CPI (Maoist) has called for bandh in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra on November 3 to protest against the Malkangiri encounter in which 30 Maoists were killed.
In the statement, PCI(Maoist) confirmed that had suffered huge damage after the massive encounter in the deep forests of the Andhra-Odisha border.
CPI (Maoist) also alleged that PM Modi led-central government, along with Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments, were favouring Bauxite mining in the tribal area against the will of the locals.
CPI (Maoist) East Division Committee secretary Kailash had released an audio tape holding the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh responsible for the encounter.
Co-ordination of Democratic Rights Organisations (CDRO)
Stand in Solidarity with the People’s Struggle in Kashmir!
Since 8thJuly 2016 when Burhan Muzzafar Wani was killed there have been widespread protests against his killing in Kashmir Valley. Since then the Government of India has launched a crackdown and the cycle of curfew and bandh has persisted for more than ninety days now and brute force has been used to smother the agitation. The number of casualties has risen to 90 killings of civilians, 7000 injured by pellets, more than 1000 blindings, number of those injured is close to 17,000 civilians and 10,000 security force personnel, arrest of 6000 persons either detained under draconian Public Security Act (PSA) or arrested under various charges. The dreaded night raids have been going on and Indian Army has launched “Operation Calm Down”. Kashmir is the only place where Pellet Guns have been used. Nowhere else in the world or in India are they used. The very fact that even in Haryana where in February 2016 for five days hooligans indulged in physical attacks, loot, rape, molestation and arson and the BJP led state government did nothing , pellet guns were not used. Because, no civilized country either uses these, or supports their use. Yet, in Indian held Kashmir pellet guns have been justified just as Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) too is, by enemies of Democracy. Is not Pakistan involved in a proxy war against India over Kashmir? The Co-ordination of Democratic Rights Organisations (CDRO) blames Government of India for enabling Pakistan to interfere. Since October 27th, 1947 India and Pakistan have divided Jammu and Kashmir (J & K) and India has been in complete control of the territory where people have been agitating for a political resolution to their longstanding demand for bringing the dispute over J&K to a closure. It is true that Pakistan is involved and has carried out attacks with the help of Lashkar i Tayabba and Jaish i Mohammed in India. However, the area under Indian control has been in turmoil for very long, and people have fought for their demand for right of self-determination by using all the peaceful means available to them including participating in elections. In all these 68 years, Indian Governments have not succeeded in ending the struggle of Kashmiris despite use of brutal force. Recall that since past 27 years the struggle, J&K is a declared as a “Distrubed Area” and AFSPA is in force. The forces brutally put down the struggle and we are told by Government that everything is alright now, but there is no “normalcy” because every few years the struggle commences and then once again brutal suppression follows. This cycle has been on for 27 years. Meanwhile nothing has been done to restore the autonomy of J&K promised, and constitutionally guaranteed. With no forward movement in reaching a political solution the demand for Azaadi from India gains legitimacy. By closing all doors for democratic solution it is, we insist, the Indian government which provided an opportunity to Pakistan to interfere. Consider this. From the time Sheikh Abdullah was arrested in 1953, people have faced repression in the area under Indian control. Despite the settlement of 1975 when Sheikh Abdullah returned to power following the Parthasarthy-Afzal Baig agreement in 1975, the promise to restore the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir was never kept. Central Government continues to exercise complete control and the elected State Government cannot even prevent use of pellet guns, withdraw security forces, remove AFSPA, or release arrested persons without Central Government’s approval. But that does not mean that we should support those who want to break-away from India? CDRO believes that India’s unity means the unity of the peoples of India. Territorial unity without the unity of people of India has no meaning. And unity of people means that we Indians have to stand by people who face repression and support demand for a democratic solution. In Nagaland, Government of India has been holding talks for more than 18 years with National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) without any pre-condition. So why cannot they do the same in Kashmir? CDRO believes that we cannot fight for unity of the country if we are not outraged by the suffering of our own people, whom we claim to be our “integral part”- the Kashmiri people who have faced Military rule for more than 27 years. The entire J&K remains a “disturbed” area and Armed Forces of the Union enjoy legal immunity from prosecution for any harm done to a civilian; killing, torture, rape, disappearance etc. Since 1989-90 more than 70,000 persons have been killed, hundreds of women faced sexual violence, 8-10,000 people remain disappeared after they were taken into custody, and no less than 60,000 were victims of torture. During this entire period of 27 years Indian people rarely protested against AFSPA, atrocities by security forces or extended support and succor to the Kashmiri people.All this compels Kashmiris to demand Azaadi, which is a cry for Freedom from oppression. All this is fine, but why support the Kashmiris who are acting on behalf of Pakistan? Let us look back. In 1947 it was Sheikh Abdullah led National Conference (NC) which pushed for accession with India. In 1947 when entire India and Pakistan was engulfed in blood- letting and Hindus and Sikhs were being killed in Pakistan and Muslims in India, it was remarkable that Kashmir remained peaceful. In fact in September 1947, in Jammu city Muslims on their way to Pakistan were given assurance of safe passage, but a massacre of Muslims took