APDR documents on Lalgarh: Press release on human rights violations of counter-insurgency forces

Posted by Rajeesh Edachery on July 31, 2009

ASSOCIATION FOR PROTECTION OF DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS (APDR)

18 Madan Boral Lane, Kolkata 700 012
Phone 033/22376459 email : apdr.wb@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON WEDNESDAY 22 JULY 09 ON

HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN LALGARH

Released at a Press Conference held at Calcutta Press Club on 22 July 2007

Lalgarh operations enter 35th day

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Normal life is continuing to be affected in large areas of three western districts of WB in the Lalgarh operations jointly undertaken by the combined forces of the central and state for the 35th day today In a situation, when the area has been sealed off and no persons are allowed to enter the area except a few media persons, reports of gross  human rights violations continue to be trickling in in media. From the media reports, statements of state government officials and other sources it has been learnt that almost all the villagers were forced to flee their homes for varying periods in the face of armed operation by combined forces, people, including women and children are being brutally assaulted, household articles and valuables are ransacked, looted and destroyed during search operations, daily necessities has become non available. A large number of people has been arrested for which there is no clear data, people arrested are almost invariably being charged with various sections under Chapter VI of the IPC relating to sedition, conspiracy against state etc. and for which the required statutory permission of the Governor is being made available indiscriminately.

Student leaders on way to Lalgarh detained

Kolkata Police have detained seven persons who were on their way to Lalgarh from Kolkata at the Midnapore station on Thursday for interrogation.

According to the West Midnapore police, Jotiska Das and Ananya Mukherjee, students of Calcutta University; and Saumya Mondal, Raktim Ghosh and Prabuddha Ghosh, students of Jadavpur University reached Midnapore station around 10.30 am today.

Manik Mondal, a writer, and Puspendu Chatterjee, a documentary filmmaker, were also with them.

West Midnapore SP Manoj Verma said they planned to go to Lalgarh to take part in the tribal students’ movement demanding the withdrawal of police from schools.

Police asked them not to enter Lalgarh and its adjoining areas as Section 144 CrPC was imposed there. The five students are members of the United Students Democratic Front. They were interrogated by the police for an hour and released when they gave a written undertaking that they would not go to Lalgarh.

Lalgarh Solidarity Convention – 6th August, 2009 India

Lalgarh Solidarity Convention

Unity for all Democratic and Revolutionary Forces in Support of Lalgarh Movement!

Oppose ‘Operation Lalgarh’!

6th August, 2009

Gandhi Peace Foundation Time: 2 PM To 7 PM

Speakers:

Justice Rajendra Sachar, Retired Chief Justice, Delhi High Court

Prof. Amit Bhattacharyya, Deptt. Of History, Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Sumit Chakravarty, Editor, Mainstream

Pankaj Singh, Jan Hasthakshep

Madan Kashyap, Litterateur

And others

Friends,

The `left’-front government of West Bengal, under the direct supervision of the central government has launched a war against the exploited and oppressed people of Lalgarh. This war on the people has been named as `Operation Lalgarh’. Thousands of Jawans of the police and paramilitary, such as CRPF, Eastern Frontier Rifles, Rapid Action Force, Border Security Force, CoBRA and others, have been deployed in the intensive military campaign in Lalgarh and nearby areas.

It is known that the Santhali tribals and local people of Lalgarh-Jangalmahal have been fighting for their freedom, self-respect and dignity since the days of British colonialism. Their thirst for dignity and freedom have further motivated them to stand up against the exploitative and pro-imperialist policies of the present governments in West Bengal and the Centre, against the SEZ policy of the state, forceful land acquisition, displacement and police repression. The Santhal tribals of about 1100 villages have been organising protests and their resistance movement among several other democratic demands raised the important question of brutal police oppression which the people of the region have been subjected to continuously for the last 8-9 months. But, the state government, instead of finding out a just political solution, has started military campaign, in with the active support of the central government throwing to winds all norms of a democratic polity.

Lalgarh: Villagers recount tale of police atrocities

LALGARH/BELPAHARI: “Why have you come here? How will you help me by taking my photographs?” demanded Jharna Mal of Pathardanga village, her anger
welling up from the bottom of her heart. “Come and see how I am surviving, how I am feeding my four children. What was his fault?”

Jharna, who is referring to her husband, fails to understand why he should be arrested while sleeping in his own house. “Where should he have slept if not in his own house? If my husband is such a bad man, then I too should be arrested.”

Recalling the incident, People’s Committee against Police Atrocities spokesman Chhatradhar Mahato said when police raided Pathardanga soon after entering Lalgarh town during the joint operations, all the men of the village had fled, except for Manoranjan Mal, who was sleeping in his house. They promptly dragged him away and slapped a few cases on him. Manoranjan has not returned since. Pathardanga, too, wears a deserted look.

Security forces lathicharge tribal women in Lalgarh

Security forces use batons to disperse women in Lalgarh

Lalgarh (PTI): Shortly after a three-member team of the Trinamool Congress, including two Union ministers, visited Lalgarh demanding withdrawal of central forces, a procession of tribal women was alledgedly lathicharged by the police.

