The Chhattisgarh PUCL severely condemns the ruthless ambush carried out by Maoists at the Burkapal area under Police Station Chintagufa limits in district Sukma on 24th April 2017, and expresses its deep grief at the killing of 25 jawans, mostly young persons of poor families. According to initial reports, this attack, the most lethal of its kind in five years, took place when around 90 jawans of the 74th Battalion were engaged in a road opening operation. It appears that about 200 Naxalites dispersed in different groups conducted the ambush and in the continuous firing that took place for about an hour many of them might also have been killed.
The Maoists decamped with all arms and ammunitions of the 25 killed and 6 injured jawans, leaving no bodies behind. A month ago another attack of the Maoists using locally made mortars, tiffin bombs and arrows with explosives had killed 12 CRPF Personnel under PS Bhejji limits. There have thus been more casualties in the first four months of this year than in the entire year for the last four years. This incident shows that the large numbers of surrenders and arrests (many of them challenged by villagers) boasted by the Chhattisgarh police in the past few years have not led to a significant decline in the military capacity of the Naxalites. A situation of civil war still prevails in Bastar although the Government of India refuses to declare this an “internal armed conflict” to avoid monitoring by the United Nations.
The PUCL apprehends that soon the security forces would “retaliate” by “search and Cordon operations” in the area which are only likely to hurt the soft target of ordinary civilians. Consequent arrests, beatings and killings will only intensify the cycles of violence and counter-violence. PUCL reiterates its longstanding demands that de-escalation of violence requires the restoration of faith of the local adivasi people in the State through the strict implementation of pro-tribal laws like the PESA, Forest Rights Act; the better provision of health, education and other welfare activities; a perception of getting justice and dignity; the restoration of civil administration as opposed to administration by the security forces in the interior areas; and addressing of popular demands as voiced by Sarv Adivasi Samaj or other local tribal organizations, in other words a political solution.
Dr. Lakhan Singh,
President
Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj,
Secretary
CHHATTISGARH LOK SWATANTRYA SANGATHAN
(PEOPLE’S UNON FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES, CHHATTISGARH)
First these pseudo-intellectuals, who represent PUCL, cry hoarse about alleged human rights violations of naxalites, who do not flinch their eyes on killing huge number of soldiers in cold blood. . And then offer condolences to the brave hearts in most grotesque words, by declaring that there is an “internal armed conflict” going on in Bastar and wish for strict monitoring by the United Nations.
How disdainful their remarks can be ??
The fact is that during the last twenty years or so, that have gone in tackling the red revolution in the center of India , nothing has changed at the ground level. Our forces get butchered almost every month. Extortion is demanded from the businesses working in naxalite affected areas. The villagers are forcefully asked to work as informers by both police and Maoists . Progress is given the go-bye as then the funds demanded from the center for counter- insurgency operations do not slow down.
Politicians will cry at the top of their voices of taking revenge and assuring the public that the sacrifices made by the jawans will not be in vain. This posturing will continue for the next week or two, by which time, the nation would have forgotten the shock or get engulfed by some newer facts and incidents. Except that the family members of the departed and injured will continue to cry all throughout their life.
High time, the government takes a firm stand against the Maoists and unshackles the forces , give unbridled powers to their officers to take, what ever rightful action , they plan to take. In much the same way, as had happened in nineties when peace was restored in Punjab by the efforts of a few strong men and a committed force.
Loss of lives on any side should be condemned. This has been going on for some decades. Why? There has been no thought of alternative. The actual problem of welfare of people has been sidelined. While Maoists kill forces, the forces kill ordinary tribals along with naxals. The rulers ( who are responsible for peoples welfae since they are elected by the people) should pause and think of peace by speaking to the adivasis and maoist organisations. In Andhra, talks were held and peace lasted for few months. But, the rulers started to encounter and peace was disturbed, as Dr. Hargopal reiterated again andbagain. Had the peace lasted, such mayhem would have not taken place.
No one wants war and killing each other. Both hands make sound if clapped together. Similarly, both sides shuld come out of their shells