place. Even this did not provoke Kashmiris. Indeed it is remarkable that in J&K once National Conference came to power in October 1947 they introduced the first ever radical land reform by ending Jagirdari system and distributing land to the tiller. Every tiller, Muslim or Hindu benefitted from this. Because under Dogra Maharajas all the land was owned by the King and people had no rights over land they cultivated. So what made people who chose to be with India to change their minds later? It is this question we should ask. From 1953 onwards all elections in J&K were rigged and the Central government allowed this to happen because they chose the Chief Minister and not the State Assembly. Plus the memory of partition has been kept alive by India’s communal organizations particularly the right wing parties who publicly cast suspicion on Muslims in India and always question their loyalty. Like elsewhere in India, especially among the Adivasis and people in North East, land grab is also an issue in Kashmir. As in the North East so in J&K local people and their land and resources are supposed to be protected, and just as elsewhere in India, in J&K too, Government encroaches on people’s land to benefit the rich and the privileged. As elsewhere in India, people in J&K are resisting land acquisition and have been resisting land takeover. Besides, unemployment is very high and up to 40% of educated are unemployed. Horticulture and orchards remain the mainstay of the J&K economy and land is scarce, and a lot of cultivable land is occupied by Security Forces. Most of the jobs being generated in the government sector is in the Armed Police, that too on contract where total wages are Rs 6000. For instance, in August 2016 Narendra Modi Government announced that 10,000 persons would be employed in J&K Police. Just as a comparison. Delhi has a population of 1.6 crore people and a police force of 85,000 or 1 policeman for 1600 people in Delhi. None of us who live in Delhi feel safe with them because they mostly work for the Party in power at the Centre and ordinary people face tremendous obstruction from them if they go to file their complaints. Now imagine a place where the population is 1.3 crore with presence of more than 650,000 soldiers and police persons facing people, a ratio of 1 soldier for 20 civilians. Imagine also that the police and soldier enjoy legal immunity that protects them from any threat of prosecution for any crime they commit, such as rape, murder, torture. They are all armed and under AFSPA the forces enjoy the power even to kill on mere suspicion. Imagine also that such conditions have been present for 27 years. Would anyone of us here in India prefer that? If we were forced to live in such conditions where even the Right to Life is jeopardized for 27 years, how would we feel? What would be our sentiments? And if people are angry in Kashmir because of such repressive conditions why should we be surprised. National Security Advisor in UPA government MK Narayanan recently said that the Kashmiri movement is indigenous and not a Pakistan sponsored movement. Surely, if even top security expert of India says that, then it is time for us to us to shed abusing the Kashmiris for being puppets of Pakistan, and treat them as our own people who are demanding a democratic solution for once and for all. That’s alright but what about Kashmiri Pandits? CDRO is clear that the migration of more than three lakh Kashmiri Pandits was a horrible thing to have happened. They have suffered being driven from their home and hearth and remain migrants who have not been able to return. While Kashmiri society bears blame for not making them feel secure and safe, the greater blame is that of Governor Jagmohan and VP Singh Government in New Delhi which pushed the Kashmiri Pandits to migrate and by transporting them to Jammu and beyond, rather than protecting them where they lived and worked. For 27 years in the name of ‘national security” J&K has been reeling under dictatorship of the central government. And despite the enormous force at their command they have failed to enable return of the Kashmiri Pandits. Also long before the migration of Kashmiri Pandits the local Muslims have been suffering at the hands of the Indian Government. It was Government of India which violated the constitutional autonomy provided to J&K after 1953 and began to rule J&K from New Delhi. Besides, just consider, that 27 years have passed and yet there is no “normalcy” in J&K. Every few years people protest. Because, there is no serious effort towards political solution. Even Indian Army has said that Kashmir or North East cannot be solved militarily but only politically. The military can only restore order. So why is it that after 27 years there is no “normalcy”? India’s Supreme Court asked the same question from Government of India recently when hearing arguments in a case related to 1528 fake encounters in Manipur. The Court said that if normalcy has not been restored (46 years in Manipur, 68 years in Nagaland and 27 years in J&K) then there is something wrong with the policy. And wrong there is because to have military rule under AFSPA for so many years is a cruel joke on our own people whose democratic rights given by our Constitution are being denied for so many decades. So when Kashmiris ask for Azaadi, they want Azaadi from oppression and for what is being denied to them. Because this Azaadi is not possible in India, then why blame them for asking for Azaadi from India? But the Kashmiri militants are Muslim fanatics? What is happening in J&K is related and linked to what is happening in India. All the sufferings of the past have been aggravated by coming to power of RSS-BJP in India as the ruling party. In the last 30 months the Saffron Brigade has unleashed its vicious campaign and targeted Dalits and Muslims and everyone else who challenges their politics. We have seen, “ghar wapsi”, “love jehad”, charges of being “anti-national”- anyone who questions the fanatic Hindutva campaign has been attacked, trolled, abused and maligned. In a sensitive area like J&K they have also unleashed a divisive campaign, cow vigilantes have lynched Kashmiri Muslim truck drivers, BJP MLA’s have attacked fellow Muslim MLAs, they have used religious yatras to preach hatred of Muslims. This has created a sense of fear and insecurity among Muslims of J&K, especially when