Re: Troubled Tribal: Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
conference in New Delhi. PTI Photo Photograph (1)
'No talks with Naxal groups till violence persists'
STAFF WRITER 13:42 HRS IST
New Delhi, Dec 2 (PTI) Home Minister P Chidambaram today said there
can be no talks with Naxal groups till violence persists.
"I have offered talks with Naxal groups provided they abjure
violence," he said replying to questions in Rajya Sabha.
"We can talk about any subject - development, infrastructure,
governance - we can talk any subject provided the Naxals abjure
violence. ...but, as long as violence persists, I see no scope for
talks," he said.
Chidambaram said some civil society organisations had indicated that
they could facilitate talks with Naxal groups but no concrete proposal
has come so far.
"We are willing to hold talks with Naxal groups, facilitate their
talks with state governments. But the condition is they should
formally abjure violence," he said.
"I have said that if they abjure violence, I will respond within 72
hours."
"There is no dialogue at the moment with Naxal groups," he said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/403687_-No-talks-with-Naxal-groups-till-violence-persists-
...and I am Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
Top naxal among two killed in Andhra Pradesh
K. Srinivas Reddy
Two top naxalites were shot dead in a gun battle with police in the
remote Kerameri village in Adilabad district on Wednesday evening.
Four weapons, an AK-47, an SLR, a sten gun and a pistol were recovered
from the scene of gunfire.
Police suspect that one of the slain was Bhaskar, secretary of the
Adilabad district committee of the Maoists.
Kerameri village is on the borders of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Of late Maoist presence has increased in Adilabad district which
borders Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.
It was only last week, Maoist cadres attacked and burnt vehicles of
Singareni Collieries Company Limited opposing the government policy of
taking up open cast mining.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article58932.ece
bademiyansubhanallah
Express News Service
First Published : 03 Dec 2009 03:15:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 03 Dec 2009 09:20:17 AM IST
HYDERABAD: After a lull, intense exchange of fire took place between
Greyhounds and Maoists in the dense forests of Adilabad, close to the
Maharashtra border, which left at least three Naxalites dead on
Wednesday.
The Andhra Pradesh police suspect that they could be part of the same
group of rebels, which had ambushed C-60 commandos of Maharashtra at
Gadchiroli killing 17 personnel.
One of the Naxals killed was said to be responsible for setting on
fire seven vehicles of Singareni Colleries limited at Dorli open cast
mining project. According to police sources, the exchange of fire
began around 6.30 p.m as Greyhounds personnel were combing the area at
Kallaygaon village in Kerameri mandal, north of Bheemangudi forests in
Adilabad district. The exchange of fire took place four kilometres
inside Adilabad district. The Greyhounds commandos had been combing
the area for the last two days. Even as it was getting dark, the
firing continued from both sides and as the police inched forward,
they came across two dead bodies of extremists. Though some locals
told the police about another dead body lying some two kilometres
away, the police took no chances fearing it could be a trap. They will
move forward only tomorrow morning.
‘‘One of them has been identified as District Committee Secretary
Bhaskar alias Adellu (50) while we are trying to identify the other
extremist,’’ sources said.
Though sources said that the second extremist could be district
committee secretary C Ravi, the police did not confirm it.
’’In all, we found 18 kit bags which means that the Maoists were
moving in large numbers,’’ the sources said not ruling out the
possibility of another exchange of fire as the Maoists had headed
towards another area being searched by the Greyhounds
bademiyansubhanallah
PTI First Published : 03 Dec 2009 10:41:56 AM IST
Last Updated : 03 Dec 2009 11:47:45 AM IST
NEW DELHI: ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa today claimed that reports
of his arrest were aimed at creating confusion and derailing the peace
process in Assam.
“I am speaking to you from the same location in Bangladesh from where
I normally speak from. Those who say that I have been arrested are
deliberately trying to create confusion. They want to derail the peace
process in Assam even before it can begin”, he told north East TV
channel.
53-year-old Rajkhowa said they people opposing him don’t want a
political and peaceful solution to the problem.Such people don’t want
to take the peace process to succeed. Every time we want to take the
peace process forward such people spread wrong information.
Intelligence sources had yesterday said that Rajkhowa had surrendered
to Indian security forces in Agartala and taken to New Delhi by a
flight from the Tripura capital late last evening.
Top government sources in New Delhi had said that Rajkhowa was picked
up by sleuths of Bangladeshi security agencies and kept in a secured
location in Dhaka.
National security advisor MK Narayanan said earlier in the day that if
at all Rajkhowa is arrested, he would probably surrender first.
chhotemianinshallah
NISHIT DHOLABHAI
P Chidambaram
New Delhi, Dec. 1: The Centre is carefully observing the split in
Ulfa, waiting for the rest of the outfit to come forward for talks,
isolating commander-in-chief Paresh Barua.
Union home minister P. Chidambaram said the Centre has not yet
received an offer from the militant outfit for a dialogue but
indicated that it could go ahead without Barua’s participation.
“So far we have no offer, let them come forward,” he told reporters
when asked if the Centre would hold talks without Barua as suggested
by members of the pro-talks companies of the outfit’s 28 battalion.
Peacenik Mrinal Hazarika had recently said the Centre could hold talks
even without Barua.
The Ulfa commander-in-chief, currently believed to have shifted base
on the China-Myanmar border in Yunnan province, is understood to have
fallen out with chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and deputy Raju Barua.
Chidambaram did not hide the fact about Ulfa’s internal wrangle in
Parliament last week.
“Owing to the counter-insurgency operations, Ulfa has come under
tremendous pressure. Its leadership is in disarray. Key Ulfa leaders
are in prison. Recently, two Ulfa leaders surrendered to the Indian
security forces. Three Ulfa leaders are believed to be abroad and
there are reports of serious differences among them,” Chidambaram had
said.
Two Ulfa leaders, Chitrabon Hazarika and Sasha Chowdhury, were handed
over to BSF in Tripura on the Indo-Bangladesh border, apparently
following fissures within the outfit, a source said.
Rajkhowa and Barua have apparently fallen out with each other.
But the home minister made it clear that the talks would be held only
if the demand of sovereignty is not raised and the outfit “abjures
violence”.
Chidambaram also clarified the difference in policy while dealing with
the Maoists and Northeast militants. “Abjuring violence,” home
ministry sources said, indicates laying down of arms for Northeast
rebels. In case of Maoists, it means “halt violence”.
Chidambaram also announced 202 posts of a field intelligence unit for
Assam Rifles today.
The home ministry has also strengthened the subsidiary multi-agency
centre in the region for inter-state intelligence sharing.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091202/jsp/northeast/story_11811320.jsp
bademiyansubhanallah
Fri, Dec 4 11:00 AM
New Delhi, Dec. 4 -- In a year that saw the government plan its
biggest surge of central police forces in Naxal-affected areas,
Maoists have hit back hard.
There was a 40 per cent increase in the number of Maoist incidents
this year, pushing the violence profile of the Naxals to a new high.
By October-end, the Maoists were responsible for 1,817 incidents that
killed 455 civilians and 287 policemen.
Over the next 20 days alone, they carried out more than 100 attacks
that killed 30 villagers and tribals. Ajay Maken, Minister of State in
the Home Ministry, told Parliament on Wednesday that 1,920 incidents
had been reported till November 20.
Home Ministry officials said this was the highest figure in any year.
"Maoists have raised the tempo through this year in anticipation of
the offensive and to disrupt the Lok Sabha elections and the ongoing
Jharkhand elections," he said.
Other factors like the operations in West Bengal's Lalgarh area -
which the home ministry has described as a laboratory for the planned
offensive across states - also pushed up the violence profile.
Explaining the central approach, Home Minister P. Chidambaram had on
Wednesday pointed out that it was no use pumping in crores of rupees
into areas held by naxals if the money was going to go into naxal
pockets.
The government, he said, intended to use the minimum force necessary
to restore the rule of law in naxal-infested areas and then deliver a
heavy dose of development.
Hindustan Times
http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20091204/1053/tnl-40-pc-spike-in-naxal-violence-this-y.html
chhotemianinshallah
www.chinaview.cn 2009-12-04 18:21:15
NEW DELHI, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Indian security forces have launched
a major offensive, dubbed "Operation Green Hunt", against the extreme
left-wing Naxal rebels in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, a
senior police official said Friday.
"We are handling the 'Operation Green Hunt' in a more decisive
way. And as on today the operation is on in districts like Bijapurand
Dantewada. According to the information that we have, the police are
not facing any resistance in the interior areas of the rebel
strongholds. It may be an operational tactics of them. We are still
discussing this issue with our officers," Deputy Inspector General of
Polic S.R.P. Killuri told the media.
The operation came days after Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram
said that the proposed offensive against the Naxalites would be
largely "intelligence based" and the security forces will adopt
tactics used to tackle militancy in the operations.
According to official estimates, Naxals control about 165 of
India's 602 districts. It is estimated that the Naxalites have 9,000
to 10,000 armed fighters, 6,500 firearms and 40,000 full-time cadres.
Editor: Han Jingjing
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/04/content_12589537.htm
chhotemianinshallah
PTI Friday, December 4, 2009 15:36 IST
New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TC) today retracted from its demand
for imposition of President's Rule in West Bengal saying it wanted
rule of law to prevail, but demanded deployment of army in three
Maoist-affected districts of the Left-Front ruled state.
"We are not asking for Article 356 (President's Rule) to win
elections. Government must act as per the Constitution andprotect the
minorities, women and weaker sections in West Bengal," TC chief and
railway minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters after meeting with
prime minister Manmohan Singh here.
TC members yesterday created a ruckus in the Lok Sabha, protesting the
Communist Party of India - Maoist [CPI(M)]'s "continuous attack" on
its workers in West Bengal, leading to brief adjournment of the
House.
Banerjee said her party had won the recent Lok Sabha polls, assembly
by-elections and local bodies "without Article 356. We just want to
protect our democratic system and safety and security of the people.
We are neither for Article 355 nor Article 356. We want the genocide
to stop in Bengal."
However, Banerjee demanded deployment of army in the Maoist-affected
districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura "to recover arms
being used by Maoists and to restore law and order in the area".
Asked whether she stuck to the demand for imposition of President's
Rule in the state, she said "we are for genocide to stop and rule of
the law must prevail."
Banerjee along with her party delegation met Manmohan Singh here this
afternoon. On her meeting with the prime minister,Banerjee said "We
told him everything and handed over all details regarding the
continuous violence unleashed by these elements. We want protection of
minorities, people from weaker sections, women and others who are
targeted under the CPI(M) rule and rule of the law should prevail."
About the PM's response she said he gave a patient hearing and
expressed concern over the political violence in the state. "He agreed
that rule of law should prevail."
Accusing the CPI(Marxist) of being hand in glove with Maoists, she
said "they are CPI (Marxist) in the day and CPI (Maoist) at night."
When it was pointed out that many CPI(Marxists workers were also being
killed in the violence, she said, "I want that no one should be killed
and rule of the law should prevail. Many of our party workers are also
killed in the violence.
chhotemianinshallah
PTI Friday, December 4, 2009 16:10 IST
Guwahati: April 7, 1979: United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)
founded under the leadership of Arabinda Rajkhowa along with five
others with the aim to establish a "sovereign" Assam.
1979-1985: The group was involved in different violent activities
during the six year long Assam agitation, spearheaded by All Assam
Students' Union.
May 9, 1990: Ulfa kills Surendra Paul, a leading tea planter and
brother of Lord Swraj Paul, causing many tea estate managers to flee
the state.
Nov 28, 1990: President's rule imposed in Assam, dismissing the then
Prafulla Kumar Mahanta government; Centre bans the ULFA; Indian Army
launches Operation Bajrang as counter offencive against the group.
July 1, 1991: Ulfa cadre abduct 14 people including an engineer of
erstwhile USSR.
Jan 14, 1992: Operation Rhino against ULFAsuspended by state
government as the group agrees for talks.
Apr 11, 1992: Ulfa guns down 10 security personnel.
June 29, 1994: Vice chairman of the group Pradip Gogoi nabbed by
security forces.
April 28, 1996: Lt Col Devendra Tyagi shot dead by the terrorists in
the Kamakhya temple, Guwahati.
May 18, 1996: Superintendent of Police, Tinsukia, Ravi Kant Singh
killed by ULFA.
Jun 8, 1997: Chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta escapes attempt on
life after his convoy is ambushed by the ULFAin Guwahati.
July 4, 1997: The banned outfit kills social activist Sanjoy Ghosh.
Jan, 1998: Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia arrested in Dhaka.
Feb 4, 1999: Ulfa and three other insurgent groups in the region
launch their websites.
Sep 24, 1999: BJP Lok Sabha candidate Pannalal Oswal killed in Dhubri
ahead of polls by the outfit.
Feb 27, 2000: Ulfa kills the then state PWD and forest minister, Nagen
Sharma in Nalbari district.
Dec 15, 2003: Royal Bhutan Army launches military operations against
the Ulfa, NDFB and KLO terrorists.
Dec 22, 2003: Ulfa seeks safe passage from China for its cadre from
Bhutan.
Nov 18, 2004: Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa expresses willingness to
begin a peace dialogue with the Centre.
Oct 26, 2005: Negotiations between the Centre and the Ulfa-nominated
People's Consultative Group start in New Delhi.
Jan 1, 2006: Rajkhowa demands release of senior leaders of Ulfa before
holding direct talks with New Delhi.
July 1, 2006: The outfit expresses willingness to hold direct talks
with the Centre.
Aug 13, 2006: The Centre stops all operations by security forces
against the Ulfa for a few days.
Aug 31, 2006: Paresh Barua in a communique assures the Union
Government that its jailed leaders will not abscond, after being
released.
Sep 24, 2006: Government resumes counter-insurgency operations against
Ulfa after the deadline for ceasefire expired on September 20.
Sep 27, 2006: PCG pulls out from the peace talks with the Union
Government.
Oct 30, 2008: About 77 persons killed and more than 300 injured in 13
near-simultaneous blasts in Assam.
Dec 21, 2008: General secretary of Ulfa, Golap Barua alias Anup
Chetia, moves to the UN for refugee status once released from
Bangladesh jail where he was under trial.
Jul 21, 2008: The Centre confirms that Paresh Baruah has moved out of
Bangladesh for some time.
Oct 14, 2008: Home minister P Chidambaram said talks with the Ulfa
only after it abjures violence.
Nov 6, 2009: Ulfa's 'foreign secretary' Sashadhar Choudhury and
'finance secretary' Chitraban Hazarika surrender before BSF near
Agartala.
Dec 4, 2009 : Ulfa 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa and 'Deputy commander-
in-chief' Raju Baruah along with family members surrender to Indian
authorities along Indo-Bangla border in Meghalaya.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_a-chronology-of-ulfa-since-its-inception_1320025
chhotemianinshallah
PTI Friday, December 4, 2009 16:56 IST
Guwahati: Reflecting the differences in United Liberation Front of
Assom's (Ulfa) top leadership, its elusive 'commander-in-chief' Paresh
Baruah today asked the group's 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa not to
fall into the "trap" of Indian government by holding a dialogue.
"I appeal to you not to fall into the trap of the Indian government,
and declare your present stand keeping in mind the sacrifice of 12,000
martyrs who laid down their lives for an independent Assam, as well as
the people of Assam who crave for independence," he said in an email
statement.
Baruah said, Rajkhowa, 'military spokesman' Raju Baruah and another
activist Raja Gogoi have been under the custody of security forces
since December 2.
"The Indian government has 'hatched dirty politics' in the name of
initiating talks with Ulfa, and we demand that the Indian government
should desist from such an 'evil practice'," he said in the statement
issued in Assamese.
Baruah also asked Rajkhowa to clarify his stand publicly as people of
Assam have been in confusion and puzzled over the recent media reports
about the latter's detention.
"Besides, it is your (Rajkhowa's) moral responsibility to clarify your
present stand, which will help clear the confusion and puzzle that is
engulfing the minds of the people of Assam," he said.
chhotemianinshallah
PTI Friday, December 4, 2009 14:57 IST
New Delhi: The Centre today said that Ulfa leaders, who surrendered
today, will have to face judicial process as several cases were
pending against them and talks with the militant outfit will take
place in "due course".
"(Arabinda) Rajkhowa and Raju Baruah have surrendered and then they
were arrested. They are now in Guwahati. They will be produced in a
court," home secretary GK Pillai told reporters when asked about the
fate of the Ulfa leaders, who surrendered along the Indo-Bangla border
in Meghalaya. "They have just surrendered, everything will take place
in due course," he said.
His comments came when asked about the possibility of holding peace
talks with the militant group following the surrender of Ulfa chairman
Arabinda Rajkhowa, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah and eight
others.
Asked about the fate of the family members of Rajkhowa and others,
Pillai said as no cases were pending against the family members, they
were free to go. "Families are free," he said.
Sid Harth
Red alert in Assam, fears of backlash
PTI
The Assam Police have sounded a red alert across the state fearing
backlash following the apprehension of ULFA ‘chairman’ Arabinda
Rajkhowa and ‘deputy commander-in-chief’ Raju Baruah.
All police stations were alerted to maintain vigil and step up
security measures in view of the situation, official sources said.
The Centre has also directed the state government to beef up security
measures in the state, the sources said.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said, “Nobody can rule out backlash. I have
alerted my officers and the government of Assam has to be prepared for
it at all times.”
ULFA had struck in a big way with twin blasts in Nalbari killing nine
people and injuring 53 others after the arrest of its ‘finance
secretary’ Chitrabon Hazarika and ‘foreign secretary’ Sasha Choudhury
on November five.
Rajkhowa and Barua were apprehended by the BSF at Dawki in Meghalaya
the early hours today and brought here along with seven other ULFA
members, including Rajkhowa’s wife, amid tight security.
http://beta.thehindu.com/news/national/article60140.ece
bademiyansubhanallah
Sid Harth
TNN 5 December 2009, 09:44pm IST
DAVANAGERE: Over 30 Naxalites are still active in Hosanagara, Varahi
and other places in Chikmagalur, Udupi, DK districts, according to
Eastern Range IGP H N Satyanarayana Rao.
Speaking to reporters in Davanagere on Saturday after inaugurating the
observation of crime prevention month, he said after the arrest of
Devendra, a Naxal leader, their activities have receded in the area.
Earlier they moved in large numbers but now they have been spotted in
twos and threes, the IGP added. Frequent combing operations have also
checked their movements, he said.
Davanagere tops in crime detection: IGP
The IGP said that Davanagere district tops in crime detection in the
entire Eastern Range, encompassing Chitradurga, Bellary, Shimoga and
Davanagere districts.
He lauded the efforts of the Davanagere police for their timely action
and the best recovery of public property. Davanagere district police
should work hard so as to get the state-level award, the IGP said.
He has called on the public to cooperate with the police to bring down
the crime rate. SP Sandeep Patil called on the public to go for
central locking system in their houses to prevent thefts and other
crimes.
Sid Harth
PTI 5 December 2009, 08:24pm IST
GUWAHATI: Produced in handcuffs, top ULFA leaders Arabinda Rajkhowa
and Raju Baruah today resented their treatment by the police and vowed
"never to surrender" as another leader Paresh Baruah said dialogue is
possible only with sovereignty on the agenda.
Rajkhowa, Baruah and Raja Borah, who were picked up along with their
family on Indo-Bangladesh border yesterday, were produced in a court
to face legal process in a 1998 case and were remanded to 12 days
police custody.
ULFA 'chairman' Rajkhowa and 'deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah
were brought with handcuffs in one of the hands, connected to a police-
held rope and they made no secret of their anger.
After the brief remand proceedings, both the leaders claimed they have
not surrendered before the Indian authorities and that they were
"betrayed" by Bangladesh.
"We have not surrendered and there can be no talks with handcuffs on.
Bangladesh has betrayed us. We have to be free. We want peace, but not
in this way," Rajkhowa shouted to newsmen before being taken away
after production.
"We should have worn the garland of victory and come, but we had to
come with handcuffs on. We have not surrendered and will never ever
surrender," he said.
Paresh Baruah, who is believed to be in Myanmar and who had yesterday
asked Rajkhowa not to fall into the government's trap of dialogue,
today denied there was any split in the organisation he had "full
confidence" in Rajkhowa.
"We are ready for dialogue provided sovereignty for Assam is
discussed," he said in an email to the media from an undisclosed
location fine tuning his reservation on the dialogue process.
Raju Baruah claimed that their arrest was "a deep-rooted conspiracy
but it will not end our movement. It will continue".
In the court of Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate Robin Phukan, police
asked for 14-day custody while the lawyer of the ULFA leaders opposed
it. After hearing both the sides, the CJM remanded them to 12 days
police custody.
The ULFA leaders were booked under the Special Operation Unit 2/98
which is a legal document that has the names of Rajkhowa, Barua and
Bora and also under Section 384 of the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act.
Earlier, self-styled 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Barua, who is known
to be against talks, said that he had "full confidence'" in Rajkhowa
and the outfit was ready for a dialogue provided 'sovereignty' of
Assam was discussed.
Denying that there was a split in the ULFA, he said "There is no split
in the ULFA and we have full confidence on Chairman Rajkhowa. The
question of difference of opinion does not arise and now it is upto
the Indian government to show their sincerity by taking the process
forward".
Family members of any of the leaders were not produced in the court.
Pro-ULFA slogans rent the air as total chaos prevailed outside the
court premises. Slogans like "Arabinda Rajkhowa zindabad...Raju Barua
zindabad...ULFA zindabad" were heard and the policemen chased aways
the youths who were shouted the slogans.
The heavy traffic on the road came to a standstill as people
desperately tried to have a look at the ULFA leaders.
After the production, the ULFA leaders had been taken to a guesthouse
in the high-security 4th Assam Police Battalion establishment at
Kahilipara.
chhotemianinshallah
Prabin Kalita, TNN 6 December 2009, 02:10am IST
GUWAHATI: A day after the Centre let out that Ulfa ‘chairman’ Arabinda
Rajkhowa had surrendered, the top leader of the organisation, Paresh
Baruah, hiding somewhere along the Sino-Myanmarese border, ruled out
dialogue with the Union government unless it was ready to discuss
Assam’s sovereignty. He also said he had ‘‘full confidence’’ in
Rajkhowa and his deputy Raju Baruah and denied any split in Ulfa.
Rajkhowa, in police custody, too, appeared to take a trenchant
position against any dialogue, saying he couldn’t be part of any talks
as a prisoner.
On Saturday, even as Rajkhowa was being taken to a Guwahati court,
Baruah emailed the second statement which stressed that there was no
difference of opinion between him and Rajkhowa. He referred to
Rajkhowa’s sacrifices in the last 30 years and said talks of division
among them were part of a campaign launched by home secretary G K
Pillai.
As Rajkhowa and Raju Baruah were driven to the court in a bus, the air
was rent with slogans. Playing to the gallery, Rajkhowa pumped his
fist and declared, “We have not surrendered and we will not
surrender.’’
‘‘There can be no discussion in captivity,’’ Rajkhowa later said, as
he emerged out of the court, which suggested there wouldn’t be a start
to the peace process with any sense of urgency. Earlier this week,
Home minister Chidambaram had said in Parliament that he was expecting
a peace statement from Ulfa very soon and had assured that the
government would respond to it within 72 hours.
chhotemianinshallah
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Dec 05, 2009 at 1838 hrs
Guwahati:
ULFA Deputy Commander-in-Chief Raju Barua being produced in a local
court in Guwahati.
ULFA 'deputy commander-in-chief' Raju Barua on Saturday claimed the
group's movement will continue and the question of surrender did not
arise.
"We have not surrendered and will never ever surrender," Barua told
reporters while being taken away from the chief judicial magistrate's
court.
"Our arrest is a deep-rooted conspiracy, but will not end our movement
and it will continue," he said.
Barua, alias Hitesh Kalita, was brought to the court in handcuffs and
remanded in 12 days police custody.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-movement-to-continue-deputy-cinc/550397/
chhotemianinshallah
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Dec 05, 2009 at 1625 hrs
Guwahati:
Arrest of ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa may have triggered hopes
for talks to settle Assam's vexed insurgency problem but both experts
and members of the group maintain that without 'commander-in-chief'
Paresh Barua there can be no lasting solution.
"Paresh Barua is someone who cannot be ignored altogether. If the
government is planning to go ahead with talks by involving the
'chairman', then it is a big mistake," said noted litterateur and
former facilitator for peace talks Indira Goswami.
"The government may have its reasons, but the person controlling the
cadres and cash cannot be ignored. All said and done, peace talks
without Barua will be futile and counter-productive," the former Delhi
University professor said.
Former state police chief Hare Krishna Deka said Rajkhowa's detention
may have paved the way for a dialogue between the group and the Centre
but if Barua is out of the process, then there will be no end to
violence in the state.
"Barua will go all out to create disturbances in the state as he still
has his group of followers and he will be desperate to prove the
group's strength," he said.
ULFA's arrested 'vice chairman' Pradip Gogoi also asserted that both
Rajkhowa and Barua must be present for talks.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-lasting-peace-if-talks-held-sans-paresh-barua-experts/550390/
chhotemianinshallah
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Dec 05, 2009 at 1842 hrs
Guwahati:
A file photo of ULFA chairman, Arabinda Rajkhowa with a woman and
child, presumably his family.
