Challenges to Internal Security | UPSC Mains: Internal Security & Disaster Management PDF Download

Internal security is simply an act of preserving and maintaining the unity and integrity of the state, maintaining law and order, and thus upholding the sovereignty of the country within the territory of the country from disruptive and anti-national forces.

Classification of Internal Security Threats 

• External Threats: Threats such as Terrorism especially through non-state actors (e.g., Jaish e Mohammad), War with neighbouring countries, and foreign intelligence activities (especially Fourth Generation Warfare) can be considered as external threats.
• Internal Threats: Threats such as Separatist or Secessionist tendency (e.g., Naxalism, Dravida Nadu, etc), Communal activities and violence due to it (e.g., Khalistan Movement),
• Internally aided external Threats: Support given by some extremist and separatist organisations within the country to foreign nations to destabilise their own country.
• Externally aided internal Threats: Funding and support from agencies like ISI (a state actor) and Information Warfare in the form of Electoral Interference (e.g., Cambridge Analytica) come under this.

Insurgency in North-East

Factors Responsible for Insurgency in North-East

• Diverse and Complex Topography: The topography of the northeast is predominantly mountainous, with a humid climate and the longest mountain ranges.
• Change in Demography: Assam's population has seen a significant shift as a result of the migration of refugees from the former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) into the state.

Social Factor

• Ethnic clashes of tribes: Conflicts in the region range from insurgency for secession to insurgency for autonomy; from ‘sponsored terrorism’ to ethnic clashes, to conflicts generated as a result of the continuous inflow of migrants from across the borders as well as from other states.
• Internal Displacement: This issue has persisted for a while. Over 800,000 people were displaced from their homes as a result of interethnic conflict between the 1990s and the beginning of 2011 in western Assam, along the Assam-Meghalaya border, and in Tripura.

Economic Factor

• Developmental deficit: There is a lack of infrastructure like roads, railways, and energy and the absence of industrialization because of which educated youth are not getting adequate job opportunities.
• External Support: There is 'growing evidence' that China is resuming its 'covert offensive' in the area. In the 1960s, the Special Services Group (SSG) of Pakistan trained the Naga insurgents out of facilities in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)

Political Factor

• Ideological impact: Moreover, because of infrastructural bottlenecks further development is inhibited.
• Regional aspirations: The aspiration of the different groups presents a big challenge in the development of this region which led to the insurgency in the region.
• Isolation, Exploitation, and Deprivation: Being far from New Delhi and having little representation in the Lok Sabha has further diminished the voice of the people's interests being heard in the halls of power thus, making the call of the gun more alluring.

Administrative Factor

• Lacking Governance: The politico-administrative arrangements made by the Centre have also been lacking.
• Protest against AFSPA: The application of AFSPA in the region shows the inability and reluctance of the government to solve the conflict with adequate political measures.

Challenges to Address Insurgency in North East 

• Disintegrated Society: Because of the protracted armed conflict, an estimated 76,000 persons are still internally displaced in North East India.
• Alienation: People in the North East feel cut off from the rest of the country due to historical causes for segregation and isolation from the mainland.
• Deprivation: The availability of essential services, such as drinking water, restrooms, and power, demonstrates significant state-level disparities.
• Internal Displacement: The displacement of indigenous communities, long-standing internal tensions, and long- standing tribal conflicts in the northeast region have all been made worse by long-term inward migration from other parts of India.

Economic:

• Unemployment: The NE states continue to be underdeveloped despite having abundant natural resources including coal and hydropower potential. In urban areas, Tripura had India's highest unemployment rate (25.2%) in 2011–12, closely followed by Nagaland (23.8%).
• Low levels of economic development: It has contributed to the region's low per capita income and unemployment. The youth are drawn to insurgent groups due to their low level of development.

Administrative:

• Political support for insurgency: Vote-bank politics leads to support from political leaders for different insurgent organizations in exchange for their limited political benefits, which has a negative impact on social cohesion and harmony.
• Political instability: The democratic process was hampered by the violent fight for dominance among several ethnic groups.

