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SOUTH ASIA INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
Weekly Assessments & Briefings
Volume 13, No. 52, June 29, 2015
Data and
assessments from SAIR can be freely published in any form
with credit to the South Asia Intelligence Review of the
South Asia Terrorism Portal
|
Manipur:
Kuki negotiations drag on
Giriraj
Bhattacharjee
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management
The Manipur
State Government on June 9, 2015, agreed to extend the
Suspension of Operations (SoO) with the United People’s
Front (UPF), an umbrella organisation of eight Kuki /
Zomi militant groups, for another year till June 8, 2016.
The talks with the rebel conglomerate were also upgraded
to “political” from the earlier ‘official’ level. Later,
former Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who was present
in New Delhi and played a significant role during the
whole process, stated on June 14, 2015, that delays in
peace talks between the Centre and militant groups was
harming mutual trust between the two sides. Zoramthanga
argued, “Years have passed after signing SoO earlier,
but without any formal parleys,” adding that the groups
had refused to sign the SoO over the preceding nine months
[the previous agreement lapsed on August 21, 2014] creating
an explosive situation in the North East. Zoramthanga
further announced that, "The government has agreed
to a political settlement with the members of eight underground
groups." Zoramthanga has been facilitating contacts
between the rebels and Government, and concedes, “I am
neither an interlocutor nor an official mediator. My role
was to build mutual trust between the Government and the
groups. I just helped both the sides take part in the
meeting."
The eight
underground groups under UPF are: Kuki National Front
(KNF),
Zomi Revolutionary Organisation (ZRO)/Zomi
Revolutionary Army (ZRA),
Kuki Revolutionary Army – United (KRA-United),
Zomi Defence Force (ZDF), United Kuki Liberation Front
(UKLF),
Kuki Revolutionary Front (KRF), Zomi Defence Volunteers
and Hmar People's Convention-Democratic (HPC-D).
A second
umbrella organization of 11 Kuki underground groups in
Manipur, the Kuki National Organisation (KNO),
had also signed a tripartite Suspension of Operations
(SoO) agreement with the Government of India and Government
of Manipur in 2008. The underground groups in KNO are:
Kuki National Army (KNA),
Kuki National Front – Military Council (KNF-MC), Kuki
National Front - Zogam (KNF-Z), United Socialist Revolutionary
Army (USRA), Hmar National Army (HNA), United Komrem Revolutionary
Army (UKRA), United Minorities Liberation Front (UMLF),
Zou Defence Volunteer, Kuki Liberation Army (KLA),
and Pakan Reunification Army (PRA). There is confusion
over the name of the 11th armed group, either called KRA
or Kuki National Front – Samuel (KNF-S).
The tripartite
SoO agreement with UPF and KNO was signed on August 22,
2008. Since then, these agreements were periodically extended
till August 21, 2014. As per the provisions of the SoO
agreements, the cadres of these 19 Kuki groups - 1,122
under KNO and 1,095 under UPF – are housed in12 [seven
for KNO and five for UPF] designated camps in the Churachandpur,
Sadar Hills (Senapati) and Chandel Districts.
While the
Kuki militants remained in their designated camps, there
was confusion regarding the extension of the SoO agreements
after August 2014. An October 7, 2014, report claimed
that the tripartite SoO agreements with UPF and KNO had
been extended by another year. According to the report,
following the Government’s failure to initiate necessary
procedures for extension of the SoO pact, the convenor
of the People’s Consultative Committee for Peace (PCCP),
S.H. Seipu Sitlhou submitted a representation to the then
Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami on September 6, urging
the Union Government to extend the SoO pact. Subsequently,
the Under Secretary, Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),
sent a letter to the Government of Manipur stating that
the SoO pact had been extended by another year. The letter
also suggested fixing a date for holding a tripartite
political dialogue. A copy of the letter sent by the MHA
Under Secretary was also reportedly received by the PCCP.
Later, on February 25, 2015, Union Minister of State for
Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, while replying to a query on
the groups under the ceasefire in the Northeast, mentioned
both KNO and UPF. However, UPF and KNO were against holding
tripartite talks in Imphal. The present renewal of the
SoO suggests that the Agreements were in limbo over the
past months.
Whatever
the case, the present agreement to extend the SoO and
initiate a political dialogue is with UPF alone, leaving
KNO out.
