Evolving National Citizens Security Culture

Introduction

In May 2023, ethnic violence erupted in India’s north-eastern state of Manipur between the Meitei people, a majority that lives in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki tribal community from the surrounding hills. More than 180 people have been killed in the violence, more than 300 wounded, and approximately 55 thousand have been displaced.

India is fast emerging as a major global power. A good law and order situation is the first condition of rapid development of a nation along with a vibrant population which can fearlessly participate in every facet of the country’s growth. India is a multi-ethnic society. Diversity of large area and population results in many issues and problems which give birth to the challenges of law and order. Nature of crime also varies from common criminal activities to economic offences, crime against state, crime against humanity, etc. Political and social issues also lead to create problem for law and order. Police is the principal agency to maintain the law and order situation; however, the present strength of this force renders it woefully short of manpower resources to tackle the problem. This anomaly is likely to remain until the nation can inculcate a sense of self-discipline and security amongst its populace. This will only be feasible if a culture imbibing citizens’ security can be developed pan India and be adopted by the citizens of the country.

Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI) has taken upon itself to pilot the project with the aim to develop and implement a comprehensive initiative to foster a sense of national citizens’ security culture.

Aim

The aim of this paper is to analyse various facets of citizens’ security and recommend a methodology for implementing the project in an effective manner.

Scope

By utilizing a multi-faceted approach that incorporates methodologies, processes, public awareness events, government engagement, and the active participation of universities and civil society organizations, this project seeks to enhance the knowledge, skills, and awareness of citizens in ensuring their own safety and contributing to national security.

Objectives

• Develop methodologies and processes for promoting national citizens’ security culture.
• Create public awareness events to educate citizens about security threats and the importance of personal and national security.
• Establish government engagement strategies to facilitate collaboration between authorities, citizens, and relevant stakeholders.
• Emphasize the role of universities in fostering a culture of security through research, education, and community engagement.
• Facilitate the active involvement of civil society organizations in promoting citizen participation and empowerment in national security efforts.

Defining Citizens Security

Citizens security is the process of establishing, strengthening and protecting democratic civic order, eliminating threats of violence in a population and allowing for safe and peaceful coexistence. It means effectively safeguarding inherent human rights, especially the right to life, personal integrity, inviolability of the home and freedom of movement.

Citizens security is not simply the reduction of crime, but a comprehensive and multi-faceted strategy for improving the quality of life of a population, community action for crime prevention, access to an effective justice system, an education that is based on values, respect for law and tolerance.

Understanding Citizens Security

Citizens security is a fundamental part of human security and therefore of human development and is linked to the interrelated presence of many factors; history and structure of the state and society; policies and programmes of the governments; relevance of economic, social and cultural rights. Citizens security is undermined whenever States fail to protect their population from crime and social violence.

The Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution ensures preservation of individual liberty and democratic principles based on equality of all members of society. The responsibility of the legislature is not just to provide fundamental rights but also, more importantly, to safeguard them.

Factors affecting Citizens Security

As a developing country, India is facing an alarming increase in violence in violence and crime which is threatening to erode the very foundation of our democracy and imposes a huge social, cultural and economic burden which currently the nation can ill afford. As the country steadily progresses towards becoming a 5 trillion-dollar economic state, the aberrations are best clipped in the bud. It is hence imperative to identify the possible factors that have a bearing on the security of citizens in the country. These could be:

• Internal stresses, such as high youth unemployment, fiscal imbalances, growing income inequality and perceived injustice.
• External stresses, such as easy availability of illicit arms, population movement, an increase in organised crime, drug trafficking, inter group rivalries.
• Rapid and poorly planned urban development and urban poverty.
• Retarded development in villages, lack of amenities and job opportunities.
• Tensions and conflict over ethnic, religious or political difference, inequality and unfair resource allocation.
• A culture of impunity, unaccountability, corruption or weak rule of law.

Possible Remedial Measures

The complexities of factors which lead to the common man feeling insecure can no longer be dealt in a separate, piecemeal interventions. Logical approach will be to attempt to tackle all the aforesaid issues as an integrated issue and find holistic and practical solutions. This multifaceted approach will help integrate violence prevention and crime control measures; targeting a broad range of issues, such as lack of social cohesion, impunity, religious intolerance and gender equality.

A holistic approach enables the issues of crime and violence, and their impact in citizen security, to be tackled through the strengthening of democratic participation and the implementation of policies focused on the protection of the individual instead of those focused on the security of the State or of any particular political system.  States are bound by a normative core demanding the protection of rights particularly vulnerable to criminal or violent acts: the right to life; the right to physical integrity; the right to personal liberty; the right to due process and the right to peaceful use of property and possessions.  The States’ obligations in the area of citizen security also involve the right to a fair trial and the right to judicial protection; the right to privacy and the right to have one’s honour respected and dignity recognized; the right to freedom of expression; the right to freedom of assembly and association; and the right to participate in public affairs.  In broad terms it may also include measures to guarantee other human rights, such as the right to education, the right to health, the right to social security and the right to work, among others.