Cultural:

• Complex Ethnic Relations: The majority of ethnopolitical stories in Northeast India begin with a description of the ethnic diversity of the area, frequently mentioning the multiple tribes that live there and speak hundreds of different languages.
• Identity: The main tenets around which identity conflict revolves are ethnic assertion, revivalism, and the need for a separate area.
• Demography: Serious ethnic tensions between tribal and non-tribal Bengalis have existed in Tripura since 1980, mostly due to the expulsion of Bengali immigrants who arrived after 1949.

Security:

• A hostile neighbour like China extends moral and material support to the insurgent groups.
• Organized Crime: Besides the problems of development, different border segments have different social problems such as incursion, infiltration, migration, smuggling, drug trafficking, AIDS, etc.
• Cross Border Movement of Insurgents: The Naga, Mizo, Meitei, and Assamese militants have been entering Myanmar to establish bases ever since the Northeast conflict began in the 1950s. This was  further fuelled by instability in Myanmar.

Geographic:

• Porous International Border: The Northeast region of India has borders with China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Nepal. Uncertainty exists regarding the river's border delineation.
• Dense forests: More than 55% of the region's land is covered with forests, which are quite prevalent. Both ground and aircraft observation are hampered by dense foliage.
• Topography Challenges: The NE region's topography is semi-mountainous, with steep hills covered in deep forests, perennial rivers, and seasonal waterfalls.

1.1 Tribal Violence in Manipur

• India's north-eastern province of Manipur has recently experienced bloody confrontations between several ethnic groups.

Background of Conflict:

• Manipur HC order: Following a March 27, 2023, Manipur High Court judgement for the state administration to provide a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks regarding the Meitei community's claim for ST designation, the tribal people are opposed to reservations for Meiteis.
• Political, economic, and cultural problems have long been at the root of the conflict between the Meiteis and the tribal people.
• About Meitei: The non-tribal Meitei, who make up more than 64% of the state's population and generate 40 of the state's 60 MLAs, are the dominant ethnic group in the valley, which makes up around 10% of Manipur's land area.
• About Tribals: More than 35% of the officially recognised tribes are found in the hills, which makeup 90% of the area's surface but only send 20 MLAs to the Assembly.

The 33 acknowledged tribes, generically categorised as "Any Naga tribes' and "Any Kuki tribes," are predominantly Christian whereas Muslims and Hindus make up the bulk of Meiteis.
Reservation Issue:

• Demands of Meiteis: Since 2012, the Meiteis, who control the Imphal Valley and makeup around 64% of the state's population, have demanded ST status.
  They contend that as an indigenous people, they have lost their homeland, culture, and sense of self because of emigration and assimilation.
  Additionally, they assert that receiving ST designation will aid in the preservation of their native territory, customs, cultures, and languages.
• Opposition from Tribal Groups: The Meitei aspiration for ST classification is opposed by the tribal people who live in the nearby hills and make up more than 35% of the population.
  They worry that it will lessen their access to political power, advantages from reservations, and land rights.

1.2 Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)

• Currently, AFSPA is in effect in parts of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
  AFSPA is also in effect in Jammu and Kashmir through the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990.
• Earlier, AFSPA was completely withdrawn in Meghalaya in 2018, Tripura in 2015 and Mizoram in the 1980s.

About AFSPA

• AFSPA for North-Eastern states was passed in 1958.
• It gives armed forces the power to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.
  1. Disturbed area is an area in such a disturbed or dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.
  2. Central Government, or Governor of State or administrator of Union Territory can declare whole or part of State or UT as a disturbed area.
• Act gives various special powers to armed forces like:
  1. To prohibit a gathering of five or more persons in an area.
  2. Can use force or open fire if they feel a person is in contravention of the law.
  3. If reasonable suspicion exists, can also arrest a person without a warrant; enter or search a premises and ban the possession of firearms.