A huge procession of the women supporters of the People’s Committee against Police Atrocities headed for Lalgarh police station at around 4:00 pm with placards and posters demanding withdrawal of the central forces and police from Lalgarh, The Lalgarh police station was recaptured from Maoists through their operation since June 19.

“There were at least 300 women, mostly tribals who were prevented from entering Lalgarh police station. We had to fire four teargas cells to disperse them,” top police sources said.

There were sounds of firing and mine explosion from the nearby villages, the sources said. “We are yet to determine the exact area from where the sounds came.”

PCPA sources, however, claimed that the security forces lathi-charged the women and even kicked some of them.

Police brutality: Uncertain Future for the Athlete of Lalgarh

Posted by Rajeesh Kollakkandi Edachery on July 26, 2009

It happened on the 19th of June, 2009. Police and paramilitary forces had just started joint operations in Lalgarh, West Bengal to evict the ‘Maoist’ terrorists from the tribal zone.

While proceeding towards Pingboni, the group of armed men met this 21 year old athlete Anup Mondal. Anup was returning from a friend’s place on a bicycle. Somehow the look of this tough young man irked the armed personnel and they started beating him up. He was severely beaten and his cycle was smashed.

Anup is a well-known runner and his name is known through the district. He got many awards in district and inter-district competitions. His dream was to join the state level marathon. Poverty was the main hindrance. Still he managed to complete his graduation last year and carries on his athletic practices.

Anup’s father Dasarath Mondal of Umrapota village in Goaltor is a hawker. He was stunned at this sudden attack and told the reporters that he could not believe that they could beat up Anup, like this – simply without any provocation. ‘They could detain him, question him and even arrest him if anything suspicious was found’ he said. But they broke his left arm and badly wounded his legs and he felt severe pain in his waist. ‘Why?’-asks Dasarath. Anup’s mother Chanchala is a housewife and Anup is the elder of the two sons in this poor family. Anup was in bed, his whole body covered with bruises, his childhood dream of becoming a runner shattered.

Finally the injured Anup filed a complaint at the Goaltor Police station. He also appealed to the Superintendent of Police, West Midnapur and the Human Rights Commission. He says that he expected, with the coming of armed forces, normalcy would be restored in the area. Earlier he had only heard about police atrocities, now he experienced it on his person. On his complaint, the police wanted to settle the matter by paying money.

No, Anup Mondal of Goaltor wants justice; he wants that the aberrant policemen should be severely punished.

[News & photo courtesy: Ananda Bazar Patrika, 12.07.09]

Adivasis’ struggle against displacement in Jharkhand

Posted by Rajeesh Kollakkandi Edachery on July 26, 2009

By Gladson Dungdung

Jharkhand is known as the abode of Adivasis (the indigenous people, constitutionally they are called as scheduled tribe), the land of struggle and mineral rich state in India. “Jharkhand” literally means ‘the land of forests’ came into existence as 28th state of the Indian union on 15th of November, 2000 after a long mass struggle, which took place in the 20th century for the realization of a beautiful dream of the Adivasi heroes – Tilka Manjhi, Sidhu-Kanhu and Birsa Munda. The dream was to form exploitation free, humane and just Jharkhand, where the Adivasis can practice their ownership rights over the natural resources, enjoy autonomy and rule themselves as earlier they used to. The outsiders perceive Jharkhand as the abode of uncivilized, uneducated and the most backward people i.e. Adivasis therefore the region was mostly neglected in terms of the development but its natural resources were highly exploited. The Adivasis were alienated from their resources, exploited and injustices were done to them in the name of development, civilization and nationalism.

Jharkhand is an important state from the viewpoint of Adivasi population. As per the Census 2001, their total population in the state is 70,87,068 including 35,65,960 male and 35,21,108 female, which consists 26.3% of the total population (26,945,829) of the state though they were more than 50 percent before the independence of India. The growth of the Adivasi population is steadily declining. It was 17.3 per cent in 2001, which is lower by 6 per cent if compared with the growth (23.3 per cent) in 1991. The state has a total of thirty two (32) sub-communities of the Adivasis. Among them Santal, Oraon, Munda, Ho and Kharia are the major Adivasi groups in the state. The major Adivasi populations (91.7 percent) reside in villages and merely 8.3 percent have shifted to the urban areas. The rapid industrialization is one of the major reasons for population declination of the Adivasis.

Gravest displacement, Bravest resistance: The struggle of adivasis of Bastar, Chhattisgarh against imperialist corporate landgrab

By Sudha Bharadwaj. Columnist, Sanhati

The rule of law does not do away with the unequal distribution of wealth and power but reinforces that inequality with the authority of law. It allocates wealth and poverty in such complicated and indirect ways as to leave the victim bewildered.

– Howard Zinn

Dedicated to the memory of Tapasi Malik,, Dula Mandal, Lakhiram Tuddu, Satyabhama
Whose names we know,
And the hundreds of adivasis of Bastar
Whose names will remain unknown till we claim them.

Why this essay?

I don’t live in Bastar, and I am not an adivasi.

