Source: Leader writer : Nongthang Simba
Posted: 2009-11-21

Stories of kidnap for ransom have become commonplace in Manipur today. Practically every day of the year, in some corner of the new pages of dailies brought out from Imphal there are news of fresh kidnaps of government officials, or protest pickets of distraught women demanding the government do something to have kidnapped victims released, or else news of jubilation at the release of kidnapped victims, obviously after a ransom has been negotiated and paid up. As expected a ransom paid is never the end of the story, for the very fact a ransom has been paid ensure that more kidnaps for ransom happens. The story quid pro quo story is never ending and can be never ending in a ransom situation. A very dangerous trend has been set off in which, we are certain, many more important government officials would become the target for kidnapping for political ransom.
One other issue has been brought to the fore by the unfolding and perennial tragic situation. Should the government not come out with a policy on kidnapping and ransom demands? In the event of more such kidnapping in the future, (we hope there aren’t any more), what should be the government’s stand? The case of The Wall Street Journal correspondent, Daniel Pearl, comes to mind. Subsequent to it, the US government has openly declared it would never pay ransom, no matter who or how important the kidnapped victim is. This seems rather heartless, but it does make sense, for as we have said earlier, once conceded, there can be no end to the problem. As a matter of fact, it can set off an avalanche of abductions.
One other story from the past and involving another tough and gritty nation – Israel – comes to mind. This happened at about the time the famous Israeli dissident, Mordechai Vanunu, who revealed to the world that Israel was secretly on the verge of becoming a nuclear power, was in the limelight. (How the Israeli secret service, the dreaded Mossad, caught up with Vanunu, is another saga in the realm of legend in detective history of the world). Perhaps Israel which has been a target of kidnapping for a long time has learnt vital lessons in counter kidnapping strategies.
Israel today is either hated or loved. But one thing cannot be disputed at all. The country has tremendous resolve to push things to the limits. Its government as well as people also can make unimaginable sacrifices if it is deemed to be for the better of all in the long run. Anecdotes are plenty in this regard from the country. This one is a true story. An Israeli army officer who was off duty and off uniform, although with a concealed handgun, was once overpowered and stabbed by some Palestinian youth. The officer survived the stab wounds but not the Israeli army court martial. The most damaging charge pressed against him was why he allowed himself to be overpowered and what was he doing in a neighbourhood where he ran the risk of being overpowered. The greater damage in his being stabbed, his prosecutors insisted, was not so much on his individual self, but the morale of the Israeli public. Although we are averse to the idea of the civil population leading a regimented lifestyle, there is much to be learnt from this story. The lesson is, public figures must realise their fortunes as well as misfortunes have a weighty bearing on the morale of the general public.
There are vital lessons to be learnt by Manipur from this. It must begin sending out the message that kidnapping for ransom is a useless exercise for there is no ransom to be paid at all at the end of any kidnapping. This of course is easier said than done. Moreover, unlike Israel or America, where kidnappings as and when they occur cannot be blamed on government negligence of security issues, the same cannot be of Manipur under any circumstance.

 

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