Internal displacement & digital darkness: Reports sound alarm on growing crises in Modi’s India
Islamabad: India under Narendra Modi is facing a growing crisis of internal displacement and internet restrictions, according to two damning international reports released, recently.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Geneva-based International Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the online platform Access Now have sounded the alarm on soaring internal displacement and digital censorship in the year 2023 in India.
On May 14, the IDMC released its annual “2024 Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID)”, which revealed that India witnessed a staggering 67,000 internal displacements in 2023, accounting for a whopping 97% of the total internal displacement in South Asia. The majority of these displacements were triggered by anti-Christian violence in the northeastern state of Manipur.
The report attributed the displacement to conflicts between ethnic groups and the military, as well as natural disasters. The IDMC expressed concern over the lack of effective response and assistance from the Indian government, leaving many displaced persons without access to basic necessities like food, shelter, and healthcare.
A day after the IDMC report, Access Now published its report, “Shrinking Democracy, Growing Violence: Internet Shutdowns in 2023”, which exposed India’s alarming trend of internet restrictions. The report revealed that India imposed the highest number of internet shutdowns globally in 2023, marking the sixth consecutive year that the country tops the global list.
The report documented a total of 116 internet shutdowns in India in 2023, as against 283 state-sanctioned shutdowns globally. 65 of these 116 internet shutdowns were in response to communal violence, the report said, adding shutdowns were ordered in total of 13 Indian states and Union territories, of which seven disrupted internet services five times or more. Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir saw 17 shutdown orders in 2023, the report added.
Access Now condemned the Indian government’s increasing reliance on internet shutdowns as a means to suppress dissent and control public narrative, citing the detrimental impact on citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and economic livelihoods.
Civil society organizations and human rights groups have expressed outrage and concern over the findings. “The reports highlight the Indian government’s abject failure to protect its citizens’ fundamental rights,” said Dr. Ranjit Singh, a human rights activist. “The government must take immediate action to address the root causes of internal displacement and internet shutdowns, rather than resorting to band-aid solutions and censorship.”
The reports have sparked international concern, with human rights organizations and diplomats calling on the Indian government to take concrete steps to address these issues. “India’s growing internal displacement and internet shutdowns are not only a domestic concern but also a global issue, as they have far-reaching implications for regional stability and human rights,” said a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