Indian military is controlled by the RSS-BJP Central Government. If people are made to feel insecure and live under fear of pellet guns, night raids, arrests, torture etc and no one in India speaks out against them, then people feel even more vulnerable and are alienated from India and Indians. Our silence also sends the message that Indians do not care for them and only covet their beautiful land. On the other hand, the hallmark of a fanatic is hatred of the ‘other’. Now it is remarkable that the much maligned Kashmiri militants have repeatedly welcomed Amarnath Yatris and even welcomed Kashmiri Pandits. It is “foreign militants” who have threatened and attacked theyatrisin the past. But if in India presence of Hindutva in power at Centre has not turned all of India into supporters of RSS-BJP, then to dismiss entire Kashmiri people’s struggle as of fanatic Muslims is even more wrong because they are not even in power, unlike Hindutva groups in India. The formation of the current coalition government of BJP-PDP in J & K, has contributed to the present situation. PDP campaigned on the plank of keeping RSS-BJP out. But once they formed the government, in defiance of the mandate, the RSS-BJP only stepped up its rabidly communal agenda by appointing as a Minister a BJP person who is accused of lynching two persons in Kishtwar, by raking up issues such as abrogation of Article 370 and unleashing anti- Muslim campaigns. There have been killings of Kashmiri truck drivers, and even attacks on Kashmiri MLAs by BJP men inside the state Assembly for disagreeing with them. And since July 8th, continuing into the present, the same state and central governments have let loose the most vicious brutal campaign against unarmed civilians, by encouraging security forces to use pellet guns for blinding and injuring, and to arrest old and young – men, women, boys and girls. Day in and day out Indian Government propaganda says everything is due to Pakistan. But no one explains that if this part of J&K has been under Indian control since 1947, and people have again and again come out to vote, then how come Pakistan finds it so easy to stir up trouble? IF after 68 years of Indian control, and 27 years of military suppression, the Government has still not brought “normalcy” in J&K, then it also means that Indian government is responsible for vitiating the conditions in J&K and this incompetence of theirs has allowed Pakistan to fish in “troubled waters”. It also means that Government of India does not believe in any political solution. CDRO also believes that in forcing Indian Army to bring “normalcy” the Indian Government is harming the Indian Army. Because any Army which is deployed against its own people, that too for over 27 years, means that the Government has failed. Friends, who are reading this ‘parcha’, CDRO urges you to understand that truth has another side which must also be brought before the public. It is, therefore, Coordination of Democratic Rights Organisations stands in solidarity with the peoples of J&K in their struggle to be Free and condemns the use of Pellet Guns, killing civilians including children, blinding young girls and boys, and causing injuries to tens of thousands of people. We insist that only restoration of civil liberties and de-militarisation followed by search for a democratic solution can prevent the slide into revival of armed militancy and end the cycle of violence which is weakening us from inside. CDRO believes that we cannot win over people when they are being killed, blinded, arrested & detained, or justice is denied to them and political solution ignored. CDRO appeals to you to realize the gravity of the situation and join us in extending a message of solidarity with our own people in J&K who need to know that we care.
Constituent Organisations:Association for Democratic Rights (AFDR, Punjab), Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR, West Bengal);Asansol Civil Rights Association, West Bengal;Bandi Mukti Committee (West Bengal); Civil Liberties Committee (CLC, Andhra Pradesh); Civil Liberties Committee (CLC, Telangana); Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR, Maharashtra); Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR,Tamil Nadu); Coordination for Human Rights (COHR, Manipur); Human Rights Forum (HRF, Andhra Pradesh & Telengana); Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS, Assam); Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR); Peoples’ Committee for Human Rights (PCHR, Jammu and Kashmir); Peoples Democratic Forum (PDF, Karnataka); Jharkhand Council for Democratic Rights (JCDR, Jharkhand); Peoples Union For Democratic Rights (PUDR, Delhi); Peoples Union for Civil Rights (PUCR, Haryana), Campaign for Peace & Democracy in Manipur (CPDM), Delhi. Other Organisations in Delhi endorse this: Aahwan; Ek Janwadi Sanskritik Muhim, All India Students Association (AISA), Ambedkar Bhgat Singh Students Front (ABSF), Bigul, Bhagat Singh Ambedkar Students Organization (BASO), Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch, Campaign Against Fascist Attack on University (CAFOU), Dalit Queer, Democratic Students Union (DSU), Inqalabi Mazdoor Kendra (IMK), Jamia Students Forum, Jamia Teachers Solidaritty Association (JTSA), Janhastakshep, Morcha, Mehnatkarsh Mahila Sangathan (MMS), Naujawan Bharat Sabha (NBS), Saheli, Stree Mukti Sangathan, North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) , Women Against Sexual Repression and State Violence (WSS), Disha ,Morcha,Manipur Students Association,Delhi (MSAD)
PEOPLE”S UNION FOR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS (PUDR)
Press Statement
26th October, 2016
From Burning Villages to Burning Effigies
PUDR strongly condemns the burning of the effigies of activists and a journalist by the Chhatissgarh Auxiliary police force across Bastar in a widely publicised ‘offical protest on 24th October. This show of strength by state forces against civilians was the latest and most brazen example of the patronage extended by the government and its systematic fostering of a Police Raj in Bastar. All the public figures whose effigies were burnt- Manish Kunjam, Nandini Sundar, Himanhsu Kumar, Soni Sori, Bela Bhatia and Malini Subramaniam- are members of civil society who have faced violence and intimidation earlier as well for exposing and resisting the ongoing war against the adivasis in Bastar.
