NAXAL/ MAOISTS- 2009 - Indian Social Institute

have begun to expect a positive outcome now. One of the petitioners against Salwa Judum campaign inSupreme Court Nandini Sunder said that the tribals who have been taken to the relief camps or fled toAndhra Pradesh can return. “Villagers haven’t been able to cultivate their fields and live in terribleinsecurity, their children suffer from severe malnutrition”, she said. (Hindustan Times 20/2/09)Maoists attack forest beat house (12)BERHAMPUR: A group of alleged Maoists and their supporters on Wednesday night attacked a beathouse of forest department at Barda of Phulbani forest division in Kandhamal district. They ransacked theforest beat house and escaped with the guns and cash kept there. It is suspected that the miscreantstook away two guns and pistol, which were with the forest officials posted at the spot. They also lootedaround Rs. 1 lakh cash kept in the office for salary and daily wage payments. But no forest official wasinjured in the attack. According to forest officials, the forest beat house is located in an extreme remotearea of Karada forest range. The news of the attack reached the police and forest department onThursday morning due to lack of communication in the area. By that time the miscreants had escapedfrom the spot. A team of police and forest official, including the Phulbani Divisional Forest Officer (DFO)N.C.Mohanty have rushed to the spot. According to sources a group of around 40 persons, whichincluded some armed men reached this remote forest beat house on Wednesday night. Theyoverpowered the two foresters and two forest guards present at the beat house. They seemed to havethe information that the forest officials had reached there with cash drawn from the head office. Theyransacked the beat house, looted the guns and cash before escaping into the jungle. They also pasted ahand written poster on the wall of the beat house hailing CPI-Maoist party. The poster threatened that anyperson, who would inform the police about the incident would be killed. It may be noted that on Mondaynaxals had blasted a landmine injuring 13 near Adaba in Gajapati district. The spot was near border ofKandhamal district. Since long naxals are claiming their presence in Kandhamal district. (The Hindu20/2/09)Caught in the Naxal-government crossfire (12)Saturday, February 21, 2009, (Gadchiroli (Maharashtra)) A change of mood is evident in Gadchirolidistrict, once the heart of the Naxal movement in Maharashtra. Villagers who at one time sent their sonsinto the Naxal movement are witnessing a change of heart. But the movement clearly does not seem tobe weakening. It's acquiring a wider base going by the Naxal encounter in which 15 policemen were killedearlier in February. So where does Naxalism continue to derive its strength from? "The Naxals have guns.So do the police. The Naxals come with guns and frighten us. So do the police. What have we done? Welook after the jungles, we depend on it for our livelihood and we live in it," said Kanubai Shimpi, aresident. The sentiment is not uncommon in Naxal terrains. A journalist travelling to these parts oftenhears how villagers are caught in the crossfire. The situation is same in the red corridor of Gadchiroli,where for generations, families have sent their sons into the Naxal movement. Since the Naxal encounterin February, eight villagers have been rounded up and the entire settlement is under watch. "This is notour fault. It's the fault of the Naxals. We had nothing to do with this encounter. If we listen to the Naxalswe lose out. We don't listen to them anymore. They punish us by not letting us cut bamboo from theforests," said Bainabai Husendi, resident, Markegaon village. A reaction which until recently would havebeen unthinkable of from villages like Markegaon, which are traditional Naxal strongholds. Inneighbouring Mardya too, simmering anger against Naxal impositions. "They don't let the roads get built.They don't let us earn a living. They prevent EGS Schemes from being set up. Because of them the roadin this village is still not built. They have been around 25-30 years, but we have not got any benefits out oftheir movement," said Bhaskar Kadem, Mardya resident. "Earlier they would come with guns and insistwe give them food and shelter. We would agree out of fear. Now the village has decided that we will diebut will not support them. They threatened us when we took this stand. But when they came to the villageour women stood in front and said kill us but we won't let you harm our men. After some time theystopped coming," said Shivaji Norute, resident, Mardya village. In this opposition by villagers, officers likeRajesh Pradhan, Superintendent of Police at Gadchiroli, have found a foothold. "In the last four to fiveyears, we have started many innovative concepts like 'Gaonbandi' and 'Jan Jaagran' where police campin villages for 10 days with different government departments, and offer them schemes and certificates forjobs. Surrender policy had paid off, more than 140 had surrendered. This is not due to just administration.People have also realised that the talk which has been going on for 25 years has not happened on theground, the Janta Sarkar, the Utopian ideologue, not happening," said Rajesh Pradhan. Many Naxals like