ULFA's top leaders were on Saturday brought before the legal process
as its elusive 'commander-in-chief' Paresh Baruah fine-tuned his
reservations on dialogue saying he was ready for talks provided
'sovereignty' for Assam was on the agenda.
Huge crowds gathered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court to
get their first glimpse of the militant leaders Chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa and 'deputy commander-in- chief' Raju Baruah and Raja Borah,
who were remanded to 12 days' police custody.
Rajkhowa and Baruah claimed that they had not surrendered would never
do it as they were taken back to the police van by the personnel of
the Special Operations Unit of the Assam Police.
Their lawyer Bijon Mahajan said the three have been booked under some
old case registered against them years ago and the custody was granted
against the police demand for 14 days.
Paresh Baruah, who is believed to be in Myanmar and who had on
Saturday asked Rajkhowa not to fall into the government's trap of
dialogue, today denied there was any split in the organisation he had
"full confidence" in Rajkhowa.
"We are ready for dialogue provided sovereignty for Assam is
discussed," he said in an email to the media from an undisclosed
location.
Rajkhowa and other leaders, who were sheltered in Bangladesh, were
reportedly spotted in the small hours along with family members on the
Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya from where they were brought here
by road.
Denying that there was a split in the ULFA, Paresh Baruah said, "There
is no split... and we have full confidence on Chairman Arabinda
Rajkhowa".
He said "the question of difference of opinion does not arise and now
it is up to the Indian government to show their sincerity by taking
the process forward."
Baruah dubbed the news regarding split in the ULFA as "conspiracy by
the Indian government as a part of its divide and rule policy and
misinformation campaign to create confusion among the people of
Assam".
Rajkhowa's brother Ajay Rajkonwar, who was present at the court and
met his brother for the first time in 25 years, said Rajkhowa told him
that they would involve in the peace process only if the government
agreed to put the issue of Assam's 'sovereignty' in the agenda for
discussion.
The crowds burst into slogan shouting hailing the surrender of
Rajkhowa and others and calling for peace in Assam.
6 Comments |
Regionalism should be curbed with iron hand as it is fuelling
separatism
By: Mona Sharma | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:29:57 PM
Same thing is happening in Maharashtra where terror is unleashed by
Thackerays and their supporters large number of marathis on Gujaratis,
South Indians and now North Indians under the demand on Mumbee Aamchee
and Marathi Pride. These anti-nationals should be shot down by
government without trials the way China does. Regionalism should be
curbed with iron hand as it is fuelling separatism.
Punish Anti-nationals
By: Mona Sharma | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:23:15 PM
Unfortunately the people who are asking for sovereignty are hindus and
this demands points out india has bigger problem in the waiting. This
is tip of the iceberg. A weak central government whose leaders are
more interested in reaping benefits of powers are failing india. Weak
India is not fit for democracy and president rule has to be imposed
now. Even Ashok Chavan started singing same tune of Thackerays saying
all jobs for marathis only defying competitive exams, and capability.
Assam----
By: romesh.sharma | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 20:22:53 PM
To repeat again I would stress on the point that it was/is the result
of Congress and its led Govts's negligency,inefficiency and anti-
nation policies which have forced people to protest and demand
sovereignity.Their reasons of resentments are well justified.The
Centre had never cared/bothered for problems and interests of this
whole region.Long existing conflicts were never addressed to solve and
eliminate the very basic troubles caused through every inexplainble
reasons.After 71 BDeshis came like locust swarms devouring livehood of
locals,occupying every inch,inflicting crime,infesting poverty and
deteriotated infrastructure;whar little was there,and conteminated
beautiful culture.Its over three decades Assamese have done all they
could to make realize the consequences but nobody took them seriously-
just neglected.One spark can burn whole forest and one fish can spoil
the whole pond but here the fire has already started and there are
innumerable dirty fish to contaminate culture cont
FREE INDIA
By: Robert Mathew | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 15:06:50 PM
India's callous negligence to develop the north eastern states, the
failure to include the men and women in its frame work for a larger
and the disparity in wealth distribution are the root causes for the
emergence of outfits that work against the indian soverignity. While
millions are suffering to eke out a living, the elected leadership
involves in massive curruption, exploitaion of and bonded slavery.
Thiry years is a long priod of time and India should have resolved the
issues. India's judiciary must identify the culprits and convict them
for the good of the nation. Ennact laws gapping the loop holes, to
prevent criminals entering politics and for a desciplined democracy.
that pave way for the educated and patriotic eliments to lead the
country with attention to alleviate poverty, develop education.Provide
opportunities to the talented while rooting out tainted. When a
democratic system fails, a despotic system is sure to replace it.
Sovereignty
By: Krupa | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 14:57:58 PM
The only 'sovereignty' that should be discussed is the 'sovereignty'
of India. If Paresh Barua does not agree with this and we should ask
him, along with chinese masters, to go to hell.
It's patience time
By: RANA | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 14:40:19 PM
This is good sign for ASSAM as usual for ULFA, because in past time
how BLT manage to form a wonderfull BTC, hope this time same things
happens to Assam.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ulfa-leaders-in-court-paresh-for-talks-on-sovereignty/550362/0
chhotemianinshallah
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Dec 05, 2009 at 1401 hrs
Guwahati:
The location of ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa and the outfit's
military deputy-in-chief Raju Barua besides eight others apprehended
by the Assam police is being kept a closely guarded secret.
There were reports that Rajkhowa and the others were shifted from the
high-security 4th Assam Police Battalion establishment at Kahilipara
to another location here, but police officials were unwilling to part
with any information on his exact location.
Rajkhowa, along with his wife and nine others had arrived in Guwahati
on Friday after they were handed over to the BSF by Bangladesh
security forces at Dawki in Meghalaya.
Rajkhowa and Barua are expected to be produced in the Kamrup Chief
Judicial Magistrate Court at any time, his lawyer who practises in the
Gauhati High Court, Bijon Mahajan said.
"As Rajkhowa and Barua's family members have appointed me as their
lawyer, it will be my duty to ensure that they get justice under the
law of the land," he said.
Asked under what act they could be arrested, the lawyer said, it could
be under the Special Operations Unit (SOU) 2/98 or something similar
if their names figured in police records.
Unprecedented security measures were evident around the CJM court in
Pan Bazar with a huge number of police and paramilitary forces
deployed.
A barricade has been erected near the court while, traffic in the area
was diverted.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/arrested-ulfa-chief-rajkhowas-location-being-kept-secret/550363/
chhotemianinshallah
Agencies
Posted: Friday , Dec 04, 2009 at 1723 hrs
Dawki/Guwahati:
ULFA's top leaders Arabinda Rajkhowa and Raju Barua surrendered to the
Indian authorities early on Friday morning raising hopes of a dialogue
for peace in Assam but differences erupted in the banned militant
outfit.
Two days after he was reportedly detained in Bangladesh, ULFA Chairman
Arabinda Rajkhowa (53), and Deputy Chief of its military operations
Raju Barua (43) were taken into custody by the Border Security Force
after they were "seen" near Dawki outpost on the India-Bangladesh
border in Meghalaya.
They were spotted around 1.15 am and when "challenged" by the BSF they
offered to surrender, BSF Inspector General Prithviraj said.
In New Delhi, Home Secretary G K Pillai said the ULFA leaders will
have to face judicial process for cases pending against them while it
is understood that heinous charges may not be pressed against them.
The arrival of ULFA leadership in India raised hopes of initiation of
a peace talks with the outlawed group whose leadership had taken
shelter in Bangladesh and directed violence mostly in Assam from there
for the last 30 years.
However, reflecting the differences in top ULFA leadership the elusive
commander-in-chief Paresh Barua asked Rajkhowa not to fall into the
"trap" of Indian government by holding a peace dialogue.
Comments (2) |
mockery of the system
By: hari mohan dubey | 05-Dec-2009
Ifully agree with mr A.kumar.I was in assam for a decaed& I have seen
these drama very closely & Iam very surethat another drama is on,bythe
C.govt &state govt.in fact Govt was never interseted to solve the
problems.I fully aware they are going to ditch the poor people of
assam once again by arrengig such well rehaersled show.PL.For god
sake, now stop all this mockery.Do some thing for peoples ASSAM.
What Farce
By: Ajay Kumar | 05-Dec-2009
This arrest and surrender is of the ULFA leaders seem to be stage
managed by the Central Government. Then comes the statement of the
Home Secy. that heinous charges will not be pressed against them. What
a mockery of the system? Lesser criminals get charged and tried, but
not the worst perpetrators of violence and pillage. By this act the
central government would be sanctifying their acts to date as genuine
freedom struggle; more so, like what Chavez said of the Jackal. When
will India learn to be a strong state?
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rajkhowa-handed-over-to-indian-authorities-in-meghalaya/550008/
chhotemianinshallah
Agencies
Posted: Saturday , Dec 05, 2009 at 1654 hrs
New Delhi:
Thirty years after eight Dalits were massacred by upper caste Thakurs
in Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court has sentenced to life imprisonment
five of the accused and said caste system should be abolished soon for
ensuring rule of law and smooth functioning of democracy.
Reversing the acquittal of the six accused, the apex court said
"unfortunately, the centuries-old Indian caste system still takes its
toll from time to time. This case unfolds the worst kind of atrocities
committed by the so- called upper caste (Kshatriya or Thakur) against
the so-called lower caste caste in a civilized country.
"It is absolutely imperative to abolish the caste system as
expeditiously as possible for smooth functioning of rule of law and
democracy in our country," a bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A
K Patnaik said in a judgement.
The apex court said minor discrepancies in statements of witnesses
should be ignored by courts in such carnages as they are bound to be
under tremendous fear.
The accused belonging to Thakur caste butchered seven totally innocent
persons belonging to Harijan caste and to wipe out the evidence of
their atrocities, threw their bodies in the strong currents of the
Ganges, the apex court said adding the massacre was carried out to
teach a lesson to so-called lower caste and commit dacoity at the
village.
It was at the intervention of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
and Dalit leader Jagjivan Ram that the police had arrested 18 people
in connection with the massacre on September 9, 1979, at village
Lohari, under Hussainganj police station in Uttar Pradesh.
Comments |
Abolish caste system: SC, gives lifer to 6 for Dalit killings
By: Premangsu Chowdry | Sunday , 6 Dec '09 0:59:20 AM
Atlast the Supreme Court judgement has sounded the knell to the
manipulations of the so-called upper caste Hindu law makers in the
Parliament and state legislatures, and society, prominent in certain
parts of the Country.The quota raj and the 'twisting the arms'
tactics,including delaying the process of law, have been heinous from
the time of Mannu.The stigma, to the Country's shame, is displayed in
the United Nations resolutions.The Naxal ranks have reached the
present spectre by the Dalits and others being oppressed in our
democracy which is losing its basic tenets to the vested interests;
they are controlling the process of vote-gathering to weilding of
authority of the law makers.Sadly our democracy lacked the courage
from the beginning, to tackle 'unpalatable' matters for the sake of
the struggle for the 'gaddi'and feathering it.Irrespective of whether
one wants to admit or not,the Naxal unrest will continue,if the caste
disparity goes on any longer.The wake-up call has sounded
CASTE SYSTEM AND INDIA
By: Rajiv Dua | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 23:42:13 PM
Every country has more or less a caste system, some new some old. By
interfering with the caste system the result is a grave provocation.
The way to go is to protect all oppressed people, irrespective of
caste or religion. Also never let a criminal go free whatsoever his
political affliations or caste is. Remove discrimination but do not
push against an ancient system, that is the way to proceed. Mayawati
is doing an excellent job in this direction.
Judiciary needs reform first
By: Rajesh | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 22:25:58 PM
It is good that upper caste murderers are brought to justice. But fact
that it took 30 years is travesty to justice. The murderers remained
because upper caste bias in police and judiciary. As long as
judiciary, that includes Supreme court, is dominated by upper caste,
justice cannot be served to the lower castes.
Abolish caste system: SC, gives lifer to 6 for Dalit killings
By: MK | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 22:25:56 PM
The justice is not served. May be lifer equals hang to death in IPC.
What about delay in justice 30yrs; the judiciary and police department
must pay it. Until 30 yrs. The corrupted officers of both departments
were squeezes the culprits and filling the pockets. This fact was
known to the justice too, why did not take stern action? In philosophy
no one can beat Indians and that%u2019s the master excuses, in action
zero.
Who will reform and make the courts accountable
By: Indian | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:53:59 PM
The Supreme court has been agressive with the political class for past
few years and we have all been cheering them. But looks like they are
very sloppy and have been denying justice for most of the Indians. I
humbly request the Chief Justice to look into this and take necessary
action.
All indians are equal in the eyes of the law (with both eyes open).
By: Devji kumar | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:34:33 PM
All indians regardless of social position in society, race, gender,
tribe, wealth, profession public office employees and non-public
office employees are equal in the eyes of the law (with both eyes
open). Its oblious that the ruling classes are taking the indian
public for a ride on the fast lane and all at public expense. Its
regreatable that school children have to clean river Jumana,
Politicians are given immunity against pending rape case, the ruling
class continue to slave the rest of the public even in the 21st
century in the name of religion and traditional customs. What is India
becoming, if not 'one big bollywood movie for individual consumption'
by the ruling class/elite tribes. What are the professional
responsibilities of the elected public officials and CBI ? India is
still waiting for a respectable leader who can make a difference to
the majority of the india's public. Can we see this happening during
our generation, well only time will tell !
Must get rid of Evil Shastras...
By: kranti | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:27:16 PM
According to PURUSHA-SUKTA OF Rig Veda Brahamins,Kshatriyas Vaishyas
and Shudras originated respestively from the mouth,hands,thighs and
feet of the PURUSHA or creater(Brahama).I reject this statement as
false.It is man made EVIL social institution and it has nothing to do
with so called creator of the world. In the first chapter of
Manusmriti,it is clearly stated that Brahmins,kshatriyas,Vaishyas and
Shudras were created by Brahama(creator of the world)from his
mouth,hands,thighs and feet respectively[20]. Manu claims that the
same Brahama who created this world,also created Manusmriti and taught
it to him[21]. I believe breaking up of Hindu caste system is
impossible unless we get rid of this so called "HOLLY SHASTRAS".
dalits
By: Kumarpushp | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:17:31 PM
What a shame for hindus and their hindu led government that it took 30
year to get justice in India ,time has come dalits should demand for
seprate county away from barbaric people where dalits can stay
peacefully.
India---
By: chandra | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:16:56 PM
It is not possible to elimanate the caste system and it is not
worthwhile so. If we remove the caste system and people will be
classified and identified on the basis of language, place and skin
colour. Discrimanation will always be there .. only form will undergo
a change... The Rich and the Poor is the best way to categorize the
people and then treat them accordingly (Western countries..unwritten
rules say so..)The problem is not with caste system.. it is with
mentality that needs to be challenged. Those poor people if get
employment oriented education and become selfdependent.. we can tackle
this issue very comfortably. Unplanned development and unbalanced
growth of indian economy are also increasing the gap between the rich
and the poor.. so it will be a new problem.. then Manu will not be
blamed but someone else..
Why politicans and bureacrats get instant attention from government
for the 5 star life style
By: karze | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 21:11:23 PM
Its difficult for poor and low caste to get the justice in India. See
the case of Bhopal MIC case. Even after 25 years the victims who has
died, maim for generations to come have not got justice. While
politician get instant justice like staying in 5 star suite costing
government 37 lakhs just to keep his ego comfort. How does politicians
and bureacrats get instant government intervention while poor are
neglected for generations. Partly its in the mentality of politicians
and bureaucrats that poor and helpless are treated as less of human
like a street dogs. Its only during election that they are treated as
human.
justice delayed
By: sushil verma | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 20:40:13 PM
Why do cases in India take 10, 15, 20 30 years? It is travesty of
justice. If they are given life sentence, the culprits have enjoyed 30
years of freedom, and are 30 years older than when they committed the
crime. So effectively the life sentence is only for very few years
until they die their natural death.
Abolition of caste system
By: Gopal | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 20:21:23 PM
The spirit of the judges in calling for abolition of caste system in
the country is nothing but echoing of their conscience. I fully agree
with their opinion. But unfortunately, every election be it panchayati
or parliament, is fought only by appealing to differenct castes and
putting up candidates based on the caste of the people in that area.
The same judiciary has upheld reservation based on caste basis. The
immediate step should be to stop caste based reservation and only
economic backwardness should be the criteria. This alone will unite
people. What have the so-called champions of backward classes achieved
except taking care of their own material welfare. What have Mulayams
and Mayawatis done for the upliftment of the Dalits ? They only whip
up passions of these hapeless lot for their own upliftment. Abolition
of caste system calls for a statesman leader in our
governance.Unfortunately, no face is visible on the horizon.
Caste system
By: Prakash Singh | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 19:55:13 PM
Indians are fanatic about thier caste same way Muslims are about thier
religion. Almost every Indian is fanatic about thier caste. That's
racism at the micro level. It makes me very happy to see when Indians
get whipped in Australia and crying foul about racism. Go back to
India and set your house in order first and then complain about
Australia and the world.
Caste system, religion and Culture-Tools of Repression
By: Jas | Sunday , 6 Dec '09 0:31:35 AM
Indians on the whole are incapable of not being fanatic fools,
irrespective of the tall claim they make about their religion, culture
or civilization.Hindus are fanatic about their useless gods, demeaning
caste system and the stinking culture that dehumanize large part of
their population including women. For Muslims nothing better is
created in this world than the primitive and extremely repressive
nonsense called Islam. Some demented Indians reduced the guru Nanak's
philosophy of universal human brotherhood and respect for human rights
irrespective of gender, to another religion, of symbolism only, called
Sikhism. They seem to have borrowed religious fanatism from Muslims
and casteism from Hindus and recrysllize these virtues of India
further. Now about these judges-these hypocrites took 30 years to
decide this case and felt the need to lecture about efficieny. Enough
said. If my post hurt anybody's moronic 'religious feelings' - please
note that it was totally intentional and he/she should get a life.
Is it possible to change the laws of Manu?
By: patutadil | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 19:43:06 PM
Justice delayed is justice denied. Was not the accused enjoying
freedom for thirty years? What sort of judicial system that India has,
that takes 30 years to pass judgment on murder cases and 17 years to
name the culprits who meticulously planned the demolition of a place
of worship. Castes can never be eliminated in India until Hinduism
itself is reinterpreted, Hindu Laws are re-written, the Laws of Manu
are declared invalid, illogical and irrational and against the laws of
nature that humanity is equal and there is no difference between man
and man, the superiority of man is based on his truthfulness,
righteousness. God has created us into nations, tribes, clans so that
we can recognise each other, but in the sight of God those who are
closer to God are those who are virtuous, righteous, and God-fearing.
Expose the Castiests in Politics.
By: R.C.Mohan | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 19:28:20 PM
It is absolutely unimperical and unethical to say that the Cast system
cannot be abolished. With a stern commitment to the cause of the
principle, the Government can declare the abolition just with a
notification. The politicians running the polity in the names of
castes would be exposed with that declaration. But which government
shall dare do that? It is with the support of these castiest parties,
many previous governements survived and the present one now survive.
Jawarharlal Nehru, Sasthri and Indira could do thatbut they did not do
anything other than propogating against it for votes. This attrocities
against dalit may go on and on under present situation. Who bothers!
After all getting into power is the goal of each party. All others are
issues of miniscule importance.
Racism
By: Akz | Saturday , 5 Dec '09 18:50:23 PM
The caste system is nothing but racism, it is still prevailing in our
country. In the 21st century, this is like a joke. Its never too late,
or shall I say better late than never. Some right thinking leaders (do
we have any) should come forthright to stop this menace. There should
be no one in India called upper or lower or backward. If we are to get
any benefit then it should be on the basis if economic condition of an
individual. A hungry person will get help, and not some one born to a
type of caste which is currently the case. Do I think that this will
happen, it never will. Why, because we do not have any politician who
is a statesman like, who can think above his party position. Let us
pray that we have some people who can get us out of this
discrimination and live in a better society.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/expose-the-castiests-in-politics./550392/#postComment
chhotemianinshallah
Raipur: Four civilians were Sunday killed when suspected naxals blew
up a truck in a landmine blast in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district,
police said.
Naxals blew up the truck near Keralapal village in the district,
killing all the four persons
travelling in the vehicle on the spot, Superintendent of Police,
Dantewada, Amresh Singh said.
The truck had left Doranapal village in the district for Sukama with
truck's owner Surya Narayan Raju and three labourers. As it reached
near Keralapal village on NH-221, naxals triggered landmine blast, he
said.
Police was trying to ascertain the identity of victims, Singh said.
http://www.mathrubhumi.org/news.php?id=27279&cat=1&sub=15&subit=N
chhotemianinshallah
Ananya Dutta
KOLKATA: Maoists on Wednesday shot dead a supporter of the Communist
Party of India (Marxist) and grievously injured another person in the
Belpahari thana area near Lalgarh in Paschim Medinipur district of
West Bengal.
A group of Maoists shot Subal Mahato and Suresh Murmu at Chirakuti
village and the former died on the spot, Superintendent of Police
Manoj Verma told The-Hindu over the phone. Murmu was taken to a
hospital, he said.
Mahato was involved in the government’s local water supply scheme,
District Magistrate of Paschim Medinipur N. S. Nigam said.
At a rally in Kolkata, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said
Maoists had killed 70 supporters of the Left parties in the region in
the recent past.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/10/stories/2009121056430100.htm
Sid Harth
By JYOTI THOTTAM / NEW DELHI Wednesday, Dec. 09, 2009
The view of one of the destroyed doors and wall at Dwarika Middle
School in Jharkhand. Local residents now use the classroom to store
tobacco leaves.
Human Rights Watch
The Maoist insurgency gripping India's heartland has been blamed for
more than 800 violent deaths this year, and will soon be a target of a
major counter-offensive by Indian security forces. But the so-called
Naxalite movement — as well as the fight against it — has a hidden
cost: the education of thousands of India's most vulnerable children,
whose schools have been blasted by rebels, occupied by security
forces, or both.
A report released Dec. 9 by Human Rights Watch found that at least 39
schools in the Eastern states of Jharkhand and Bihar have been
attacked by Naxals in the last year. That doesn't include schools that
are occupied by state security forces, of which the total number is
still unknown. "When we wanted to know of the exact number of schools
that were being occupied by the security forces, the government
refused to provide us the details," says Subrata Bhattacharjee,
president of the Jharkhand chapter of the People's Union For Civil
Liberties (PUCL), an advocacy group based in that state. The PUCL
filed a public-interest lawsuit in Jharkhand and found that 52 schools
in that state were occupied. Despite an order issued by the state
supreme court to vacate the schools by January 2009, all but 13 remain
occupied.
(See pictures of a Jihadist's journey.)
The insurgency's effect on education has been devastating. The
Naxalite movement has been agitating for revolution in India's long-
neglected rural interior since 1967, and sees any government building
as an emblem of the state it seeks to overthrow. Naxal attacks usually
occur at night, when improvised explosive devices, known as "can
bombs," are set off inside the schools. Human Rights Watch researchers
visited a school in Dwarika, a village in Jharkhand where no classes
have been taught since a can bomb explosion severely damaged the
building in November 2008. The wooden doors were shattered, and the
walls cracked, making the brick building unsafe for students. Of the
250 students, only 50 had families with enough money to send them to
the next village. "We are poor people," said one father in Dwarika,
whose children stay home, grazing cattle. "Those who are not able, how
can they send?"
Just as damaging is the occupation of all or part of a school building
by security forces, who use them as camps or barracks. Students are
squeezed into the remaining parts of the school, which in many cases
stops functioning altogether. Megha, a high school student in the
Mohulia district of Jharkhand, says two-thirds of her school is
occupied by troops. "We cannot go to the toilets, as they are used by
camp people," she said in an interview with TIME. Other students
complain of harassment — the girls feeling leered at, and the boys
grilled for information about suspected insurgents in the village. At
the Tankuppa High School in Bihar's Gaya district, a 16-year-old
student told HRW that the police "bring culprits back to the school
and beat them."
(See the top 10 underreported stories of 2009.)
As the Indian police and paramilitary forces gear up for a big push
against the Naxals planned for early next year, the impact on schools
is likely to get worse. In remote areas, schools may be the only solid
construction available to use as a base of operation. State education
officials say the schools are occupied only temporarily, and that
alternative sites are arranged, but residents of Naxal-affected areas
say that many schools have been closed for months or years,
permanently disrupting education. Burhan Soren, a farmer in Gurha,
says one school in his village has been occupied since 2003. "As the
father of two small children, I feel very strongly about this," Soren
tells TIME. "But if we protest too much, then the government says we
are aligning with the Naxals."
The insurgents, too, insist that they only attack schools that are
being used as "police camps." In the November 2008 bulletin of a
banned Maoist political party, an unsigned editorial states, "You
cannot show a single instance where we had destroyed a school that was
really meant for education purposes." HRW researchers contradict that
claim, and say the Naxals attack schools as a way of intimidating the
local population to keep them from cooperating with the military, who
badly need better local intelligence.
