[Assam] The Headlines

[Ram Sarangapani]

Hi Uttam,

>When there is a war going on, when it is 'we' versus 'they', can there be
such qualifications, unless of course something happens beyond the >clauses
of Geneva Treaty, perhaps. Like killing unarmed non-combatants in the name
of encounters, raping village women in the name >operation or revolution,
killing an innocent and calling him a police spy afterwards may warrant such
epithets.


What war are we talking about here? The 'war' in SL or the one in Assam? At
best, the one in SL was a civil war (of sorts), and the one is Assam, an
insurgency.

>I am always intrigued by such adjectives. Because, when securitymen kill
militants, insurgents, suspects, innocents no such expletives are >used.

While, I agree it is generally intriguing, I guess - but when militants kill
innocents, plunder, behead, &  loot, what exactly would you like to call
them?

The militants would, of course, like to be hailed saviors, thrown the red
carpet, all sins be promptly forgiven, etc, etc.
Finding fault with the media in such cases, only shows bias.

The militants, through their mouthpieces have always shown the Govt. and all
their representatives as evil. What else is new?

While, there are 'bad' elements on both sides, it always boils down to one
simple thing - NOT all people who are/were frustrated with the Govt. took up
arms, and prey upon a captive audience (the innocent people of the state).

Some people made that choice, most did not.

--Ram









On Tue, Apr 6, 2010 at 9:51 PM, uttam borthakur
<uttamborthakur at yahoo.co.in>wrote:

>
> The headlines in today's newspapers here are abuzz with 76 CRPF personnel
> ambushed and gunned down by the Maoists. The papers described it in many
> terms such as manslaughter, heinous, dastardly, massacre etc. I am always
> intrigued by such adjectives. Because, when securitymen kill militants,
> insurgents, suspects, innocents no such expletives are used. "Dreaded
> extremist gunned down".. that's how it is put.
>
> When there is a war going on, when it is 'we' versus 'they', can there be
> such qualifications, unless of course something happens beyond the clauses
> of Geneva Treaty, perhaps. Like killing unarmed non-combatants in the name
> of encounters, raping village women in the name operation or revolution,
> killing an innocent and calling him a police spy afterwards may warrant such
> epithets.
>
> In the last three decades, according to newspaper data, 13000+ youths lost
> their lives as they were of the ULFA or were related to the said
> organisation. Almost equal number of citizens and security men have lost
> their lives to the outfit. I just made a per month average tally in my mind
> after reading the piece in Amar Asom of today. Significant.
>
> Recently, a friend, sent me a mail showing as to how LTTE is taking roots
> in Chirang and Baska regions of Assam. My friend suffers from adult
> paranoia, especially due to his pro-establishment stance, and so I did not
> heed to his communique though I complimented him on his vigil on Assam from
> a distant place. I do not know whether it is from an independent source, or
> my friend could plug in, it has become a news in today's edition of a daily.
>
> I was not convinced of Sri Lanka's annihilation of LTTE; does not this
> piece of information give me reasons to believe about re-emergence of that
> outfit in Assam, as if we have not had our fill yet?
>
> Or, will that be tomorrow's headline?
>
>
>
> Uttam Kumar Borthakur
>
>
>      The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.
> http://in.yahoo.com/
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