When weapons bleed
By: Adaa Bhardwaj
Tags: Armed Forces, Human Rights, Police Brutality

The Armed Forces in any nation have been the omnipresent flag-bearers of heroism and renunciation, since time immemorial. Disregarding the age-long perks that come coupled with executive powers, a member of the Forces is second-to-none. The gratification, acknowledgment of their consistent stoicism, and complete desolation from those they consider family, have been matters of perpetual consideration and appreciation. However, just like every limb of society, they too have had their share of denouncement, with certain sects blemishing their ways of handling predicaments in unforeseen set-ups. From charges of human rights violations to grotesque killings, they have been subjected to perilous accusations. More often than not, these cannot be substantiated with viable evidence, but what follows is an incessant cycle of suspicion, mistrust, and uninvited interrogations.

Almost every nation presently, is dealing with extremely delicate junctures owing to the enemies within and outside. Times like these, strengthen our belief in the security forces of the country and render us to be devoid of apprehension. Nevertheless, with recent indictments particularly in such distressed areas, the local population might begin to feel threatened. Reports of sexual abuse, kidnappings, and authoritarianism have flooded the digital media like an exodus. As citizens, the view is largely polarised. History has been an uncanny alibi of coercive coups led by the Army, which has paralyzed the economy and human welfare in the said countries. It has witnessed democracies being jettisoned to the grades of dictatorial might and a holistic society being reft of its privileges. The general public’s participation in governance diminishes to void and deliberations over matters of the bourgeois are helmed by a chosen few. Certain legalities may also retard the liability process and make the organization less answerable. Animal trafficking too has become a recurring phenomenon that irks us to reflect upon the fallacies of society.

Being recruited in one of the most back-breaking organizations of any country is undeniably an insignia of stoutness. You are designated to be an integral part of multiple highly covert modi operandi and the stakes keep inflating. While any segment responsible for running the machinery of the country has certain accountability, the Armed Forces are (commonly) unique in their behavior. Their operations are preferably kept discrete and there are grave residues if these terms are not abided by. A particular sect of the polity might use these exclusive instances to deviate unprecedented actions in their favor and may expunge the importance of the Forces’ secrecy. This captures it in a Catch-22 situation. It is a thread-wide delimitation between quenching the thirst of ever-interrogative Human Rights activists and keeping the sanctity, esteem, and prominence of national security. Upon constant bickering between these two legs of our society, the independent and reliable operations of the Forces are taken for a spin. A brazen and unreachable organ of governance too, is more a liability than an aid.

If we initiate to decipher the solutions for the aforementioned hindrances, we might reach a far-fetched conclusion to a problem spanning centuries. However, considering the political implications, there is a massive plausibility that such agendas are best left unresolved. While the Forces are expected to remain coldly apolitical, we have all observed the ideological leanings of the crème de la crème. No institution can stand stalwart without the staunch support of those in power, albeit, the armed forces have carved a niche owing to their solitary design. Not questioning these powers can lead to an absolute concentration of dominance and the consequences cannot be prophesied. The backroom conversations steering the paramount decisions that determine/undermine the very idea of a nation should come under the purview of the public eye. Striking the inch-perfect balance that doesn’t hamper the legitimate overview of the such an institution is true, an arduous task, but if achieved can lead to a restoration of people’s credence in it.

In a nutshell, pellet shootings, human shields, riot-control amongst other contentious matters are purely subjective in nature. It is expedient to be passing judgments and analyzing the consequences of these at a later point in time but rarely do we attempt to put ourselves in the shoes of those who are predisposed to give up on their lives and its privileges. However, this does not validate any of the inhumane and barbaric nature of crimes being committed on vulnerable sections of society. A holistic equilibrium where we respect the detachment of our Armed Forces and one where we are being assured of an unimpeachable execution of the rights being given to them is perhaps, the only way onward.