The government school systems in Bihar and Jharkhand were already
abysmal well before Naxal activity picked up this year. Average class
sizes in the two states are 75 and 65, respectively, for a single
teacher, compared to the national average of 40. Literacy rates, too,
are well below the national average of 65%. Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh has made development in Naxal-affected areas —
including education — a priority, but the attacks and occupation
threaten to undo what limited progress his government had made. In the
Aurangabad district of Bihar, for example, the government approved
about $28,600 to build a residential school for poor girls in late
2008. Once 10 police officers occupied part of the school this year,
no family would enroll their daughters, and the school has yet to
open.
(See pictures of Singh at President Obama's state dinner.)
Human Rights Watch is calling on the Naxal groups to stop targeting
school buildings, and for state authorities to repair damaged
buildings and provide viable alternatives for occupied schools more
quickly. Its representatives will be meeting with Indian central
government officials about the issue this week. In the meantime,
thousands of students in the affected areas are missing yet another
year's exams. "The government says it is in the interest of the
children that the security forces stay in the schools to guard against
Maoist activities," Bhattacharjee says. "The Maoists say they blow up
schools because they are less educational institutions and more
security camps. So, ultimately the villagers get caught in the
crossfire."
— With reporting by Nilanjana Bhowmick / New Delhi
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1946516,00.html
chhotemianinshallah
Posted by Explorer at 4:51 PM
Source: PRIU
A senior Naxal leader who surrendered in Maharashtra, India last week
has claimed that two LTTE cadres had visited camps in India twice to
give training to the Naxal terrorists.
Naxal leader Rainu said that the LTTE cadres had taught the Naxals how
to lay mines and handle grenades, reported the Indian Express.
Maoist groups in India have been known to collaborate with their
counterparts across the border in Nepal and also occasionally with
sympathizers elsewhere in South Asia but the senior Naxal leader
claimed that a warfare expert from the Philippines also visited and
stayed in a Bastar Naxal camp in Abujmad, stated the Indian Express.
“It is not very difficult for LTTE men to pass off as Indians, but how
the Naxals managed a safe passage for a Filipino into territory where
even the police can’t go, and back, is very curious,” said a security
official who did not want to be named, the Indian Express further
said.
http://www.terrorismwatch.org/2009/12/sri-lanka-ltte-trained-naxalites-naxal.html
chhotemianinshallah
killed in 2009
New Delhi, Dec.7 (ANI): The Government on Wednesday revealed the
number of civilians and security forces personnel along with the
number of terrorists, extremists and naxalites killed in Jammu and
Kashmir, northeastern states, and the Naxal affected states.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the number of Civilians and Security Forces
personnel killed upto Oct.31, 2009 was 123 while it was 166 in 2008.
However, the number of terrorists killed during the same time is 212
(till Oct.31, 2009), which stood at 339 in 2008.
In northeastern States, the number of the number of Civilians and
Security Forces personnel killed upto Oct.31, 2009 was 261 while it
was 512 in 2008. However, the number of extremists killed during the
same time is 497 (till Oct.31, 2009), which stood at 640 in 2008.
In Naxal affected States, the number of the number of Civilians and
Security Forces personnel killed upto Oct.31, 2009 was 742 while it
was 721 in 2008. However, the number of Naxalites killed during the
same time is 170 (till Oct.31, 2009), which stood at 199 in 2008.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken in written reply
to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. (ANI)
Sid Harth
STAFF WRITER 19:4 HRS IST
Nagpur, Dec 10 (PTI) The Opposition put the ruling DF government on
the mat today over deteriorating law and order situation, rise in
crime and increasing Naxal related offences in the state.
Initiating the debate under Rule 293, Opposition Leader in Lower House
Eknath Khadse (BJP) and others, took the government to task, alleging
large scale corruption, rivalry among officers and inefficiency in
dealing with law and order problems not only in Mumbai but in other
parts of state.
The outlawed Maoists were targeting police, forest officials,
contractors, common citizens and were on a killing spree, Khadse said.
Recalling the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, he said it showed serious
lapses in co-ordination among police officers, he said claiming that
this was clearly evident from the two camps, one led by the Director
General and another by Mumbai Commissioner of Police.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/417650_Oppn-grills-DF-govt-on-terror--naxalism--rising-crime
chhotemianinshallah
Avijit Nandi Majumdar
Kolkata, December 11, 2009
Three teachers of a school in West Bengal's Lalgarh region have been
publicly paraded with garlands of shoes around their necks by
supporters of the Naxal-backed People's Committee Against Police
Atrocities (PCPA).
The parading was carried out as punishment over the quality of food
served by the teachers to students of Palashi primary school. The PCPA
claimed that many children had fallen ill after eating the food.
During the parading, PCPA supporters shouted slogans in favour of
their arrested leader Chhatradhar Mahato. The teachers were later
released.
chhotemianinshallah
- Roads dug up to protest Thursday’s police firing
OUR BUREAU
An assembly of alleged Maoist-backed villagers on Friday night outside
the Salboni police camp that was attacked on Thursday. The
demonstrators allegedly snapped power lines in the area during the
protest. Picture by Samir Mondal
Dec. 11: Maoists mobilised people in thousands who surrounded police
camps in Salboni and protested a day after security forces killed a
villager, firing on a mob that had besieged them.
The guerrillas, who instigated last evening’s attack and then joined
the villagers with guns, seized the opportunity today to cash in on
popular anger over the police firing.
The police said the more the rebels were getting cornered in Lalgarh,
the more they were trying to build up “Lalgarh-type” resistance in
other areas.
“Their might in Lalgarh is not what it used to be because the joint
forces have been able to take control of the area to a large extent.
So, the Maoists are now looking for fresh hunting grounds. That’s why
they are killing CPM workers and attacking the forces in Salboni and
parts of Jhargram,” an officer said.
The Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities has
called a 24-hour bandh tomorrow in West Midnapore, Purulia and
Bankura.
Yesterday’s death has given a new lease of life to the committee,
“giving it the opportunity to fuel people’s anger’’, the officer
added.
One of those injured last evening, Tamal Shaw, 34, a quack, was
brought to Calcutta today with three bullet wounds.
CPM workers Tilak Tudu and Panchanan Mahato were branded police
informers and killed in Parulia and Paluiboni villages of Salboni late
last night.
State police chief Bhupinder Singh said on the sidelines of a
programme in Burdwan the police were helpless as far as preventing
Maoist murders was concerned. “If their policy is to kill people, we
are helpless. It is impossible provide security to one and all.”
In Calcutta, home secretary Ardhendu Sen said: “No matter how many
villagers are at the front of a demonstration, armed Maoists are
always behind them.”
The walls of the Satpati police camp in Salboni were found riddled
with bullet marks this morning. “It shows how the Maoists had made the
joint forces their target,” said West Midnapore superintendent of
police Manoj Verma.
Led by committee leaders, villagers today felled trees and blocked
roads between Lalgarh and Bhimpur. Efforts to do so failed in Salboni
because of the heavy deployment of forces at the Satpati and Pirakata
camps after last evening’s incident.
“The joint forces are torturing innocent villagers and firing at them.
So, trees were felled in some areas to hamper their movement. We will
build up our struggle against the joint forces by spreading out to
places where their camps are located. Trees will be felled and roads
will be dug up. We won’t tolerate their torture,” committee leader
Asit Mahato said.
The district police chief said they had not attacked the villagers
last evening. “We retaliated when fired at by the Maoists in the
mob.”
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091212/jsp/bengal/story_11855145.jsp
chhotemianinshallah
Express News Service
Posted: Saturday , Dec 12, 2009 at 0459 hrs
Lucknow: In the first incident of its kind in Naxal-infested Sonbhadra
district, a man was beheaded on Thursday. While the police say he was
a Naxal and the murder was the fallout of a fight over extortion
money, the Naxals alleged he was “close to the police.”
The body and head of Shiv Prakash Kushwaha (24), a resident of Rampur
village, were found two kilometres apart in the area of Kon police
circle.
The police alleged Kushwaha was a Naxal and a follower of People’s War
Group (PWG) zonal commander Munna Vishkarma, who carries a reward of
Rs 50,000 on his head. They say Kushwaha was involved in collecting
extortion money from contractors and arranging safe passage for
Naxalites. However, there is no case pending against Kushwaha, nor has
he ever been arrested.
“We did not arrest Kushwaha because there was no direct evidence
against him,” said Sonbhadra SP Preetinder Singh. However, the
Songanga Vindhyachal Committee of the People’s War Group claimed that
Kushwaha was not their member. “I have come to know that he was close
to the police and was carrying an axe with him. I do not know who
killed him and we are still collecting details about it,” said
Songanga Vindhyachal Committee (SVC) secretary Jamuna.
The police claim that Kushwaha had collected extortion money from a
mining contractor in Chopan area on behalf of the SVC, but kept it
with himself and the dispute that followed led to the killing.
The story which is circulating in the area is that the Naxals, who
suspected that Kushwana was a police informer, kidnapped him from the
village on Tuesday. The next evening, some men came to the village and
told the people to pick up his body and inform the police.
On Thursday morning, locals informed the police about the body lying
in “Hariya Jungle” area. Initially, the police suspected it to be a
trap laid by Naxals, but after making security arrangements, a team
was sent to the spot which recovered the body.
Ghandy wants to retract confession
NEW DELHI: Accusing Delhi Police’s Special Cell of forcibly extracting
a confession from him, Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy on Friday requested
a Delhi Court to permit him to withdraw the damning document.
Ghandy pleaded with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja’s
court to allow him to retract from the “forcible confession” so that
it was not used as evidence against him during trial. He alleged that
he was not aware of the contents of the confession as he was “forced
to sign on blank sheets”. The court sent Ghandy in judicial custody
till December 25 and said it would later decide whether to grant his
plea. Ghandy, 63, was brought to Delhi from Andhra Pradesh, where he
was in custody in connection with a case against him in Karimnagar
district in 2008. ENS
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/man-beheaded-in-up-police-allege-naxal-link/553307/0
bademiyansubhanallah
A STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, Dec. 10: Suspected Bodo militants carried out two blasts in
Assam’s Sonitpur district this afternoon, leaving a 12-year-old boy
dead and 36 injured.
The first explosion at Garubandha weekly market, 100 metres from
Missamari police station, at 2.30pm left one dead and 34 injured while
the second one at Rakshasmari under Dhekiajuli police station at 6pm
left two injured.
Preliminary investigations suggested that both the blasts were carried
out by suspected militants of the National Democratic Front of
Boroland (NDFB).
At the Garubandha market, which was milling with people at that time,
the rebels exploded a grenade. The market is located 5km from the army
cantonment at Missamari and is adjacent to the Garubandha primary
health centre. The 12-year-old who died in the explosion was
identified as Anuj Kumar Gaur. He died on way to Kanaklata civil
hospital in Tezpur. Of the injured, 31 were admitted to the civil
hospital while three were rushed to the Gauhati Medical College and
Hospital.
At Rakshasmari, a low intensity bomb was exploded near a grocery shop
owned by Montu Nandi. The police said it was probably kept inside a
bag near the shop. The two injured, identified as Saidul, 25, and Nur
Islam, 35, were admitted to Dhekiajuli hospital.
Sonitpur deputy commissioner Rajesh Prasad told this correspondent,
“Today was the day of the Garubandha weekly market. The police have
told me that it was a Chinese grenade. We have intensified operations
in the area that borders Arunachal Pradesh. It could be the handiwork
of NDFB militants.”
Bireswar Kalita, the joint director of health services, Sonitpur,
said, “Of the three rushed to the GMCH with eye, chest and neck
injuries, a 13-year-old boy, Dipankar Sahu, may lose an eye. We will
have to carry out the post-mortem of the deceased who did not suffer
any external injuries.”
Doley, Prasad and deputy inspector-general S.N. Singh rushed to
Garubandha market to take stock of the situation.
AGP leaders Apurba Bhattacharjee and Padma Hazarika also visited the
site and “wondered” where the government was.
The twin blasts shattered the lull in the district following the
October 4 Bhimajuli massacre and came a day before the conclusion of
the five-day Assembly session tomorrow.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi condemned the blasts this evening and
ordered strengthening of security measures in the state.
Incidentally, the blasts come just days after Jitmal Doley took charge
as Sonitpur superintendent of police. He was among the several police
officers transferred in the recent reshuffle and was the Nalbari SP
when twin blasts claimed seven lives in the district on November 22.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091211/jsp/frontpage/story_11850092.jsp
bademiyansubhanallah
bademiyansubhanallah
Forces fan out in red dens
SUMAN K. SHRIVASTAVA & PINAKI MAZUMDAR
Ranchi/Jamshedpur, Dec. 10: The state administration and security
forces face their first serious test on Saturday when 14 Assembly
constituencies go to vote in the fourth phase of elections spread over
six districts that are either Maoist strongholds or under the grip of
their breakaway group, the PLFI.
Despite a Maoist poll boycott, the Assembly elections so far have been
relatively peaceful with the overall turnout hovering between an
encouraging 52 per cent and more.
For the fourth phase of voting, the Election Commission has relocated
as many as 161 booths in the regions of Ghatshila, Manoharpur,
Chakardharpur, Simdega, Torpa, Kolebira and Lohardaga where
campaigning came to an end today.
Joint chief electoral officer Ashok Kumar Sinha said the booths (37 in
Manoharpur, 22 in Gumla, 39 in Bishunpur, 16 in Torpa, three each in
Ghatshila and Potka, 11 in Ichagarh, four in Simdega, seven in
Kolebira and nine in Lohardaga) had been relocated due to security
reasons, a move that proved fruitful in the earlier three phases.
“Most of these constituencies are sensitive,” said South Chhotanagpur
DIG R.K. Mallick, “but we have taken foolproof security measures.”
DIG (Kolhan) M.K. Mishra also expressed confidence that security
arrangements in Kolhan would prove adequate. “I cannot disclose
details, but we have made foolproof arrangements to prevent any
untoward incidents,” he said.
All the areas have seen an unprecedented number of state and central
forces that have been deployed strategically after careful scrutiny of
the terrain. Though the police would not reveal the exact number of
securitymen, sources said around 40,000 jawans and officers had been
deployed.
“We have six helicopters which will be used for air surveillance as
well as ferrying poll officials. We have adequate number of strike
reserve forces, too,” said state police spokesperson and IG (human
rights) V.H. Deshmukh.
Over 24 lakh people are expected to vote in 14 constituencies where
233 candidates are contesting in the fourth phase of elections at a
time when the primary political formations have begun to admit, albeit
in private, that the state was headed for a hung House yet again.
Half the 14 seats are in East and West Singhbhum, while the rest are
in Gumla, Simdega and Khunti districts. The JMM has five sitting MLAs
in the 14 seats, while the BJP has four, Congress three and UGDP (Joba
Manjhi) and Jharkhand Party (Anosh Ekka) one each.
If the emerging political scenario is hazy, it is because both the
Congress and the BJP failed to narrow focus their campaign on
corruption and price rise, two issues that would have touched a chord
with the electorate.
“It left the space for the elections to be decided by local factors
and personal relations of candidates with voters,” pointed out
Harishwar Dayal, an expert who has been studying previous elections in
the state.
However, Congress state president Pradeep Balmuchu, locked in a
triangular contest in the Naxalite-hit Ghatshila constituency, claimed
the Congress-JVM alliance was the only alternative which could provide
a strong and stable government in Jharkhand.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091211/jsp/frontpage/story_11850726.jsp
chhotemianinshallah
Rural poverty and India's Maoist revolt
By Mark Tully
Former BBC Delhi Correspondent
The Indian government has ordered hundreds of paramilitary troops into
eastern parts of the country where Maoist rebels have increasingly
been taking control.
A massive security operation has been launched against the rebels
This year, 669 people have died in violent incidents involving the
Maoists.
October was a particularly humiliating month for the Indian police.
First, members of the Communist Party of India [Maoist] captured an
Inspector and beheaded him. Then, a police station was attacked and
two policemen killed.
The officer in charge was abducted and only freed after the government
of West Bengal released 24 Maoists it had arrested - a humiliating
climb-down.
In two other attacks, 21 policemen were killed. Then came the
hijacking of one of India's prestigious express trains running from
the capital of the east coast state of Orissa to Delhi.
Maoists and supporters of a group known as The People's Committee
Against Police Atrocities, most of them armed just with bows and
arrows, halted the train and overcame its staff.
When the police eventually arrived, the hijackers, numbering some
1500, dispersed without putting up any resistance. There were no
casualties.
Decades of conflict
The Maoists are often known as Naxalites because of the Maoist
uprising in 1967, which started from the Eastern village of Naxalbari.
That was put down by the police.
But over the years, the Naxalites have established effective control
over vast forests stretching across six states in the heart of India.
The Maoists are driven by the grievances of India's rural poor
The villagers who live in the forests, are known in India as tribals.
They come from tribes who, under the British Raj, led their
traditional ways of life isolated in the forests, although India has
changed dramatically since then.
The government is officially committed to bringing tribals into the
mainstream - few schools, health centres and other facilities have
reached them.
Whenever I have travelled in tribal areas, I have been shocked by the
resentment the tribals feel at their neglect by successive
governments.
The train hijacking occurred on the day that India's Home Minister, P
Chidambaram, told a parliamentary committee that the police needed
urgent reform.
The central forces are not exactly known for their softly, softly
approach.
Chidambaram told the parliamentarians he had ordered a massive
expansion of the paramilitary police forces controlled by the central
government.
But they could well become part of the problem, rather than the
solution.
Being central government forces and recruited from all over India they
will be strangers, not speaking the tribal languages or understanding
their ways.
The central forces are not exactly known for their softly, softly
approach.
When they were very active in Kashmir, I remember having several
conversations with the governor about the failure to punish police
responsible for human rights abuses.
Bitter criticism
The governor was a humane man himself, and he had the honesty to admit
the government feared the forces would be demoralised if action was
taken against them every time they went too far.
A government which has given them nothing but violence and neglect
now wants to snatch away the last thing they have - their land
Arundhati Roy
Although the Naxalites operate in remote areas, Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh has described them as "the single largest internal
security threat."
But many Indians question whether Chidambaram's campaign is the right
way to deal with this threat.
One of his most vocal opponents is the Booker Prize winning author
Arundhati Roy.
Writing in a very recent edition of the Indian weekly magazine,
Outlook, Arundhati Roy said: "If the tribals have taken up arms they
have done so because a government which has given them nothing but
violence and neglect now wants to snatch away the last thing they have
- their land."
She bitterly criticised the plans of multinational companies to mine
the forest's bauxite and other rich mineral reserves.
The national daily The Indian Express, put the case for Mr
Chidambaram's operation Green Hunt as it is called: "The ultimate and
foolproof solution to the Maoist threat is to end it. The Indian state
must progressively reclaim territory currently in Maoist control and
establish the rule of law therein."
But it is unlikely to be as simple as that. India now faces the
prospects of a brutal campaign which could last four or five years
according to the home minister.
Betrayed
The tribal people, who both sides claim to be representing, will be
crushed between security forces demanding they provide information
about Maoist movements, and the Maoists themselves who have already
shown how brutally they treat anyone they believe has betrayed them.
Once again, the root of the problem is the Indian government's
inability to provide what those they govern rightly feel is their
entitlement.
Nowhere is this more manifest than in the callous handling of tribals
who have been dispossessed of their land.
Reading Arundhati Roy, I was reminded of a visit I made to a
resettlement villages for tribals, who had twice been evicted in order
to make way for power stations.
When they complained to the official accompanying me that they were
not being provided with electricity, he shot back: "Well you cannot
afford it, can you?"
With that sort of callousness all too common amongst officials, is it
any wonder that tribals support Maoists who promise to protect their
lands?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8355156.stm
Sid Harth
Express News Service
Posted: Saturday , Dec 12, 2009 at 0326 hrs
Kolkata:
Tribals hold a protest at Piarkhuli village against security forces in
Lalgarh. Subham Dutta
The standoff between a 15,000-strong mob of armed tribals led by the
Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) and
the joint forces at Satpati camp near Lalgarh which continued for the
day, ended in the evening.
Around 15,000 tribals armed with bows and arrows and sophisticated
weapons had gheraoed the Satpati camp and started a protest there.
The tension began after a member of the PCAPA, Biplap Sau (35), was
shot dead late on Thursday night after the joint forces opened fire at
a mob. Six others of the group were injured.
Asit Mahato, convener of the PCAPA, said: “Around 10-15 armed cadres
of CPM stopped the Lalgarh-bound bus at Satpati late in the evening
and began assaulting the passengers. The place is located at a stone’s
throw from the joint forces’ camp, but they did not turn up to resist
the cadres.”
Seeing this going on for an hour, some members of the PCAPA went to
the camp and asked the jawans to take action against the CPM cadres.
“But they began firing and one of our supporters was killed and six
were critically injured,” said Mahato.
“So today, we have gheraoed the camp and will not withdraw until they
apologise.”
Manoj Verma, SP, West Midnapore, however, said the members of PCAPA
had opened fire at the camp.
“The jawans retaliated in self-defence, we have taken snaps of the
marks of the firing at the camp,” he said. “No arrest has been made
yet.”
After Sau’s death, the Maoists allegedly gunned down a CPM leader of
the local committee at Parulia in Salboni in retaliation.
According to a senior officer of the Salboni police station, on the
wee hours of Friday, around 10-15 armed Maoists stormed into the house
of Trailokya Tudu (42), a local CPM leader.
Tudu was shot dead in front of his family. Around 10 houses of CPM
members in the village were set afire by the Maoists.
“We have deployed joint forces in the village. Most of the villagers
have started leaving the area,” said a senior district fficial.
Trinamool, CPM clash in Canning, 100 houses torched
Violence marked the by-election to the Narayanpur Gram panchayat on
Friday when supporters of Trinamool Congress and CPM clashed at
Narayantala in Canning leaving at least thirty people injured. Around
100 houses belonging to the supporters of both the parties were set on
fire by the clashing mob. The local CPM office was also ransacked.
According to the police, the clash broke out at 11 am after Trinamool
workers alleged that their supporters were not allowed to cast their
votes.
Two Trinamool Congress workers, who have been identified as Mana Sapui
and Pampa Mondal, suffered bullet injuries. The injured were admitted
to Canning Sub-Division Hospital.
A large contingent of police and Rapid Action Force were deployed in
the area. Subhankar Sinha, Additional SP (Rural), said, “We will
investigate the clash.” The police have arrested two people in this
connection.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/armed-tribals-dare-jawans-as-firing-kills-1/553200/0
Sid Harth
Agencies
Malkangiri (Orissa):
In a pre-dawn attack, Maoists blew up a newly-constructed police
outpost building in Orissa's Malkangiri district today, police said.
About 50 armed ultras stormed into the outpost at Salim in Mathili
area and triggered a landmine blast to blow up the building after
driving away its lone watchman, Superintendent of Police Satyabrata
Bhoi said.
Nobody has been injured in the incident, he said. The red rebels had
blown up the old police outpost about three years ago.
Police personnel in strength have been sent to the area and patrolling
intensified after the incident which has created panic in nearby
villages, police said.
A massive combing operation has also been launched, while the border
with Chhattisgarh sealed in a bid to check movement of Maoists, they
said.
Meanwhile, in a letter circulated to the press, Malkangiri Divisional
Maoist Committee has asked chief minister Naveen Patnaik to apologise
for the police firing at Narayanpatna in Koraput district last month
and demanded withdrawal of security force from the area.
It has threatened to eliminate ruling BJD leaders of Malkangiri and
Koraput districts if the demand was not fulfilled.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/maoists-blow-up-police-outpost-in-orissa/553334/
chhotemianinshallah
Express News Service
First Published : 13 Dec 2009 05:23:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 13 Dec 2009 07:46:43 AM IST
ROURKELA: It’s a shot in the arm for the district administration.
Villagers in the interior pockets of the Naxal-infested Bonai sub-
division have decided to cooperate with police in the fight against
Left-wing extremists.
The move came against the backdrop of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit
stepping up violence against villagers. Two days back a villager
Harekrishna Singh (45) of Mahupada village was kidnapped and severely
beaten up by Maoists on the suspicion that he was a police informer.
He was allowed to move free after he managed to clear himself of the
charge. Villagers of Relhatu, Langalkata, B Jharbera, Mahupada and
Sanbalijodi under Relhatu gram panchayat (GP) were warned of death
penalty if they cooperated with police. The panicked villagers then
took shelter at a school under K Balang police limits. The villagers
returned to their homes amid tight security today. Later, they pledged
support to the police and the district administration in writing.
In a parallel development, residents of at least 10 villages under K
Balang GP, including Kudobahal and Laharguda, have also decided to
cooperate with the security forces. Official sources said for the
first time in Orissa a case was registered against the guerillas on
the complaint of villagers.
Earlier, Maoists had brutally killed a local CITU leader and a village
headman branding them as police informers. The move seemed to have
boomeranged. Both Relhatu and K Balang GPs share border with Naxal
hotbed of Jharkhand.
Rourkela SP Diptesh Patnaik, who visited K Balang area today to take
stock of the situation, described the development as ‘most welcome’.