Significantly,
the period of the tripartite SoO (August 2008 to
August 2014, regarding which there is no confusion) has
witnessed 113 fatalities (including 10 civilians, three
Security Force (SF) personnel and 100 militants) killed
in incidents relating to Kuki militant outfits. The high
proportion of militant fatalities in this period was primarily
due to internecine clashes among various Kuki groups,
which claimed 75 militant lives (75 per cent of total
militant fatalities); the remaining 25 militants were
killed by SFs.
There has
also been a relative spike in fatalities linked to Kuki
outfits since August 21, 2014, with 16 fatalities recorded
till date in 2015, as compared to seven fatalities in
2014 till August 21, four fatalities in 2013, six in 2012,
and two in 2011.
The major
incidents of killing (each resulting in three or more
fatalities) recorded during this period were:
May 23,
2015: A combined team of SFs in an encounter at Bongbal
Khullen in Senapati District killed four militants. Bodies
of three militants – two Manipur Naga Revolutionary Front
(MNRF) and one KNF-Nehlun faction (KNF-N) – were recovered
from the incident site on the same day. Four days later,
the decomposed body of another unidentified militant belonging
to United National Liberation Front (UNLF)
was recovered from the same area.
February10,
2015: Three suspected Kuki militants, identified as Jongkholun,
Manglensei and Sotinpai, were killed in Churachandpur
District by suspected militants. The bodies were later
recovered near Vaison Cemetery in the District.
Further,
during the recent Autonomous District Councils (ADCs)
polls [June 1, 2015], which was the second ADC election
since its formation under the provisions of the Manipur
(Hill Areas) District Council (Third Amendment) Act 2008
(the earlier one was in 2010), Rivl Kuki and Naga militants
tried to influence election results. The Nationalist Socialist
Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM),
among the ethnic rivals of the Kukis, issued letters which
were then distributed in the Naga dominated Ukhrul District,
asking voters to cast their votes in favour of Naga People’s
Front (NPF); a Nagaland based party. In the letter addressed
to village chiefs, NSCN-IM ‘convenor’ Markson threatened:
“With you as the head… your village authority/women’s
society/students union all should ensure that the total
votes in your village must be cast in favour of the NPF.
In case there is anyone in your village who does not comply
to this order, you are directed to make a list and submit
to the undersigned without fail.” An Indian National Congress
(INC) worker from Ukhrul District claimed, “A Congress
supporter in Ukhrul town was picked up on Saturday [May
30] by the IM [NSCN-IM] at around 4 pm. He was then thrashed
for hours and released by 7 pm in the evening’’.
On June
2, 2015, suspected Kuki militants badly beat up nine villagers
of Lhungjang in the Sadar Hills area of Senapati District
for not supporting the area's INC candidate in ADC polls.
M. Khongsai (45), a villager of the area, stated, "The
cadres, suspected to be from a Kuki militant outfit which
is a signatory of the SoO with the Government, then herded
us to a nearby jungle. Later, they tied our hands and
began thrashing us badly with sticks and rifle butts."
Further, suspected KRA militants had abducted four ADC
contestants during the campaign phase. The Congress retained
the Kuki-dominated Sadar Hills ADC in Senapati District,
while the NPF won a majority in the Ukhrul ADC. No party
got majority in the remaining four District Councils.
[Manipur has five Hill Districts, but one of them – Senapati
– has two District Councils (Senapati and Sadar Hills)].
Militants
also engage in extortion and intimidation of villagers,
with one incident on record in 2015, and six in 2014.
The reported instances are likely a fraction of the actual
incidence. In one prominent incident this year, on May
9, Kuki National Liberation Front (KNLF) cadres assaulted
five villagers at Selhao and six labourers engaged in
the construction work in Chandel District. Later, a contractor
identified as L. Pati Singh clarified that he had been
threatened and money was extorted from him by KNLF. The
militant formation, which signed SoO Agreement with the
Central and the State Government on September 9, 2013,
had demanded INR 3 million from the contractor.
Apart from
various Kuki militant formations, civil society organisations
such as Kuki Inpi (the apex body of the Kuki tribe), Kuki
State Demand Committee (KSDC) and Kuki (Khulmi) Development
Council Demand Committee Manipur, have also been agitating
for separate administrative arrangements for the Kuki
tribe. Such periodic assertions have led to disruptions,
as in the long-drawn road
blockades in 2011, 2012 and 2013,
causing further ethnic polarization and worsening the
situation.