Issues with AFSPA

• Violation of rights: Act violates Constitutional provisions of right to life, right to remedy and right to be free from arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
• Violates International Law: The AFSPA, in its application, violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention Against Torture and the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials.
• Centre-state conflicts: Law and order is a state subject. However, acts like AFSPA undermine states’ autonomy in times of peace as well.
• Misuse of powers: Several instances have been reported where armed forces have allegedly misused the powers given by the Act.

Way Forward 

• In Naga People's Movement of Human Rights v. Union of India (1998), the court held that Section 3 cannot be read to grant the authority to make a declaration at any moment. Before the period of six months has passed, the declaration should be periodically reviewed.
• Inderjit Barua v. State of Assam (1983): The Governor has the authority to designate any portion of the State as a "disturbed area." Because there are no governing laws, it cannot be arbitrary.
• Adherence to Human Rights: The Army should put in public domain details of all court-martials held concerning human rights violations.
• Open dialogue channel: The government should try to resolve the long-running insurgency in Northeastern states through dialogue with insurgent groups.
• Independent inquiry: Every death caused by the armed forces in a disturbed area, be it of a common person or a criminal, should be thoroughly investigated.
• Accelerate development plans: The development deficit in the North-east region is also said to be a major reason for the insurgency.
• Implementing it on a case-by-case basis: Instead of enforcing it over the entire state, the government should examine the installation and abolition of AFSPA on an individual basis and restrict its applicability to just a few unsettling districts.
• Abiding Guidelines: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Jeevan Reddy Commission, and the Supreme Court have all established rules that the government and security forces must follow.

Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism) 

• The Naxal insurgency in India originated in a 1967 uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal by the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The conflict is concentrated in the Eastern part of the country, particularly an area known as the Red Corridor spread across the states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

Factors Responsible For Rise of Naxalism 

• Land Related Factors:
  Tribal peoples' dissatisfaction with the government: The Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980 forbids tribals who depend on forest goods for their livelihood from even harvesting a bark.
  Jal-Jangal-Jameen (3Js)
• Encroachment and occupation of govt. and community lands
• Non-regularization of traditional land rights
• Evading ceiling laws
• Acquisition of land without appropriate compensation and rehabilitation

Political Factors:

• Nature and apathy of the political system towards Tribals remained one of the most important factors that led to such uprisings.
• Inability of political authority towards the deprived sections of society in India to provide avenues for structural uplift in the affected states.
• Lack of political participation by the tribal community.

Economic Factors:

• Issues: A few problems include communication, access to energy, poverty, a lack of access to health care, a lack of awareness and education, and unemployment.
• Income Gap: The gap in wealth between the wealthy and the poor is growing.
• Issues of agrarian community: The Maoists have included in their programme signing off the peasant’s debts, besides restoration of farm subsidies, investment in irrigation, proper prices of farm produce and restricting Multinational Companies.

Environmental Degradation:

• Environmental degradation in the form of the destruction of land and water resources due to mining and industrial activities.

Lack of basic facilities:

• Lack of basic facilities like education, freedom, sanitation and food.
• The socially backward tribals form the major support base for Naxalites because of inequality, illiteracy and lack of opportunities.

Governance Deficit:

• Improper Implementation of Govt Initiative: Regular administration, lack of state government action to solve the issue, absence of administration in remote areas, execution, and improper management of government initiatives.

Social deficit:

• Violation of human rights
• Abuse of dignity of life
• Disconnect with mainstream society

Development Deficit:

• Lack of Infrastructure
• Huge gender and income gap
• Lack of health and education facilities