He said adequate security would be ensured in the affected areas and
added the administration would be impressed upon the need to initiate
development works in the areas. Meanwhile, security forces with the
help of local villagers are learnt to have traced at least nine
landmines planted in forest locations.
chhotemianinshallah
Bhupendra Pandey
Posted: Sunday , Dec 13, 2009 at 0209 hrs
Lucknow:
With an increase in the amount of levy being collected by Naxal groups
in the bordering areas of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, Naxal leaders
are now engaging in conflict among themselves over the share of booty,
say police.
Munna Vishwakarma, sub-zonal commander of the People’s War Group
(PWG), shot his senior Ram Vriksha Kol on November 9 follwoing a
dispute over sharing the levy amount. Vishwakarma also got Shiv
Prakash Kushwaha, another member of PWG’s affiliated group ‘Songanga
Vindhyachal Committee (SVC)’, killed on Thursday over the same issue,
claim police.
Sonbhadra Superintendent of Police (SP) Preetinder Singh said, “The
dispute over levy collection has led to conflict among Naxal groups
over the last four months. Munna Vishwakarma and Ram Vriksha Kol
belonged to the same Naxal group, but the collection of extortion
money had caused differences between them and they started operating
with separate groups.”
“The dispute erupted with both the groups approaching the same
contractors or businessmen for levy and if one of them extorted the
money from a particular target, the other would get annoyed. This led
to conflict and Vishwakarma succeeded in eliminating Kol,” Singh
added.
Another violent clash over levy is feared to take place in the Naxal-
affected area of Garhwa district in Jharkhand and Vishwakarma is again
expected to play a vital role in the conflict.
“Basant Yadav of Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), who had been the sub-
zonal commander of the Gadhwa south zone, suddenly disappeared three
months ago with a levy amount of nearly Rs 50 lakh and three weapons
including a self-loaded rifle (SLR),” said Lalchand Mahto, Station
Officer (SO) of the naxal-affected Dhurki police station of Garhwa (on
the borders of Sonbhadra district of UP).
“Yadav has now joined another naxal group - Tritiya Prastuti Committee
(TPC) - which is active in Palamu, Latehar and Chatra districts of
Jharkhand. The MCC group in Garhwa has appointed Mritunjaya Singh as
the new sub-zonal commander and a clash between the TPC and the MCC
can take place anytime,” the SO said.
Garhwa Superintendent of Police (SP) Richard Lakra told The Indian
Express: “The MCC, which is stronger that the TPC, can attack Basant
Yadav anytime, as he had caused a major financial loss to the group.
The MCC group in Garhwa is now being led by Mritunjaya and Shatrughan
Singh.”
Sonbhadra SP Preetinder Singh maintained: “Since the MCC and PWG
operate jointly and Vishwakarma too gets some percentage of the levy
from Garhwa, he along with his group would also be part of the clash
against Yadav.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxal-ranks-split-over-share-in-extortion-spoils-say-cops/553489/0
bademiyansubhanallah
PTI Sunday, December 13, 2009 14:33 IST
Muzaffarnagar: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has
received maximum complaints from Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, where the
state government has allegedly failed to protect their interests, its
chairman Buta Singh said.
Singh told mediapersons in Saharanpur yesterday that "Dalits in UP
have not been getting benefits of the schemes of the Centre due to
their improper implementation by the BSP government".
Only 15% out of 17% population of Dalits in the state have got the
benefit of reservation so far, Singh claimed.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_maximum-complaints-from-dalits-in-uttar-pradesh_1323198
bademiyansubhanallah
R Jagannathan
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 21:27 IST Email
In Karl Marx's vision, in the ultimate stage of Communism, the state
is supposed to wither away. History has shown how wrong he was. Not
only did Communism wither away first, the nation-state has stubbornly
refused to follow suit. Even in the 21st century, we have seen the
creation of new states, Kosovo being one of the latest.
But Marx was wrong not only in this sense. As the ideological
progenitor of Communism -- a revolutionary idea at that time -- he
should have known that states are born in the mind before they become
politico-geographical realities. In the post-modern, post-internet
world, many states exist more in the mind than in reality.
Take the Maoists. They are a state within a state. They may not
control a territory entirely, but with their ideology and extended
band of sympathisers they are able to make their writ run to quite an
extent.
A state is not merely a historical or geographical entity; its
defining characteristic is it ability to get its citizens to behave in
a certain way, and when they don't, it can penalise them. Put another
way, there can be no state without the ability to deploy power. A
democracy may project this power less coercively than an autocracy,
but the power to enforce is the critical element in the making of a
state.
If we take the two ideas together -- that the idea of state is
essentially in the mind, and that a state is not a state if it cannot
project power -- we come to this conclusion: we can have states that
are territorial in nature, but others can exist virtually by
colonising the mind.
Does Dawood Ibrahim run a criminal enterprise or a state? He may have
fled the country, but his writ runs in some parts of India, with
sections of Bollywood, the police and even politicians and businessmen
dancing to his tune. He may be ruling his subjects through fear, but
the fact that he can enforce many of his diktats makes him a virtual
state, albeit a criminal one. Like D Company, al Qaeda is also a
state. It may not control much territory, but it can enforce internal
and external discipline in its troops.
The same applies to the Catholic church, or to any of the faith-
related organisations of the world -- whether it is the Jamiat-Ulama-i-
Hind (JuH) or the Tabligh-e-Jamaat (TeJ), or the various Sangh Parivar
entities. When the RSS says that all Indians must sing the Vande
Mataram, it is essentially trying to imprint its idea of state in the
minds of it followers. Ditto for the JuH, when it says Muslims must
not sing the Vande Mataram.
Ditto for the Tabligh, which tries to systematically erase all
syncretic practices followed by Indian Muslims. Ditto for the Vatican,
when it says birth control or abortion is wrong.
All religious or quasi-religious entities are virtual states because
they can get their followers (virtual subjects) to behave in specified
ways even when they don't rule territories. Religious power begins by
addressing the mind with the help of ideology, and this is the base
from which it acquires political power at some stage. Political power
may also lead to the creation of a geographical state, as the creation
of Pakistan or Turkish
Cyprus or the Vatican show. In Islam, this relationship is explicit,
with religious power and political power going hand in hand with the
idea of state. In western democracies, there is a theoretical
separation of church and state, so we have two states residing in the
minds of citizens -- a geographical entity and an ideological one.
There are other kinds of virtual states, and corporations are one
example. GE is a state more than a corporation. Every GE executive
knows what its corporate culture is, and why he has to adhere to it if
he is to rise in the hierarchy. Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, in their
book Built to Last, explain why every great company adopts cult-like
practices for longevity.
Wal-Mart employees scream their Wal-Mart cheer (Give me a 'W', give me
an 'A' and so on till the last letter 'T' in the Wal-Mart name is
reached). The screaming ends with a question: "Who's No 1?" (The
answer, in case you are wondering, is "The customer"). Wal-Mart is
thus a state of mind for its employees; those who don't subscribe to
it are usually weeded out. Precisely what a state tries to do with
people who don't want to belong to it.
The existence of virtual states within states is the reality we have
to deal with. While legal legitimacy rests with the nation-state, the
others exist in a kind of implicit power-sharing arrangement with it.
When power-sharing is explicitly rejected by states or virtual states,
they have to be decided one way or the other, either through court
battles or ideological compromises or armed conflict. The Maoists have
so far rejected compromise. Whatever their reason for existence, they
cannot coexist with the idea of the Indian state.
http://www.dnaindia.com/opinion/column_state-vs-virtual-state_1307301
chhotemianinshallah
Naxal-affected states told to step up NREGS projects
Mon, 12/14/2009 - 15:17
NetIndian News Network
New Delhi, December 14, 2009
The Union Government has issued instructions to all Naxal-affected
States for implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee
Scheme (NREGS) in a more meaningful way.
The States are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today, Minister of
State for Rural Development Pradeep Jain Aditya said the States had
also been told to intensify awareness campaigns among rural households
and monitor issuance of job cards, implementation of sufficient number
of works and timely payment of wages.
http://netindian.in/news/2009/12/14/0004409/naxal-affected-states-told-step-nregs-projects
Sid Harth
TNN 13 December 2009, 09:45pm IST
HAZARIBAG: Police foiled Maoists' bid to assassinate AJSU nominee
Kuldip Ganjhu, who is contesting the Assembly elections from the
Simaria constituency in Chatra district, which is scheduled to go for
polls in the fifth phase on December 18.
Acting on a specific information, a police team took Ganjhu in custody
at Pathalgada where he had gone to address an election meeting on
Saturday along with Roshan Lal Choudhury, the brother of former state
minister Chandra Prakash Choudhury.
According to an official report received here on Sunday, the police
picked up Ganjhu from Pathalgada under the Simaria constituency and
took him to an undisclosed destination to save his life. The police
claimed that Maoists had deployed two sharpshooters to eliminate
Ganjhu, a former sub-zonal commander of the erstwhile MCC, which is
now known as the CPI(Maoist). They added that Ganjhu's decision to
contest the Assembly election had angered Maoists, who tried their
best to keep him off the polls.
Despite all odds, Ganjhu decided to contest the election to prove that
violence and bullets cannot solve the burning problems of people. The
then Hazaribag SP, Anurag Gupta, had arrested Ganjhu from his native
village in 2003. The police had also recovered a huge sum of money and
arms from his possession. Ganjhu was released from jail on bail about
nine months ago. After coming out of jail, he cleared the board
examination and took pledge to reform himself by keeping off the
rebels.
Police said that Ganjhu was later dropped at his residence in Simaria
village, where has also been provided with police security.
Meanwhile, the Chatra police and the CRPF have launched a manhunt to
arrest the two sharpshooters. Security measures have been tightened in
the area even as the police failed to make any headway in the case.
...and i am Sid Harth
Sid Harth
TNN 11 December 2009, 10:22pm IST
RANCHI: In a major anti-Naxalite operation, police busted a rebel
camp, reportedly killing a Maoist and injuring three others. The
incident occurred at Anteorda village at the tri-junction of Ranchi,
Seraikela and West Singhbhum districts on Friday morning.
Acting on a tip-off about the movement of rebels in and around the
area, police launched a well-coordinated operation with paramilitary
forces and even an Indian Air Force helicopter was pressed into
service for the first time in the state during the venture.
Four district police teams moved in from different directions under
the leadership of additional superintendent of police Apoorva and
Bundu DSP Anand Joseph Tigga. A special operations group (SOG) of
CRPF's 133 Battalion and Jharkhand Jaguar were constituted with three
reinforcement teams, including 133-F Battalion of CRPF.
Police launched the operation in the jungles around 7 am and armed
security forces had to travel around 10 kilometre on foot to reach the
place where the Maoist camp was set up.
On seeing the movement of security forces, Maoists fired and the
ensuing encounter continued for about two hours. Maoists were holed up
on a hillock when the forces surrounded it.
"Police fired around 500 rounds, used four high explosives, 14 hand
grenades in which one Maoist was killed while three were reportedly
injured and the camp was busted by police," Ranchi SSP Praveen Kumar.
"Around 70 Maoists took advantage of the low visibility and managed to
flee through a small stream. But local people confirmed that Maoists
were spotted taking their injured counterparts with them," he added.
"Police recovered two single-barrel guns, one double-barrel gun, 200
kg ammonium nitrate, 200 kg semi-liquid explosive gel, two landmines
weighing 30 kg, 200 detonators, 50 metre codex wire, 100 Duracell
batteries, 25 camera flashes," said Kumar.
Among other things recovered by police were several kilo foodgrain
meant for nearly 70 people, cooked food, 15 rucksacks of medicines for
cerebral malaria, first aid kits and 200 soap cases to be used for
making country-made bombs and two large barbed wire cutters.
"The IAF helicopter was largely used during a recce mission to guide
the movement of securitymen through the thick jungle," said Kumar,
adding that a company of security forces will move into the jungle on
Saturday morning.
"Looking at the recoveries, it appears that Maoists were planning a
major attack during the ongoing election or attack police pickets or a
camp of security forces," he added.
chhotemianinshallah
No room for Gandhigiri?
When my friend told me that the age of Gandhi is long gone, I had no
way to disprove her statement. She did has a point. Silence, non-
violence and peaceful strikes amount to nothing. For example, the
Centre that had been sleeping for the last 10 years and paid no heed
to the fast of Irom Sharmila, reacted with lightning speed to the 10-
day fast of TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, demanding a separate state
to be carved out from the existing Andhra Pradesh. Of course, the
hunger strike succeeded only because it was also accompanied with
violence. Does anyone remember Irom Sharmila, the Manipuri girl who
has been on a fast for the last 10 years against the Armed Forces
Special Powers Act in the North East? She started her fast after the
armed forces personnel killed 10 innocent people including 18-year-old
Sinam Chandramani, a 1988 National Child Bravery Award winner. Her
silent fast never made an impact and the government authorities,
politicians, the Indian media and the common man have all been
oblivious to her.
The Manorama Devi protest: The dead body of Manorama Devi, a 32-year-
old woman, was found in 2004. Her tortured and raped body was dumped
just days after the Assam Rifles arrested her. Thirty women
demonstrated naked in front of the Assam Rifles headquarters with a
banner reading, 'Indian Army, rape us too'.
The state jailed them for three months. All this makes one feel that
there has been no major change since the British era. General Dyer
fired at innocent people in Jallianwala Baug and the same thing is
being replicated by the police and Special Police officers in the
naxal belts.
A magazine recently reported the arrest of 14 adivasi women in
Nandigram. These women were holding a protest at the village panchayat
office against police atrocities but the police termed them anti-state
and booked them. The police called them hardcore naxals while the
actual naxal was talking to the media hardly 1.5 kilometers from the
police camp; strange but true. Sometimes I wonder whether we need to
follow the policy of parties like the MNS or the Shiv Sena to make a
point. Has Gandhism died today in the true sense? The dialogue from
Munnabhai where Munna says, "Accha hua aaj bapu zinda nahi hai, warna
yeh dare hue logo ke desh ko dekh ke use bahut dukh hota," rings true.
Far from being independent and self sufficient, we are a country
filled with cowards, and those who support the truth are either put
behind bars or disappear and then resurface as dead bodies.
Meanwhile, I just heard my colleague yell, "I want statehood for
Bandra." Obviously the Telangana issue's coverage has taken a toll on
him.
Posted by Varun Singh at 10:32 PM
http://off-d-record.blogspot.com/2009/12/no-room-for-gandhigiri.html
bademiyansubhanallah
Express News Service
First Published : 16 Dec 2009 03:52:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 16 Dec 2009 09:00:39 AM IST
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government today got flak in the Assembly, run
by the Opposition, over the virtual lawlessness prevailing in many
parts of the State, including Narayanpatna, and its failure to tackle
the growing Naxal menace.
The issue cropped up during discussion on a motion on the
deteriorating law and order situation in the State. Criticising lack
of initiative from the Government to counter the growing violence of
Naxals, the MLAs alleged that instead of trying to bring a semblance
of order in the affected areas, it is always trying to shift the blame
to the Centre.
Besides the Naxal activities, the general law and order situation in
the State has also deteriorated alarmingly, they said and added that
the frequent gang wars in different areas is an indication that the
government had lost control over the situation.
Briefing mediapersons, Congress Chief Whip Prasad Harichandan said
among others Anup Sai, Sadhu Nepak, Rajendra Chhatria, Ramchandra
Kadam (all Cong), Hitesh Bagarti and Karendra Majhi (both BJP)
participated in the discussion.
Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh told mediapersons that
discrimination of the government in declaring drought was discussed
through an adjournment motion notice which was admitted. The
Opposition MLAs alleged that declaration of drought was politicised.
Villages which supported opposition MLAs in the last elections were
not declared drought affected, they added. The MLAs demanded that a
comprehensive package for the farmers on the lines of the packages in
Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra be announced by the
government. Surendra Singh Bhoi of the Congress alleged that non-
farmers are now getting loans instead of farmers and the government
has no control over the situation.
Presiding officer Debi Prasanna Chand observed that the Government
will be informed about the problems faced by the farmers in this
regard. Dushmanta Nayak (Cong) alleged that farmers are facing a lot
of difficulties in getting farm loans even though many of them repaid
previous loan on schedule.
Gobardhan Das (Cong) raised the issue of problems faced by the poor
for delay in distribution of BPL cards. Prafulla Majhi, Ramchandra
Kadam and Surendra Paramanik (all Cong) criticised the government for
its failure in the implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidyutikran
Yojana. They wanted the Centre to release funds for the State
Government in this regard.
bademiyansubhanallah
16 Dec 2009, 1721 hrs IST, PTI
NAGPUR: Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan today said the state
will stick to 'bullet-for-bullet' policy on Naxalism.
"We will stick to our bullet-for-bullet policy as far as dealing with
Naxalites is concerned. However, we are also ready to talk with them,
provided they abjure violence first," Chavan said.
The chief minister who visited 'Suyog', where journalists covering
session are put up, said he personally favoured united Maharashtra and
will accept the high command's decision on the issue.
He also rued that several important issues related to Vidarbha could
not be taken up during the ongoing winter session.
On proposals worth several hundred crores for renovations of
Mantralaya, Bandra government colonies and others, Chavan said the
state government would seek an opinion from independent financial
consultants in this regard.
bademiyansubhanallah
(Source: IANS)
Published: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 at 14:55 IST
New Delhi: A special cell to address the issues faced by Dalit women
is being set up by the National Commission for Women (NCW) in an
effort to fight injustice against this section of society, Women and
Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath said Tuesday.
"Welfare of Dalit women needs special attention as they have been
discriminated against by other sections of the society for long.
Though many programmes have been drafted by various ministries, there
is a need to create mass awareness so that these women can come
forward to take advantage of these schemes," she said while
inaugurating the Dalit Women's Congress, "Abhaya Jeevan", in the
capital.
"More short-stay homes and help line services will also be arranged by
the Central Social Welfare Board for the Dalit women. Also, self-help
groups of such women will be provided more funding and training for
capacity building through the Rashtriya Mahila Kosh programme,"
Krishna Tirath added.
The women and child devopment ministry is also conducting a study on
the status of Dalit women so that programmes and policies can be tuned
in accordance to their needs, the minister said.
Addressing the conference, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Mukul Wasnik laid stress on education and better health facilities for
Dalit women.
"By March 2010, all manual scavengers will be rehabilitated," he
added.
http://www.samaylive.com/news/special-cell-to-fight-injustice-to-dalit-women/670687.html
chhotemianinshallah
Press Trust Of India
Kolkata, December 18, 2009
First Published: 19:23 IST(18/12/2009)
Last Updated: 19:23 IST(18/12/2009)
Violence in West Midnapore continued as suspected Maoists who also
torched vehicles at Jhargram in the trouble-torn district of West
Bengal gunned down four CPI (M) members.
CPI (M) worker Sisir Jana of Dharampur village was shot dead by
suspected ultras this evening, police said, adding "the killers told
villagers that Jana had been given death sentence by a people's
court."
The suspected Maoists vandalised a sponge iron factory at Jitusole and
set 15 trucks and 12 motorcycles ablaze this morning.
People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) supporters
allegedly set afire three oil tankers on the NH6 near Bankasole and a
mini truck in Chandra, police said.
The joint forces rushed to the spot and fired two rounds in the air to
control the situation, they added.
Around 500 people, including Maoists, shot dead CPI (M) workers Anil
Chalak, Daya Chalak and Amol Patra yesterday. Ganesh Hansda, a gram
panchayat member of Chandra village, was shot at and admitted to
hospital, police said.
Last night, suspected Maoists shot dead a CPI (M) leader's father and
chopped off his mother's left hand in West Midnapore district.
They also torched the house of Manik Jana, a CPI (M) zonal committee
member, when they did not find him at home.
...and I a Sid Harth
chhotemianinshallah
STAFF WRITER 20:26 HRS IST
Nagpur, Dec 17 (PTI) A local court today acquitted four Naxal leaders,
including top brass of Naxalite movement Arun Thomas Ferreira and
Murli Satya Reddy, for lack of evidence of unlawful activities against
them.
Dharendra Bhurale and Naresh Bansod were also let off by
Additional Session Judge R B Patil who said the police had failed to
substantiate charges against them.
The court took into account contradictory evidence produced by police
against them. In one such instance, police disclosed that a pistol had
been seized from Ferreira at the time of his arrest but during the
trial a firearm of different make was produced.
The four were arrested here two years back and were given the benefit
of police lapses for producing contradictory evidence against them.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/429101_Nagpur-court-acquits-four-Naxal-leaders
chhotemianinshallah
HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times
Kolkata, December 19, 2009
First Published: 00:28 IST(19/12/2009)
Last Updated: 00:30 IST(19/12/2009)
There will be killings in Lalgarh as long as the security forces stay
there, according to Maoist leader Koteswara Rao alias Kishenji.
He said the deaths were a part of the movement. Lalgarh is 165 km west
of Kolkata.
“There’s no need to count the deaths because there will be more. I
give my word that we’ll stop killing if the state withdraws the joint
forces from Lalgarh,” the senior Maoist leader told HT.
Kishenji’s comments were with reference to the Maoists killing four
Communist Party of India (Marxist) supporters on Thursday.
On Friday, the Maoists and the Peoples’ Committee Against Police
Atrocities (PCAPA) called a shutdown in West Midnapore district, of
which Lalgarh is a part.
This step was taken because the police failed to produce two of its
activists, Raju Adak and Joydeb Bera, before court by Thursday.
Jharkhand poll violence
Two security persons were killed and two others injured in two
landmine blasts by the Maoists in Palamau (300 km north-west of
Ranchi) and West Singhbhum (90 km south-west of Ranchi) districts
during the fifth and final phases of the assembly polls in Jharkhand
on Friday.
About 58.12 per cent of voter turnout was reported from the 16
constituencies.
bademiyansubhanallah
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Kohima, Dec. 19: The Naga peace process is poised to receive a boost
with National Socialist Council of Nagalim’s general secretary
Thuingaleng Muivah tentatively scheduled to visit New Delhi by mid-
January to discuss the government’s proposals to hammer out a
solution.
Disclosing this today, kilonser (minister) in charge of the “ministry
of information and publicity”, Vikiye Sumi cautioned that the visit
would depend on the situation between now and then and the outcome of
ongoing meetings between top NSCN (I-M) leaders and Indian officials
in New Delhi. He did not divulge any details but added that the NSCN
(I-M) would not accept any conditions.
The emissary to the collective leadership of the NSCN (I-M), V.S.
Atem, is at present in New Delhi, meeting Indian leaders on the
Centre’s proposals and doing the groundwork for Muivah’s visit.
Sources said the outcome of the meetings with the central leaders
would be communicated to Muivah who is reportedly somewhere in
Europe.
Harping on the Centre’s sincerity, the NSCN (I-M) leader said a lot
would depend on Delhi’s “commitment and pragmatic approach to hammer
out an honourable and acceptable solution” to the imbroglio.
He added that Swu might not come even if Muivah did, but did not
elaborate.
Sources, however, said according to the agreement between the Centre
and the NSCN (I-M), talks are to be held at the prime ministerial
level and Muivah is the ato kilonser (prime minister) of the
Government of People’s Republic of Nagalim (GPRN) while Swu is its
president.
Sumi said even if they were to visit New Delhi first, all security
aspects had to be worked out by the GPRN and the Centre. “Security is
also another problem for the leaders,” the outfit’s spokesman said.
Though the Centre has prepared proposals for the Isak-Muivah faction,
the Khaplang faction of the NSCN and the Naga National Council have
jointly rejected any conditional proposal to hammer out a solution to
the Naga issue.
Naga organisations and political parties have, however, urged the NSCN
(I-M) and the Centre for an honourable and acceptable solution to the
Naga imbroglio.
The Congress said as the Centre had shown its sincerity to resolve the
Naga problem, the Nagas must take full advantage of the situation and
come to a conclusion on a pending problem.
Nagaland PCC president K.V. Pusa said internal differences within Naga
society should be sorted out so that joint talks could be held with
the Centre.
Home minister Imkong L. Imchen said a “logical conclusion” to the Naga
political problem should be a New Year’s gift to the Naga people.
“I hope that with the dawn of the New Year many things will unfold for
the Naga people, specially when the government of India is sincerely
determined to bring and offer a meaningful and honourable solution to
the Naga political issue which Naga people cannot afford to ignore,”
he said.
The Naga organisations have also urged the state government to defer
elections to the municipal councils and town councils slated for
February in view of the proposed meeting between the Centre and the
NSCN (I-M).
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091220/jsp/frontpage/story_11888244.jsp
chhotemianinshallah
Ashish Tripathi , TNN 21 December 2009, 04:36am IST
LUCKNOW: Over six decades of struggle of tribals and forest workers in
UP yielded some result on Sunday when the state government gave
ownership rights on 3258.50 acre forest land to over 3100 tribals in
Sonbhadra district under the Forest Rights Act 2006. The land was
already being tilled by the tribals but now with ownership titles,
their claim has been legalised. Besides uplifting the status of
tribals, the decision would also check spread of naxalism in the
area.
