THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary-April 17, 2017- Topic 2
Army personnel using
'human shield'
The rights thing
Reports of Army personnel using a
young man as a human shield in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district must not
only invite a swift inquiry and justice, but also compel the Army and the
government to issue clear statements on the unacceptability of this shocking
practice. A short video clip that went viral on Friday showed a man tied to the
bonnet of an Army jeep being driven through the streets, as it escorted
election officials on polling day in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency.
Heard in the clip, on what appears to be the public address system of the
vehicle, are the threatening words, “Paththar bazon ka yeh haal hoga (this
shall be the fate of stone-pelters).” The man has subsequently been identified
as Farooq Dar, a 26-year-old who embroiders shawls, and the Army personnel are
said to belong to the 53 Rashtriya Rifles. There is a lack of total clarity on
exactly what happened, including how long Mr. Dar was tied to the bonnet — he
says he was subjected to this humiliation as the vehicle passed through 10 to
12 villages, while Army sources have been quoted as saying it was for just
about 100 metres. But such questions relating to distance are hardly the issue.
The larger point here is that if he was indeed forcibly strapped on to the
bonnet, it amounts to an instance of gross human rights violation, and must
officially be called out in clear terms.
Human
shields have often been used cynically by terrorist organisations — the Islamic State uses
civilians as shields in its battles, and the LTTE used them in the closing stages of the
civil war in Sri Lanka. To use a person as a human shield is to abduct him, to
hold him hostage, and to potentially put him in harm’s way. There is no
argument that the Army, which is caught in a situation in which terrorists attempt
to blend in with the civilian population, is fighting a difficult and
unenviable battle. But the difficulties in fighting a hybrid war do not
constitute a justification for the use of human shields, which is categorised
as a war crime by the Geneva Conventions. Only a couple of days before the
human shield video surfaced, another one — which showed CRPF personnel
exercising admirable restraint as they were pushed and beaten by youth in
Kashmir — had gone viral. It is ironic and hypocritical that some of those who
commended such self-control are now defending the indefensible use of a human
shield. It is true that the polling in Srinagar was held in a hostile
environment, the abysmally low 7% turnout being a
reflection of local alienation as well as intimidation by militants to keep
people away from voting. But the security bandobast was aimed precisely to
reassure the people and not to force an ‘us vs them’ binary. The Army must
expedite the inquiry and act against the erring personnel where warranted. Its
response must also publicly affirm its Code of Conduct vis-Ã -vis civilians, which includes the clause, “Violation
of human rights… must be avoided under all circumstances, even at the cost of
operational success”. To do any less would amount to being a party to rights
violations.
Vocabulary
Bonnet: a
protective cover or cap over a machine or object, in particular.
Example:Well, with that and the money I make from this
story, Chris' bonnet is almost covered.
Escorted: accompany
someone somewhere, especially for protection or security, or as a mark of rank.
Example:Shiona escorted Janice to the door
Synonyms: conduct, accompany, guide, lead, usher, shepherd
Embroiders: add
fictitious or exaggerated details to (an account) to make it more interesting.
Example:She embroidered her stories with colorful detail
Synonyms: elaborate, embellish, enlarge
on, exaggerate
Strap: fasten or
secure in a specified place or position with a strap or seat belt.
Example:I had to strap the bag to my bicycle
Synonyms: fasten, secure, tie, bind, make
fast, lash, truss
Unenviable: difficult,
undesirable, or unpleasant.
Example:He had the unenviable task of trying to reconcile
their disparate interests
Synonyms: disagreeable, nasty, unpleasant, undesirable
Restraint: unemotional,
dispassionate, or moderate behavior; self-control.
Example:He urged the protesters to exercise restraint
Synonyms: self-control, self-restraint, self-discipline, control, moderation
Indefensible: not able
to be protected against attack.
Example:The towns were tactically indefensible
Synonyms: inexcusable, unjustifiable, unjustified, unpardonable
Intimidation: the action
of intimidating someone, or the state of being intimidated.
Example:The intimidation of
witnesses and jurors