Abandoned Burmese Political Prisoners In the Land of Gandhi
Ashis Biswas
3/4/2007
Call him Basu. Years ago, he worked for an Indian intelligence agency. His job: to fill an intelligence gap related to a group of religious fundamentalists active against the state. In order to successfully fulfill his mission he would need to infiltrate the deepest depths of the fundamentalist outfit.
True he was doing a dirty job for his motherland, but he made a sacrifice that would seemingly elevate him to the ranks of a venerated patriot. He changed his identity and religion so as to infiltrate the innermost circles of his target group. For years he led this false life, sending reports to his superiors for a measly allowance completely incommensurate for the pains he voluntarily suffered. But upon retirement, he realized his superiors had not even bothered to glance at much of the information he forwarded them, let alone act on it. His efforts seemed wasted.
He spoke of his disillusionment to a few colleagues and the matter ended there. The Indian establishment too, like others elsewhere, proved it can be icily indifferent to the fate of individuals who serve it.
This brings us to the curious case of 34 Arakanese prisoners now being held in Presidency Jail in Kolkata. They were arrested in February 1998 on Landfall Island, Andaman and Nicobar region, following a clash with Indian security forces in which six Arakanese were killed. It is alleged that, when arrested, authorities also found in their possession a "large cache of arms and ammunition". They were jailed locally before being brought to Kolkata for trial. Another 37 people arrested with this group were set free, officially because they were mere fishermen.
More than six years on, even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has framed a charge sheet against the Arakanese for violating the Foreigners Act, the Arms Act and the Explosive Substance Act, investigators feel frustrated. Apparently little remains in official custody of the reportedly "huge cache of arms" and other evidence seized from the prisoners.
There are many instances of India Army authorities taking too long to respond to important queries from the CBI authorities. Yet one would have thought that in this case it is all the more important for the armed forces to present their evidence in an open and timely manner since the Arakanese have leveled a serious charge against the armed forces: namely that they assisted Indian intelligence and security agencies for some years in monitoring and reporting on Chinese naval movements in the region.
The Indian government has neither confirmed nor denied this allegation, and the fact remains that its intelligence establishment has been highly wary of the increasing Chinese influence and presence in Burma, on Cocos Island and elsewhere in the region. To recruit elements hostile to the ruling army junta in Burma, which has fallen within the Chinese sphere of influence, would have been a logical move. One of the first choices for such a task would naturally be the intrepid Arakanese, long fighting for regional autonomy from Burma and more recently an important element of the pro-democracy struggle within Burma.
If history serves as any precedent, the claim of the Arakanese prisoners cannot simply be dismissed. Some security analysts have said that, for over five years, there were persons in the region engaged in such surveillance tasks by the Indian Military Authorities (IMA).
Even more suspicious than the IMA''s stonewalling tactics over a proper investigation and failure to produce the stash of weapons is the failure to come out with a clear statement on the matter. This silence comes despite allegations in the media that the Burmese junta rewarded some Indian officers for their role in detaining the 34 Arakanese. Further, a senior officer involved in the exercise, codenamed “Operation Leech”, Colonel Grewal, was permitted to go on voluntary retirement before his tenure was over; a most unusual happening.
What exactly has happened? Surely the authorities owe an explanation to the people in an age when the right to information is a part of life. After all, unlike Burma, India is not exactly under army rule.
Kolkata-based legal experts say that if convicted the Arakanese "freedom fighters" might be jailed for life. Be that as it may, surely it is in the interest of minimum justice that they are properly looked after while in jail. For all its efforts to demonstrate that the Indian government is not dealing with ordinary criminals, the prisoners have not been well treated. Last year, there was a clash between angry prisoners and jail guards, over the quality and quantity of food. The prisoners demanded proper rations.
In view of their crimes, the Arakanese have been kept in a high security zone, with limited access to visitors. The National United Party of Arakan, a constituent in the fight for democracy in Burma, has in its communications to the Government of India appealed for the release of the prisoners, describing them as "freedom fighters" from Arakan. Through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees the prisoners have pleaded for refugee status in India, making it clear they do not wish to return to Burma. "We will be shot there," one prisoner recently told a journalist covering their trial in Bankshall court, Kolkata.
Clearly there are international political overtones involved here that no government, including India, can ignore. Hopefully the determined efforts of some enlightened individuals and intellectuals on behalf of the Arakanese have made a difference. To name a few who deserve credit for awakening public interest regarding the plight of the 34 Arakanese: legendary INA freedom fighter Col. Lakshmi Sehgal, human rights lawyer Nandita Haksar, human rights activist Sujata Bhadra, Magsaysay winner and writer Mahasweta Devi, retired civil servant B.B. Nandy, socialist leader Surendra Mohan, journalist Sumit Chakarvartty, former West Bengal finance minister Ashok Mitra, Forward Bloc leader G. Devarajan and political analyst Subir Bhaumik.
Yet the sad truth is that the bulk of Kolkata’s otherwise alert intelligentsia have not involved themselves in what has turned into a fight to secure minimum justice for an abandoned lot of Burmese political prisoners. And it is the greatest pity that this should all happen in the land of Gandhi.
-------------------------------
Original article link: http://www.mizzima.com/MizzimaNews/EdOp/2007/Feb/06-Feb-2007.html
Title: Abandoned Burmese Political Prisoners In the Land of Gandhi
Author: Ashis Biswas
About Author:
Date: 3/4/2007
Page Hits: 651
Comments
Not found any comment. You can be the FIRST one to write a comment for Abandoned Burmese Political Prisoners In the Land of Gandhi.Anything you want to say about Abandoned Burmese Political Prisoners In the Land of Gandhi?