The vicious ‘protest’ comes in the immediate wake of the Status report of the Supreme Court monitored CBI investigation into Tarmetla massacre by the Government Forces in 2011. Tellingly, two of the effigies burnt were of the Petitioners – Sundar and Kunjam in the case. At the time of the massacre, DIG Kalluri blamed the Maoists. However, the CBI has held seven SPOs responsible for the Tadmetla arson and 26 Salwa Judum members for physically assaulting Swami Agnivesh and his team who went to conduct a fact-finding into Tadmetla. As is well recognised both the Judum and the SPOs worked in collusion with the government. The Chattisgarh Police has summarily dismissed the CBI findings, offering a lameduck defense about the burning
down of the village being accidentally caused by heat generated by crossfire during an operation against the Maoists! Despite the CBI having found prima facie evidence of their complicty in the massacre, arson and loot, rape and physical assaults, in an act of brutal assault on our own people, the Police are now claiming themselves to be nationalists who are being maligned, while all others resisting them are ‘anti nationals’. What stares us in the face in these recent shows of police strength, is not just the impunity
allowed to the forces, but how RSS-BJP Governments at Centre and the State have unleashed an all out war against Bastar citizenry, part of which is to squelch public spirited initiatives by groups and persons, who are the voice of those people on the ground whose voices do not reach us.
In the operations in the forest villages of Bastar its not only the Maoists the security forces fight. They wage war on civilians, terrorising them as is well known, through fake surrenders, fake encounters, atrocities committed on Adivasi women, children and men. More than three thousand Adivasis, falsely accused under “naxal offence” languish in overcrowded and dingy jails. Detentions and arrests are means to ruin Adivasis though court battles and incarceration. In the process stifling Adivasi resistance to land and forest take over by public and private corporate interests, even as the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution remains in abeyance. On the other side, its a struggle to get FIRs registered, eg in the Nendra rape case, for investigations to be completed, for truthful and fair investigation to take place, and through it all there has been a relentless attack on social and political activists, lawyers, journalists and others.
So the effigy burning is not just the government and the forces’ contempt for the Constitutional Order- it was under threat for a long time – but also draws attention yet again to the dirty nature of the all out war the Indian State is waging against some of the most oppressed sections of its own people. Here we are witnessing a defense of the Police’s ‘right’ to commit all crimes and atrocities, versus those who bring out the abuse and violence against civilians showing the war against the Maoists in its true
colours, and who affirm the Adivasis’ right to their resources, the forests, waters and land, and protest and resist their takeover. The riotous mob gathered at various places in Bastar, comprising police personnel and vigilantes nurtured by the Police themselves, showed their ‘nationalism’ to be one that not only allows massacre, rape, plunder, arson, terrorisation of fellow Indians, but also denies their rights to legal remedies and justice. Whereas loyalty towards people’s rights and causes is made a mark of the allegedly ‘anti-national’ character of the dissidence and the resistance. We urge all democratic forces to reject this idea of nationalism and speak up now against War against our Own People.
PUDR demands:
1. Action against all those participating in these protests.
2. Removal of DIG Kalluri.
3. A speedy conclusion of the pending inquiry into rapes and murders at Tarmetla
Prabhakar, popular singer, performer and writer of Praja Kala Mandali (PKM), was one of the martyrs of the Malkangiri massacre. Coming from a poor Dalit family from Yapral on the outskirts of Hyderabad, he had wonderful talents of singing, playing dappu, dholak and other musical instruments and performance. He was one of the main singers of PKM between the late 1990s and 2012. He was also a lead actor in plays, skits and dance performances of PKM, including Gujarat Gayam, Dunkel Bhagotham, Deepaala Nrutyam. He slowly emerged as a song writer also.
Indian government officials and gang leader. This is the nexus between Indian government and politicians who help preserve the current status of the Manipuri masses.
