Features & Articles

Chattisgarh: “Salwa Judum”
vs Naxal Violence

Arun Anand

Dantewada district of Chattisgarh has turned into a major battleground on which State government and Naxalite groups are fighting pitched battles and unfortunately the biggest casualty is none other than the tribals themselves. Ironically both the sides are claiming that they are fighting to “protect” tribals, which constitute 78.51% of the total population of this district, which is seen as a “test” case by both the sides.

At the root of this conflict is the growing disenchantment of the local tribals with Naxalites and the counter offensive by the government under the garb of “Salwa Judum” a local campaign that was started by the leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly Mr Mahendra Karma.

The state government is now conducting an “experiment” by supporting “Salwa Judum” as counter offensive against Naxal groups with their area of influence increasing rapidly. They already a noticeable presence in nine (Kanker, Dantewada, Bastar, Surguja, Balrampur, Rajnandgaon, Koriya, Kawardha and Jashpur) 16 districts of this state and their striking capability is becoming a major headache for the state government.

To tackle this situation the government is giving full training to hundreds of tribals as Special Police Officers. On the other hand Naxalites are pursuing their policy of recruiting one tribal from each family. This simply means that now tribals are being pitted against each other.

According to a recent report by Asian Centre for Human Rights, all these moves and counter moves “have created a civil war where one is either with the Naxalites or with the “Salwa Judum”. As the Naxalites followed the policy of forcibly recruiting one cadre from each family, in numerous cases, members of the same family have been pitted against each other.”

The report further adds that in many cases Naxalites have responded with violence against the “Salwa Judum” cadres irrespective of whether they are joining on their own volition or by force. Between 5 June 2005 and 6 March 2006, at least 138 “Salwa Judum” activists have been allegedly killed by the Naxalites.

Even the children of the “Salwa Judum” cadres were not spared says the report, adding that Swayam Mala, Ex-Sarpanch of Darbhaguda village revealed, “On the night of 23 February 2006, Sangham people (Naxalites) came to my residence searching for me on the accusations that I was initiating development projects in the village. Not finding me, they killed my son Swayam Kanna, who was studying in class eight.”

According to latest estimates more than 45000 tribal villagers from around 645 villages in half a dozen blocks of Dantewada district have been brought under “Salwa Judum” programme.

But it seems now that the hapless tribals who are not on either side are bearing the brunt. “The security forces and “Salwa Judum” activists have been responsible for gross violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws including torture, killings and rape especially during joint operations to bring scattered villages under the “Salwa Judum”. But the police do not register such complaints of atrocities as they also commit these crimes. Those who are victims of violations by the security forces and the “Salwa Judum” activists therefore are not given any compensation. Only the alleged victims of Naxalite violence are given compensation,” says the ACHR report.

Meanwhile displaced tribals are forced to live in temporary camps. The living conditions in these camps are deplorable notwithstanding the claims made by the government.

Interestingly these temporary relief camps have also been turned into centres for military training and anti-Naxalite indoctrination education by the government. As on 4 March 2006, 3,200 tribal boys and girls have been recruited as Special Police Officers (SPO) in Dantewada district alone at a fixed honorarium of Rs 1500 to each per month. Many Sops have not been paid any honorarium. Many have joined the SPO programme with the promise of regularization in the State Police Force.


(Charkha Features)

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