Seven IED blasts yet it was not termed Terrorism, national media pays less attention to strikes in Assam

Serial blasts rocked Assam on Republic Day.

The banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is suspected to be behind the serial IED blasts.

Besides, there were blasts in Manipur too.

But did you hear about them?

Did you read the news or anlysis and information about it in papers?

There is little chance because TV channels didn't find it newsy enough.

National newspapers also ignored it. There were no front page reports. ULFA is a banned terror outfit. But when it is behind any explosion, its members are not called terrorists or even extremists.

The blasts are not termed as 'terror acts' either. The blasts took plcae in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo in Assam almost simultaneously, reports News 18.

CALL FOR BOYCOTT OF R-DAY!

"Militant groups had called for a boycott of Republic Day celebrations in the northeastern region", the report further said. Some other papers reported the news but it didn't become a 'breaking news' at all.

Doesn't it indicate failure of BJP-led government in Assam? Were there any questions raised on law-and-order situation in North Eastern state! Any panel discussions on why situation fails to improve in Assam.

Interestingly, 'terrorism' becomes 'insurgency' in media, though ULFA is responsible for maximum number of deaths due to terror in India. Take for example this PTI report carried in The Hindu. LINK

NARROW ESCAPE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Times of India reported that, "A group of school children going for the Republic Day celebration at Dibrugarh had a miraculous escape when a bomb planted under a culvert exploded in front of them".

"In Manipur, the first explosion took place adjacent to the compound wall of a government college close to an Assam Rifles camp at Singjamei area in Imphal West. Another bomb went off near a CRPF camp at Mantripukhri a few minutes later", it further wrote.

It's not the first such incident when double standards in coverage has been witnessed. On one hand arrest of a youth on mere suspicion leads to media debates and spreading sensationalism for days. But on the other hand, even such acts don't get coverage. 

If a state has an outfit of one particular religion, even before any probe, news channels blame it and then, for days, it is repeated. On the other hand, if the state doesn't have such militancy, then organisations with cadre belonging to other religion are just not seen as terrorists or even extremists. Worse, news is suppressed, as if it is 'no major incident'.

SO MANY BANNED OUTFITS IN NORTH EAST CONTINUE TO OPERATE!

"At least seven militant outfits under the conglomerate of United National Liberation Front of Western South East Asia (UNLFW) including Ulfa (I), NSCN (K) and Corcom of Manipur had called for a boycott the Republic Day celebration in the region", reported Times of India.

"Manipur Governor Najma Heptula unfurled the tri colour amid tight security arrangements at the historic Kangla fort. In Assam, the banned anti-talk Ulfa-I exploded seven low intensity bombs at four places to mark their protest on Republic Day", the paper further wrote.

8,000 killed in 30 years in Assam insurgency: Terrorism not linked to religion as terror groups' religious links in North East India prove

Just a few days ago, terrorists opened fire in a crowded market in Assam, killing 14 persons no the spot and injuring as many others.

It was one of the deadliest attacks at a public space in India, but it didn't lead to national outrage.

TV channels didn't focus on it much, and newspapers were content with small follow-up stories the next day.

The reason was probably because the outfit didn't have an Arabic or Islamic name. NDFB, a militant outfit, was the prime suspect behind the attack.

Reports didn't talk much about modules. Photos of main leaders of the groups were not shown either.

Alas, such attacks are not new to Assam, or even the entire North East. Recoveries of IEDs, killings, terrorism--all this has been a part of daily lives for millions of people in North Eastern India, for several decades.

A chart that shows figures of deaths [of civilians, security personnel and the militants] is also available along with this news item. Hundreds are killed every year in this state alone. You can read the Hindustan Times' report here.

Globalsecurity.org puts the figure of deaths at 10,000 in just one state [Assam]. Of the eight states in North East, Assam alone has seen 8,000-10,000 killings because of terrorism. The estimates depend on if you take last 20 yrs, 30 yrs or 35 years.

This figure increases manifold if its neighbouring states like Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur are included.

In fact, even Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh have had militant groups. And remember, they have nothing to do with Islam or Muslims.

In all these states, terror has killed thousands over decades. The figure of deaths due to terror* is among one of the highest in the world, in this region. 

[*You may call it terrorism, insurgency, radicalism, militancy or separatist movement--it's your choice but the killers are terrorists, without doubt.]

The chief outfits responsible for killings are ULFA--United Liberation Front of Assam apart from NDFB. ULFA is officially termed a terrorist outfit and is banned in India. Yet, it has one of the biggest cadres.

In terms of killings, these outfits have killed far more people--Indians, than any other outfit.

Still, wanton killings of 'Hindi speakers', 'non-Assamese', 'Bodo' or 'non-Bodo', Muslims and Biharis, are sadly taken less seriously in the media. The words like 'Rebel', 'Radical', 'Extremist', 'Insurgent' and sometime 'militant' are used, but not the word 'Terrorist'.

However, the truth is that no outfit or group stands anywhere close, not even 1/10th when it comes to the extent of killings and violence these groups have perpetrated.

The ULFA cadre belongs to Hindus. Some other outfits have other minorities including some Christians.

You may cleverly use the word 'separatist' but the fact remains that just like the terrorists in Kashmir, these terrorists in Assam have been bleeding the state for decades.

Terrorism is against humanism, against ordinary people. It is always condemnable--either it is Jihadi, Leftist, Right-wing, Islamist, Hindutva or indoctrination is by any means--for language or territory.

It harms when terror is linked to religion because it is basically irrational and absolutely incorrect. Clearly, terror can't be linked to any religion.

LINKS:

1. About ULFA on South Asian Terrorism Portal. READ
2. National Democratic Front of Bodoland. READ
3. Wikipedia article about Assam insurgency, ULFA and killings. READ
4. Lives lost in Assam due to insurgency. READ
5. Thousands killed in 24 years: Killings in Assam yr after yr [South Asia Terrorism Portal] READ