Lok Janashakti Party(LJP), a political party founded in Bihar, which is recognized by Indian Election Commission as a State Party is boycotted by Maoist Communist Party-Manipur since it has supported a gang party based in Manipur. An MLA of these organization is still in Langthabal Assembly Constituency so this MLA too, will be boycotted as well as the Political party itself in Manipur. It is a well-known fact that many of the political parties has been programming many communal poisoning plans to succeed in the election in Manipur and many anti-social forces under Suspension of Operations (SoO) have been used as tools for the cause. This so called LJP has been adopting the leaders of the Gang party in Delhi and supporting and safeguarding them in Manipur. Now these political party is already prepared to utilizing them as a key to success in the coming Election, is clearly known to the MCPM with vivid evidences. There are two unavoidable reasons for the party’s unacceptability on their planning. Firstly, those treacherous absconders who are pulling down the Revolutionary movements of Manipur into the hellish bottom are the real foes of our society. Secondly, most important and much serious reason is that the Communist movement in our own soil was initiated by our prominent leader with his sacrifice and sincerity. Such villainy absconders, who had adulterated the ideology of Lamyanba Irabot deteriorating the term of Communism at aloft in the society, can never be forgiven. And such as the dirty policies of LJP that have been sustaining those reactionaries cannot be considered easily by our Party. With the establishment of gang groups and founding of such Parties in the name of Communist like domestication of tamed dogs, the Indian Reactionary Forces have been adopting them that led the emphatic ruin of Revolutionary movements of Manipur in our society, so it is compulsive obligation of the Party, being an revolutionary party developing and forming based on the ideology of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism of which is considered to be catchment basin of Communist movement of Manipur initiated by Lamyanba Irabot, to obstruct and eradicate such anti-social activities operated by LJP that is supporting and bringing up the leaders of the villain group in Delhi in the close timing of the General election. This is why our Party took the firm decision of boycotting LJP. The Party will never be in a mute until and unless LJP has total link or any sort of relation within a week with those absconders who had debacle the communist movement of Manipur and who has defamed the revolutionary struggle of Manipur. Any dire consequence after a week must fall upon LJP. It should be noted that the Party had already started to attack on those absconders sheltering under SoO, who have been defaming the Communist Movement in Manipur in the month of the March this year, and those who have given them shelter and sustenance will be counted as reactionaries.
The Welsh Socialist Republican Congress calls for the Indian Government to bring to an end Operation Green Hunt which has caused countless deaths amongst India’s poorest people especially the Adivasi tribal people.
The recent massacre at Malkangiri is another sad bloody page with the Indian Government putting the interests of mining companies before the interests of the people.
The killing of the Maoists at Malkangiri who defended the local people against the predatory mining companies is the direct responsibility of the Chief Ministers of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and they should resign immediately pending an investigation of the Malkangiri Massacre.
Those comrades killed serving the people in Malkangiri’s names will be added to the People’s hero’s of India and their killers will forever wear the badge of shame.
Long Live The Resistance to Operation Green Hunt Long Live the heroes of Malkangiri eternal shame to their killers. Solidarity with the struggle of the oppressed of India from the Welsh Socialist Republican Congress. Long Live Proletarian Internationalism.
Sirisha, wife of Maoist leader RK, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.
“Munna was always saying that death was certain for any one but one must die for people. People need us, he would always feel, but the police killed him at a young age,” said a sobbing Sirisha, his mother and wife of CPI (Maoist) central committee member and a top leader of the party Ramakrishna alias, during a brief halt a the house of late Chalasani Prasad, founder member of the Revolutionary Writers Association in the city on her way to Malkangiri in Odisha, on Tuesday.
This was what she said of the loss of her son, who was in his early 20s and joined the party not long ago. He was also said to be in the security ring of his father.
Munna was among the 24 Maoists killed in an exchange of fire with the joint force of AP’s Greyhounds and Odisha’s Special Operations Group in the thick forest area near Pansaput in Malkangiri district in Odisha near the Andhra border on Monday morning.
Ms. Sirisha along with her brother-in-law and co-brother of RK, Kalyana Rao, left for Malkangiri along with RK’s family members, and some others. Two ambulances were also engaged by them to bring the bodies in case they are identified.
Earlier, revolutionary writer Varavara Rao and some others left Chalasani Prasad’s house for Malkangiri after making a brief halt in the city.
‘Bring policemen to book’
Mr. Varavara Rao and Mr. Kalyan Rao, speaking at different times to reporters, said it was not an exchange of fire but a massacre of Maoists who were taking rest and demanded that the government book a case of murder against the police officers and men responsible for the encounter as per the Supreme Court guidelines. An investigation into the incident would reveal the truth, they said.
Mr. Varavara Rao asked why no Maoist was injured if it was really an exchange of fire.
The incident was part of government’s move to totally eliminate Maoists from the Agency area since they were preventing it from taking up bauxite mining by supporting the Girijans who resisted the move during Chandrababu Naidu’s previous term and when late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was Chief Minister, he said.
Anjamma and Padma Kumari president and secreatary of the association of martyrs’ friends and relatives respectively, Maoist leader Gajarla Ravi’s brothers Sammayya and Ashok, his sister-in-law and family members of some of the Maoists who have been killed or suspected to have been killed, accompanied Mr. Varavara Rao to Malkangiri.
Mr. Varavara Rao claimed that the incident took place near Munchingput and not on the other side of the border in Malkangiri district but the bodies were shifted to Malkangiri instead of bringing them to Visakhapatnam.
This is a summary of heinous crimes in Morpalli, Timapuram, and Tadmetla villages in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, in the period between 2007-2011. It has been obtained from Nandini Sundar’s blog. Recently, in October 2016, the CBI filed chargesheets against 7 SPOs and 26 Salwa Judum leaders in connection with these crimes.