Officials claimed that UP is the first state in the country to
distribute land ownership titles to tribals in such a large number. It
became possible due to coordination between the departments of
revenue, panchayati raj, social welfare and chief minister's office
among others, they said. On the instructions of chief minister
Mayawati officials specially went to Sonbhadra for the job. A function
was held at police lines on Sunday where over 8,000 tribals assembled
to watch the distribution of the ownership titles. They welcomed the
government step saying it was a victory of democracy but added that
there was still a long way to go.
The ownership titles are in the name of entire family and are non-
saleable. It was the first phase of distribution. Similar exercise
will continue in future to clear over 60,000 claims submitted by the
tribals so far. "It's a small but welcome move which would send a good
message among tribals in UP and other states. But still, there are
lakhs of tribals whose rights on their ancestors' land have to be
restored," said Roma, UP convener, National Forum of Forests People
and Forest Workers (NFFPFW). Roma is also the first woman in UP to be
booked under the National Security Act for leading movements for
restoration of tribals' right.
In recent years tribals have intensified their struggle. Women of over
500 villages in the Kaimur range, covering five districts in east UP,
had forcibly taken over around 20,000 hectare of land in the area for
cooperative farming under the banner of Kaimur Kshetra Mahila Majdoor
Samiti. But they were being harassed by mining companies, government
and forest officials as well as the police. Naxals from neighbouring
states of Chhattisgarh and Bihar too have been trying to strengthen
their base in the area taking advantage of `state oppression'. But
majority tribals prefer democratic way over gun for their struggle.
Ashok Chaudhary, national convener, NFFPFW, also welcomed the move and
gave credit to chief minister Mayawati and state minister Sanjay Garg.
But, he added, ownership titles have been given to individuals on
agriculture land presently under forest department control, whereas
the Forest Rights Act 2006 also asks for community ownership to
tribals on forests and its produce. The tribals have been dwelling in
forests for centuries though the British had declared them as
encroachers in 1927. The same continued even after Independence.
Tribals were not even allowed to collect food and grass from forests
for building thatched houses.
Over a dozen tribes including Gond, Kol, Baiga, Agaria, Ghasia,
Punika, etc., are found in the region. Naxal movement reached here in
late 90s but did not get popular support as majority preferred peace.
Narrating their woes to government officers on Sunday, tribals said
the entire region is in the grip of coal, mineral and forest mafia,
who, in connivance with forest officials and police indulge in illegal
cutting of trees and mining but tribals are booked even if they
collect tendu leaves for making bidi. Over 3000 tribals have been
falsely booked under various charges in last five years, they
claimed.
bademiyansubhanallah
Staff Reporter
It’s a wake-up call for State government and OHPC
BERHAMPUR: The naxals’ attack on the Balimela hydel project in
Malkangiri district revealed the gaping loopholes in the security of
hydroelectric projects in Orissa.
Theft and miscreants’ activities at hydel projects are not new. But
for the first time the Maoists dared to take advantage of low security
at Balimela project. Most of the hydropower manufacturing units of
Orissa are now part of the Maoist-prone areas. The villages
surrounding the Balimela hydel project have become stronghold of
Maoists as most of them still do not have proper road communication.
Security was concentrated for the power generating unit. Security was
too less at the other portions of the hydel project like the ‘tunnel
camp’ and the ‘valve house’, which enabled the Maoists to make them
their soft target. They also succeeded in disrupting the power
generation at the hydel project.
Around four years ago miscreants stole copper cables from the
Indravati Hydro Electricity project. It also led to total disruption
of power generation for around 16 hours. Following the incident there
were proposals to increase security cover of the hydel projects in the
State. Reports from the intelligence agencies also hinted that power
projects are being targeted by terrorists. But the Balimela incident
hints that not much security was added up.
The Orissa Hydro Power Corporation Limited (OHPC) manages seven
hydroelectricity power projects in the State.
Worth of projects
These hydel projects are worth more than Rs. 18,000 crores. These
hydel units have the capacity to generate around 2000 mw of power.
They also generate more than Rs. 300-crore revenue. They surely
provide irrigation facility.
The naxal attack at Balimela project has revealed that several key
locations of hydel projects are still guarded by a few unarmed home
guards or private security personnel. At some remote places like the
‘tunnel camp’ there may be no security arrangement. The few security
men who at times have only lathis as weapons are no match for the
naxals threat. It is high time for the State government and the OHPC
to wake up after the Balimela incident and provide a security cover to
the hydel projects.
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 21, 2009
http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/21/stories/2009122157650300.htm
bademiyansubhanallah
Rajesh Ahuja / DNA
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 1:46 IST Email
New Delhi: If the Maoists, in a most improbable situation, were to
form a government in Delhi, Kobad Ghandy could easily become their
globe-trotting external affairs minister. His interrogators have come
to the conclusion that Ghandy is the international face of Indian
Maoists.
Like a typical naxalite leader, if Ghandy was providing a wealth of
information to his interrogators about international linkages of
Indian left-wing extremist movement, he also moved an application in a
Delhi court saying he was forced to give a confession during his
custody. He told the court he wanted to retract his confession.
As the interrogators too know, Ghandy has been one of the most active
and influential naxalite leader of the last three decades.
He told the interrogators that in 1994, he rejoined Peoples War Group
(PWG), a Maoist organisation now merged with other left-wing extremist
groups, to form a unified CPI (Maoist), and started working with two
persons known by their code names Vishnu and Vikram. In 1996, he
visited Belgium on behalf of the party to attend a conference of
Marxist-Leninist parties from 50 countries across the world.
Outside India, Ghandy used an alias of Pradeep to hide his identity.
Again in 1998, he visited Frankfurt in Germany to attend a conference
of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (German: Marxistisch-
Leninistische Partei Deutschlands, MLPD).
The CPI(Maoist) played host to delegates from Turkey and Nepal at the
ninth Congress held at Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad in 2001. Ghandy was
entrusted with the task of receiving them at Mumbai and bringing them
to Abujhmad. Here, Ghandy was elevated to the Central Committee of the
CPI(M). The following year, Ghandy was made incharge of the newly-
formed central publishing bureau (CPB) of the outfit.
During the interrogation, Ghandy also shed light on the close
relations between Indian and Nepali Maoists. He told about the 2003
conference of CCOMPOPSA (Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and
Organisations of South Asia) that took place in Punjab. The conference
was held under the leadership of Nepali Maoist ideologue Baburam
Bhattarai, who went on to become the finance minister in the Prachanda
government after Maoists took the reigns in Kathmandu in 2008.
Ghandy was arrested from Delhi on September 20. He had been living
with another CPI(M) central committee member, Balraj alias Aravind.
While Ghandy landed in the police net, his comrade managed to give the
security agencies the slip. Security agencies believe he was trying to
hunt fresh recruits in the industrial belts of the National Capital
Region (NCR), in an effort to expand the Maoist ideological base to
urban centres.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_shrewd-ghandy-puzzles-keeps-interrogators-guessing_1326218
bademiyansubhanallah
An act with teeth, but of no use in protecting the weak online and off
line
S. Viswanathan,
One reason the police and revenue officials assign for the ever-rising
incidence of violence against Dalits and tribal folk is the
‘inadequacy’ of existing laws against atrocities. This is far from
true. In fact, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is a potent law. It provides for punishing
not only the perpetrators of violence, but also the officials,
including the district collector in certain circumstances, when they
refuse to enforce the Act the way they should. So the reason for the
failure to bring the culprits to book seems to lie elsewhere.
With the Act completing 20 years of its existence, the problem is up
for public debate. Advocates, rights activists, leaders of political
parties, and others are discussing the various aspects of the problem.
Five years after the Constitution banned the practice of
“untouchability” under Article 17, the first relevant legislation, the
Untouchability Offences Act 1955, was put in place. The Act also came
to be known as the Temple Untouchability Act, because denial of entry
into temples was the single most onerous aspect of untouchability. The
Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955, which prescribed punishment for
preaching and practising untouchability, is a central Act applicable
to the whole of India. Under this, “civil rights” meant “any right
accruing to a person by reason of the abolition of ‘untouchability’ by
Article 17 of the Constitution.” This was the only legislation that
dealt with civil rights, with amendments bringing many other human
rights under its purview over the years.
An interesting history
The introduction of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act,
1989 has an interesting history. The Protection of Civil Rights Act
came up for review in the late 1970s, when Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi virtually signalled the end of the Emergency by opting for
fresh elections to the Lok Sabha. She suffered a humiliating defeat
and the Janata government took charge. It was perhaps the lowest point
in Mrs Gandhi’s political career. Studies by pollsters and discussions
with senior party leaders identified the loss of traditional Dalit
votes to the Congress as a major factor in the party’s crushing
defeat.
The massacre of 12 Dalit workers by a group of ‘upper caste’
landowners gave Mrs Gandhi an opportunity to make amends for her
neglect of the problems of Dalits, who were believed to be her
unfailing supporters. Discussions with party workers gave her the
impression that all the existing Acts had failed to ensure the
abolition of untouchability and protect Dalits from ‘upper-caste’
violence. The urgency of bringing in more powerful laws became
apparent. It took about eight years for the Congress, now under Rajiv
Gandhi, to make this realisation a reality. Another major pro-Dalit
contribution by Mrs Gandhi was the Special Component Plan (now renamed
as the Scheduled Castes Sub Plan); it provided for allotment by
Ministries at the centre and the States of separate funds for the
benefit of Dalits every year in proportion to their share in the
population. There were complaints that the scheme was not properly
implemented for several years in many States and at the centre. The
scheme has, however, been in operation in recent years.
The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989, which covers many
forms of atrocity, raised high hopes among Dalits. Had it been
properly implemented, it could have made a significant difference on
the ground. Besides providing for severe punishment for atrocities
against Dalits, the Act fixes the quantum of compensation to be paid,
depending upon the nature of the atrocity and the nature of the injury
and the extent of loss to the affected. Any failure of the police and
officials to take suitable action would also attract punishment. Yet
sincerity in implementing the Act has been conspicuously absent.
Indifference
It is well known that in most cases, when the affected Dalits go to
the police, First Information Reports (FIR), are registered not under
the S.C. and S.T. Act but under the ordinary laws, which weakens any
chance of bringing the criminals to justice. One well-identified
reason for the indifference of policemen is that they are
overwhelmingly non-Dalits. Apart from that, in many cases, officialdom
is not free from caste bias. True, the 1989 Act does not cover certain
forms of atrocity such as social boycott or denial of social benefits
or economic offences such as denial of employment. But the basic fault
lies not in the legislation but in the dominant values in the social
system, which are shared by the police and officialdom at large.
There is a vital challenge here for socially sensitive journalism. The
news media must go beyond covering atrocities, various forms of
violence, against the socially oppressed. They must pro-actively
report and analyse the chronic and deep-seated realities of this
oppression as a daily phenomenon — so that the atrocities are located
in proper social context and the need for thoroughly cleansing society
of the curse of ‘untouchability’ and kindred social evils is
highlighted. Only then can the media play their part as agents of
social justice and progressive social change.
http://beta.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/article67776.ece
chhotemianinshallah
December 22, 2009 18:35 IST
In an unusual move, Chhattisgarh Governor ESL Narasimhan has written
to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh [ Images ] asking Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram [ Images ] not to visit Naxal-affected areas in
Raipur and Dantewada on January 7, 2010, as he plans. During his visit
Chidambaram proposes to undertake a padyatra as well as spend a night
with NGOs in a Naxal-affected area.
In a two-page letter to the prime minister, Narasimhan said the visit
by a dignitary such as the home minister during ongoing anti-Naxal
operations would hamper the security forces' strategy and tactics.
Narasimhan has spent 35 years in the Intelligence Bureau and held the
post of director, IB, before moving into the Raipur Raj Bhavan. Given
his background, he knows the operational difficulties in Maoist-
affected areas in his state.
While the governor's aide de camp said he was not talking to the
media, sources in North Block, housing the Union home ministry,
confirmed that such a letter had indeed been sent and they have
received a copy as well.
This is the first time a governor has asked the Union home minister to
not visit a state.
Meanwhile, Operation Anti-Red Terror has been set into motion with
some 80,000 highly-armed personnel drawn from three central
paramilitary forces and thousands of state policemen fanning out to
take on the Maoists in the three most Naxal-affected districts in
central India [ Images ]. The districts where the offensive is being
unleashed are Kanker and Rajnandgaon districts in Chhattisgarh, and
Gadchiroli in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra [ Images ].
The task assigned to them is to drive out the Maoists and free the
areas under their influence, so as to allow government agencies to
launch development works and restore law and order.
Officials in New Delhi [ Images ] asserted that a clear-cut line has
been given to the forces to avoid violent conflicts unless they become
imperative..
"If they retreat we are not going to hunt and kill them. They may,
however, not retreat peacefully so we are prepared for any attacks.
The forces have been specially trained to tackle guerrilla-type
strikes, as we do not expect them to get into a head-on confrontation,
especially when we have pushed in a large number of forces to
outnumber them," a top official who is coordinating the operation
said.
The Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan
Border Police and state police are carrying out the operation
jointly.
In the first phase, the forces will move deep into the interiors of
the forest areas to set up their outposts. Once they establish
themselves, they will venture further into remote areas to mount an
onslaught to cleanse the area of Maoists.
The official said the offensive will include house to house searches
but there will be no violence unless the forces are attacked. Even
their response will be limited to drive out those mounting the
attacks, he said.
"Once we clean out the areas, the district administration will step in
with development works. Our task is limited to neutralising the
Maoists who are not allowing the government staff to do any work in
the areas under their control, and to drive them out," the official
added.
A Correspondent in New Delhi
Discussion Board
7 messages
delightHide replies
by ar on Dec 22, 2009 07:00 PM
chidu running holding his lungi when naxals chase him. what a delight
to watch
Hope
by Desi maverick on Dec 22, 2009 06:58 PM
Hope a complete l0ser like PC goes there and gets ki11ed.
on the run
by ar on Dec 22, 2009 06:56 PM | Hide replies
chidu should atleast wear a trouser so that he can run when naxals
chase him. His lungee will fall otherwise and cameras will capture him
live
wear a trouser
by ar on Dec 22, 2009 06:54 PM | Hide replies
chidu should atleast wear a trouser so that he can run if attacked.
With his lungi if he runs it may fall and TV media is ever ready.
PC
by agp on Dec 22, 2009 06:53 PM
Should visit those areas.
Nexal menance
by Haridas Menon on Dec 22, 2009 06:51 PM
Dear Sir,
It is imperative of the government to safe guard the interest of poor
people. However the same should not be for the benefits for rich
people. I wish all the best for PC.
Thanks,
Menon
courage = p.c
by Palaniappan Gopalan on Dec 22, 2009 06:50 PM
I AM PROUD TO SEE THE COURAGE OF OUR P.C.
KEEP IT UP.
Re: courage = p.c
by a c on Dec 22, 2009 06:55 PM
he will have 5000 security personnel guarding him from all sides and a
helicopter ready to fly out if the naxals attack and this will hamper
anti naxal operation.
ask him to show courage and root out the evil of terrorism and go for
the jugular of all religion based killings instead.
Re: courage = p.c
by Desi maverick on Dec 22, 2009 06:57 PM
Hope to see him ki11ed by the Naxals!
http://news.rediff.com/report/2009/dec/22/dont-visit-naxal-hit-areas-governor-tells-pc.htm
chhotemianinshallah
STAFF WRITER 18:43 HRS IST
New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Home Minister P Chidambaram has convened a
meeting of chief secretaries and police chiefs of five Naxal-affected
states on December 24 to take stock of their plans to deal with
Maoists.
During the day-long meeting, the home minister will review with chief
secretaries and DGPs of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and
Maharashtra their plans in dealing with the Maoists, availability of
forces and other operational aspects.
Home Ministry sources said Chidambaram will also take stock of
development programmes to be carried out by the state governments in
the Maoist-dominated areas once they are freed from the clutches of
Naxals through operations.
The meeting bears significance as it comes immediately after the
Jharkhand Assembly elections which delayed the much awaited large-
scale coordinated anti-Naxal operations in the states.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/435935_HM-convenes-meeting-of-CSs--DGPs-of-Naxal-hit-states
chhotemianinshallah
Press Trust of India / New Delhi December 22, 2009, 16:29 IST
Aluminium producer Nalco's Rs 4,402-crore expansion project will be
delayed by about 9 months because of the naxal attack at its Orissa
site early this year that brought construction work to a standstill.
"Construction work at alumina refinery came to a stand still after the
Naxal attack in April at Damanjodi. Now contractors has resumed work.
Commissioning of the alumina refinery will be delayed by about 9
months," Nalco Director Finance B L Bagra told PTI.
As part of its Rs 4,402-crore second-phase expansion project, National
Aluminium Company (Nalco) is in the process of augmenting the annual
production capacity of its alumina refinery from 1.57 million tonnes
to 2.1 million tonnes.
It had planned to start commercial production of the expanded refinery
from June 2010, but now it would be done in March 2011.
However, the work is on full swing for expanding the annual production
capacity of bauxite mines, aluminium smelter, and captive power
plants, he said.
Nalco, in the second phase of the expansion programme, plans to take
the annual production of its bauxite mines to 63 lakh tonnes from the
present 48 lakh tonnes, output of its aluminium smelter to 4.60 lakh
tonnes from present 3.45 lakh tonnes, by next year.
It has a present installed capacity of 960 MW, which will be expanded
to 1200 MW in the next fiscal.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/nalco-expansion-project-faces-9-months-delay/81454/on
bademiyansubhanallah
Manoj Kumar
January 05, 2010
First Published: 21:56 IST(5/1/2010)
Last Updated: 21:57 IST(5/1/2010)
If your child can go from a ‘near zero’ learning ability to getting 95
per cent in mathematics and from a state of malnutrition to WHO-
approved standards of health, chances are that you will not find the
Naxal ideology all that attractive. I was in the Naxal heartland of
Bastar to review the learning skills of children in 300 schools who
were being educated by the Naandi Foundation when news came that our
trucks carrying mid-day meals to poor children had been burnt in
Hyderabad by the Telangana agitators. The food was taken out and
thrown away and our canisters burnt.
That day, 3,000 children waited for their only meal of the day that
never came while protesters pressed on with their violent cause. I
concur with the view that everyone has the right to express their
demands. But should it be done at the cost of our children, the face
of our future? For 1 million children across four states, the only
meal they get is the one supplied by our mid-day meal scheme.
Often, governments supply meals to children that are, in effect,
devoid of any nutrition. We have taken the trouble to go into what a
growing child needs and added fortified rice, soya milk and eggs so
vital to a child’s development. The other thing that we have focused
on is the child’s taste, not surprisingly many children love the taste
of pickles that we supply with the food.
It is a shame that these agitations are never about issues like hunger
and malnutrition that cut short the lives of many of our children or
compromise the quality of their lives. The impressive growth rates
will continue and better themselves. But the figures are worrying.
Eight million children are severely malnourished. This means they will
not see their fifth birthday.
Let us not compare ourselves with other countries. The point is that
we should not have a single child dying for want of food, even going
to bed hungry one night. This is a negation of democracy. The
lamentable fact is that such situations can be avoided so easily and
simply. While our ministers bicker over cooked meals and packaged
ones, our children fall between the cracks.
To give a child a hot meal once a day takes so little time and effort
that I fail to understand why this is not a much greater priority. The
prime minister himself called the issue of child hunger a ‘national
shame’.
One argument being used for dividing Andhra Pradesh is that it will be
easier to contain the Naxal menace. The Naxals have only filled the
vacuum left by the State and NGOs, which have failed to provide the
basics to people.
I would be so much more reassured if those agitating for smaller
states could provide us with a vision document on how governance will
impact on children. But as things stand, such agitations seem to be by
politicians, for politicians and of politicians. In all this, the fact
that millions of children depend on good government for survival seems
lost. Even for NGOs, it is vital to have supportive governments so
that we can function in our role of supplementing the state. The
destruction of food meant for children inspires little confidence. How
do you explain to a child that an agitation for an objective that lies
in the distant future deprived her of her only meal of the day? That
it would take some days for those providing food to recover from their
losses and get things back on track? That NGOs have to be careful not
to offend any political formation so that they can reach their food to
the needy on time?
Interestingly, the destruction of the food trucks got scant mention in
the papers. The focus was on the political future of a state.
Manoj Kumar is CEO, Naandi Foundation, Hyderabad and is a core member
of the Citizen’s Alliance against Malnutrition
The views expressed by the author are personal
indian citizen10:25 am
Mr. Manoj Kumar! You said it.All such agitations seem to be driven by
the politicians, for the politicians& of politicians'....& those
connected to them, if one may add.Everywhere common people,the average
citizen struggles, even if they may be caught up, for moments,by the
chimera spun by these so called politicians.The only way out is to
force this political class & all other institutions to be more
accountable.Salute to the work done by Naandi Foundation.We the civil
society needs to work lot more actively& conjoin our efforts.Shame on
the media that they did not even report this incident. HT ....ARE U
LISTENING????!!!Glad though that u bothered to published Manoj's
writing.
Why does our media in general keep feeding us junk instead?
....along with our institutions our media direly needs to wake up.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/What-s-politics-got-to-do-with/H1-Article1-494143.aspx
bademiyansubhanallah
STAFF WRITER 12:24 HRS IST
Kolkata, Jan 6 (PTI) The Maoist-infested states, including Jharkhand
and Maharashtra, have set up a special task force in their bid to
jointly tackle the Naxal problem, a senior West Bengal police officer
said.
West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh,
Maharashtra and some other Maoist-hit states have selected 30 officers
for the special task force to deal with the Maoist problem, he said.
The 30 selected officers had undergone a month-long training programme
at Ghatsila in Jharkhand. Some foreign army officials, who have
experience in tackling guerrilla warfare, also imparted them training,
the police officer said.
Of the 30 officers selected for the task force, four are from West
Bengal, the officer said.
"The force would be named soon and it will be pressed into action as
and when the training programme is completed," Director General of
Police of West Bengal Bhupinder Singh told PTI.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/454987_Special-task-force-to-tackle-Maoist-insurgency
Sid Harth
January 6th, 2010 mat
Raipur, Jan 6 (PTI) Two police officers were seriously injured in a
bomb attack by Naxals today while a villager was killed by the
extremists in a separate incident in Dantewada district of
Chhattisgarh, officials said.
Dantewada Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra told PTI by phone
that Additional S P D N Maravi and a Special Police Officer were
wounded when a ‘pressure bomb’ planted by Maoists went off near Gorkha
village.
The incident took place when a police team was on a patrolling mission
in the district. The two officers accidentally stepped on the
‘pressure bomb’ hidden underground, he said.
The injured were admitted to the hospital, Mishra said.
In the other incident, a villager Kunjam Munga was killed near
Jaggawaram village and his body thrown on the road, he said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/456251_Two-police-officers-injured-in-Naxal-attack
Sid Harth
India on The Brink of a Major Showdown
By Dr Uddipan Mukherjee
The apparition of 1967 is haunting India yet again, and this time on a
far more serious scale. The then 'Naxals' are now being termed as
'Maoists'. Only the nomenclature has changed, but the essence of the
problem remains. The genesis of the armed resistance in 1967 was in
the 'Naxalbari' village of the eastern province of West Bengal. At
that juncture, the movement was temporarily curbed by the 'state
apparatus'. What the Indian authorities and policy-makers failed to
address, was not the 'law and order' problem but the development and
empowerment issues (or the lack of those) at the grass-root level
which helped form the backbone of the movement.
Any insurgency sustains itself by feeding on the population. In this
case too, the Maoists are doing it no differently. The 'protracted
people's war' which was thought to have fizzled out in the early 1970s
with the mass arrests of the top brass and the consequent
demoralization and innumerable schisms within the party structure of
the Naxals, raised its serpentine head in 2004 with the unification of
the erstwhile Peoples War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre
(MCC). Since then, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) has 'upped
the ante' and extended their dominions to penetrate large swathes of
the Indian landmass. Presently, about 200 of the total 600 districts
in India are under the 'Maoist Influence'. The area basically
stretches from the Indo-Nepal border in the north to the southern part
of the subcontinent; cutting across several provinces in its
trajectory.
The headquarters of the guerrillas is in the dense forests of Central
India, named Dandakaranya; which has historical connotations
pertaining to the 'Ramayana era'(One of the Indian epics).
Interestingly, the present United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition
government under Dr. Manmohan Singh came to the helm at New Delhi in
2004 itself but did not follow any well-coordinated policy of
combating the 'Red Menace'. It was largely left to the individual
provinces as 'Public Order' and 'Police' are exclusively under the
jurisdiction of the provinces ('states') as per the Seventh Schedule
of the Indian Constitution. And this has been a major reason for the
escalation of Maoist-related casualties in the country.
Furthermore, 'alienation' of the tribal population from the
mainstream, failure of the government to address the basic livelihood
issues of the forest-dwellers and treating the Maoist insurgency as
merely a 'law and order' problem has taken the situation to more
precarious levels.
Data from the Ministry of Home Affairs of India clearly show a gradual
rise of the number of casualties due to Maoist insurgency since 2004.
In fact in 2009, the ultras started venturing into territorial domains
where previously they did not have a considerable mass-base. The June
2009 offensive by the insurgents at 'Lalgarh' in West Bengal was
alarming as the said province had almost totally got rid of Maoism
since the early 1970s due to the equitable land distribution schemes
launched by the Marxist party which came to power through proper
democratic elections.
