcating an insider. In other parlance, they call the insider a 'Mole'. I tried it in Assam in 90-91 and it was grossly effective. The success story of anti-terrorism and counter militancy operations in Punjab was written with the help of these moles, operated by the so called "Cat squads' or the 'missile squads'. I am convinced that the demise of LTTE in Sri Lanka was brought about by 'Col Karuna' and his men operating in LTTE. I won't be surprised if Prabhakaran was shot dead at close range by one of 'Col Karuna's' sharpshooters in LTTE.

No doubt, in their over-enthusiasm some times these cat squads of Punjab had conducted operations outside the jurisdiction of Punjab and as far as KolKotta in West Bengal. So much so that they never informed the local police, fearing that the information might be leaked out to target. Policemen know better their colleagues of whichever state. But, they did neutralize the leaders on the run. In one of my operations in Assam against ULFA, my lead had gone right up to Lucknow. But we handed over the further operations to higher headquarters, who, then successfully busted the gun supplying racket through railway parcels.

The creation of 'mole' is not a one day affair. It is a matter of creating faith in the intended person and it takes time. You have to ensure that the person is made the most wanted man in your list. you have to plant this information through word of mouth and whisper. Sometimes, deliberate operations might be carried out against his family to show them being harassed.Counter-militancy is a game of 'wits and brain' and not of force and brawn'.

Finally, to conclude I must say that the strategy must be evolved to recognize the dimension of the problem, identify the actors, and then contain, isolate,neutralize and rehabilitate along with economic development of the region to remove the legitimate grievances of the people. It is going to be a long drawn out battle. Let there be 'NO OBAMA' amongst our leaders crying for an 'Exit-Policy'. There would be lot of interference by visible and invisible organisations both Indian and foreign, to stall the security forces operations. The government of the day must stand up to it. Foreign-funding and aid must be choked at the recognized entry points. The internal security system needs to have a broader umbrella of dedicated force with its district-level hubs. We can not view law and order problems in isolation. In fact, the trouble in Nandi gram and Singur, from where TATA was booted out, needs also to be viewed as part of Internal security operations. More recent case of Lal Garh adds testimony to this proposal. Army may have to shed its flab to become a 'smart army for smart wars'. its flab would do more active and constructive role in internal security. The legal system needs to be reformed and police must be revamped. I have talked about certain kind of tactics too. it is for those who have to rough it out in the Maoist controlled territory. It would come handy to them.

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COMBATING 'TERROR OF THE RED BRIGADE' IN INDIA---PART ONE

Indian ‘Red Brigade’ is the Indian brand of ‘Taliban’. Its many factions go by different aliases and synonymous words, but the current favorite name is Maoists/Naxalites. In the modern context, they stand for ‘Insurgency, Violence, Terror and War’. In fact, they are worst than Pakistan’s Taliban because of the multi-fold threat they pose to Indian Nationhood. Indian Taliban has, lately, handed over its remote control into foreign hands. The latest upsurge in their activity is a clear cut indication of a foreign country’s desire to break up India into ‘20-30 states’. Maoists/Naxalites of India are the ‘Proxy’ soldiers of our Northern neighbor, undoubtedly.

It is truism that initial concern for the peasants, poor, down-trodden and the tribal of all revolutionaries later becomes a façade to attain personal glory and gains. Sympathy for the poor people is the mask that hides the ugly face of SATANIC AMBITIONS. The revolutionaries and their leaders as much exploit the masses as do the people they do accuse of. From Hitler to Stalin to Marshal Tito to Fidel Castro to Mao-Ze-dong to Dr Sukarno to General Suharto the script is the same and it is enacted with same gusto and spirit. This is also going to be true of all these 'Kishanjis', 'Kapeshwar Gandhis' and 'Ganpathis' who masquerade as revolutionary leaders of the Maoists/Naxalites.

History of Maoist movement is long and winding. As the name suggests ‘Maoists’ draw inspiration from late Chairman Mao-Ze-Dong of China, who believed in a ‘Violent Revolution’ to bring socio-politico change in his country. They go by the brand name of Communist party of India (Maoists), which came into existence in 2004, with the amalgamation of Maoist Coordination Centre (MCC) of Kishanji and People’s War group (PWG) of Ganpathi, the outfits functioning in Andhra Pradesh since 1975 and 1980 respectively. They had come out of Communist Party of India (Marxists-Leninists) formed in 1969.

Naxalites movement began in 1967 as a peasant movement in a small West Bengal village of Naxalbari, as a revolt against the high handedness of land lords. The revolt was led by two leaders of Communist Party of India–Marxists or CPI-(M), namely Charu Mazumdar and Kanu Sanyal. It later broke away from CPI (M) to form All India Communist Committee of Communist Revolutionaries (AICCCR) which, in 1969, turned into Communist Party of India (Marxists-Leninists) or CPI (M-L). This is the Bengal chapter of their history.