KNO and
UNF have slightly different demands regarding a Kuki homeland,
but both visions lie within Indian constitutional provisions.
KNO demands a separate Kuki State, while UPF is asking
for an autonomous tribal State within the present State.
Such a status was previously enjoyed by Meghalaya between
April 2, 1970, and January 20, 1972, under Article 244-A
of the Constitution, as provided by the Assam Reorganization
(Meghalaya) Act of 1969. Meghalaya subsequently became
a full-fledged State on January 21, 1972. The proposed
Kuki State includes the Districts of Churachandpur and
Chandel; the Sadar Hills of Senapati District, and parts
of Ukhrul and Tamenglong.
This Kuki
demands are bitterly opposed by Naga groups. The Nagas
and Kukis were involved in a bitter ethnic feud during
the 1990’s, which had then claimed 905 lives, and displaced
over 100,000, mostly Kukis. The Nagas claim that Kukis
are immigrants settled in their land, and that a separate/autonomous
Kuki State would affect their dream of a ‘greater Nagaland’
(Nagalim) or the ‘alternative arrangement’ they
demand within Manipur. For the Manipur Government, granting
an autonomous arrangement to either groups within the
State of Manipur, or any other administrative division,
remains a difficult proposition.
Chief Minister
Okram Ibobi Singh has, on several occasions, reiterated
that the State cannot be further divided. Most recently,
on April 23, 2015, the Chief Minister reassured the people
that there would be no compromise on the territorial integrity
of Manipur.
The upgradation
of talks with UPF to the “political level” may mollify
Kuki rebels to an extent, but the ‘peace processes’ in
the fractious Northeast have as often been sources of
further strife as of the resolution of conflict. The state’s
approach to the multiplicity of ethnic conflicts in the
region has been consistently short sighted, and state
policy has contributed directly to an exacerbation of
ethnic polarization and tensions. Worse, the peace processes,
constantly delayed and indefinitely protracted, have themselves
become a source of frustration, even as the continuous
violation of the ground rules of SoO Agreements by rebel
formations causes enormous stress among civilian populations.
A comprehensive review of the current and shoddy approach
to conflict resolution in Manipur in particular, and the
wider Northeast in general, has long been overdue.
|
Sisyphean
Gains
Tushar
Ranjan Mohanty
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
Two 'commanders'
of the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and Tanzeem
Lashkar-e-Balochistan (TLB), along with a group of 57
insurgents, laid down their arms in the presence of Pakistan
Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawab Sanaullah Zehri
in the Khuzdar District of Balochistan on June 13, 2015.
According to reports, BLF commander Din Jan aka
Meeran and TLB leader Ubaidullah aka Beebarg laid
down their arms and vowed to join the ‘national mainstream’.
The leaders also chanted ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ (Long Live
Pakistan) and ‘Balochistan Paindabad’ (Balochistan Live
Forever).
The next
day, on June 14, another two 'commanders', along with
47 militants from banned Baloch insurgent groups, laid
down their arms and renounced violence in the presence
of Balochistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti at Quetta.
The two commanders, Madina Marri and Shikari Marri, were
affiliated with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and United
Baloch Army (UBA), respectively.
In the
other parts of the country, where the Army Operation Khyber-1
had been going on since October 16, 2014, 39 militants
belonging to Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) had surrendered to Security
Forces (SFs) on November 14, 2014. The Amy launched the
offensive with air strikes against LI hideouts in the
areas of Tirah Valley and Bara tehsil (revenue
unit) controlled by militant ‘commander’ Mangal Bagh.
On November
10, 2014, three key LI ‘commanders’ surrendered to authorities
in the Khyber Agency. Official sources claimed that the
newly appointed ‘spokesman’ of LI, Saifullah Saif, Commander
Ilyas and Commander Wajid, announced that they were leaving
LI and surrendered. Saifullah Saif belongs to the Qambar
Khel tribe, Ilyas to the Sipah area, while Commander Wajid
is from the Malik Din Khel tribe.
Further,
30 terrorists, including LI 'commanders', surrendered
to the authorities in Bara tehsil of the Khyber
Agency on November 5, 2014. Sources indicated that 'commander'
Kandahar, the chief of his own militant group of Zakhakhel
tribe, had surrendered along with dozens of his companions
in the Agency. Kandahar and his companions laid down arms
and vowed not to challenge the writ of the State.