Over the years the Private Security Sector in the country has witnessed an exponential growth. Currently the personnel employed in performing guarding duties far outnumber the police Force in their respective States. This potent, disciplined and trained manpower can be fruitfully utilised to involve themselves in CAPSIs effort in providing citizen security.

Essential Components

For a project of this magnitude covering the populace of the entire country, to be successful needs to be meticulously framed so that it is implementable. The “Think Tank” formulating the policy necessarily must comprise representatives from the following spheres:

• Government representation, to include:
• MHA
• MSJE
• MSDE
• MLJ
• MHRD
• Private Security Industry representation, to include:
• Nominated representatives from CAPSI
• State Chapter Presidents
• Representatives from End Users
• Prominent educationists
• The above members will constitute the “Core Group” of the Project for framing the policy and fundamentals of Citizens Security Culture in the country.
• The Core Group will comprise of the following appointments:
• President
• Vice President
• Secretary

Evolving Basic Framework Policy

The Presidents will hold periodic meetings with the members of the Core Group and discuss all relevant issues for forming the Policy Directive. The Minutes of these meetings will be circulated amongst the members of the Core Group. The Core Group may form a website in this respect and place issues in the public fora to foster wider range of comments from the public.

Once the Policy with respect to Citizens Security Culture has been evolved, it should be circulated to the ministries of the concerned members and their approval obtained. For that the Core Group will be required to give presentations and hold discussions with the heads of these ministries.

Once all ministries accord their “In principal” approval, the document will be hosted on their website for wider range of comments for a month. All comments received will be analysed by the Core Group and necessary amendments incorporated.

A nucleus group comprising representations from various walks of life will be formed at each State. These persons will be trained by the members of the Core Group to further impart training amongst the populace of their respective States.

Awareness Campaign

A well thought out awareness campaign will be launched across the country with the aim of educating the masses on the subject. The campaign will encompass the following:

• District Level. Seminars/symposiums will be conducted at the district level and involvement of the district administration in this effort will be ensured. In this regard, publicity campaigns in the form of bill boards, posters, educational videos will be utilised.
• Schools/Colleges. Endeavour shall be made to encourage schools and colleges to adopt important tenets of Citizens Security Culture as part of their course curriculum. Debates/discussions organised by the schools/colleges will go a long way in enhancing awareness amongst the students.
• Universities. Universities across the country should be encouraged to adopt the subject for higher studies and research. Symposiums on the subject matter can be conducted on a regular basis.
• Panchayat Level. Grass root level can only be inculcated if Pradhan’s of village Panchayats participate actively in the proliferation of villager’s awareness.
• RWAs. Similarly, RWAs in the urban sector will be co-opted in the campaign to conduct regular interactive sessions with the residents of the society.
• NGOs/Corporates. Selected NGOs and corporates can also be co-opted to give the project the desired impetus in ensuring that the culture is adopted by the masses. They can contribute both financially as well as spread awareness through various media campaigns.
• Ex-servicemen. Personnel below officers’ rank (PBOR) from all the three services and the officers’ cadres from the tri-services can be of immense help in the proliferation of the culture in their respective villages/towns. These superannuating personnel can be imparted a crash course at their Regimental Centres when they go there for their post retirement documentation. CAPSI can coordinate the effort with respective service headquarters and obtain the requisite permission. Even the Agniveer’s being discharged from service can be gainfully employed in this Project. 

Feedback and Mid-term Correction

For a project of this magnitude, it is imperative that the Core Group ensures regular feedbacks from all the stake holders and analyses the same in a pragmatic manner. Course corrections, if warranted must be executed expeditiously and the environment apprised of the same.

Role of CAPSI

CAPSI being the originator of the Project will remain implicitly involved in all the activities that are being undertaken in the formulation and execution of the Project. They will participate in the discussions being held by the Core Group and render any advice/assistance sought. They will be the coordinating body with government officials from various ministries. CAPSI will endeavour to get requisite funds released from participating ministries in order to ensure smooth passage of the Project.

Conclusion

Evolving a National Citizens Security Culture is an urgent need of the society in the present times. Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person. The society where democratic rule of law is prevalent has an advantage in adopting the culture for itself. Hence all possible effort must be made to ensure success of the project. 

This project will be a sequel to CAPSIs earlier project of “Securing my Motherland” wherein a sense of security of one’s life and property was made secure by the all-round vigil of the security personnel for the entire nation.

Maj. Gen. K Majumdar (R)