Most of the splinter groups of Naxalites/ Maoists ideologies owe their origin to CPI (M-L). In the South, we had a 'Dakshin Desh' group in the fifties of the last Century, which became Maoists Coordination Centre (MCC). As stated earlier, it later merged with the People’s War Group (PWG) to form Communist Party of India-‘Maoists’ or CPI (Maoists) on September 21, 2004. In July 2001, Maoists groups all over South Asia formed a Coordination Committee of Maoists Parties and Organizations in South Asia (CCMPOSA). The history of all these groups is well documented; I need not elaborate upon this here.

What is more important for us to know is the latest upsurge in the Maoists/Naxalites activities and their threat to Indian Nationhood. Over the last three years, since 2006, Naxalites/Maoists have killed some 2600 people including police and paramilitary force personnel in some 5800 incidents. The highest numbers of incidents of violence have taken place in the four states of Chhatisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa. Some 222 people had been killed in these four states between January 2006 to August 2009, as per the sources in the home ministry and as quoted in a news report on November 02, 2009 in ‘The Tribune’, published from Chandigarh.

The hijacking of trains, first a passenger train in Jharkhand and then more prestigious Rajdhani Express in West Bengal; beheading of a Jharkhand police officer; forcing of the West Bengal government to swap 22 Maoists for a kidnapped police officer; blowing up of a police station in Bihar; ambushing a police party in Chhatisgarh; firing on the Indian Air Force helicopter in Chhatisgarh during election duty of the Parliamentary elections in 2009 and numerous other incidents of violence which have taken place in various states in the Eastern and Central Regions of India, do give us an indication of the coming deluge of violence, chaos and disorder in the RED CORRIDOR in particular and the country as a whole. (See the map below). No doubts, Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Man Mohan Singh, rightly warned the nation that the biggest threat to Indian security emanated from Maoists and Naxalites.

MAP OF RED CORRIDOR

It has begun to expand West and Northwards. States like J&K, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan are also getting infected. Thus, virtually whole of India is in its grip.

The map would show you that entire Eastern Coast Region along the Bay of Bengal is galvanized by it. It therefore poses a serious threat to integrity and unity of India. Initially, Maoists/Naxalites movement was confined to some 5-6 states only. Till about 2007, it was supposed to have affected some 190, out of 604 districts of just about 10 states in India. But according to Mr. P Chidambaram, Home Minister of India, the menace has spread to more than 2000 police stations in 233 districts of 20 states as quoted by the news item in the above-mentioned News Paper, The Tribune, of November 2, 2009. The Naxalites menace has now contaminated some 40,000 square kilometers across the country and it is estimated some 25 Lakh people live in these areas where Maoists/Naxalites have a free run.

It is a must to understand that poverty, underdevelopment, economic exploitation and social discrimination, are some of the legitimate causes which have been the breeding grounds for this menace. Add to it the callous neglect of the administration and Governmental machinery to address the genuine problems of the people. In the news item of The Tribune, quoted above, Mr. P Chidambaram, Home Minister of India, has been quoted to say that centre and state governments had not paid attention to this issue for the last 10-13 years. Therefore, it is must to address the genuine problems of the people before we think of any solution to this menace.

Mr. Ashok Sahu, a retired IPS officer of Andhra Cadre with extensive experience in handling PWG groups, has brought out the real causes of the rise of Maoists and Naxalites, in his article “MAOIST MENACE; NAXALITE OFFENSIVE”, in South Asia Intelligence Review of October 2009. He lists the root causes as poor governance, want of social justice, lack of electoral reforms, corruption in the judiciary and bureaucracy, poor state of rural roads, absence of primary health care, education and employment opportunities. He warns that so long as the basic causes persist, the Maoists cannot be stopped from expansion in the rural areas and then forming front organizations in urban areas. The front organizations are the recruitment points for selection of their future leaders. At present, the district level guerrilla commandos and party leaders get handsome remuneration and are technologically well equipped. In their perspective plan for urban expansion, technological up-gradation and access to the mining belt and industrial towns in Orissa, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are given top priority. We need to lay stress upon these issues and apply the balm concurrently when we formulate our strategy to combat this menace.

Before we talk of a strategy, let us first understand the philosophy of Maoists/Naxalites and their stated strategy. It is a must to dispel many a wrong notions by some of our peaceniks. Let me draw your attention to Maoist leader KISHAN JI, who addressed the media the day he released Mr. Dutta, a kidnapped police officer of West Bengal. He called him a ‘PRISONER OF WAR.’ Therefore, let us be clear that Maoists think it was WAR they were fighting against the UNION of INDIA.

The constitution of India is very clear-----anyone who picks up the arms against the Indian Union----is to be treated as ENEMY. Therefore, purely in military terms, we must shed this thought of “OUR MISGUIDED INNOCENT BOYS”. They were neither innocent nor were they misguided when they raided a police station in Naugachhia in Bihar or ambushed a CRPF patrol in Chhatisgarh or even when they beheaded Jharkhand police officer. They knew what they were doing to achieve their stated aim. And one of their stated objectives is to spread terror in the areas they control by DELIBERATE ACTS of VIOLENCE.

