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Judum members and government security forces. 238 There are approximately 170 huts
at this site, and the residents describe this site as a “camp.” 239
At this so-called permanent housing site the government has failed to provide even
the limited facilities that are provided in camps. 240 There is no security, no visits by
government health workers, and no anganwadis or schools are run in or around this
site. Residents also complained that government had issued some ration cards but
had not provided any free rations. They also stated that until December 2007, the
government had provided employment opportunities to them only once. 241
Human Rights Watch also collected a list of areas that are referred to as “camps” by
displaced persons but do not appear on any of the government’s lists. Displaced
persons settled in Andhra Pradesh stated that people were forcibly relocated to
areas in Maraiguda, Gollapalli, Asirguda, Banda, and Bejji. 242 While the government
gave Human Rights Watch updated information in December 2007 about Jagargonda
and Polampalli camps in Dantewada district, they did not mention that they had
started new camps in Gollapalli, Asirguda, Banda, and Bejji. Barring some
information regarding Maraiguda camp, Human Rights Watch is unaware of any
estimate of the number of displaced persons living in these unofficial camps or any
reporting on living conditions there—worrying facts given the poor conditions
existing even in camps that have received some scrutiny. 243
238 See above, section IV C, Salwa Judum reprisals against villagers who leave camps.
239 Human Rights Watch group interview GR1 with residents (who chose to remain anonymous), B1 permanent housing site,
Dantewada district, December 15, 2007.
240 For facilities provided in camps recognized by the government, see above, Living conditions in camps.
241 Human Rights Watch group interview GR1 with residents (who chose to remain anonymous), B1 permanent housing site,
Dantewada district, December 15, 2007.
242 Human Rights Watch group interview with IDPs from Etagatta (who chose to remain anonymous), village K5, Khammam
district, December 4, 2007. They said, “There is no Judum in Jagdalpur and Sukma. Judum is only in Dornapal, Errabore,
Injeram, Konta, Banda, Maraiguda, and Gollapalli. Banda, Maraiguda, and Gollapalli are interior areas. There are camps in all
these places and we have seen them. We know that there are camps here because we sometimes go to the forests over there.
We have seen these camps 15 days ago.”
Human Rights group interview G4 with IDPs from Tolnai (who chose to remain anonymous), village K9, Khammam district,
December 7, 2007. One of them said, “We all came from Tolnai, which falls under Tetrai panchayat and is about 20 kilometers
from Dornapal. The closest Judum camp [from Tolnai] is the Bejji camp, which is about nine kilometers away.”
243 Email communication from J. P. Rao to Human Rights Watch, March 2, 2008. According to Rao, an additional 3,000 people
are living in Maraiguda camp.
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Human Rights Watch July 2008