Actually, indiscriminate bartering away of agrarian lands to corporate
houses in the name of industrialization without creating an atmosphere
of consensus amongst the peasants was the chief cause behind the
'recent resentment' of the rural populace. Moreover, lack of a proper
credit and banking system in the Indian interiors leave the peasantry
at the mercy of the moneylenders; which in turn aggravate their
distress and lead to 'suicides'. And this disgruntlement engenders the
Maoist doctrine.
Returning back to power in May 2009 for the second consecutive term,
the UPA coalition had a formidable task to deal with; and that was to
tackle the Left Wing Extremism which had emerged as the 'biggest
internal security threat', even larger than the Kashmir imbroglio or
the North-Eastern terrorism.
Hence, the much hyped "Operation Green Hunt" was launched in the
Dantewada district of the Central Indian state of Chattisgarh in
September 2009. The Union government was able to launch such a
military offensive based on the premise that Entry 2A of List I in the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution permits the Centre 'to deploy
armed forces in the provinces'. In this venture, the Central
Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) and the Commando Battalion for Resolute
Action (CoBRA) which is specially trained in jungle warfare are also
likely to move into the later stages of the operation. The deployment
of helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for transportation and
rescue operations of troops is also being considered. The Gadchiroli
district in the Western state of Maharashtra was the second place
where the said operation was likely to have been unleashed in the
first week of November.
In the face of vehement criticism by large sections of civil society
and human rights groups against this military offensive, the Home
Ministry has probably put a halt on the operation. Nevertheless, the
tactical pressure seems to have worked as the Maoists have in a formal
statement offered a ceasefire, but only if the government dropped its
pre-condition that the ultras abjure violence.
And very recently, the Home Ministry has also proposed for dialogue
with the ultras, dropping the pre-condition of laying down their arms.
On the other hand, there are reports of a covert alliance of the
'almost decimated' Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the
Maoists of India. If this fructifies, then the scenario would be more
menacing for the Indian authorities. Actually the sagging LTTE may
want to bolster their structure through a fresh base in South India,
close to the Lankan landmass whereas the Maoists would seek to cash in
on the 'land warfare expertise' of the LTTE. Also, the worldwide arms
racket that the LTTE is very much aware of can be an option for the
Maoists.
Recently, the Home Secretary of India, G K Pillai has suggested that
'small arms and ammunitions' from China are being smuggled into India
to feed the Maoist rebels. This opens up a completely new dimension of
the quandary. Not to forget, the ideological support that the Naxal
movement enjoyed in its early days from Peking (Beijing). The
disturbed 'political climate' between India and China might suffer
another blow from this angle with Dalai Lama's visit to Tawang in
Arunachal Pradesh already generating controversy.
The solutions to this imbroglio are non-linear. Analysts and experts
have opined that the Indian government needs to have 'unconditional'
talk with the Maoists. Honest efforts have to be made on the part of
the mainstream to bring the tribals within the 'social pale'. The huge
tracts of land housing mineral resources need to be holistically dealt
with. The government can broker a viable deal between the tribals and
the corporate sector, with a 'win-win' situation for both. Basic
facilities like job opportunities, education, health care and
sanitation needs to be pumped into the tribal areas. But whatever be
the policies and whether or not the government embarks on a military
offensive, the wisdom has to prevail regarding minimizing the
collateral damage because that is the basic tenet of 'counter-
insurgency'. A 'cul-de-sac' has to be avoided at any logical cost.
Dr Uddipan Mukherjee is an author and a researcher on International
Relations. Contact him by writing to NewsBlaze or go to his blog at
uddipanmukherjee.blogspot.com.
http://newsblaze.com/story/20100106084151uddi.nb/topstory.html
chhotemianinshallah
Special Correspondent
He attributes it to combing operations and support received from
people
Deliberations: Home Minister V.S. Acharya and Revenue Minister G.
Karunakara Reddy at a meeting with elected representatives of Yadgir
district on Wednesday.
YADGIR: Home Minister V.S. Acharya has claimed that the naxalite
menace in the State is weakening. Addressing presspersons here on
Wednesday, the Home Minister, who was accompanied by Revenue Minister
G. Karunakara Reddy, said there was no major incident involving
naxalites after March 17 last year. The State could curb their
activities through combing operations and owing to the support from
the people.
“Two days ago, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa was in Kigga, the
hotbed of naxalite activities in the coastal belt, and spent more than
three hours in the place, and there was not even a minor incident,”
Dr. Acharya said.
The Minister said that during the Lok Sabha elections, he himself had
extensively toured the 19 naxal-affected areas in the coastal region
without police protection, to campaign for BJP candidates. “These
regions registered a higher turnout than during the previous
elections. This indicates that the naxalite influence is on the wane,”
he added.
To a question, Dr. Acharya said the State Government had taken serious
note of allegations against a senior official, who was said to have
sought sexual favours from a widow while he was posted in a district.
Dr. Acharya threw hints that the Government proposed to take some
action against the official.
He said there was no plan to create a police commissionerate for
Gulbarga district and added that with the creation of Yadgir district
there was no need for it.
The Minister said that although the Government had decided to
establish a police commissionerate in Mangalore, not much progress had
been achieved on that front because of financial constraints.
To a question on the violence in Bangalore after the death of actor
Vishnuvardhan, the Minister said it was too early to say anything on
the issue. He, however, did say that 127 people had been taken into
custody and they were being questioned.
Thursday, Jan 07, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version
http://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/07/stories/2010010752360300.htm
bademiyansubhanallah
India on the Brink of a Major Showdown
http://newsblaze.com/story/20100106084151uddi.nb/topstory.html
Posted by Dr Uddipan Mukherjee at 11:19 AM
http://uddipanmukherjee.blogspot.com/2010/01/india-on-brink-of-major-showdown.html
bademiyansubhanallah
The Rise of the Conscience
(Article published in the 15th anniversary of Business Economics'
Special Issue on Confluence of World Religions, January 1-15, 2009)
Religion is not about God, it is about the individual. It is not the
surrender of the self to a higher power but the aspiration of the self
to rise so high as to be worthy of that power. To be religious is
misinterpreted as adhering strictly to doctrinaire prescriptions of
scriptures or following rituals. This is a disservice to the meaning
of the term and the source of all corruptions that lead man to
proclaim his religion as superior to all others. This undermines the
basis of religion, that is, to enlighten our minds and unlock the
beauty of the soul: To strengthen the core of that, which makes us
human.
The disenchantment with religion when manifested as rabid communalism
and degrading socio-economic practices, led many to renounce it or to
reform it. Some did so by substituting it with terms like spiritualism
seen as less restrictive and more appreciative of the tenets of
tolerance and universal humanism. Man lives in a material word. But is
the spiritual and material incompatible? The quest for many who want a
qualitatively better life is to find that perfect blend of the
material and the spiritual.
But the concept of perfection is itself flawed. Man has his foibles
but he also has the virtue to deal with and correct his mistakes.
Religion is not about being perfect. It is man’s inner strength to
reject a thought and action that he knows is wrong despite the promise
of material rewards and be true to himself. The guidance does not come
from outside but from within. This is our conscience.
The Struggle of the Self
Why should a business magazine talk of spiritualism? Trade has no
religion. But in our unceasing efforts to set new career goals and in
trying to meet these, we get co-opted into the rat race, with and
without our consent. The current financial crisis shocked people out
of their complacence because it hit them hard economically. Talks of
corporate ethics that were usually limited to a few seminars and
living room conversation now took centre-stage. Man’s relentless drive
for profit had sunk him. But observances on moderation, austerity and
ethics had been imposed by fate or government, rather than being an
acceptance that had come from within. There had been no moral
auditing.
Otherwise, we would have asked the really tough questions. What growth
are we talking about when we are among the critically malnourished
countries with 230 million of our people going hungry everyday? What
future are we looking towards when more than 43 % of our children
under 5 are malnourished? What development are we so proud of that
allows more than 42 % of our population to fall below the
international poverty line of USD 1.25 earning per day? We are racked
by conflicts based on caste, religion and class. Have we ever paused
to seriously understand and address the causes of these conflicts that
can one day destroy us?
We have become so used to our routine life and so focussed on our own
problems that we fail to grasp the fact that we live in a country
whose problems are our problems. We have become so inured to human
suffering that when the downtrodden take to arms we are jerked awake
and forced to acknowledge that there is something wrong with the
system. Corruption is a slow poison that has infected our body
politic. The laziest response to this would be to simply criticise the
government and do nothing. The unconscionable would be to criticise
the country and dismiss it as beyond help. We are responsible for our
country.
A good economy can free the country from inequality and poverty. But
profit without principle will corrupt the economy and turn it into a
shackle that keeps the masses in subjugation while allowing a few to
exploit them and flourish. The cohesiveness and stability of the
society is threatened by the stark contrast in the lives of the rich
and the poor. We remain wilfully ignorant, content in our self-
obsessed stupor. Do we want violence to be the force that shakes us
awake or do we want should spiritualism to be the one to arouse our
individual and collective conscience? The choice is ours.
Choosing Conscience
There are many things we do not like to acknowledge but we have to.
This is what spiritualism or religion is all about. Facing your demons
and triumphing over them. This applies as much to one’s private life
as to the bigger issues facing the country. Why do we have Naxal
violence? Why does so many of the poor reject certain land acquisition
projects if it brings them development? It is sheer arrogance on our
part when we blithely suggest that they do not know anything about
what is good for them and are easily swayed by political parties. The
peasants and labourers know more about the land they have worked in
than we do. They may be illiterate but are not ignorant. Things in
life are not easy and if you want them, you have to work hard and long
to get them. That is what religion teaches us.
So businesses cannot expect to ride on the coattails of a government
or rely on them to get a land deal. They have to make the effort to
reach out to the people and explain to them how they can work together
to usher in development. If the people are unconvinced then that does
not speak well either for the proposed project or of the business
group’s ability to get its message across. Don’t force anyone or you
will be met by the force of their resistance.
We cannot do harm to others and then seek salvation by making
donations to religious institutions or trying to buy forgiveness.
Religion is incorruptible. It cannot be bought.
In the government, there are many corrupt politicians and officials
who make it difficult for business to stick to a principled stand. But
the resistance of the peasants can be emulated by the business. Their
strength lies in their collective action. There are so many important
chambers of commerce. Can’t one of them take the initiative of
refusing to pander to corrupt government parties? If they cannot, then
it reflects poorly on the strength and character of those so-called
captains of industry propelling our economic growth. God knows where
we are headed then!
But if we choose conscience, it is in our hands to change the path and
take the country to a place that we are happy and proud to be in.
Thomas Hobbes called man “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”.
But even in his pessimism, he still thought them capable enough to
choose to relinquish their individual powers and give it to a higher
authority so that their survival is assured. We need to take a stand
for our own survival-moral and physical.
We talk of India on its way to becoming a super power. This talk about
power makes no sense. Nations were blinders when it comes to winning
the race for power defined as selfish national interest and sacrifice
their souls in the process. Let us instead talk about India being a
country that is less poor, less unequal and less corrupt. This is a
goal worth achieving.
We are a multi-religious society and that is our strength. All
religions provide us with character enhancing traits. We will benefit
from integrating these into a common belief system that makes us more
humane, more accepting of difference and more sensitive to the plight
of others not as fortunate as us.
We are not solitary, but God or whatever one might call that
compassionate force, dwells in us. We are not poor but enriched by our
communion with God. We are not nasty, brutish or short because we are
human beings and to be human is to reject all those feelings that make
one a beast.
The rise of the conscience does not need a specific time. It is within
our capacity to allow this to happen. Religion, spiritualism,
morality, faith, truth, belief-are just words. We give them power. In
return, these empower us.
Posted by Sangeeta Mahapatra at 9:47 PM
http://myticmilady.blogspot.com/2010/01/rise-of-conscience.html
bademiyansubhanallah
Suchandana Gupta, TNN 7 January 2010, 04:08am IST
BHOPAL: Tribals angry with activists fighting for human rights of
Naxals while ignoring poor ‘adivasis’ threw rotten eggs and tomatoes
at Magsaysay award winner Medha Patkar and Sandeep Pandey as they
reached Dantewada town in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.
While Medha, being a woman, did not face much humiliation, her
companion Pandey was pulled down from the motorcycle and given a
hiding. He was pushed around and asked why the activists had done
nothing for the tribals but found cause to support Naxals.
Medha, who leads Narmada Bachao Andolan, and Pandey who founded Asha
for Education, were on their way to participate in a ‘jan
sunwai’ (people’s court) in Naxal-hit areas on Thursday. Patkar and
Pandey were on a motorbike when tribals carrying banners of ‘Maa
Danteswadi Adivasi Swabhimaan Manch’ surrounded them, asking them to
go back.
Shouting slogans like ‘‘Wapas jao, wapas jao (go back)’, the tribals
alleged that NGOs ‘‘support Naxals under the pretext of human
rights.’’
The police resorted to lathicharge to rescue Patkar and Pandey.
Dantewada SP Ambreesh Mishra, however, said the two should have been
more careful.
‘‘We have been telling human rights activists that the situation in
Dantewara is highly volatile. If they plan to visit these areas, they
should inform the administration so that we can provide them with
protection. Neither Patkar nor Pandey informed us. After they were
rescued, we advised them to leave Dantewara,’’ SP Mishra said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dantewada-tribals-attack-Patkar/articleshow/5418415.cms
bademiyansubhanallah
R Krishna Das / Raipur January 07, 2010, 0:41 IST
A group of angry tribal people this evening staged strong protests
against a rights group led by activist Medha Patkar and Magsaysay
award winner Sandeep Pandey, who had visited Dantewada to attend a
public hearing convened by Vanvasi Chetana Ashram (VCA).
The Ashram, run by Gandhian activist Himanshu Kumar, had convened the
hearing to air people’s view on the reports of atrocities by security
personnel in the Naxal-hit areas. Kumar had invited Union Home
Minister P Chidambaram to the hearing, but the minister did not turn
up.People in Chhatisgarh’s Naxal-infested district of Dantewada no
longer want social activists, whom they call “outsiders”, to interfere
in solving the insurgency problem.
The tribals alleged that the activists were supporting Naxal
sympathisers, who were trying to stall the anti-Naxal operations in
the restive Bastar region.
As Patkar, Pandey and other social activists from different parts of
the country reached Dantewada, they faced strong resistance from the
tribals, who demanded that the activists should leave Dantewada
immediately.
Dantewada is one of country’s worst Naxal-infested districts.
Sources said the protesters even tried to manhandle the activists and
they pelted stones and eggs. The security personnel escorted Patkar,
Pandey and others to the office of the district superintendent of
police, where they resorted to dharna.Dantewada SP Amresh Kumar denied
that the social activists were manhandled. “The police escorted them
(activists) to my office before the people got violent,” he said.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/patkarco%5Coutsiders%5C-in-chhattisgarh/381937/
chhotemianinshallah
the poor
Maoist guerrillas on one side and the State and its sponsored
offensive, Salva Judum, on the other. This is the hidden war in south
Chhattisgarh. Vast sections of Indian civil society are silent on
this. The Government has ensured that the rag-tag army of poorest of
the poor, incited by misprepresenting the people's struggle and
depicting the naxalites as monsters and the state as a saviour, the
Salwa Judam works to pit the tribals into a civil war. Over the last
two years, 700 villages in Dantewada district have been burnt, and
about one lakh people displaced. It has been apparent all this while
that the Salva Judum is government-backed and enjoys the support of
security forces stationed on the ground. Mahendra Karma, Leader of the
Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly and a Salva Judum protagonist,
had openly attended meetings of this militia in the presence of senior
bureaucrats and policemen.
In essence, the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh is in the grip of a
civil war that has locked tribals in a bloody internecine conflict.
The Chhattisgarh government has put a ban on independent reporting
through the Special Security Act of 2005. So there you are: only the
atrocities by Maoists now get highlighted, while far more numerous
Salva Judum crimes go unreported and unpunished. Salva Judum cadres
work under close supervision of the police.
Some sections of the civil society have demanded the repeal of the
Chhattisgarh Special Security Act (2005) censoring the media; a
highlevel, independent enquiry into all killings, disappearances and
rapes by the Salva Judum as well as Naxalites; the disbanding of Salva
Judum, and a commitment to end violence by both sides; and a real
dialogue between the Naxalites/Maoists and the government.
The Chhattisgarh government has recently tried to ban NGOs in the
Bastar region, as well as Médecins Sans rontières, even though
thousands of people are dying from lack of medical aid in the villages
as well as camps.
28 November, 2007
chhotemianinshallah
Namas Bhojani for The New York Times
The People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army marched in east-central India.
Such forces have kept Indians on edge for decades; now villages fight
back. More Photos >
By SOMINI SENGUPTA
Published: April 13, 2006
BHANUPRATAPUR FOREST RESERVE, India — The gray light of dawn broke
over the bamboo forest as the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army
prepared for a new day.
Skip to next paragraph
Multimedia
Photographs: Old Insurgency Grows in India
Enlarge This Image
Namas Bhojani for The New York Times
Soldiers with an armed cadre of the Communist Party of India (Maoist)
round up villagers for a rally in Bhanupratapur, in east-central
India.
With transistor radios tucked under their arms, the soldiers listened
to the morning news and brushed their teeth. A few young recruits
busied themselves making a remote-control detonator for explosives.
The company commander, Gopanna Markam, patiently shaved.
"We have made the people aware of how to change your life through
armed struggle, not the ballot," said Mr. Markam, who is in his
mid-40's, describing his troops' accomplishments. "This is a people's
war, a protracted people's war."
Mr. Markam's ragtag forces, who hew to Mao's script for a peasant
revolution, fought a seemingly lost cause for so long, they were
barely taken seriously beyond India's desperately wanting forest belt.
But not anymore.
Today the fighting that Mr. Markam has quietly nurtured for 25 years
looks increasingly like a civil war, one claiming more and more lives
and slowing the industrial growth of a country hungry for the coal,
iron and other riches buried in these isolated realms bypassed by
India's economic boom.
While the far more powerful Maoist insurgency in neighboring Nepal has
received greater attention, the conflict in India, though largely
separate, has gained momentum, too. In the last year, it has cost
nearly a thousand lives.
Here in central Chhattisgarh State, the deadliest theater of the war,
government-aided village defense forces have lately taken to hunting
Maoists in the forests. Hand in hand with the insurgency, the militias
have dragged the region into ever more deadly conflict.
Villagers, caught in between, have seen their hamlets burned. Nearly
50,000 are now displaced, living in flimsy tent camps, as the
counterinsurgency tries to cleanse the countryside of Maoist support.
The insurgents blow up railway tracks, seize land and chase away
forest guards. They have made it virtually impossible for government
officials, whose presence here in the hinterland is already patchy, to
function. Police posts, government offices and industrial plants are
favored targets. Their ultimate goal is to overthrow the state.
Today the Communist Party of India (Maoist), which exists solely as an
underground armed movement with no political representation, is a
rigidly hierarchical outfit with toeholds in 13 of 28 Indian states.
It stretches from the tip of India through this east-central state to
the northern border with Nepal, where the Maoists have set off full-
scale civil war.
Estimates by Indian intelligence officials and Maoist leaders suggest
that the rebel ranks in India have swelled to 20,000, though the
number is impossible to verify. One senior Indian intelligence
official estimated that Maoists exert varying degrees of influence
over a quarter of India's 600 districts.
The top government official in one of Chhattisgarh's rural Maoist
strongholds, Dantewada, acknowledged that the rebels had made some 60
percent of his 6,400-square-mile district a no man's land for civil
servants.
Not that there are many civil servants. His district's police
department has a vacancy rate hovering around 35 percent; in health
care, it is 20 percent.
A Durable Rebel Movement
The Maoist insurgents are also known in India as Naxalites, after
Naxalbari, the town north of Calcutta where an armed Communist
rebellion first erupted 38 years ago. It was quickly put down, then
quietly reappeared.
Local police forces, with their feeble jeeps and outdated guns, have
been largely unable to stanch the rebellion. Nor, students of the
conflict argue, is that rebellion likely to vanish soon.
Rather, they say, the Maoists may pose at least as great a challenge
to the country's health as the far more talked-about Islamist
insurgency in disputed Kashmir.
India offers a most fertile ground: a deep sense of neglect in large
swaths of the country and a ballooning youth population, set against
the backdrop of economic growth rates of up to 8 percent elsewhere.
The Maoists, meanwhile, survive niftily by extorting taxes from anyone
doing business in the forest, from bamboo merchants to road
construction companies.
"It is one of the most sustainable anti-state ideologies and
movements," argued Ajai Sahni, a security analyst and executive
director of the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management.
"Unless something radical is done in terms of a structural revolution
in rural areas, you will see a continuous expansion of Maoist
insurrection."
Attacks have become more brazen and better coordinated.
Last June, an apparently synchronized set of nine attacks in Bihar
State left 21 people dead as Maoists robbed two banks and looted arms
from a police station.
In November, also in Bihar, hundreds of Maoist troops orchestrated a
jailbreak, freeing more than 300 prisoners and executing nine members
of a private militia raised by upper-caste landlords.
In February, here in Chhattisgarh, rebels attacked a warehouse of a
state-owned mining company, killing nine security officials and making
off with 19 tons of explosives.
Later in February they set off a land mine under a convoy of trucks on
a remote country road, instantly killing seven and then, according to
wire reports, butchering several others. All told, 28 civilians were
killed.
So far this year, the conflict has killed nearly two Indians a day.
The People Fight Back
Chhattisgarh, home to many of India's indigenous people, or adivasis,
is most gripped by the war.
Sitting at the bottom of the Indian heap, the adivasis here make a
living selling items of value that can be found in the forest: bamboo,
leaves to make hand-rolled cigarettes, flowers to distill into country
liquor.
They also bear some of the country's worst rates of poverty, health
and malnutrition.
But there are riches here, too. Chhattisgarh is negotiating roughly
$1.8 billion in private Indian investment, mostly in mining
industries, which the insurgents violently oppose. In the heart of the
state, in thick forests of valuable sal trees and bamboo, terror has
now spawned terror. Last summer, an anti-Maoist village defense
movement was born, calling itself the Salwa Judum, or Peace Mission.
The group has coaxed or hounded thousands of people out of their
forest hamlets and into the squalid tent camps, where suspected Maoist
sympathizers are detained.
The camps are guarded by police officers, paramilitary forces and
squads of local armed youths empowered with the title "special police
officer."
The Delhi-based Asian Center for Human Rights, in a report in March,
found children in the ranks of the Salwa Judum. The center also
accuses the Maoists of recruiting child soldiers. It calls the
conflict "the most serious challenge to human rights advocacy in
India."
Baman, a resident of a village called Kotrapal, who like many adivasis
uses one name, narrated the story of how life had sunk so low.
Last summer the Salwa Judum called a meeting in a neighboring village,
where they threatened to beat Baman and others if they did not divulge
the names of Maoists and their sympathizers. Baman said he was scared.
He named names. He did not care for the Maoists anyway.
Two days later, he was summoned to another meeting, this time by the
Maoists. There, he was beaten. Had he refused to attend, Baman said,
the Maoists would have simply come to his house and thrashed him. They
had already executed a village priest whom they suspected of being a
government informant; Baman said his killers had cut off the priest's
ears and left him along the road.
Last September the Salwa Judum, backed by the local police, swept
through Kotrapal with a clear message: Move to the camps or face the
Salwa Judum's wrath.
"We finished off the village," said Ajay Singh, the Salwa Judum's
leader in a nearby town, Bhairamgarh. Then he clarified: "People were
excited. Of course they destroyed the houses."
Baman and his clan moved out. Today, Kotrapal, an hour's walk from the
nearest country road, is an eerie shell of a village.
Baman pointed out the charred remains of several homes. One was burned
by Maoists because they suspected the owner to be a police informant,
he said.
Another was burned by the police because they suspected its owner to
be the brother of a Maoist.
The school was shuttered. The community hall's doors lay open to the
wind. The only signs of life were a few women and children, who were
gathering flowers from the forest floor to sell to the country liquor
maker.
Before nightfall, they would all to go back to their tent camps.
Salwa Judum leaders say they have waged their campaign with a singular
goal in mind: to clear the villages, one by one, and break the
Maoists' web of support.
"Unless you cut off the source of disease, the disease will remain,"
is how the group's most prominent backer, an influential adivasi
politician named Mahendra Karma, put it. "The source is the people,
the villagers."
There is little doubt that in carrying out its agenda, the Salwa Judum
enjoys government support.
State governments are "advised to encourage the formation of local
resistance groups," the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs states in its
latest annual report.
The Chhattisgarh government has begun to allocate land and money to
villagers who agree to abandon their forest homes and build new houses
along the road to Bhairamgarh.
It also supports the "special police officers" who work arm in arm
with the Salwa Judum.
So far, 5,000 have been trained, given uniforms and offered what
counts here as a generous salary, about $35 a month.
As it lapses deeper into an undeclared state of emergency,
Chhattisgarh is now poised to enforce a stringent new law that would
allow the local police to detain anyone who belongs to or aids "an
unlawful organization" for up to two or three years, without facing a
court of law.