In addition,
50 militants including important ‘commanders’ surrendered
to the SFs under operation Khyber-I in the Bara
tehsil of Khyber Agency in FATA on October 19,
2014. According to a December 6, 2014, statement by Inter-Services
Public Relations (ISPR) spokesman Major General Asim Saleem
Bajwa, more than 400 militants in Khyber Agency had surrendered
to SFs during Operation Khyber-I.
These surrenders,
however, are insignificant, and account for a very tiny
proportion of active militants across the country. Moreover,
the surrender process remains flawed, as was evident on
January 17, 2015, when, hardly a week after renouncing
violence (on January 10, 2015) and agreeing to cooperate
with the political administration of Khyber Agency in
the ongoing military operation, 50 hardcore terrorists
of the Amr Bil Maroof wa Nahi anil Munkir (Suppression
of Vice and the Promotion of Virtue), led by Commanders
Haya Khan and Waheed Khan, revolted against the ceasefire
and deal with the local political administration, and
joined the Pakistan chapter of the Islamic State (IS).
Similarly,
despite renouncing his activities against the Pakistani
state, Asmatullah Muawiya, the head of the Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP)
Punjab Chapter (also known as Punjabi Taliban), announced
on September 13, 2014, that his faction would devote its
resources to fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan. A TTP
video explained elaborated that Muawiya would devote his
resources to fighting NATO forces in Afghanistan, and
would engage in ‘Da’wah and Tableeghi’ [preaching] in
Pakistan.
On November
10, 2014, Khyber Agency Political Agent Shahab Ali Shah
had stated that the security of militants who surrendered
during Operation Khyber-I was the Government’s responsibility,
and that the Government would provide security to militants
and members of banned outfits who surrendered. This is
significant in view of the fact that surrendered militants
are under rising threat from active TTP and other terrorist/militant
formations, who are pressuring them to rejoin their movements
or face reprisals. For instance, on October 20, 2014,
LI claimed to have established full control over the Tirah
Valley and Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency, and declared
that those who had surrendered to the Government would
never be forgiven, and would have to face the consequences.
There is,
moreover, currently no consistent policy or legal framework
for rehabilitation of surrendered terrorists and militants,
and no coherent ‘surrender package’ The Swat Initiative,
one of at least two pilot programs that aimed to rehabilitate
militants captured by security forces, sought to cater
to three groups: juveniles, adults and family members.
The Islamabad based Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies
(PIPS) in its Security Report 2011, noted that the PKR
4.4 million allocated for the two programs had failed
to adequately budget for the rehabilitation of detained
militants.
Though
a de-radicalization program is envisaged in the National
Internal Security Policy of Pakistan (NISP) 2014-18, nearly
seven months on since its unveiling, there has been no
significant initiative for its implementation. Separately,
however, the "Sabwoon Rehabilitation Center"
was established by the Pakistan Army with the support
of the Hum Pakistani Foundation and UNICEF in 2009, to
rehabilitate militants, mostly juveniles, apprehended
during the operation. Though no current information regarding
the ‘success’ of this initiative is available, according
to a May 20, 2012, report, some 107 of 177 surrendered
militants had been rehabilitated under this programme.
Meanwhile,
on June 26 2015, Balochistan authorities announced a general
amnesty plan for all Baloch insurgents fighting locally,
who were willing to renounce violence and lay down their
arms. The amnesty plan was unveiled at the end of a meeting
of the provincial apex committee, headed by Balochistan
Chief Minister Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch. The meeting was
convened to review progress on the implementation of the
National Action Plan. It was agreed in the meeting that
a “peaceful, conciliatory Balochistan policy will be implemented
so that the youngsters who want to lay down arms and join
the mainstream can be granted amnesty and be encouraged
to rehabilitate themselves”. Under the scheme, small-time
fighters will be paid PKR 500,000. Mid-level commanders
will get PKR 1 million while top commanders will be paid
PKR 1.5 million if they surrender.