According to Mr. Ashok Sahu, the Maoist movement did not believe in democracy. It does not accept the constitutional system and intends to establish ‘Peoples’ Republic’ through the use of extreme terror. Mr. Ashok Sahu further states that the organization believed in the ideology of ‘annihilation of class enemy”. The organization advocates a ‘Protracted People’s war’ to seize power. In a press statement on October 14, 2004, the leaders of newly formed CPI (Maoists), made it clear as to how this war is to be conducted. Mr. Ashok Sahu observes that the protracted people’s war of Maoists aims at armed seizure of power, as its central and principal task, encircling the cities from the countryside and thereby finally capturing them. Hence, the countryside as well as the Protracted People’s War will remain as the "Center of Gravity" of the party’s work, while urban work will be complimentary to it.

Frankly speaking, the Naxalites consider the state power as a weapon in the hands of the rich and the ruling classes which are against their movement. So their prime target is to destroy the state power in all its forms and create a new one of their choice and act merrily in the domain they have established for themselves. As the state power is based on the might of its armed forces their sole aim is to paralyze the police and the paramilitary forces. The second target is the people’s representative of the state assembly and the parliament. They attack and kill democratically elected leaders and also the common people to create fear and panic among the public so that it remain docile to their rule. In order to let the people remain cut off from the police and the administration from fear of being brought to justice, they involve maximum people in committing heinous crimes like murder and rape.

Furthermore, their naked dictatorship does not have any concern for the public opinion or their well-being. Coteries of ideological fanatics are dictating the people and it is abject slavery for the people under the Naxalites rule. With the tribal living below poverty line (BPL), the added rule of Naxalites is a cause of more miseries as the people have to go on leaving their home and hearth off and on.

Therefore, VIOLENCE and TERROR is their primary ideology. They have launched a war on India. They very well know what they are doing. To call them ‘misguided’ is to wish away the evil and prolong India’s ordeal and perhaps endanger its integrity. There is nothing misguided about them; they are focused and determined to achieve their objectives.

In so doing, they have established links with foreign militant groups. On October 02, 2009, one of Maoist commanders, called Srinivasan, spoke to the anchor of LEMON TV Channel live and admitted in public that Chinese and Nepalese trainers have been coming to India to impart training to their cadres. Similarly, in the last week of October 2009, Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal revealed that Maoists of Nepal were the link for providing arms to Indian Maoists.

On November 02, 2009, a news item appeared in The Tribune, a daily News paper published from Chandigarh, which claimed that Nepalese Maoists were in touch with Indian Maoists. This news was forwarded by Bishnu Budhathoki from Katmandu, who gave reference to a news item in Nepalese news paper ‘Rajdhani Daily’ which had disclosed that the meeting of the two parties had taken place in central India on October 08, 2009.

In the same edition of The Tribune, another news item from a Tribune Correspondent, Mr. Suresh Dharur that Tamil Tigers and their remnants have been providing training to Naxalites of India in the forests of central India. The news item had given reference to this disclosure by Andhra Pradesh director general of police Mr. R R Girish Kumar.

The Maoists/Naxalites of India have chosen a well charted course to demolish the Indian Union. Any soft corner approach will spell disaster for the unity and integrity of India. Eminent political commentator Mr. Harsh V Pant, in his article, “The war within”, published in ‘The Tribune on November 02, 2009, advises political leadership that it was time for India to assert itself as well as expose the intellectual vacuity of the Maoist ideology. He concludes that the Maoist insurgency was a blatantly illegal and a no-hold-barred war against the country, against the idea and existence of Indian democracy, and that includes the poor tribal and farmers in whose cause the Maoists claim to fight. He cautions that it was not only ignorant but also extremely dangerous to romanticize the Naxalites cause. This must be understood by some of our politicians who take the help of these organizations for their short term political gains—whether it was Lalgarh in West Bengal or Abujmad in the Dandakaranya forests of Chhatisgarh.

While one does sympathize with their genuine problems but one does not approve of their methods to achieve their objectives. We all know a diamond cuts diamond. Therefore we ought to use legitimate force to bring them around and understand that Violence begets violence and more violence gets bigger violence. But, if they do abjure violence, they snuff out the very life out of their movement. Violence and MAOISM are as inseparable as oxygen from life. This must be realized by those who think that peace can be heralded through talks and negotiations alone. We need a two pronged policy of carrot and stick to deal with this menace.

Now I come to the real issue of how to combat/tackle this menace. Firstly, we must know that it was not going to be a matter of months and days. It is going to be a long drawn battle on the socio-economic and military platforms. Two-pronged pincer would be required to not only contain and neutralize the Maoists but also to assuage the hurt feelings due to constant neglect, injustice and exploitation. We would need a coherent long term strategy with full focus on it. As we go along, the strategy could be reviewed

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