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A former camp resident of Errabore was too scared to return to his home village and
therefore relocated to another village. He said, “We told the police that they should
also come and live with us otherwise we will not go because we are scared of
Naxalites.” 251
The Chhattisgarh government has not yet offered police protection to villagers who
want to return to their villages permanently. A resident of Dornapal camp highlighted
the difficulties: “[It is] difficult for police to give protection in the village. The only
way would be to have one police station for every panchayat area [geographical area
comprising of a group of villages].” 252 Some NGO volunteers felt that police
protection would not be helpful to villagers because the police themselves are
primary targets of Naxalites. 253
The police also claim that Naxalites have heavily mined interior areas. 254 NGO
volunteers who work in camps said that landmines posed a problem for safe return.
One of them pointed to a recent incident of such landmine explosion saying, “A few
days back there was a blast in Konta, so people are scared [to leave the camps].” 255
Even if people are assured of safe return, civilians cannot lead a normal life in
villages unless government services are restored in interior areas. Schools in many
villages have been destroyed. 256 Government health workers and teachers live in and
around camps, and do not provide services in interior villages. 257 Government fair
price ration shops, anganwadis, residential schools, and day schools have been
shifted to or around camps. 258 In some areas Chhattisgarh authorities have cut off
251 Human Rights Watch interview with Pottem Satish (pseudonym), former resident of Errabore camp, location withheld,
December 6, 2007.
252 Human Rights Watch group interview GR2 with residents of Dornapal camp (who chose to remain anonymous), location
withheld, December 12, 2007.
253 Human Rights Watch group interview GR8 with volunteers working in camps (name and details withheld).
254 Human Rights Watch interview with Rahul Sharma, first interview, December 10, 2007.
255 Human Rights Watch group interview GR8 with volunteers working in camps (name and details withheld).
256 See below, section XA, Disruption of Schooling in Dantewada and Bijapur districts.
257 Human Rights Watch group interview GR8 with volunteers working in camps (names and details withheld).
258 District Collector, “Brief Memorandum [Dantewada (undivided)],” 2007.
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Human Rights Watch July 2008