A Forced Enthusiasm
Mr. Markam and his Maoist forces appear undaunted. They drill in their
forest redoubts. They haul villagers to propaganda meetings. They
build their own weapons, including crude pistols and mortars.
To see them in their jungle camp, sleeping on tarpaulins, armed with
antiquated rifles and pistols, with no real territory under their full
control, it is difficult to fathom how they have maintained their
movement for so long, let alone expanded it across such a wide swath
of the country.
They sustain themselves on food given by the villagers, plus a share
of the annual rice harvest. To speak to people who live in the area is
to realize quickly that they have little choice but to comply.
As the forest woke up on this recent morning, the rebels prepared for
the next phase of their revolution. Birds began to chatter. A dozen
young people practiced song-and-dance routines for an afternoon rally,
like cheerleaders marooned in the Indian forest.
A boy in a fighter's uniform, who looked no older than 12, horsed
around with a homemade rifle. Mr. Markam said the boy was just
visiting.
By late afternoon, with the rally about to get under way, long rows of
villagers came up the dirt paths, accompanied by armed Maoist cadres.
Under the wide arms of a mango tree, the cheerleaders sang a version
of the "Internationale." They danced with bells around their ankles,
promising "people's rule." They denounced the Salwa Judum, chanting
"Death to Mahendra Karma."
The audience for the most part sat still, some breaking into giggles
only as the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army began military drills,
at one point charging ahead with weapons pointed as a hapless chicken
scurried across the field.
One man, Maharishi, who was among those who had come on the long
afternoon march, said his village had been informed of the rally the
night before.
Yes, he said, speaking reluctantly to a stranger, everyone from his
village had come. Yes, everyone always comes. "They say you have to
come," he said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/13/world/asia/13maoists.html?pagewanted=all
chhotemianinshallah
Join The Dots, Re-do The Maths
For a long time now, vast swathes of land in India have virtually been
under the control of Naxalites/Maoists even as New Delhi struts the
world stage as a growing power. The world recently saw the
helplessness of India's rulers in Lalgarh before they were forced the
only path that was the most inadvisable: heavy handed action against
poorest of the poor. Shorn of all the frills, divested of the fact as
to whose write runs or not, what were these men and women (yes, a
large number of them were women) trying to do in Lalgarh? Running
wells, trying to keep schools open, ensuring that kids go there...What
kind of terrorism was going on?
Lalgarh poses questions even for the others Reds? The two main
communist parties in India will have to come out clean. Particularly
because the question will only increase as now news is coming in that
Orissa has got its own version of Lalgarh in Koraput. India's poor,
marginalised teeming millions are increasingly becoming not just sick
but also tired of New Delhi. Now you see an open war between these
pushed-to-the-wall poor and the Indian Nation State. As troops rolled
into Lalgarh, the world saw the grit of the poor who came out with
bows and arrows.
What does it take for someone to pull out an arrow when he sees a tank
hollering on into his fields? A clear realization that those riding
the tanks cannot and will not be friends of the poor, their incessant
claims of social responsibility apart. That they see even some Red
faces behind those tanks, the ones who go by the name of communists,
and that killed their last hope.
Now, as the reprisals by the central and state governments that have
followed will surely result in the suppression of the local Adivasi
movement that was striving to assert the rights of the Santhalis in
the region. Caught in the three-pronged attack by the CPI(M), the
Maoists and the State, the Lalgarh tribals are, sadly, now doomed to
further subjugation.
For years, these teeming millions have struggled to be heard but the
Indian state ahs become deaf to the cries of those who are dying at
its doors. Indian media has little time for the issues and concerns of
tribals; besides the reporting of military style operation makes for
better TV and sparkling copy.
In vast areas of the Indian state now, the tribals are fighting to
keep the state administration and the police out of the lives of the
local community. And they have a region that New Delhi apathetically
calls the Red Corridor. The fact is that this Red Corridor is also the
region of abject poverty, a complete and willful absence of the Indian
state in even trying to make a miniscule difference to the lives of
the poor. The tribals are a huge number of people similarly
discriminated against as Dalits by India's entrenched brahamanical
forces.
Put together, the minorities, the tribals, the Dalits, and indeed that
huge huge community called women, perhaps one of the most
discriminated against in Brahamanical paternalistic chauvinistic
system, are a huge majority. The Muslims who had the last remnant of
hope even after 1992 Babri and 2002 Gujarat have seen what India is
capable of after the Liberhan Commission report is out. Sikhs have
never been less than clear about the real nature of the brahamanical
regime. The Dalits have learnt the lesson perhaps the hardest way,
having suffered for centuries. And as for women, scripture after
scripture that brahamanical forces spout as pious is loaded against
woman.
Come on, we are a huge, huge majority. And they tell us the kind of
arithmetic that makes us perceive ourselves as a minority. What is
needed is a movement to join the dots so that New Delhi understands
what it is up against when a frail woman with piercing eyes stretches
a bow and aims an arrow at a tank.
8 July 2009
http://www.worldsikhnews.com/8%20July%202009/Join%20The%20Dots%20Re%20do%20The%20Maths.htm
chhotemianinshallah
Sach Kanwal Singh
Listen to India’s complaints and you will be surprised how justified
they all sound. The country is making huge progress and its policies
ensured that it escaped the economic recession. Now that it was trying
to catch up with the slipping rate of growth, Pakistan exported some
smart terror and showed the world how ill equipped was this country in
tackling a bunch of armed assailants in a hotel in Mumbai.
Now that it has cornered Pakistan and Islamabad is stuck in its own
fight against terrorists, New Delhi’s writ is challenged every single
day by Maoists in vast swathes of the country. Why should a government
not suppress such elements with a heavy hand? After all, it is a
democratically chosen government that can legitimately claim to have
the mandate of the people to decide the course of action.
Those who are challenging the writ of the country’s government cannot
be allowed to go scot-free. So, India’s home minister P Chidambaram is
going all out with force, gunfire, army back up and paramilitary in
front, on a mission to kill and extinguish the Maoist threat.
“Intellectual support to Naxalites must end,” is the message being
given through private briefings, media reports and electronic media
frenzy. What kind of a government can ask its people to stop thinking
or applying intellect to issues of why some of the people have chosen
to turn to extreme forms of violence? Particularly when these are some
of the poorest, marginalized people?
And when has the last word been said on who is more violent? The
Naxalites or the Government?
All governments always have police and army at their command. The
police and the army are professionally trained to commit violence. You
can give it any name. Defence preparedness or some better euphemism.
When you have special army or para military units trained for
insurgency, it shows a government or an establishment’s mindset to
remain in a state of perpetual violence.
Leading mainstream Indian political parties are both guilty of either
carrying out pogroms, or shutting their eyes to them, or frustrate
efforts to bring them to a stop, or thwart efforts to apply balm, or
torpedoing any bid to bring justice to the victims or the guilty to
book.
Scores of Indian TV channels had shrieky reporters asking at the top
of their voice recently about what kind of people could have beheaded
a government employee. Their indignation was very well put. As the
body of Francis Induvar, the officer who was beheaded, was brought
down from the truck, the Indian media replayed the scenes in a loop
hundreds of times for many days in an effort to whip up a near war
hysteria.
Francis Induvar’s little son, some 10 year old kid, was on TV, mikes
thrust in his face, crying and vowing to avenge the death of his
father. “Main bhee police banoonga, main bhee aap ko maroonga.” Times
Now television channel’s Arnab Goswami went mad, and tried to push
every debate on his channel to a position where he would almost want
that the panelists declare then and there that anyone who has ever
harbored a kind thought of Maoists be declared a condemned and doomed
terrorist. Other channels were no different.
“What would Mahatma Gandhi have said or done?” Rajdeep Sardesai on CNN-
IBN was trying to fire India’s most rusted but still trusted gun at
Arundhati Roy. Arundhati did not even duck. “I am sorry, I am Gandhi,”
she said. Of course she should have said she is proud that she is not.
But it is now clear that the idea of a reasoned debate on TV channels
can safely be said to be a wishful thought.
There is however one problem that Indian media is simply not
addressing. Every single day, it dutifully reports violence by Naxal
cadres. Naxalites are very clear on their approach. And their approach
has many problems. Even though they have expressed regret for
beheading a police officer, and we grant that a regret serves little
purpose, they hold that India is a semi-colonial polity and no one,
least of all the state, bothers about the Constitution. The Naxalite
cadres see their actions as a revolutionary war. in which morality is
suspended and limits cast aside.
There are a thousand problems with the articulation and defence of
Naxalite positions, and often their actions are morally repugnant.
Like the state, Maoists have often resorted to truth and falsehood,
confusing one with the other, with mixed results and have hardly
followed higher humane considerations or democratic norms of decision
making that must apply even in war.
From Left-wing extremists to right-wing Babu Bajrangis and Narendra
Modis to the Sajjan Kumars and Jagdish Tytlers of the Congress to
mosque demolisher L K Advani and Operation Bluestar apologists in all
parties, we need to ask who gave them the right to kill in the name of
democracy? If they say it was the mandate of the people, then the
people of India must be told that their mandate if being used to what
purpose.
But is India doing anything about the 800 pound gorilla in its
bedroom? Which Indian political party is not guilty of doing or
condoning what the Maoists are doing?
Leading mainstream Indian political parties are both guilty of either
carrying out pogroms, or shutting their eyes to them, or frustrate
efforts to bring them to a stop, or thwart efforts to apply balm, or
torpedoing any bid to bring justice to the victims or the guilty to
book.
Did or did not the Congress government of Rajiv Gandhi fail to bring
the culprits of the 1984 pogrom of the Sikhs to justice? Did or did
not the mixed hues government of VP Singh failed to pay adequate
attention to this aspect? Did or did not the NDA government of
Vajpayee not only fail to get justice for the Sikh community but
instead heaped more killings, injustices and pogroms on the Muslim
community in Gujarat and elsewhere?
It was the Vajpayee government that brought in the idea of scrapping
Schedule 5 of the Constitution that protects tribal lands from
encroachment. This Schedule is still being violated. Every one from
the mohalla committee president anywhere in India to the Prime
Minister knows that there is clear, prima facie, incontrovertible and
hard tangible evidence of Congress politicians’ involvement in
massacres of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984 and BJP-RSS-Bajrang Dal-VHP goonda
politicians’ participation and leadership in massacre of Muslims in
Gujarat and elsewhere in 2002?
Dilip Simeon, a Delhi-based historian, has brought out clearly some of
the hard hitting questions including the 1987 killings of 40 Muslims
of Meerut in custody. “Why did the case take 18 years to come to
court? The BJP and the Congress both supported the private army named
Salwa Judum with disastrous consequences for Chhattisgarh’s
population. Even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court criticised the
States’ recklessness. In 2007 the West Bengal government despatched an
illegal armed force to crush its opponents in Nandigram. India’s
rulers regularly protect criminals, and part of the public is
complicit in this. Policemen in dereliction of duty get promoted. Mass
murderers are hailed as heroes. Why are we addicted to double-
standard?”
Indeed, that is a question that everyone should ask of India’s
establishment. Not just the government. Not just the main opposition
party, the BJP. But every hue of politician, every branch of the
establishment. They are all together. That is how a horde of murderers
can rule a country so vast.
From Left-wing extremists who chopped off Francis Induwar’s head, to
the right-wing Baba Bajrangis and Narendra Modis to the Sajjan Kumars
and Jagdish Tytlers of the Congress to the mosque demolishers L K
Advani and the Operation Bluestar apologists in Congress, BJP and
every single Left party, we need to ask who gave them the right to
kill in the name of democracy? If they say it was the mandate of the
people, then the people of India must be told that their mandate is
being used to what purpose.
For feedback, please write to worlds...@gmail.com
11 November 2009
http://www.worldsikhnews.com/11%20November%202009/The%20Gorilla%20in%20the%20Bedroom.htm
Sid Harth
January 7th, 2010 SindhToday
Kolkata, Jan 7 (IANS) Tightening their net around Maoist leader
Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji, Police Thursday arrested three of his
close associates from Lalgarh belt in West Midnapore district.
They were picked up during a raid in Lakhanpur village under Salboni
police station. “These three are very close to Kishanji. Seven others
were also picked up,” West Midnapore district superintendent Manoj
Verma told IANS over phone.
Verma said the arrests of Gopal Mahato, Haripal Mahato and Malik
Mahato will help in gathering vital inputs about Kishanji. The three
are said to be allegedly involved in several incidents of murder and
arson.
[LM1]
http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/89837.htm
bademiyansubhanallah
Housing targets in Naxal-affected areas still largely unmetThe 2001
census had revealed a shortage of 472,846 houses in Naxalite-affected
districtsRuhi Tewari
New Delhi: At the current pace, it may take a long while for the
government to come good on its promise of building houses for the poor
in areas reeling under violence from left-wing extremists, known as
Naxalites.
Housing woes: Less than 1% of the target set under the Indira Awas
Yojana has been met; mere 1,595 houses complete vs 314,598 targeted.
Harikrishna Katragadda / Mint
Less than 5% of the additional funds allocated in early 2009 under a
special housing scheme for 33 Naxalite-affected districts across eight
states has been utilized so far, according to figures available with
the Union ministry of rural development.
Less than 1% of the housing target has been met.
The ministry said the figures could be old, while an expert blamed the
delay on 2009 being a “difficult year” for the administration.
Under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY), a scheme to build houses for the
rural poor, the Union government allocated an additional Rs825.82
crore to eliminate housing shortage by building 314,598 houses in
these districts. The states contribute the remaining 25% of the total
allocation of Rs1,032.27 crore for the scheme.
But only Rs43.54 crore of the sum has been utilized and a mere 1,595
houses have been completed, according to the data received by the
ministry until October.
The ministry has only released its first instalment of Rs412.91 crore—
or half its total allocation—because of the tardy progress.
But a senior ministry official says the states may have used more
funds without updating the central department.
“We have received proposals for second instalments from six of the
eight states, which means they must have utilized 60% of the first
instalment,” said Nilam Sawhney, joint secretary, rural housing.
Sawhney added that building houses in Naxalite-affected parts required
more meticulous initial planning compared with other rural areas, as
well as a careful selection of villages in which to build the houses.
“It might take some time to take off. But once it does, it won’t take
much time and will be completed smoothly,” she said.
These funds are in addition to Rs275.26 crore allocated towards the
end of 2008 for the construction of 104,866 houses to clear up
shortage in Naxalite-hit areas, as determined by the 2001 census.
The census had revealed a shortage of 472,846 houses in Naxalite-
affected districts. It identified 10 districts in Jharkhand, seven in
Chhattisgarh, six in Bihar, five in Orissa, two in Maharashtra and one
each in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh
Another senior official at the ministry of rural development said
resistance by Maoist rebels slowed work.
“In Naxal-affected belts, rebel activity does affect work,” the
official said. “And if you see the kind of government work the Naxals
allow and those that they resist, you get an idea of their agenda. For
instance, they will oppose any form of infrastructure creation like
housing, roads, etc., but will allow schemes like NREGS to get
implemented.”
NREGS is short for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme that
promises 100 days of work every year to at least one member of every
poor rural family.
According to the data sheet at the ministry, while 1,595 houses have
been completed, 35,392 have been sanctioned and 40,039 are under
construction. Among the houses that have been completed, 724 are in
Maharashtra and the rest in Orissa.
“These funds were allocated a little before the Lok Sabha elections
last year,” Sawhney said, referring to the April-May polls.
“The model code of conduct came into effect right after and was
applicable till May. So work could actually begin only in May. Hence
the slight delay,” Sawhney added.
The Election Commission’s model code of conduct prohibits the
government from launching welfare schemes just before elections as
these may skew voter preference.
Saibal Gupta, a Bihar-based development and political analyst, said
2009 had been a tough year and that could have slackened the pace of
work.
“There were floods. Then, later, drought was the main agenda. There
was a long period of parliamentary elections. There were also several
by-elections. All these might have delayed allocation and
implementation, although if the progress has been slow it is not good
for the relevant department,” he said.
http://www.livemint.com/2010/01/08001110/Housing-targets-in-Naxalaffec.html
chhotemianinshallah
STAFF WRITER 16:29 HRS IST
New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) The anti-naxal force of the CRPF -- CoBRA --
has been rechristened Special Action Force (SAF), the reason being
cheeky slogans against the special team in some Maoist-hit areas of
Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
Official sources said the name of Commando Battalion for Resolute
Action (CoBRA) has been changed to SAF following a request from the
Central Reserve Police Force.
While officially no reason was specified for the name change, the
sources said Maoists with the help of their workers had painted the
cheeky slogans.
The left-wing extremists, who have been preparing for the anticipated
major offencive by the security forces, put up various banners
identifying themselves as 'Nevla' (Mongoose).
The Naxals have also painted walls at some places "daring the CoBRA to
come in".
This is also one of the main reason which led to change of the name, a
senior Home Ministry official said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/458894_Stung-by-cheeky-slogans--CoBRA-force-changes-name
Sid Harth
STAFF WRITER 19:37 HRS IST
New Delhi, Jan 8 (PTI) Top Maoist leader Kobad Ghandy today moved a
Delhi court seeking a direction to be provided with a chair and table
in jail.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja directed the authorities
of Tihar jail, where Ghandy, a central committee member of banned CPI
(Maoist), is at present lodged, to consider his plea as per the prison
manual.
Ghandy, 63, who was produced before the court, made the plea for the
chair and table saying he required them as he was suffering from
arthritis.
The Maoist leader is also learnt to have been writing a book on his
wife Anuradha.
Meanwhile, the court extended the judicial custody of Ghandy till
January 22.
Ghandy, an ideologue and think-tank of the banned outfit, has been
booked for various charges under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act
after his arrest from the capital on September 20.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/459429_Kobad-Ghandy-wants-chair-and-table-in-jail
Sid Harth
STAFF WRITER 18:6 HRS IST
Raipur, Jan 9 (PTI) Four Naxals, including two women, have been killed
in an encounter with security forces in Dantewada district of
Chhattisgarh, a senior police officer said today.
Acting on a tip-off, police raided and destroyed a Naxal camp in the
jungles of Surpanguda village during which four ultras were killed
yesterday, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra told PTI.
A large cache of arms and ammunition was also seized from the incident
site, he said.
As part of the ongoing offensive against the Naxals, a joint team of
Cobra battalion, police commando and district police killed the four
when rebels opened fire at the securitymen on seeing their presence in
the jungle, Mishra said.
The bodies of the four Naxals, including two women, have been
recovered.
The SP said there was no report of any casualty or injury among the
security personnel.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/460650_Two-women-among-four-Naxals-killed-in-Chhattisgarh
Sid Harth
Patna:To counter naxalites in Bihar state government is planning to
set up a special cell in its police headquarters for ensuring better
coordination among the central security forces, district police
personnel and intelligence agencies .The centre in its directive to
the states stressed the need for strategic deployment of central para-
military force personnel in the naxal –affected districts for carrying
out operations against the ultras . To intensify its operations
against Naxalites and to strengthen coordination among the
intelligence agencies and security forces, official sources said "At
present, there is a team of police officials at the police
headquarters to monitor operations against Naxalites but a special
cell is necessary due to the increasing pressure from the Centre to
effectively deal with the Naxal menace". "The officials in the cell
will strive for ensuring better coordination with intelligence
agencies and compile authentic information about the activities of the
ultras", the sources said.
Naxals in Bihar are expanding base and encroaching on government land
to make bunkers and training camps. Naxals have targetted the forest
reserve in Bihar’s Gaya district – the state’s only wildlife sanctuary
the Gautam Buddha Sanctuary – as their training camp and have also
made bunkers there. Out of the total area of the forest reserve, as
much as 70% is under their influence. The area under question falls on
the border between Bihar and Jharkhand, and is part of the infamous
‘Red Corridor’. What is worse, the Government is aware of such illegal
encroachments, but is just not equipped to doing anything about them.
The sanctuary spans around 135 sq km, and has been in existence since
1979.
Updated : Saturday, 09 Jan 2010, 14:02 [IST]
http://ncrsamaylive.com/NewsDetails.aspx?lNewsID=114814&lCategoryID=105
chhotemianinshallah
Bhubaneswar, Jan 9
A Maoist camp was busted in Orissa's Deogarh district Saturday and
ammunition, rebel literature and other items were seized, police said.
The camp, located inside the forest under Kansar police outpost, some
350 km from here, was spotted by the Special Operations Group of the
state police during a combing operation, Inspector General of Police
(Operations) Sanjeeb Marik told IANS.
"Some live bullets, Maoist literature and some aluminium utensils have
been seized from the spot," he said without giving any more details.
"Combing operations are on in the area," Marik added.
Last updated on Jan 10th, 2010 at 00:02 am IST--IANS
http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a106330.html
chhotemianinshallah
Madhuparna Das
Posted: Sunday , Jan 10, 2010 at 0302 hrs
Kolkata:
With NoyonikaA Clash Of Wish?Can Sri Lanka haul Peace?What’s happening
in AP? Kin of over 150 dead can’t get Rs 3 lakh of central
compensation unless state notifies the Central Act and bans Maoists
Families of over 150 people killed in Maoist violence in the state in
the past one year just cannot claim Rs 3 lakh in compensation they are
entitled to get from the Centre because of West Bengal’s refusal to
notify the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
The administration of the three Naxal-hit districts of West Midnapore,
Purulia and Bankura are unable to press the demand for compensation to
be given to the kin of victims because a circular recently sent by the
Centre to the state clearly says relief can be disbursed only if the
state government bans the Maoists and their frontal outfits under the
UAPA.
Under the central scheme, for assistance to the victims of terrorist
and communal violence, a sum of Rs 3 lakh can be provided to the next
of kin of the persons who have died or have become permanently
incapacitated.
A senior home department official said, “We have received a circular
from the Centre stating the kin of the persons killed in Naxal
violence can be provided with the financial assistance. However, the
state has to first notify the Maoists and their frontal organisations
as terrorists and ban them under the UAPA. But the state government is
not yet ready to do so for political compulsions.”
The official said in the guidelines of the scheme, a terrorist attack
is categorised as “militancy and insurgency-related violence (Ref. Act
Section 15 UAPA, 1967, as amended in 2004).
As per police records, more than 150 were killed last year in Maoist
violence in West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura, of which around 130
are CPM men. More than 60 people were abducted.
“What more the state government wants to declare Maoists as
terrorists? It has data that two persons have been killed daily on an
average in the three districts since January, 2009. Records say in
2007-08, more than 100 persons were killed by the Maoists. We are yet
to compensate their families also,” said the home ministry official.
The Centre’s circular about the financial assistance to the victims’
kin was sent to the district magistrates of the three districts around
three months ago but no application for financial aid could be made as
the state has yet to notify UAPA.
“We were told about the Centre’s policy. But I cannot comment on the
government’s stand. However, we are requesting it to issue the
notification so that we can compensate the victims’ family,” said West
Midnapore DM N S Nigam.
Sukkhamai Mondal, ADM (general) in Purulia had similar sentiments. “We
are in dark about how to proceed. Today, we will have a meeting with
Home Secretary and ask him about the issue.”
Meanwhile, state DGP Bhupindar Singh said, “We will discuss the matter
with state government though I cannot comment on its policy on the
notification. But we have asked the SPs of the three districts to make
a documentation on the old cases of 2007-08, during which 100 people
were killed. We will compensate the family of the victims soon.”
Arms cache recovered from near Lalgarh, no arrests made
The police seized a huge cache of arms and explosives from a house at
Jamda near Lalgarh in West Midnapore district on Saturday. However, no
arrests have been made, police said.
Manoj Verma, SP, west Midnapore, said, “After a specific input, we
raided a house at Jamda. We have seized a good number of weapons and
explosives, including four single-barrel guns, a double-barrel gun,
nine rounds of bullets, 11 cartridges, a shot gun and six country-made
bombs.”
Since June 18 when the joint operations began, 61 weapons, along with
120 land mine, were recovered from the Jhargram-Lalgarh area, Verma
said. He said since the operation began, police arrested 370 Maoists
and their linkmen.
According to Verma, this year 120 people in west Midnapore district
were killed by Maoists of which 107 people were killed after the
operation began.
—ENS
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/no-aid-for-naxals-victims-as-bengal-sits-on-uapa/565513/0
chhotemianinshallah
Express News Service
Posted: Sunday , Jan 10, 2010 at 0356 hrs
Lucknow:
The police in Naxal-hit districts of Sonbhadra in UP and Garhwa in
Jharkhand have started a drive to convince people to stop extending
logistical support to Naxals operating in the border areas.
The people in the border villages belonging to Gond, Khairwar, Chero,
Bhuiya, Bhuniya, Rajgode, Pankha and Dhuriya tribes would be contacted
by the policemen during the awareness drive.
An officer in the anti-Naxal cell at Sonbhadra said policemen will
also contact suspects known for extending support to the Naxals and
tell them no action will be taken against them and that they will not
be forced to work as police informers.
The special police officers (SPOs) selected from the local population
during last two months have already been engaged in identifying people
having links with Naxals.
The officer said they are coordinating with their Garhwa counterparts
since the Naxal supporters in both the districts operate together.
