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An article on BBC News a couple of days ago told about Indian soldiers’ suicides. Because of the long, drawn-out war in Kashmir, several soldiers are killing themselves or their colleagues. Here’s a shocking statistic:
The army has lost 72 soldiers to enemy attacks so far this year. But over 100 soldiers have already taken their lives. In addition, another 32 have been killed by their colleagues. [link]
So basically, what they’re saying is that more soldiers have committed suicide than been killed by enemy fire this year! What is this? Some kind of joke? Is the government insane?
The cause of the suicides, so says the article, is stress.
The million-strong force is clearly under tremendous stress.
Though it has not fought a full-blown war in decades, the force is bogged down in fighting domestic insurgencies, guarding restive borders and sometimes quelling civilian rioting.
Man, it seems to me that this dispute has gone on long enough. Who in their right minds would have thought that we would spend so much time and manpower on this? India’s economy is booming and things are finally moving in a direction that every Indian can appreciate. But the political situation is such a mess with the Northeast, Tamil Tigers and Chinese claims on Arunachal. And that’s not even going into the more famous problems like corruption, poverty, illiteracy, basic health care, etc. And, of course, infrastructure (or the lack of it, thereof).
*Sigh*…
4 responses so far ↓
1 Skepticus // Dec 19, 2006 at 7:01 am
This suicide thing is becoming an epidemic in India. Farmers, students, and now soldiers?!??!? Well…at least they aren’t taking others with them (as people in some other parts of the world seem to have a bad habit of doing).
GG – India’s problems are too heavy a burden to bear, no point in getting your tusks gnarled over all this.
2 The Great Ganesha // Dec 19, 2006 at 12:06 pm
that is true. except for that brief period when we sent soldiers into iraq. fortunately, better sense prevailed (for once in their godforsaken existence) and they got them back.
as for the burden, that’s what they tell me…i guess i was having one of those days… :p
-gg
3 anangbhai // Dec 21, 2006 at 6:14 pm
Isn’t that what rotation is for? To prevent overstressed soldiers from hurting themselves or their comrades?
I doubt that such a big army wouldn’t have a rotation system, and at least some kind of psych evaluation and counseling for the soldiers.
4 The Great Ganesha // Dec 22, 2006 at 1:07 pm
so it would seem. and, to be fair, the army does seem to be doing something about it. from the bbc:
but if they really are doing something about it, then why the hell are more soldiers dying per month of suicides, than through enemy fire? there’s got to be something wrong with that model…
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