Containing Violence: India (1998)

Background
Since independence in 1947, there had been violence and instability in the north east of India due to the desire amongst some elements for self-determination or secession. Trouble started in Manipur in 1949 when the Maharaja of Manipur signed a Manipur Merger Agreement with India. A large part of the population determined to resist this direct rule from Delhi. As the resistance movement escalated the government in Delhi enacted the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in 1958 which gave the armed forces the authority to shoot to kill and rendered them immune from prosecution for so doing. By 1999 there were 18 active insurgent movements in Manipur state. The civilian population was subject to harassment, violence and torture. In 1998 a 15 year old boy, Yumlembam Sanamacha and his brothers were taken from their home, imprisoned and tortured. The boy disappeared; a not uncommon happening in Manipur.

Involvement
Witness is an American based non-government organization (NGO) which uses the power of video to expose human rights abuses. Human Rights Alert is an NGO committed to the protection of human rights. Together these organization produced a video about the disappearance of Sanamacha.

Witness had the inspiration for the use of video as a human rights tool by the amateur videoing of the brutal beating of Rodney King by the police in Los Angeles in 1992. This video received international coverage and caused outrage round the world. In spreading their movement Witness found the need for a training to ‘marry a grounding in technical expertise with instruction in the substance of issue-based human rights campaigning’. Witness also found that the media was not interested in human rights stories and they used technology as a way of bypassing the mainstream media. They use their internet site to show parts of videos from around the world and there is an accompanying ‘Act Now’ link which enables the viewer to contribute to alleviating abuse.

The video about the disappearance of Sanamacha was screened at a press conference in Manipur’s capital city and then toured the entire country as well as being shown on cable television.

Outcome
The film was shown to the UN working group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances. They then challenged the Indian government regarding the conduct of the military. The UN group has agreed to closely monitor this case as well as 42 others in the area.

Witness footage in Northern Ireland during the marching season led the police to change their tactics, and Witness video material has been presented to the War Crimes Tribunal in Yugoslavia.