Landmines pose grave threat to NE

Posted on December 31, 2007 0 Comments976


NEW DELHI: Landmines have posed a grave danger to people of insurgency-hit North-East where many civilians and security personnel have lost either their lives or their limbs in landmine attacks by militants. Only a few months ago, seven persons lost their lives in Manipur when the bus they were travelling in passed over a live landmine. Several security men were also killed in a mine blast that took place earlier in the state.


Militants in the North-East try to target their rivals or security personnel by planting landmines in various places or states. There has been growing concern that many mines, which were planted but could not be used during past conflicts among militant groups or between rebels and security forces, could be a serious threat to civilians at any time.


With over 30 militant outfits operating in the North-East, there have been armed conflicts in the region for last five decades. Recent years have witnessed an increase in use of explosive devices by United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), United National Liberation Front (UNLF), People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and All Tripura Tigers Front (ATTF) against State and Central armed forces. According to a Central Government report, militant groups continue to increasingly resort to indiscriminate use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines in the country. There were reports of use of mines and IEDs in many parts of India in 2006 and 2007, particularly in Manipur and other areas of the North-East, the report said.


In 2006-2007, there were reports of use of antipersonnel landmines and IEDs in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur, Landmine Monitor Report 2007 said.In April 2007, four tribal persons were seriously injured in a landmine explosion while travelling in a forest area in Tripura. Police claimed that the mine was laid by ATTF to restrict movement of police and paramilitary forces in the area.


In Nagaland in June 2006, a member of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) was killed in a landmine blast outside an India Reserve Battalion camp near Athibung town, the site of frequent armed conflicts between Naga underground factions. It was not known who had planted the mine.


During this year’s elections to Manipur Legislative Assembly, Kuki Movement for Human Rights alleged that a cluster of 31 villages straddling Chandel and Tengnoupal Assembly constituencies bordering Burma could not vote because all paths leading to these villages and their paddy fields were mined. A top official of the human rights group said the area had been mined by militants to prevent security forces from raiding their hideouts along the international border.


Giving credence to the allegations raised by the human rights body, in February 2007 a 60-year-old Gamphajol farmer lost his left leg in a landmine blast when he tried to cut through a forest on his way back home. The previous month saw a youth from Aibol Jamkhomang village being killed on stepping on a landmine while walking to a nearby paddy field. According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2007, India remains an active producer of antipersonnel landmines. The country also maintains a stockpile of at least 40 lakhs such weapon.


The International Campaign to Ban Landmines is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT). As many as 156 nations have banned use, production, stockpile and trade of landmines. India is yet to join this treaty. The 2007 Landmine Monitor Report also identified 524 new casualties of explosive devices in 2006.


 


 

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