“Being Neutral is Our Biggest Crime” - Global Coalition to Protect ...

All able-bodied men had to participate in all Salwa Judum’s
processions—even 12-year-olds had to participate in Salwa Judum’s
meetings.… We had to also go with them to burn our own village. We
could not say no because then we would get beaten brutally. We were
very scared of them and were sure that we will be beaten if we refused
to go with them on such processions. They used to also force us to
carry weapons on these processions. And the people who did not go
got beaten severely. 86
A former resident of Errabore camp described the hierarchy and rules in the camp.
She said,
When Judum members want to go to a village or have a meeting, … the
sarpanch either asks everyone to go or says that one member from
each family [at the camp] should go. My father used to go from our
family. When they announce that villagers should go with them to
other villages, they also announce that whoever is going should carry
weapons with them—whatever they have in their homes—axes, sickles,
sticks, whatever. If some family does not go for these meetings or
rallies, then the supply of provisions to the family is cut off. 87
Another former resident of Geedam camp (now Kasoli camp) complained,
During that time [our stay in the camp], the government did not give us
anything to eat—no [food] rations—nothing. On top of that, they would
ask us to go for meetings and rallies. Imagine being hungry and going
for these meetings. Some people refused and got beaten severely. All
youngsters, that is, able-bodied men were supposed to go for these
meetings and we had no choice. 88
86 Human Rights Watch group interview GR3 with former residents of Mirtur camp (who chose to remain anonymous), other
details withheld.
87 Human Rights Watch interview with Poosam Kanya (pseudonym), former resident of Errabore camp, location withheld,
December 5, 2007.
88 Human Rights Watch interview with Mandavi Siddharth (pseudonym), person displaced from Neeram, location withheld,
December 11, 2007.
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