But I have been active in the working class movement of Chhattisgarh for the past 22 years, a movement which became legendary under the charismatic leadership of Comrade Shankar Guha Niyogi. And I strongly feel that understanding what is happening in Bastar today is of the greatest significance not only to us in Chhattisgarh, but to all those who want to understand imperialist onslaught and corporate land grab, particularly in the resource-rich adivasi areas; for all of us involved nationwide in the anti-displacement movement which is day on day becoming a fierce life-and-death struggle against all odds; and in fact for all of us in the peoples’ movements who are faced with the abysmally criminal failure of democratic institutions and shrinking democratic spaces on the one hand, and growing repression on the other.

Justice Krishna Iyer, in a speech delivered in the memory of Com. Niyogi said that “he tried boldly and bravely to bring the Constitution to life for lakhs of miners and contract labourers”. Com Niyogi was murdered on 28th September 1991 within a fortnight of his petitioning the highest authority of this land – the President of India. The industrialists convicted for his murder by the Sessions Court of Durg were acquitted by the High Court and Supreme Court. The thousands of workers of Bhilai, for whose cause he laid down his life, are still out of work, their cases pending in the High Court. The last essay he wrote, with an uncharacteristic urgency, was “Rajeev Gandhi Ki Hatya Kyon?” (”Why was Rajiv Gandhi murdered?”) in which he forcefully argued that Rajiv Gandhi, though himself of the “liberalization” paradigm, was considered to be moving too slowly and was eliminated to allow “those who wanted the dollar to move in fast” to have their way. Com. Niyogi predicted that unless there was a widespread debate and churning among the patriotic and democratic sections of the people, our country would become the “grazing ground of the multinationals”, for now “only those persons will occupy the seats of power, whom the multinationals favour”. At that time, in May 1991, his article seemed to many, to be exaggerated or the usual leftist conspiracy theory. Now we know, it was prophetic.

This essay is part of that debate.

Salwa judam atrocities The ravaged remains of Gothi Koya lives, after forest rangers burnt down their houses.

In the numerous industrial areas across Chhattisgarh today, the very blood of young contract labourers is being sucked as they labour for 12-14 hours, for far less than minimum wages, without weekly holidays, and without safety or medical facility to generate the enormous wealth of “Chhattisgarh Shining!” Unionizing them today doesn’t only mean facing the goondas of the industrialists, risking the loss of precarious jobs, sustaining an uncompromising struggle against great odds, and developing a mature and bold leadership that can withstand both carrot and stick – though this is a tall enough order. It also means struggling against the serious imperialist onslaught against the people of Chhattisgarh.

An onslaught where gigantic corporations like Holcim and Lafarge are gobbling up the cement sector, they have already acquired ACC, Ambuja, and Raymond Cements. Taking advantage of rich limestone deposits, they are manufacturing the cheapest cement in the world, earning superprofits and planning to set up new capacities. Between them and the big cement manufacturers like Aditya Birla they have formed the “Chhattisgarh Cement Manufacturers Association” a cartel that has its office at a stones throw from Chief Minister Raman Singh’s residence – a proximity symbolic of their stranglehold influence over the state administration.

Orissa: Tribals sieze land in Raikia of Phulbani

Report by Manoj K.Dash

Berhampur: Maoist distributed 40 acres of cultivated land to Tribal at Raikia of Phulbani district. Every day Maoist activators capturing one after one area from undivided Ganjam, Koraput and Kandhamal Districts.

In the name of “CHASI MULIA SANGHA” non Tribal people those have captured the cultivated land now those lands are under the custody of Maoists.

Maoist activists were more alert after the 2007 violence in Kandhamal District.

Ranaba Panchyat an interior village of Kandhamal Maoist were captured 40 acres of land from two Mahajans and donated to landless Tribals.

Now from Ranaba from Maharaja family 100 Varana (20 acres) and from a another family 200 Varana (40 Acres) of land distributed to Tribal family.

Related Post Narayanpatna:Chashi Mulia Adivasi Sangha Seized 2000 acres of land from the land lords

Lalgarh: Students on 3 day hunger strike

The People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) started a hunger strike demanding the opening of schools in the area, which have been converted to camps for security forces for some time now.

Dozens of men, women and children sat on a fast at the Gohomidanga High School, demanding security forces be removed from there and normal classes resumed.

“The schoolchildren and their parents have initiated a hunger-strike because despite assurances, the state government is yet to open the schools for the children. Besides, security forces are harassing and torturing innocent villagers in the name of conducting operations against the Maoists. We are spearheading our agitation against this,” said PCAPA leader Chhattradhar Mahato.

A few days back the police had lathicharged and lobbed tear gas shells on a group of students and their parents of Gohamidanga School when they were demanding shifting of a police camp from the school premises requisitioned by the district police to accommodate security forces. Fifty students were injured in the incident.

Mahato recently established communication with Left Front leaders other than those in the CPM and sought their support for their movement. Constituents of the Left Front, including RSP and Forward Bloc, have spoken against the police operation in Lalgarh and promised to take up the matter with the Front leadership.

Indian Express