MURDERS 2011
Madvi Sula, Morpalli village – killed on 11 March 2011 (shot in tree)
Badse Bhima, Pulanpad village – picked up from Pulanpad on 13th and killed in Timapuram village on 14th March 2011
Manu Yadav, Pulanpad village – picked up from Pulanpad on 13th and killed in Chintalnar on 15th March 2011.
2007
Sodi Nanda, Tadmetla – burnt alive in fuelwood stack by SPOs, Judum and security forces in December 2007
Aimla Suka, Ramanguda para, Pulanpad – tied up and burnt alive inside his house by Judum/security forces, 2007
Aimla Guddi, Pulanpad – had gone to his in-laws in Lakhapal, was picked up by the security forces/Judum and finally killed in Chimlipenta, 2007
STARVATION DEATHS DUE TO ARSON 2011
Nupe Rajulu, Morpalli – old man, died on 12th March after his house and others in village were burnt on 11th March
Madkam Mangdi – old woman, died on 13th March after her house and others in village were burnt on 11th March
Madvi Joga – old man, died on 13th March after his house and others in village were burnt on 11th March.
RAPES 2011
AM, Jonapara, Morpalli village – 11th March, in the village, in front of small daughter
ML, Jonapara, Morpalli village – 11th/12th March – custodial rape, Chintalnar thana
MJ, Chindpara, Tadmetla, 16th March, in the village, badly cut near her eye
All three had money/jewelry stolen from them ARSON 2011
33 houses burnt in Morpalli village – 11 March
59 houses burnt in Timapuram village – 14/15 March
160 households (207 structures) burnt in Tadmetla village – 16 March
2007
6 houses burnt by Judum in Ramanguda para, Pulanpad
57 houses burnt by Judum in Morpalli village
LOOTING
Madkam Deva, Gollaboonda para, Pulanpad – Rs. 4.5 lakh stolen from his house by Koya commandos. He was saving this to buy a tractor.
Chickens, goats, pigs, jewelry, cash and other goods from all villages
BEATING and SERIOUS INJURIES
Madvi Bhime, 65-70 year old woman, Morpalli village – badly beaten, 11 March
Muchaki Hadma, 25 year old, grenade injury from grenade thrown by Koya commandos/security forces, while collecting mahua
Madkam Hidme, 50-60 year old, grenade injury from grenade thrown by Koya commandos/security forces, while collecting mahua
Women of Tadinpara para, Tadmetla – who were rounded up and beaten in beech para/Gondin para – while the Koya Commandos/security forces set fire to their houses
Testimonies submitted to CBI and Court Morpalli village
Collective testimony of Morpalli villagers
MB, mother of Madvi Sula, murder victim
ML, rape victim
AM, rape victim
MB, old woman who was beaten
List of estimated losses in 2011 and 2007 (XL sheet)
Timapuram village
Collective testimony by villagers
List of villagers whose houses were burnt and looted, para wise
Estimated losses of most houses (incomplete list as some villagers were not present) – XL sheet
Pulanpad village
MY, widow of Manu Yadav
BL, widow of Badse Bhima
Madkam Hidme and Muchaki Hadma, grenade injury victims
Madkam Deva, 4.5 lakh loot victim
Tadmetla village
Collective testimony of women of Tadinpara
MJ, rape victim
Sodi Ganga, brother of Sodi Nanda who was burnt alive in 2007
TIMELINE OF SALWA JUDUM/SPO RELATED EVENTS IN MARCH-JULY 2011
CRPF and district police plan a two day joint operation starting Friday March 11 – at about 2 AM in the morning from Chintalnar Base Camp. About 200 SPOs and Koya Commandos and about 150 CRPF, comprising primarily of the CoBRA battalion. Information received that there was an arms factory in Morpalli (which they did not find) (source: Aman Sethi, Hindu 23rd March). Actual Incidents as verified by Nandini Sundar, 20-23 December 2011 (also fits in with story by Aman Sethi, Hindu, 23 March) March 11: Koya Commmandos (SPOs)/Security forces attack Morpalli; a young man Madvi Sula shot at in tree and killed. Madvi Bime, old woman, was badly beaten up. Rs. 10,000 was stolen from AM and she was raped in front of her daughter. Forces arrest MG, his son B and daughter L; and rape L in thana all night. 33 houses burnt. March 12–13: 3 old people in Morpalli village, Nupe Rajulu, Madkam Mangdi and Madvi Joga, die of starvation and thirst after houses were burnt and they were left in the village, when everyone else had fled. March 13: Forces attack Pulanpad (Pulam). Two people (Muchaki Hadma and Madkam Hidme) got grenade injuries; Madkam Deva’s house was looted and 4.5 lakh stolen. Forces took away Badse Bheema and Manu Yadav. Police spend 13th night in Timapuram and loot chickens etc. March 14: Forces head towards Bodkel. Just outside Timapuram village, Maoists ambush the forces in which one Maoist and three Koya commandos are killed. Forces return to Timapuram and burn 17 houses in Morotpara. They kill Badse Bhima and leave the body in the village. March 15: Koya Commandos burned 42 houses and granaries in Gupididpara, Patelpara and Golapara of Timapuram village (59 houses burnt in all). They take away Manu Yadav who they had picked up in Pulpanpad village and kill him in Chintalnar. March 16: Forces come from Chinatalnar and attack Tadmetla. 207 structures (houses, granaries etc.) belonging to 160 families burnt in Tadmetla village. MJ assaulted violently, cut on the face with a knife, and raped. Women beaten up. Madvi Handa and Madvi Aita from Tadinpara taken away by forces, first to Chintalnar and then Sukma. AFTERMATH
