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

under Indian penal law. 163 Many NGOs, doctors, activists, and academics including
professors Noam Chomsky, Romila Thapar, Jean Dreze, and Irfan Habib have called
for his release. 164 They believe that his arrest was politically motivated and that he
was targeted for documenting and protesting human rights abuses committed by
Salwa Judum members and government security forces. 165 He is still in judicial
custody facing criminal trial.
In addition to using the Chhattisgarh security law, activists and journalists who
reported human rights abuses have complained of harassment by Chhattisgarh
government officials. For example, Himanshu Kumar runs an NGO called Vanvasi
Chetna Ashram and has worked for over 15 years in Dantewada and Bijapur districts.
He implements government programs on health, nutrition, and education. He has a
number of workers in the field and they have become an important source of
information about the conflict in Dantewada and Bijapur districts. Himanshu
opposes the violent methods adopted by Naxalites. But he opposes Salwa Judum
more vociferously. Since June 2005 he has assisted several fact-finding teams that
investigated human rights abuses in these districts. He told Human Rights Watch
that he faces harassment from government officials because his public comments
against Salwa Judum and assistance to other human rights groups has led the
government to assume that he is a Naxalite supporter. In December 2006 some of
his workers were attacked by SPOs. Himanshu tried to file criminal complaints
against them in January 2007 for taking away his staff members’ bikes, and
abducting and beating other staff. As of February 2008 the police had not taken any
action against them. 166
Many journalists who are critical of Salwa Judum have been threatened, beaten, or
arrested by Chhattisgarh government officials. Activists and journalists feel that the
163 “List of Charges and Evidence Against Dr. Binayak Sen,” Tehelka Magazine, vol. 5, no. 7, February 23, 2008,
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main37.asp?filename=Ne230208listofcharges.asp (accessed March 21, 2008).
164 “Release Dr. Binayak Sen, Repeal Chhattisgarh Act,” June 16, 2007 , http://www.freebinayaksen.org/?p=19 (accessed
March 14, 2008). “Demand to release doctor,” The Hindu, February 25, 2008, http://www.freebinayaksen.org/?p=109
(accessed March 14, 2008); People’s Union for Civil Liberties, “Through the Lens of National Security, The Case against Dr.
Binayak Sen and the Attack on Civil Liberties,” report, January 2008, circulated on article21now@googlegroups.com.
165 Ibid.
166 Human Rights Watch interview with Himanshu Kumar, Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, Dantewada, February 1, 2008 (third
interview). Human Rights Watch does not know whether the Chhattisgarh police have initiated any action after February 2008.
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