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

camps. 109 Two SPOs came forward to share their experiences. SPO Kadti Soman said
that he had gone with Salwa Judum members and government security forces to
Uddinguda, Barraimuga, Birla, Gaganpalli, Ikkalguda, Kattanguda, and Darbaguda
villages but was reluctant to elaborate on what SPOs had done in these villages. 110
He said, “We brought them [villagers] here [to the camp].” 111 Similarly, SPO Mandavi
Mohan stated that he had gone with government security forces to Nendra in mid-
2007 to “bring” villagers to the camp. 112
Two other SPOs admitted to playing a role in starting the Jagargonda camp. One said,
“I helped in starting the Jagargonda camp. We took the police and Judum there—we
would go at around 3 or 4 a.m. for patrols and gather people. About 40-45 of us
would go each time and bring people to the camp.” 113 Another SPO stated, “Judum
and police from Dornapal took people from Miliampalli, Kunded, Metaguda, Kodmer,
and Tarlaguda to the Judum camp in Dornapal. I was part of them.” 114
Some villagers, Salwa Judum leaders, and NGOs said that joint combing operations
by government security forces and Salwa Judum have been on the decline since the
monsoon season of 2007 (June to September). A common explanation is that Salwa
Judum members and government security forces wait for the end of the monsoon
season due to poor visibility, and increase their activities during the summer
because the visibility in thickly forested areas is better then. 115
NGOs generally felt that due to the mounting criticism of Salwa Judum, government
security forces had increased their anti-Naxalite operations independent of Salwa
Judum, leading to a growing fear that the number of fake “encounter killings”
(executions by government security forces staged to look like self-defense) and
109 Human Rights Watch interview with police officer-1 (who requested anonymity), other details withheld.
110 Human Rights Watch interview with Kadti Soman (pseudonym), SPO, other details withheld.
111 Ibid.
112 Human Rights Watch interview with Mandavi Mohan (pseudonym), SPO, other details withheld.
113 Human Rights Watch interview with SPO2 (name and details withheld).
114 Human Rights Watch interview with SPO3 (name and details withheld).
115 Human Rights Watch interviews with J. P. Rao, professor from Osmania University, location withheld, November 30, 2007
(second interview); Himanshu, Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, Kawalnar, December 9, 2007 (first interview).
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