Government Approach Towards Naxalism in the Country 

1. The National Policy and Action Plan 2015: Implemented by MHA since 2015 is a multi-pronged strategy in the areas of security, development, ensuring rights and entitlements, etc. to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
   • Strengthen infrastructure development initiatives: Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I) has been implemented by the MoRTH, since 2009 to improve road connectivity in 34 LWE-affected districts of 8 States.
2. Road Connectivity Project for LWE-affected areas (RRP-II): It was approved in 2016 for further improving road connectivity in 44 districts of 9 LWE affected states.
   • LWE Mobile Tower Project: To improve mobile connectivity in the LWE areas.
3. Approval of projects under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) supported scheme to provide mobile services.
   • ROSHNI Scheme is a special initiative under Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana that provides placement-linked skill development for rural youth in 24 LWE-affected districts in India.
4. SAMADHAN- A Comprehensive Policy Tool: It is an integrated strategy that enables LWE to be successfully and fully combated. A collection of both short- and long-term policies developed at various levels.
5. Aspirational District Program: The Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked with monitoring the Aspirational District Program in 35 LWE-affected districts.

Fiscal Measures:

• Monitoring the funding of Naxalites: The Union Ministry of home affairs has formed multidisciplinary groups with officers from central agencies, including the IB, NIA, CBI, ED and DRI, and state police to choke the financial flow to Maoists.
• Accelerate Employment Initiatives Measures: The GOI is executing several schemes under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) that are empowering the citizens with the required skill sets to earn their livelihood.
• Surrender Policy: Naxal-affected states have also made announcements regarding their surrender procedures. For example, the governments of Chhattisgarh and Orissa have provided financial incentives.

Technological Measures:

• Technological Solution: The National Technical Research Organization (NTRO) is assisting the Security Forces in anti-Naxal operations by providing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• Tracking Weapons Flow: Any proactive counterinsurgency force relies heavily on timely technical intelligence, and the strength of that force is determined by how well that intelligence is received.

Other Measures:

• Black Panther combat force: A specialised anti-Naxal combat force for Chhattisgarh on the lines of the Greyhounds unit in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Bastariya Battalion: A newly formed battalion of CRPF with more than 534 tribal youth from four highly Naxal- infested districts of Chhattisgarh and adequate female representation in sync with the government’s policy of 33% reservation for women making it the first composite battalion in any of paramilitary forces.
• Surrender and rehabilitation programmes: State Governments have their own policy, while the Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Governments through the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme for LWE-affected States.
• Engage youth through education: Seeing the success of the educational hub and a livelihood centre in Dante Wada district, the government has now opened up livelihood centres, known as Livelihood Colleges, in all the districts.
• Media strategy: The media has shown to be an effective tool for educating the target people about the government's socio-economic development programmes and their rights and entitlements.

Illegal Immigration 

• Threat to National Security: It is alleged that among the illegal migrants there are also militants especially groups such as NSCN-K/ULFA, who enter India to carry out terrorist activities.
• Human trafficking: In recent decades, trafficking of women and human smuggling has become quite rampant across borders.
• Community tension: The Commission on Integration and Cohesion found that tension usually exists with the presence of high levels of migration combine with other forms of social exclusion like poverty, poor housing, etc.
• Increase financial burden: Immigration has increased pressure on the part of the government, as the government has to increase the expenditure on education and health facilities for the immigrants.
• Illegal voters: Most illegal immigrants have got their names enlisted in the voting list illegally, thereby claiming themselves as citizens of the state.
• Crisis of identity: The influx of immigrants created a crisis of identity among the indigenous people of the region.
• Environmental degradation: Large areas of forestland were encroached upon by the immigrants for settlement and cultivation. This creates conflict in resource utilization with the local communities.

Way forward for India

• Effective policy: The central government should frame a holistic refugee policy for management of such immigration.
• Diplomatic Effort: To get neighbouring countries to cooperate in resolving the issue of illegal migration.
• Unique identity card: Government should introduce identity cards for the borderland people who frequently used to cross borders for different reasons.
• Fencing border: There is a vast area of the border that is not protected by fencing. The central government should complete the border fencing.
• Use of regional forums: Forums like BIMSTEC can be used to discuss issues like illegal migration from neighboring countries and garner support and coordination from the members.
• Better management of borders: Border guards like BSF, and ITBP should be strengthened and a second line of defense can be created by the State government through the state police force.