(based on news reports and court proceedings) March 23: The Hindu and Rajasthan Patrika report on the incidents. (Marawi files FIR after this claiming naxals burnt houses) March 24: District Collector sends relief trucks and orders local enquiry, offers compensation of Rs. 25,000 for houses. Collector and Commissioner not allowed to go by police. SPOs call them Maoist supporters. March 25: SPOs, led by Kartam Surya, assault truck driver carrying relief. Journalists stopped from going and beaten up. Kartam has a non-bailable arrest warrant issued against him for rape, and is claimed by the police to be absconding, but lives in police barracks. March 26: Swami Agnivesh, Art of Living Representatives, Addl SP Marawi and journalists brutally attacked by Salwa Judum and SPOs at Dornapal. March 27: FIR filed by ASP Marawi names Salwa Judum leaders in the mob March 28: NHRC seeks report on police excesses March 28: Opposition boycotts Vidhan Sabha demanding a proper enquiry. Chhattisgarh Home Minister blames the arson on the Maoists. March 28: Nandini Sundar and ors file affidavit detailing attacks on 3 villages and Swami Agnivesh March 29: Supreme Court orders Commissioners in Right to Food case to visit affected villages to investigate reports of starvation deaths March 30: Chhattisgarh government orders judicial probe April 2: CM, Governor and DGP visit Tadmetla village, offer BPL cards to 96 families and jobs as schoolteachers, anganwadi etc to locals. Distribute a mere 17 quintals of rice, no relief for Morpalli or Timapuram. Forces steal chickens from village and prevent villagers from talking to CM freely. April 5: State Government announces a judicial probe by District Judge under Commission of Enquiry Act April 6: Mr. Salve promises to Court he will persuade state government to appoint a high court judge, and also look into the case of Kartam Surya, SPO who is wanted for rape and declared absconding but lives in police barracks, as well as other SPOs April 6: Harsh Mander, SC Commissioner in Right to Food case visits Morpalli – not allowed to visit other villages. Finds starvation-like conditions.
Police take away Nupo Mutta and Madvi Nanda who translated for Harsh Mander; they are tied up; Nanda is slapped by SSP Kalluri for telling the truth to Harsh Mander. They are released only the next day when women go to get them. April 13: Chhattisgarh files its affidavit – silent on the promises made by Mr. Salve, no mention of Kartam Surya, no denial of anything contained in Nandini Sundar affidavit of March 28, 2011. 25 April: Supreme Court records statement of CG counsel, Salve that CM Raman Singh will write to High Court of CG or MP asking for the services of a sitting judge. 10 May: NGO relief mission delivers relief 12 May: Justice TP Sharma appointed to head commission of enquiry. (has not visited villages) 5 July: SC orders CBI to enquire into incidents December 2011: Villagers anxious for CBI visit; send letters to CBI and SC. January 2012: CBI visits villages for first time, takes saree of MJ for forensic analysis of rape – one of the two sarees she has which has been washed many times February 2012: CBI attacked by SPOs at Dornapal
CBI refuses to visit villages any more; calls villagers to Jagdalpur to depose October 2016: CBI files chargesheets against 7 SPOs and 26 salwa judum leaders COMPENSATION
Morpalli village – Out of 33 houses which were burnt in 2011, 31 houses have got compensation of Rs. 25,000 each. They have also got variable compensation for property losses, which are, however, not commensurate with actual losses in many cases.
Timapuram: All 59 houses burnt in 2007 have got Rs. 25,000 each for house construction. 56 houses have got Rs. 20,000 each uniformly for property loss. This does not cover actual losses, and the variations in losses. 3 Households have not got even this money.
Tadmetla village – Out of 160 houses, 22 are still to be compensated Rs. 25,000 for house burning. The village had made a list of possessions lost in each house, which tahsildar has taken. Variable compensation given for each house (don’t know on what basis this was calculated).
