âBeing Neutral is Our Biggest Crimeâ - Global Coalition to Protect ...
âBeing Neutral is Our Biggest Crimeâ - Global Coalition to Protect ...
âBeing Neutral is Our Biggest Crimeâ - Global Coalition to Protect ...
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withheld] and [village name withheld] <strong>to</strong> avoid Salwa Judum whenever<br />
they come. 95<br />
Some residents who went <strong>to</strong> their village every morning <strong>to</strong> cultivate their fields<br />
described an attack on them in December 2007,<br />
Salwa Judum members from another village came a week ago and<br />
started beating people. They said, “We are staying in camps far from<br />
our villages. You are staying close <strong>to</strong> your village and go back and earn<br />
a livelihood [by cultivating your fields]. But we can’t do the same.”<br />
They threatened <strong>to</strong> pull roofs off the houses in the camp. The police,<br />
Salwa Judum, SPOs—all came. SPOs and CRP people [CRPF] beat us.<br />
They came in a large number—looked like a thousand. They beat 12 <strong>to</strong><br />
15 people. 96<br />
D. Salwa Judum repr<strong>is</strong>als against villagers who have fled <strong>to</strong> Andhra<br />
Pradesh<br />
Salwa Judum and government security forces also cross over <strong>to</strong> Andhra Pradesh<br />
searching for people from Chhatt<strong>is</strong>garh who have settled there. In one case, they<br />
went <strong>to</strong> a village in Andhra Pradesh and abducted two men who had fled and settled<br />
there in February 2006. Eyewitnesses <strong>to</strong> the incident said that Irma Madan and Irma<br />
Vandan are brothers who were residing with them in the hamlet. Madan went <strong>to</strong><br />
Surpanguda (in Dantewada d<strong>is</strong>trict) in Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2007 <strong>to</strong> meet h<strong>is</strong> cousin. H<strong>is</strong> cousin<br />
then brought Salwa Judum members and government security forces <strong>to</strong> their village<br />
(in Warangal d<strong>is</strong>trict) in search of Madan and h<strong>is</strong> brother. The villagers said,<br />
Around November 14 or 15 [2007], h<strong>is</strong> cousin came along with Salwa<br />
Judum and police. About 40 or 60 Salwa Judum and police came at<br />
night—7 or 7:30 p.m. Police stayed at the checkpost. He [the cousin]<br />
came <strong>to</strong> the village with Salwa Judum. Salwa Judum people s<strong>to</strong>od over<br />
95 Ibid.<br />
96 Human Rights Watch group interview GR1 with residents (who chose <strong>to</strong> remain anonymous), B1 permanent housing site,<br />
Dantewada d<strong>is</strong>trict, December 15, 2007.<br />
43<br />
Human Rights Watch July 2008