Sonbhadra SP Preetinder Singh said, “We will also organise a big camp
in the Naxal-affected bordering areas on January 15. A team of medical
specialists from BHU would conduct a health check-up for locals.
Villagers will also be given woolen clothes, blankets, grains and
other commodities.”
“The awareness drive is a part of the anti-Naxal strategy planned by
the Union Home Ministry,” Singh added. The Naxal-affected areas in
Sonbhadra bordering Garhwa district of Jharkhand includes Dudhhi,
Babhani and Nagwa while those in Garhwa are Durki, Kandi and Dandai.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Sonbhadra-police-warm-up-to-locals-to-turn-heat-on-Naxals/565556
bademiyansubhanallah
Lalmani Verma
Posted: Sunday , Jan 10, 2010 at 0350 hrs
Lucknow:
Villages in Naxal-affected areas with substantial Dalit population,
which the state government selects as Ambedkar Gram, will now have
cement concrete roads (CC-Roads) in future. Over 87 such villages
would likely be benefited with
CC-Roads first in the current financial year.
A fund of Rs 31.6 crore has been released for these 87 villages
recently and Ambedkar Gram Vikas Department has issued directives to
Rural Engineering Services (RES) and Public Works Department (PWD) to
complete the construction of CC-Roads by March 31.
These 87 villages are located in Sonbhadra (41 villages), Chandauli
(15) and Mirzapur (18), besides Deoria (13). The PWD will develop the
roads in Deoria while the RES has been assigned the task of other
three districts.
“It will be first time when CC-Roads are going to be developed in
Ambedkar Grams in Naxal-affected areas. Earlier, brick pavements were
being made there,” said Balvinder Kumar, principal secretary at the
Ambedkar Gram Vikas Department.
Every year, the state government selects certain villages with
substantial Dalit population and declares them as Ambedkar Gram. This
entitles the villages to get basic amenities like roads, drains,
toilets, power, drinking water, health facilities and houses for the
poor on priority.
In the current financial year, 2,195 villages were selected under the
Ambedkar Village Scheme. Out of them, 731 villages were selected from
the Naxal-affected areas.
Earlier, there was provision for development of brick pavements in
these villages. In 644 villages out of these 731, brick pavements had
been constructed by December 2009. Later, state government decided to
construct CC-Roads in the rest 87 villages.
In villages of other areas, not affected by Naxal activities, CC-Roads
are being constructed from several years. Sources said the
construction of brick pavements was continuing in Naxal-affected areas
due to negligence of government.
In all the 731 villages, source said, progress is above 90 per cent in
construction of toilets, approached roads, electrification,
distribution of land lease, houses, agricultural land and water
supply.
“Panchayati Raj Department has released the money for CC-Roads. RES
and PWD will start work in the villages very soon,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, the government has sought suggestions from various
departments regarding identification of villages as Ambedkar Gram for
the next financial year. Officials said over 2300 villages are likely
to declared as Ambedkar Gram in the next fiscal.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/naxalaffected-ambedkar-grams-to-get-concrete-roads/565548/0
chhotemianinshallah
Sanhati
Editorial Statement
Gandhian dissent in the land of Gandhi: Barbed perimeters in the
current conjecture
This set of articles charts out recent Gandhian modes of dissent
centered mainly around the activities of the Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, on
the eve of Operation Green Hunt, in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. A planned
padyatra was scuttled by the administration, a Jan Sunwai, already
operating under conditions of intense repression, has failed to
materialise. At the current juncture, January 11 2010, Himanshu Kumar
has exited Dantewada under imminent threat of false arrest; activists
and journalists who had been present at the VCA premises have been hit
with a dacoity case; a senior VCA activist has been imprisoned on
charges of murder. These developments bring into sharp focus the
barbed perimeters of activism, in a region of India where the
contradiction between the State and the masses is so acute. - Ed.
In the Land of Gandhi - Preeti Chauhan. Jan 3 2010
Chhattisgarh cops slap dacoity case against visiting activists - Jan 6
2010
Life Behind The Iron Curtain - Tusha Mittal, Tehelka. Jan 11 2010
***********
In the Land of Gandhi
By Preeti Chauhan. January 3 2010.
Himanshu Kumar, a Gandhian working amongst the adivasis of Dantewada
is sitting on an indefinite fast since December 26, 2009. He had
planned a padyatra beginning December 14th 2009, followed by a
saytagraha, finally culminating in a jan sunvai (Public Hearing) on
January 7 2010.
He was denied permission to do the padyatra and hold satyagraha in
Dantewada - the SP Dantewada felt the place to be too sensitive for
such calls. A group of women from across the country traveling to
participate in the proposed padtyatra and satyagraha were stopped in
Raipur, humiliated and finally not allowed to reach Dantewada.
Himanshu Kumar’s Vanvasi Chetna Ashram (VCA) had been working in the
area on issues of health, education, sanitation, and water
conservation since 1992. In May 2009, VCA premises were demolished. In
November, VCA activists were instructed not to visit the villages in
Dantewada. On 10th December 2009, almost as if to mock the
International Human Rights Day, one of VCA’s main activists Kopa
Kunjam was picked up along with a lawyer Alban Toppo. Alban was let
off after some beating but Kopa was slammed with murder charges and
languishes in jail.
Another of VCA’s activist Sukhnath has also been falsely implicated
and booked under Chattisgarh Special Public Security Act.
VCA has also been asked to vacate the rented accommodation from which
it was functioning as the landlord is under pressure from the
administration. VCA’s work has thus been literally brought to halt by
the administration.
On January 3 2010, a tribal girl called Sodi Sambo, who has a bullet
injury in her leg and was coming to Delhi for treatment, was detained
at Kanker police station. Her medical condition is precarious and she
needs proper medical care as she has steel rods placed in her leg
which requires antiseptic treatment everyday. She was shot at by the
security forces (SPOs, police and other security forces) on 1st
October 2009 in her village Gompad when the security forces allegedly
went there for combing operations during Operation Greenhunt. VCA has
helped her get treatment in Delhi, and she had been at the VCA
premises since her return.
It is not too difficult to see why VCA has been targeted. It has been
at the forefront in raising and documenting the atrocities on adivasis
by Salva Judum, CRPF, and the police on the pretext of fighting Naxals
in Dantewada. VCA has consistently exposed the lies of the government,
for example the Singaram ‘encounter’ in which 19 tribals were killed
on 8th January 2009.
One of the women killed in that encounter was declared a Naxal
commander by the police. VCA filed an RTI and the same woman was there
in the voter list of Singaram village which was revised just three
days before the so called ‘encounter’. VCA raised the simple question:
if she was a Naxal comamnder she must have been declared an absconder
and hence should not have been listed in the voter’s list. A petition
was filed in Bilaspur High Court along with the family members of the
victims.
Four of the adivasi girls from Samsetti village, Sukma block of
Dantewada who were raped by the Special Police Officers (SPO) two
years ago were again picked up by the same SPOs when their cases were
to come up for hearing in the Courts. They were beaten, illegally kept
at the police station for five days, their thumb imprints taken on a
blank sheet to say that Himanshu Kumar had pressurized them to level
false charges of rape.
The girls and their village were threatened with dire consequences if
they dared to pursue the case. As a result the women refuse to come
out. One is reminded of a case which has received much more focus
lately - the molestation of Ruchika Girhotra. It took 19 long years
for Ruchika’s case to reach a shameful conclusion of six months of
imprisonment - a systematic denial of justice, orchestrated by DGP
Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore of Haryana. One can easily imagine to
what extent the rule of the law is being followed in a remote village
of Dantewada, when despite sustained attempts and media outcry,
justice continues to elude Ruchika’s family.
The Home Minster P. Chidambaram had agreed to come for the proposed
Jan Sunvai on 7th January 2010. The level of repression evident in the
region made it highly unlikely that people would be able to come out
with their genuine grievances (as it happens, the Jan Sunvai never
materialised).
The media maintained stoic silence on Himanshu Kumar’s fast as it
entered its eleventh day - the issues he raised were of no import.
The Home Minister needs to break the deafening silence and answer
these questions- Are the tribal people of Dantewada not citizens of
this country? Are they not supposed to have a say in the development
of this country? Why are they expected to keep quiet as their
resources, livelihoods and lives are snatched away for benefit of a
few?
The way the armed SPO’s and Salva Judum have come to work with
complete impunity in the area, despite regular complaints and
documentation, is a really bad omen for our country. A democracy
cannot allow such bypassing of procedures laid down by law, stifling
of space for dissent to such an extent as one witnesses in Dantewada
today.
In the land of Gandhi, even the tools used by the Father of the Nation
in the struggle of independence from British rule, such as the
padyatra and the satyagraha, are not permitted to highlight the
injustices by our own government against our own people. There cannot
be a bigger irony and shame than this.
************
Chhattisgarh cops slap dacoity case against visiting activists
Jan 6 2010
A case of dacoity has been registered against a group of journalists
and activists from Mumbai and Hyderabad for allegedly clashing with
local media personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Maoist stronghold of
Dantewada, police said Wednesday.
“We have registered a case under section 395 of the IPC against six
persons, two unnamed and four named, including two women, on charges
of dacoity and voluntarily causing hurt on a complaint lodged by
Dantewada-based journalists,” Amresh Mishra, Dantewada district
superintendent of police, told IANS over phone.
Priyanka Borpujari, Satyen Bordolai and Nishtha from Mumbai and Suresh
from Hyderabad have been named in the FIR (first information report)
lodged by a group of local journalists. They alleged that the
activists and journalists from outside had attacked them and snatched
their mobiles and cameras in Dantewada town, about 380 km from here.
The group, including some documentary filmmakers, were in Dantewada to
participate in the ongoing agitation by NGO Vanvasi Chetna Ashram
(VCA) against alleged atrocities on local tribals by security forces.
Giving their version of what happened, Mumbai-based freelance
journalist Priyanka said that their cameras had been snatched and they
had been kept under detention at the VCA complex for seven hours
Tuesday. They were now returning home from Chhattisgarh.
“We too have lodged a counter FIR against local mediamen for snatching
two cameras and also against police inaction,” Priyanka told IANS.
Amresh Mishra, however, denied keeping anyone under detention at VCA
or registering a counter FIR.
“We have received a complaint by VCA guests against the local
journalists but it is not registered. We are just inquiring into the
complaint; as far as detention is concerned, it is totally a false
allegation. We have deployed eight security men at VCA complex in
Dantewada as police protection to VCA chief Himanshu and these cops
were on duty on Tuesday too,” he said.
According to local journalist Sunil Singh, the trouble began when the
Mumbai-based activists-journalists accused them of “adopting a pro-
government and pro-police stand and used some vulgar words”.
“VCA guests called the local newsmen ‘paid journalists’ who file
reports after accepting money from police authorities and government.
When the local journalists countered the charge, they (VCA guests)
attacked us and snatched the camera,” he alleged.
“The media in the conflict zone of Bastar has been impartial in its
reporting,” said Bastar Journalists’ Association President S.
Karimuddin.
*************
Life Behind The Iron Curtain
By Tusha Mittal, Tehelka. Jan 11 2010
HIMANSHU KUMAR is shaving his moustache to become more unrecognisable.
Instead of the usual white kurta, he’s wearing a red shirt and jeans.
The lights in his two-room rented house have been turned off. If you
chanced upon him on a winter night in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh,
speaking in hushed whispers about jumping off the back wall and
disappearing into the darkness, you might have mistaken this Gandhian
activist for a fugitive.
For the last 18 years, Himanshu has been trudging through the jungles
of rural Chhattisgarh, empowering tribals, teaching them how to vote
and bringing them access to food and healthcare through his Vanvasi
Chetna Ashram (VCA). When his wife first joined him, he told her to
replace her make-up kit with medicines. Despite living in this Maoist-
dominated conflict zone for nearly two decades, despite its many
intimidations, Kumar has never felt the urge to flee. Until now that
is – when the might of the State is upon him.
Trouble first began to escalate in 2005 when the infamous Salwa Judum
was launched. The VCA filed at least 600 complaints against human
rights violations by the State and fake encounters by the police.
Himanshu Kumar was transformed in the State’s eyes from trusted aide
to adversary. In May 2009, his ashram was brutally demolished by the
police. Now suddenly, the Gandhian activist has lost his liberty. He
lives in a free country, but does not have the freedom to walk out
through the front door of his own house.
“Should I get arrested and become a martyr or should I leave before
they catch me?” Himanshu Kumar wonders out loud on the morning of
January 4. He knows what happened to Binayak Sen. He knows he could be
next. “I’m worried the police will implicate me in a false case. They
could arrest me anytime now,” he says.
This is not misplaced paranoia. Himanshu’s makeshift ashram is under
constant police surveillance. On January 3, his car was stopped by the
police as it sped from Dantewada to Raipur carrying Sodi Shambo, 28, a
tribal woman with a fractured leg held together by a metal rod.
Shambo’s husband was tilling the fields on the morning of October 1,
2009, when Salwa Judum SPOs barged into Goompad village. One bullet
from their guns split open her leg. Her children leapt towards her,
covering her body. That could be why she is still alive. Nine others
were killed during combing operations. Most were those who could not
run away — Madvi Yankaiya, 50; Madvi Bajaar 50 and his wife Madvi
Subhi, 45; their daughters Madvi Kanama, 20 and eight-year-old Madvi
Mooti; and a newly married couple Soyam Subaiya, 20 and Soyam Subhi,
18. Another 2-year-old boy was found with his fingers missing. The
Dantewada SP announced that nine Naxalites had been killed in an
encounter in Goompad village. This is the tale the outside world would
have believed, had Himanshu not met Shambo during a regular public
hearing in the forest. She told him about the massacre she had
witnessed; he ensured she filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court.
The court accepted her petition and directed the state to file a
response.
Had Shambo reached Delhi, where she was headed for medical treatment,
she could have become a major embarrassment for the Chhattisgarh
government. This is why Himanshu and Shambo were suddenly surrounded
by police on the highway and detained at Kanker police station. There
was an order from the Dantewada SP that Shambo be produced in the
police station to record her statement on the Goompad killings. Shambo
had been living openly in Himanshu’s ashram in Dantewada for the last
two months but the police had not approached her for a statement. “We
did not know where she was. We were trying to find her,” says SP
Amaresh Mishra ingenuously. “I found out through an Internet forum
that Himanshu was taking her to Raipur. I also got a letter from
Shambo’s masi two days ago accusing Himanshu of vanishing Shambo all
this while.” This was a patently concocted assertion given that
Himanshu had presented Shambo to the media at a big press conference
in Delhi in October. Clearly, a false case of abduction against Kumar
was in the works. According to Colin Gonsalves, a senior advocate who
has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on the Shambo case,
it’s actually the other way around. “This amounts to illegal abduction
by the police. Shambo is not an accused. She cannot be forced to go
anywhere,” said he.
On January 4, Shambo was sent to Maharani Hospital in Jagdalpur for
further treatment under police “security.” Sudhir Thakhur, the doctor
responsible, admitted the hospital did not have the required medical
facility to perform Shambo’s surgery. TEHELKAwas not allowed to speak
to Shambo at the hospital, despite a guarantee from the Dantewada SP
that she was not being kept in confinement. Even after the director of
the hospital gave permission, police personnel guarding Shambo’s bed
refused to let us near her. When we tried to talk to the ward nurse,
the police ensured they overheard the conversation.
As Himanshu shaves off his moustache in the darkness, it is almost as
if he is at a tipping point. Caught in a pool of quicksand, he must
leap out immediately or sink. “My faith is not shaken. I’m just
feeling trapped inside a web. To break this perhaps it is necessary
for me to go fight from a new place. I am not running away. I just
need to change my location.”
THE BATTLE between the State and Maoists is well known. But in
Chhattisgarh, another battle has been fast gathering steam — between
the State and civil society, between a policed existence and the idea
of democracy, between a coerced media and free speech. Himanshu Kumar
is now at the centre of that battle. Over the years, he had become one
of the few bridges that link the rest of India to the remote jungles
of Chhattisgarh. Given the national media’s neglect, and the absence
of a robust local press, he was perhaps the only disseminator of an
alternate reality. Without him and a few other activists working in
the area, there would be only one version — that of the State. This is
what the Chhattisgarh government is now trying to create. Every few
days there is news of an encounter — six killed in Jagargunda, another
six killed in Gumyipal. No one knows if these are Naxals or ordinary
tribals. The State doesn’t seem to want anyone to find out.
At a recent press conference in Raipur, Chhattisgarh DGP Vishwa Ranjan
told journalists on record that there could be police action against
them if they wrote in favour of Naxalites. Two weeks ago in Dantewada,
DIG SR Kalluri called journalists into his office for one-on-one
sessions. “He told us not to write in favour of the Naxals (euphemism
for not writing anything against the State) and said the police have
their eyes on us,” says NRK Pillai, vice-president of the Chhattisgarh
Working Journalists Union. “The atmosphere isn’t conducive. There’s no
one really to back us. Press owners will not stand by us. There’s
always the fear of what will happen to our families.”
In the last two months, as Operation Green Hunt has got underway, the
Chhattisgarh government has upped the ante in its efforts to squash
any space for dissent and democratic protest. Stories from the jungles
are not being allowed out; neutral outsiders are not being allowed in.
On December 29, 2009, Delhi University professor of sociology Nandini
Sundar and political science professor Ujjwal Kumar Singh arrived in
Bastar to undertake an independent survey of the situation. They found
all the hotel rooms in the small towns of Dantewada and Sukma
mysteriously full, out of bounds for them. The professors had to spend
the night in a jeep, before they got accommodation at a boys’ hostel.
There too, seven armed SPOs barged into Sundar’s room, then spent the
night patrolling the grounds outside. The next day two jeeps of armed
SPOs followed the professors around until they left Chhattisgarh,
ensuring they could make no neutral enquiries from villagers about
what was happening on the ground.
TEHELKA was meted the same treatment. On January 4, we were denied the
right to stay at Madhuban Lodge, the only hotel in Dantewada. The
receptionist opened rooms for us at first, but suddenly changed his
mind when he got a call from his manager. The manager said the hotel
had orders from the police not to give rooms to journalists without a
“proper enquiry.” Dantewada ASP Rajendra Jaiswal denied that any such
order exists but refused to call the hotel to clarify this. “Why
should I help a stranger?” he told TEHELKA. Later, the hotel owner
said all the rooms were needed for a family function.
On January 6, a band of activists, including Medha Patkar and
Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey, were assaulted with stones and
eggs as they marched to the SP’s office in Dantewada for some answers.
The police looked on.
Though there is little clarity on whether the offensive against the
Naxals – Operation Green Hunt – has officially begun, another kind of
assault certainly has. So far, Himanshu Kumar has certainly borne the
brunt of it.
On December 14, 2009, a mob several hundred-strong surrounded
Himanshu’s ashram, shouting slogans like “Himanshu Bhagao, Bastar
Bachao”. They were protesting a padyatra he was about to undertake to
engage with the tribals. Such an expedition would boost the morale of
the Maoists and dampen that of the security forces, they alleged.
According to Himanshu, the mob consisted of SPOs and tribals lifted
from Salwa Judum camps to stage a demonstration. The padyatra was to
be followed by a satyagraha to protest police excesses and a jan
sunvai (public hearing) to take stock of ground realities post the
declaration of Operation Green Hunt. In what was being perceived as a
sign of positive intent, Home Minister P Chidam baram had agreed to
attend the public hearing. Human rights groups from across the country
were scheduled to participate. But that came crashing down when the
State decided it would not allow anyone to explore its territory.
HIMANSHU RECEIVED a notice from Reena Kangale, the Dantewada
collector, prohibiting him from initiating any public assembly.
“Section 144 was imposed because of municipal elections,” says
Kangale. “I denied permission for a padyatra and issued a prohibitory
order stating the police can take action if any public meetings happen
without my consent.” On December 13, an all-women fact-finding team
was stopped at several points enroute to Dantewada and not allowed
access inside. The Chhattisgarh Governor advised Chidambaram not to
attend the jan sunvayi for safety reasons. The Home Minister stayed
put.
The mob attack from “tribals” was also used as a pretext to send a
jeep of armed SPOs as security for Himanshu. “There is a threat to his
life. The tribals are unhappy with him. We are giving him police
protection,” Dantewada SP Amaresh Mishra told TEHELKA. That Himanshu
himself has written to the SP stating he does not want this protection
is irrelevant.
The police “protection” has successfully hampered Himanshu’s work. He
is unable to visit villages on fact-finding missions. Any complaints
from tribals against the State bring instant reprisals. There have
been other intimidations. Under pressure, Himanshu’s current landlord,
an employee of the local district council, asked him to vacate the
house in a few weeks.
To disable Himanshu further, his key aide Kopa Kunjam was arrested on
December 10 on charges of murdering a former sarpanch, Punem Honga.
Honga was abducted by Maoists along with another sarpanch who had been
traveling with Kopa on his bike on July 2, 2009. According to VCA, the
night before he was arrested, Kopa was offered Rs 25,000 to quit
working with Himanshu and warned of dire consequences if he continues.
Kopa refused the money. Sukhdev, another backbone of the VCA, was
threatened with a similar fate after Kopa’s arrest. He quit. Lingu,
another aide who also quit, confirmed to TEHELKA that he was with Kopa
at the Dantewada police station the day before Kopa’s arrest, and was
present when the police tried to convince Kopa to take up “other more
meaningful work”.
The Maoists are not willing to talk, and the State is clearly not
allowing any other dialogue. Himanshu’s struggle becomes more poignant
in the backdrop of the violence being unleashed all around it. The
Maoists continue to fell trees, block trains, abduct and kill. The
Salwa Judum continues to rape women, burn houses, loot and kill. Amid
all the chaos, as the year ended, one man sat in a white kurta, under
a sprawling tree, spooling a loom of thread. He had not been allowed a
padyatra or a satyagraha or a jan sunvai, so he was fasting to protest
State atrocities. But events over the last two days have forced the
man in the white kurta to shave his moustache and turn into a man in
red shirt and jeans — a reminder of an original freedom struggle,
being scuttled all over again.
http://sanhati.com/articles/2058/#1
chhotemianinshallah
Fri, Jan 15 05:18 AM
While Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has taken a tough stand
against the Maoists demanding Army deployment in the Junglemahal area,
her party leaders in the worst affected Lalgarh-Jhargram belt are not
only trying for the release of arrested rebels, they are providing
them legal support too, hailing them as innocent. They have also
launched a campaign against the joint forces.
On Thursday, on the eve of Mamata's rally at Jhargram, senior district
Trinamool leaders visited West Midnapore district court to provide
legal support to some alleged Maoists arrested recently.
The district leaders, accepting the fact, said those arrested were not
Maoists but innocent villagers and Trinamool supporters who were
framed by the police. They also appealed to the Sub Divisional Officer
and Sub Divisional Police Officer to release them.
But the real reason, Trinamool sources said, was that they would have
to be in the good books of the Maoists otherwise they cannot survive.
"There is no other way for us to survive as a political party unless
we stand by the tribals. You do not know the conditions here as the
area is virtually run by them (Maoists)," a local leader told The
Indian Express.
Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has long been alleging that the
Trinamool and the Maoists are hand in glove.
Trinamool leaders on record, however, say that they were only standing
by hapless villagers who were arrested on false charges. "For instance
Nepal Patro and Gopal Patro, our supporters, were picked up by the
police three days ago from Shalboni. They have been charged with false
cases. We went to the district court today to employ advocates to
defend them," said Gourango Pradhan, West Midnapore district general
secretary of Trinamool.
"But it is not the issue of just two of our supporters illegally
arrested by police. Here the CPM and the joint forces are targeting
innocent villagers and our supporters," said Pradhan.
According to the estimates of the Trinamool, around 30 people were
arrested from Jhargram, Salboni and Lalgarh police station areas
recently. The party is supporting their families.
Pradhan said that since Section 144 of the CrPC has been imposed
throughout the subdivision, demonstrations are prohibited. "Therefore
we are not allowed to take out rallies or gherao police station
demanding justice for such people," Pradhan said.
Trinamool leaders were seen campaigning in the town, seeking release
of 150-odd people arrested as Maoists since the police operations
began in June 2008. Many of them have been charged with serious cases
relating to subversive activities.
Manoj Verma, West Midnapore SP, said: "I cannot comment about any
activity of any political party. All the arrests that we are making
are on the basis of proof that these people are linked to subversive
activities."
"The tribals do not believe in Trinamool. They may try hard to gain
confidence of the tribals this way. But they will not stand to gain
much," said Asit Mahato, spokesperson for the People's Committee
Against Police Atrocities.
Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made for Mamata's
rally. This is her first rally in Junglemahal area where the
administration has withdrawn Section 144 only for Friday for the
rally.
In the face of a Maoist diktat banning local people from attending the
rally, local Trinamool leaders are apprehensive about filling up the
venue with supporters. Anti-Mamata posters were pasted all over
Jhargram on Thursday.
"The Maoists are trying to stop people from coming to the rally" said
Shuvendu Adhikary, Trinamool MP and party's youth wing president. "We
are trying to convince people that they should not be afraid to attend
the rally," he said.
Ravik Bhattacharya
http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20100115/814/tnl-mamata-s-claims-ring-hollow-in-naxal.html