To Hide Or Not To Hide

Often we hear news of the security forces officials committing suicide. The Army has proved to be as vulnerable on this count as the Central Para-military forces. It is a cause of concern that soldiers expected to die for the country should fritter away their lives in a cowardly manner. The issue that is bothering us now is whether it is the right approach to publicize these suicides. Will it not be better to conceal them from public view? Does their exposure not have demoralizing effect on other officers and jawans? After all, one does not get to know much about these episodes in Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The reality is that no security force of any country is free from tendency on the part of soldiers to take their own lives. The countries like China and Pakistan brush these events under the carpet. It is said to be common in China for officials to commit suicide as and when they are disgraced. Do we ever read or hear about them? In any case China has one of the highest suicide rates in the world and is the only country where suicides among women outnumber those among men. How can its army be free from this malady? It is only too well known that China exercises tight control not only over its forces but also the entire system.

Generally the inclination in every country is to treat the army like holy cow. It is forgotten in the process that this uniformed outfit consist of human beings who if they can rise to great heights of achieving martyrdom are also prone to foibles. In our country there has been no candid discussion on exposing suicides or fratricides in the armed forces. They are revealed like any other normal happening. In this context we may point out that there have been deliberations including in Parliament on placing on record the activities. Rightly so it has been decided against dropping the cloak of secrecy in which the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the other bodies like them operate. Likewise it will be counterproductive if one is to expect military to make certain revelations such as secure communications in border areas, cooperation with third parties, strengths and weaknesses of weapons systems, training methods, number and location of specific weapons and plans.

There is consensus on keeping these secrets. It is wise not to seek a secret; and honest, not to reveal one. However, it is good that the same analogy is not extended to the loss of soldiers even for reasons other than wars. Our perception in this regard is consistent with the one nursed by professional armies of the United States and Great Britain. It does not behoove a democracy to hide truth howsoever unpleasant it may be about one of its elite wings, a democratic order works on the premise that nothing should be hidden because nothing can be hidden. It will not be inconsistent with our open environment if we enforce confidentiality about soldier’s suicides. There is everything right, therefore, about our present outlook. It never helps to ignore a trouble with the idea that it will have a self-corrective mechanism.