THE meeting called by several society organisations of Garo Hills on June 10 last at Chandmari, Tura to protest the climate of violence and terror unleashed by the militants of that region deserves commendation. It is not easy to register a public protest against gun-toting extremists whose mission from the beginning has been to amass easy money by preventing others from pursuing their legitimate livelihoods. Militants use weapons to instil fear so that they get compliance from specific targets. In a sense they are also launching a psychological warfare against the civilian population. Fear is an emotion that can immobilise a population and make them retreat into their homes at sunset and not stir outside unnecessarily because they are unsure of who their attackers are and when they are likely to attack. In this war of nerves between the extremists and the state it is always the unarmed civilian population – the non-combatants, the women and children who have been facing the brunt of terror in Garo Hills.
It is also true that some individuals more than others are vulnerable to extremist attacks. Journalists are in that category. It is difficult to report from a conflict zone. It is also dangerous when there are several militant outfits vying for media attention. We have seen this dilemma faced by journalists in Manipur and Assam. The same fear now grips those who have to report events in Garo Hills. In such situations it is important for the journalistic fraternity to show solidarity and call upon the state machinery to provide them the security they need so they can operate in a climate of unfettered freedom. Militants invade civil society space. It is the burden of civil society to recapture that lost space. There are several ways of doing so but unity of purpose is a non-negotiable component. Civil society needs to speak with one voice. They need to be consistent in their motives of defeating militancy and the reign of terror in their backyards. But militants know that a united civil society is a threat hence they will use their tactics to divide and fragment and push people to adopt hardened postures. They will incite the gullible to demonise the police and the state authority. Civil society needs to understand these time-tested tactics of militants universally and defeat their evil motives. It is hoped that the people of Garo Hills will sustain their movement and their fight against militancy.