Pakistan
is now pursuing the ‘two pronged strategy’ of escalating
counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, on
the one hand, and incentives for militants to relinquish
the path of violence, on the other. While the strategy
will create some short term gains, these are likely to
remain cosmetic, as long as the deeper dynamic of state
backed radicalization and the instrumentalisation of Islamism
for domestic political management and strategic projection
abroad is not addressed. Further, the legitimate demands
of ethnic minorities continue to be ignored, even as their
marginalization and targeting by state agencies and proxies
continues. Despite the trickle of surrenders and the transient
‘military victories’ that are periodically announced,
consequently, it is unlikely that Pakistan is approaching
any lasting era of peace.
|
Weekly Fatalities:
Major Conflicts in South Asia
June 22-28, 2015
|
Civilians
|
Security
Force Personnel
|
Terrorists/Insurgents
|
Total
|
BANGLADESH
|
|
Left-wing
Extremism
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
INDIA
|
|
Jammu and
Kashmir
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
Meghalaya
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
Total (INDIA)
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
6
|
PAKISTAN
|
|
Balochistan
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
FATA
|
0
|
2
|
34
|
36
|
KP
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
Sindh
|
0
|
0
|
14
|
14
|
PAKISTAN
(Total)
|
|
|
|
|
Provisional
data compiled from English language media sources.
|
BANGLADESH
Militant
outfits
are
now
trying
to
recruit
rich
patrons
to
fund
their
own
activities,
say
Police:
Police
said
that
militant
outfits,
especially
the
recently
discovered
Islamic
State
(IS)-inspired
Junud
at-Tawheed
Wal
Khilafah,
are
now
trying
to
recruit
rich
patrons
to
fund
their
own
activities.
Police
further
said
that
targeting
rich
university
students
was
part
of
the
militants'
strategy
of
evading
suspicion
from
law
enforcers
as
well
as
ensuring
a
stable
source
of
funding.
Militants
scoured
through
the
internet
to
analyze
online
activities
of
potential
new
recruits
who
included
residents
of
posh
neighborhoods
as
well
as
university
students
and
Information
Technology
experts.
Dhaka
Tribune,
June
24,
2015.
Bangladesh
is
the
third
most
peaceful
country
in
South
Asia,
says
GPI
2015:
The
Global
Peace
Index
(GPI)
2015,
published
by
the
Institute
for
Economics
&
Peace
(IEP),
said
that
Bangladesh
is
the
third
most
peaceful
country
in
South
Asia
while
Bhutan
and
Nepal
secured
the
first
and
second
positions
in
terms
of
peaceful
country.
Sri
Lanka,
India,
Pakistan
and
Afghanistan
secured
the
fourth,
fifth,
sixth
and
seventh
positions
respectively
in
the
South
Asia.
The
Independent,
June
27,
2015.
INDIA
ISI
paying
PKR
one
million
to
steal
laptops
of
Indian
Army
personnel:
The
Inter-Services
Intelligence
(ISI)
is
offering
PKR
one
million
to
steal
laptops
of
Indian
Army
personnel,
as
per
the
investigation
conducted
by
the
National
Investigating
Agency
(NIA).
After
the
honey
traps
laid
by
the
ISI
to
get
information
from
low
ranking
officials
of
the
army
has
been
by
and
large
controlled,
the
new
modus
operandi
is
to
steal
laptops
belonging
to
army
officers.
One
India,
June
23,
2015.
Myanmar
Army
moves
closer
to
border
with
India
to
in
a
bid
to
check
insurgent
movement:
Closing
in
on
the
militant
camps
operating
in
Myanmar,
Myanmar
Army
has
positioned
itself
nearer
Indian
border
in
a
bid
to
choke
the
supply
route
of
insurgents.
Indian
officials
stated
that
the
current
operation
is
aimed
at
insurgent
camps
operating
in
Taga
of
Myanmar
which
requires
seven
days
of
travel
through
dense
jungles
from
Indo-Myanmar
border.
Sources
also
stated
that
Myanmar
forces
are
not
allowing
anyone
from
Indian
side
to
carry
ration
more
than
two
kilograms
to
cross
the
border
which
is
expected
to
leave
the
insurgents
short
of
supplies.
The Sangai
Express,
June
25,
2015.
Illegal
quarries
in
Karnataka
source
of
explosives
for
terror
groups,
says
report:
Illegal
quarries
have
become
the
source
of
explosives
for
terrorist
groups.
A
few
illegal
quarries
in
Karnataka
have
come
under
the
scanner
following
a
confession
of
Indian
Mujahideen
(IM)
operatives
who
have
told
the
Police
that
they
would
easily
procure
explosives
from
such
units.
Prior
to
the
carrying
out
the
Chinnaswamy
stadium
blast
(April
17,
2010)
and
the
13/7
(July
13,
2011)
Mumbai
attacks,
both
Yasin
Bhatkal
and
Assadullah
Akthar,
arrested
IM
operatives,
had
visited
few
quarries
in
Karnataka
and
sourced
explosives
that
were
used
in
the
blasts.