East District under Lamlai Police Station in the intervening night of 24-25 October 2016. The battle was not a pre-planned strike against the colonial force but a defensive one for safeguarding ourselves. The troops were sent back at different regions after completing a meeting with Standing Committee Members who are taking responsible to develop our militia to a higher level. An advance scout team who led a column of troops approaching towards Thoubal District from Imphal East District suddenly came face to face with the enemy troops stationed at their Camp compelling us to initiate a preemptive strike to protect our comrades in the rear. It was a sudden speedy strike that’s we used only sophisticated weapons but we did not use any heavy armories like the RPGs or others due to the fact that the security forces that are deployed in Sanjenbam were not our prime target. It is a known fact that despite the various heroic feats of the past and current freedom fighters and despite sacrificing a whole generation of martyrs, the reasons why the Revolutionary movements of Manipur has not been progressing as it should have till today are due to the fact that the Revolutionary struggles have been set up and formed on the metaphysical thought based on the Eclectic Understanding with Eclectic Projection. On the other hand the rate of success of the Manipur Liberation Struggle for the past many decades is lesser than the endurance borne by the people of Manipur leading to a chasm between the people and the Liberation movement, At this crucial juncture we would like to draw the attention of all sundry to the unique strategic steps of Maoist Communist Party, Manipur (MCPM) towards and seek help from all corners to bring about an unique Revolutionary leap. There are five conditions for the success of People’s Revolution Movement, these are : (I) To re-gain back people’s support, faith and trust in the Party and their unquestionable loyalty (ii) To establish a complete working committee of the party (iii) To set up a powerful and a loyal People’s Army, (iv) To set up bases of the People’s Militia in the every strategic nook and corner of our Homeland (v) To establish self-reliable and sustainable sources of income which is not coerced or forced on the public but through generous donations from the public and also through a proper self-reliant method. If these five strategies are not maintained properly with a deep understanding, our Revolutionary Movement cannot advance or progress further. The first and foremost step is to gain people’s trust & faith in the Party who will naturally support the movement. This step is directly related to the other remaining four steps. The aim and objectives of the four steps should be based on the first step i.e., to gain the trust and support of the people. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to have one of those strategies without the remaining ones and vice versa. The Party is committed to work on all the five steps together and will not rest till it succeeds. The entire world has its own peculiarities as witnessed in different parts of the world socially, politically and geographically. An Armed Struggle can be nurtured properly and will succeed only when we know the society well enough. Knowing the topography, the ethnology-cultural intertwining among the different ethnic groups historically is the core foundation of forming and developing the Liberation Movement in Manipur. The most important fact to be kept in our mind is that in a place like Manipur which is a very small area with a very small population, and with more than a hundred thousand occupational forces, who after setting up various camps, we are living in the largest concentration camp of the modern world. If we have to take into account of any occupied land in the whole world, Manipur will certainly be the most militarized zone, where torture, exploitation and inhumane treatment are meted out by a so called Democratic country called India. Many thousands of Manipuri’s were killed in fake encounters under the draconian inhuman & barbaric act AFSPA, 1958, where anyone donning an uniform has the right to shoot & kill first and ask questions later. The militarization is going on at utmost level by setting up of a camp of Security Forces around the confinement of five kilometers each. Compare this to the policy adopted by the Indian Imperialist in Indian Maoist affected Red corridor, deploying only a hundred and fifty thousand paramilitary forces (as compared to Regular Armies in Manipur) in an area ten times the size of Manipur. It is an absolute strategy for the revolutionaries and especially so for the Manipur Maoist, to make a supreme sacrifice in such crucial scenario. If the Military Offensive of ours has to see any light at the end of the tunnel, this extreme sacrifice will be the guiding light. Therefore, the decisions resolved in the last convention held by the party on April 2016, is being maintained with great zeal & determination for a progressive and for advancing the national and class liberation struggle of Manipur.
Great ! Thank you very much for your quick response.
Let’s make of this day of 24 november a great day of solidarity to show our support to the comrades. We already had answers from a lot of comrades who are not organized in ICSPWI to also join the actions so it’s very positive.
We wish we could also meet soon to discuss how we, as Redspark, could support PW in India and promote ICSPWI.
Red Salute,
.
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On Tue, Oct 25, 2016 at 7:03 PM, Comitato Internazionale di Sostegno alla Guerra Popolare in India <csgpindia@gmail.com> wrote:
ICSPWI tells yes to the call of red spark and asks that 24 november is a unified DAY OF ACTION! lal salaam ICSPWI
ICSPWI info – 24 november
message of Red Spark to ICSPWI Hello comrades, We received extremly important news from India. Redspark decided to launch a call for a broad campain against military campain and Green Hunt in India. http://www.redspark.nu/en/peoples-war/india/call-for-international-solidarity-against-the-ongoing-military-campaign-against-maoists-in-india/ I would like to invite the International Commitee to join us in this campaign. Red Salute / Lal Salaam Redspark ᐧ Letter of ICSPWI to Red spark ICSPWI tells yes to the call of red spark and asks that 24 november is a unified DAY OF ACTION! lal salaam ICSPWI
Redspark received this message from a comrade from a democratic organization in India :
“Today, the Indian state killed 3 more comrades in cold blood, taking the toll to 27 in two days. The Indian state has gone into an all out offensive against the Maoists who are defending the rights of the people from the corporate-government nexus meant to loot the land from its natural resources.
On one hand a section of the ruling class has asked for peace talks with Maoists but the Indian state had continued its gruesome killings, unabated. We urge the international community to condemn the ongoing military campaign by the Indian state and stand in solidarity with comrades.”
Redspark team stands in solidarity with comrades leading the revolution in India. We would like to ask all progressive individuals and organisations to organise and campaign against the ongoing war on people in the Indian heartland. We also demand that the Indian state promptly ceases its gruesome campaign against oppressed sections of the society and release all political prisoners held in jails across India on trumped up charges.
Long live People’s Resistance ! Down with Indian Fascist State ! Lal Salaam !