âBeing Neutral is Our Biggest Crimeâ - Global Coalition to Protect ...

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e) IDPs are not unlawfully forcibly relocated to Chhattisgarh without alternative adequate and safe housing arrangements. f) Andhra Pradesh government extends the benefit of all government schemes to IDPs without discriminating against them. g) A policy for safe and voluntary return and rehabilitation for IDPs is prepared in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement in consultation with government officials, nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, lawyers, and IDPs. We would appreciate learning the steps you have taken in this regard. Responses may be emailed (beckerj@hrw.org) or faxed (+1-212-736-1300) to us. Sincerely, Jo Becker Advocacy Director CC: 1. Shri Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 2. Minister of Tribal Welfare, Chairperson of the Tribal Advisory Council, Andhra Pradesh. 161 Human Rights Watch July 2008
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Avenue, 34 th Floor New York, NY 10118-3299 Tel: 212-290-4700 Fax: 212-736-1300 Email: hrwnyc@hrw.org Kenneth Roth, Executive Director Michele Alexander, Development & Outreach Director Carroll Bogert, Associate Director Emma Daly, Communications Director Barbara Guglielmo, Finance & Administration Director Peggy Hicks, Global Advocacy Director Iain Levine, Program Director Andrew Mawson, Deputy Program Director Suzanne Nossel, Chief of Operations Dinah PoKempner, General Counsel James Ross, Legal & Policy Director Joe Saunders, Deputy Program Director Program Directors Brad Adams, Asia Holly Cartner, Europe & Central Asia David Fathi, United States Peter Takirambudde, Africa José Miguel Vivanco, Americas Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East & North Africa Joseph Amon, HIV/AIDS Peter Bouckaert, Emergencies Bruni Burres, International Film Festival Richard Dicker, International Justice Bill Frelick, Refugee Policy Arvind Ganesan, Business & Human Rights Steve Goose, Arms Janet Walsh, Women’s Rights Scott Long, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Rights Joanne Mariner, Terrorism & Counterterrorism Lois Whitman, Children’s Rights A dvocacy Directors Steve Crawshaw, United Nations Juliette DiRivero, Geneva Jean-Marie Fardeau, Paris Marianne Heuwagen, Berlin Lotte Leicht, European Union Tom Malinowski, Washington DC Tom Porteous, London Board of Directors Jane Olson, Chair Bruce J. Klatsky, Vice-Chair Sid Sheinberg, Vice-Chair John J. Studzinski, Vice-Chair Omar Amanat Lloyd Axworthy David M. Brown Jorge Castañeda Tony Elliott Hassan Elmasry Michael G. Fisch Michael E. Gellert Richard J. Goldstone Vartan Gregorian James F. Hoge, Jr. Wendy Keys Robert Kissane Joanne Leedom-Ackerman Josh Mailman Susan Manilow Kati Marton Linda Mason Barry Meyer Pat Mitchell Joel Motley Samuel K. Murumba Catherine Powell Sigrid Rausing Victoria Riskin Shelley Rubin Kevin P. Ryan Darian W. Swig John R. Taylor Shibley Telhami April 28, 2008 Shri Raman Singh Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Mantralaya Raipur Dear Chief Minister Singh: Human Rights Watch is an independent, non-governmental international organization that monitors human rights developments in over 70 countries around the world. We conducted an investigation into human rights issues in Dantewada and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh from November 2007 through February 2008. We are extremely concerned about the suffering of ordinary civilians who are caught in the middle of the conflict between Naxals and the Salwa Judum and government security forces. We found that all parties have been responsible for serious human rights abuses. However, abuses by the Naxals do not justify abuses, including killings, beatings, abductions, arbitrary detentions, and looting and burning of villages, by Salwa Judum members with the support of the security forces. We will be issuing a report in mid-2008 based on information collected during the research mission. Before we issue this report, we are keen to incorporate your government’s views on how these Robert L. Bernstein, Founding Chair, (1979-1997) Jonathan F. Fanton, Chair (1998-2003) “Being Neutral is Our Biggest Crime” 162 Bruce Rabb, Secretary BERLIN · BRUSSELS · CHICAGO · GENEVA · LONDON · LOS ANGELES · MOSCOW · NEW YORK · PARIS · SAN FRANCISCO · TORONTO · WASHINGTON
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India “Being Neutral is Our Bigge
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Copyright © 2008 Human Rights Watc
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VI. Plight of Persons Displaced by
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© 2008 John Emerson “Being Neutr
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Gram Panchayat/ Panchayat ICCPR ICE
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of villages in Bijapur and Dantewad
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Since 2006 local nongovernmental or
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Frightened, many villagers hid for
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Salwa Judum, particularly Salwa Jud
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of camp residents and other displac
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Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, People’s U
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egion between June 2005 and June 20
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through underground village committ
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health care. 17 Census data from 20
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The Naxalite problem has led to lac
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egular battalion to counter Naxalit
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NGO fact-finding teams have also ap
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The ‘Salva Judum’ movement is p
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persons also gave Human Rights Watc
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Sometimes senior police officials,
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were sick we had to go and report i
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to our village had bows and arrows,
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All able-bodied men had to particip
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them with escorts. We go with them
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there [pointing to a location about
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V. Abuses by the State Although the
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and my sister’s in the fields. My
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camps. 109 Two SPOs came forward to
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Gangi, one of the villagers, said t
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weeks [from the first visit to the
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One of the boys got beaten a lot wi
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A woman from Nendra said she saw th
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member of the fact-finding team tha
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In 2006 the Chhattisgarh government
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under Indian penal law. 163 Many NG
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independent and report because ther
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eing beaten up by Salwa Judum membe
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the country, to liberty and freedom
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electricity, adult literacy centres
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only 10 health workers to attend to
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dependent upon the state for their
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camps were started. 233 Assuming th
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Impediments to return The Chhattisg
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villagers’ access to markets maki
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1. Prior to carrying out evictions,
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our huts. About 10 forest departmen
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A volunteer with an NGO that provid
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met with further retributive measur
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Despite the court’s orders, fores
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for at least 100 days a year. 303 T
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In many places, displaced persons d
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Naxalites beat and kill villagers,
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that they rubbed small stones [grav
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Similarly, Naxalites beat and haras
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not kill my uncle. They threatened
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100 meters. The tractor driver—an
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near the Boddiguda dam. We were abo
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Page 117 and 118: E. CPI (Maoist) Party statements Hu
Page 119 and 120: for this reason we are compelled to
Page 121 and 122: The Naxalites do not deny the recru
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Page 127 and 128: I became an SPO last year in March
Page 129 and 130: of them. My brother actually surviv
Page 131 and 132: Maraiguda stated that he was ordere
Page 133 and 134: The Chhattisgarh state government r
Page 135 and 136: ecruitment, but Naxalites pressure
Page 137 and 138: When he was part of the bal sangam
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Page 141 and 142: When Veka Idma was about age 12 or
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Page 147 and 148: IX. Impact of the Conflict on Educa
Page 149 and 150: other villages which do not have sc
Page 151 and 152: The ITDA project officer for Khamma
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Page 155 and 156: To the Chhattisgarh state governmen
Page 157 and 158: • Release complete information, u
Page 159 and 160: • Cooperate with UNICEF and other
Page 161 and 162: HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 350 Fifth Avenue
Page 163 and 164: ) Chhattisgarh government assists t
Page 165: protect the rights of the displaced
Page 169 and 170: government investigated any allegat
Page 171 and 172: “Being Neutral is Our Biggest Cri
Page 173 and 174: We acknowledge with gratitude the f
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