One
India,
June
26,
2015.
Over
600
killed
in
terrorist
attacks
in
northeast
since
2011,
RTI
query
reveals:
Over
600
people
have
been
killed
in
militant
attacks
and
insurgencies
in
the
northeastern
states
of
the
country
in
last
four
years,
an
RTI
query
has
revealed.
According
to
an
RTI
reply
by
the
Union
Ministry
of
Home
Affairs,
614
people
lost
their
lives,
including
105
Security
Force
personnel,
in
3,493
militant
attacks
and
extremist
groups'
violence.
Times
of
India,
June
28,
2015.
NEPAL
CDC
taskforce
readies
preliminary
draft
of
new
Constitution:
The
taskforce
of
Constitution
Drafting
Committee
(CDC)
formed
to
prepare
an
integrated
draft
of
the
new
Constitution
has
prepared
the
preliminary
draft
on
June
26.
The
draft
was
tabled
at
the
CDC
of
the
Constituent
Assembly
(CA).
After
endorsement,
it
will
be
presented
to
the
CA.
Taskforce
members
say
the
draft
was
submitted
to
the
CDC
despite
failing
to
resolve
some
of
the
disputes.
Kantipur Online,
June
27,
2015.
PAKISTAN
Air
strikes
kill
34
militants
in
FATA:
Air
strikes
killed
at
least
20
militants
in
the
areas
close
to
Pak-Afghan
border
in
the
Shawal
Valley
area
of
North
Waziristan
Agency
in
Federally
Administered
Tribal
Areas
(FATA)
on
June
28.
The
deeply
forested
ravines
are
a
smuggling
route
between
Pakistan
and
neighbouring
Afghanistan,
and
are
dotted
with
terrorist
bases
used
as
launch
pads
for
attacks
on
Pakistani
forces.
Further
on
the
same
day,
14
more
militants
were
killed
in
the
air
strikes
in
the
areas
on
the
side
of
Khyber
Agency.
Daily Times,
June
29,
2015.
General
Amnesty
plan
unveiled
for
all
home-based
Baloch
insurgents:
Authorities
in
Balochistan
during
a
meeting
of
the
provincial
apex
committee,
headed
by
Balochistan
Chief
Minister
Dr
Abdul
Malik
Baloch,
on
June
26
announced
a
general
amnesty
plan
for
all
home-based
Baloch
militants
who
are
willing
to
renounce
violence
and
lay
down
their
arms.
According
to
an
official
handout,
the
apex
committee
meeting
analysed
in
detail
the
need
for
maintaining
law
and
order
in
the
province.
Tribune,
June
27,
2015.
Military
court
trials
in
democratic
era
amount
to
dictatorship,
asserts
Supreme
Court:
As
the
17-member
full
bench
of
the
Supreme
Court,
headed
by
Chief
Justice
Nasir-ul-Mulk,
resumed
hearing
in
the
case
filed
by
different
bar
associations
of
the
country
against
the
18th
and
21st
constitutional
amendments
on
June
23
it
observed
that
bringing
certain
matters
within
the
purview
of
military
courts
during
a
democratic
dispensation
was
also
dictatorship
and
the
court
would
not
allow
it.
Justice
Jawwad
S.
Khawaja
remarked,
"If
the
Government
can
call
the
army
in
its
aid
under
Article
245
of
the
Constitution
for
fear
of
a
revolution
then
it
could
also
be
done
now
and
there
was
no
need
for
formation
of
military
courts."
Dawn,
June
24,
2015.
SRI
LANKA
Government
has
not
made
any
decision
to
withdraw
military
camps
from
north
and
east,
says
Prime
Minister
Ranil
Wickremesinghe:
Prime
Minister
Ranil
Wickremesinghe
told
the
Parliament
on
June
23
that
the
Government
has
not
made
any
decision
to
withdraw
military
camps
from
north
and
east.
The
Prime
Minister
said
the
decision
to
withdraw
camps
is
left
for
the
Army
to
take
and
when
such
decisions
are
made
Parliament
would
be
informed.
Colombo
Page,
June
24,
2015.
The South
Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) is a weekly service that
brings you regular data, assessments and news briefs on
terrorism, insurgencies and sub-conventional warfare, on
counter-terrorism responses and policies, as well as on
related economic, political, and social issues, in the South
Asian region.
SAIR is a project
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and the
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