[Reader-list] Alleged Maoist Atrocities

[anupam chakravartty]

Dear Partha and others,

I have a problem with comparisons being drawn between Mumbai incident of
26/11 and Dantewada, as Partha has written in this exchange: "The sad part
is, force is required at times - such as the Mumbai incident where the
forces overcame the terrorists. It isn't a perfect world." . The problems
are technical, and therefore debatable. 26/11 was a case of sabotage, at
least this is what it looks like. In Dantewada, forces entered naxal
occupied territory without any preparedness or intelligence back up.

To quote slain Assistant Commandant, Bajrang Meena's brother, Badri after
his brother perished in the first Dantewada attacks: “Yeh to dhokha hai
(this is treachery). He was not fighting an external enemy but his own
countrymen who killed him. How can his death be justified?”

Guess what Sumer Singh Yadav, a former CRPF and brother of Satyapal Singh
Yadav, Deputy Commandant and Meena's boss who also died in these attacks had
to say? To quote him:

"In this area [Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan], most families send one
member to the forces. But if our sons, fathers and brothers have to die
fighting Naxals in poor conditions, we will stop sending our people. The
government dithers on policy, saying this one day and something else the
next. And the CRPF means a hard life... how can the government not know
about an ambush planned by more than a thousand Naxals? How?”

I can understand that I am not quoting someone from MHA on this but
relatives of the slain personnel because they are at the ultimate receiving
end in this conflict just like someone from the indigenous tribes, whose
brother or father was killed during the same encounter. This end is
important because the memories would stay here permanently embedded as
opposed to the collective memory, which is likely to forget it soon.

For further reading:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/yeh-dhokha-hai...-countrymen-killed-my-brother/601697/0


As a lay person, if state's (an institution that collects taxes from me and
you) reaction to naxalism is by creating Salwa Judum or something similar to
that, isnt it just perpetuation of violence and wastage of the state
revenue? Even more strange is when a very senior minister says that
organizations that sympathizes the naxals and criticising the state, are not
offering alternatives, it speaks volumes about the kind of responsibility
that government has over its own sovereignty. Is it not true that both union
and respective state governments of the states affected by maoists, who now
want to come down harshly on the sympathisers of maoists, were never
interested in working these areas till things got out of hand? Is India's
grievance redressal system so weak that every time dissent happens it has to
be suppressed with force? So whose responsibility is it to find the
alternatives? NGOs, Maoist sympathisers or government or now, as it seems,
corporates?

I question this from my previous experience of smaller theaters of
radicalism and dissent, where such counter insurgency forces were created by
the state. For example, in Assam, to counter the threat of ULFA, a quasi
outfit consisting of some willing surrendered militants were formed.
Although, this quasi outfit has very few members now as realization dawned
upon these former rebels not fall for the trappings of the political
parties, between 1995 to 2005, these people wreaked havoc through extortions
and killings, which have very well documented by local news papers and NGOs
working there. Unfortunately, very little we know about these smaller
theaters, thanks to the neglect that north eastern states have faced over
the years. For MHA, these instances could have served as learnings. But as I
have pointed out, leaving aside a few, most of people with the state are
self centred individuals who are either representing a business interest or
are securing these areas to further their political agenda.

As a journalist, I would say if Maoists are seen as a force promoting their
agenda through propaganda and violence, then government is no less
different. Today Maoists have lost the moral support of the people, which is
why they are now attacking policemen and moving into newer territories but
unlike thieves or dacoits who have immediate aims (someone in this list had
earlier compared naxals with chambal's dacoits)  the so-called
revolutionaries thrive on the failures or misunderstandings of the state and
its channels.

I personally feel that there should be no human lives lost in an ideological
conflict. If it has started happening, that mean both the sides are shifting
from their objectives and getting into a war. on one side  peoples' war for
whatever reason, the other considers it to be anti national.

Thanks Anupam

On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 1:01 PM, Shuddhabrata Sengupta <shuddha at sarai.net>wrote:

> Dear Rashneek,
>
> I agree with you that NO cause is worth human lives. This does not
> mean that I am advocating non-violence, I believe that violence can
> be resorted to, morally and ethically, in self defence. Were the
> armed power of the Maoists always used in Self Defence and in the
> defence of the communities they say they represent, when faced with
> the violence of the state, I would have no hesitation in supporting
> it. But the policy of 'Protracted Peoples War' is not self defence.
> And blowing up a bus with unarmed civilians in it, is not self
> defence. These are offensive demonstrations of armed might designed
> to coerce a population and is in my view indefensible.
>
> I am in principle opposed to the policy of war, even a 'People's War'
> because I believe that militarization and the formation of armies is
> in all instances a counter-revolutionary measure.
>
> Ramanna, the spokespersons of the Maoists said today that he 'regrets
> the killings of the civilians' that happened in the bus bombing in
> Cchatisgarh. That is like Madeleine Albright regretting the death of
> Iraqi civilians as 'collateral damage'. The CPI(Maoist) has taken
> responsibility for the massacres. So there can be no doubt about who
> did what. Their actions are totally worthy of condemnation, and they
> must be combatted politically. I also agree with you that the
> Ikhwanis and the Salwa Judum may have people who joined them for
> their own motives, just as those who join the separatists and the
> Maoists also have people who join them for their own reasons.
>
> That does not mean that these organizations (like the Ikhwanis and
> the Salwa Judum) are not on occasion either set up or run, or
> amenable to becoming instruments of the state, and when that is the
> case, they must be treated as instruments of state policy.
>
> Having said that, I think that organizations must be judged according
> to the consequences of their actions, not according to the
> motivations of their members. I have no hesitation in saying (now
> that we know that the Maoists were responsible) that the consequences
> of the recent actions undertaken by the Maoists are deplorable. No
> ifs, no buts.
>
> best
>
> Shuddha
>
>
> On 19-May-10, at 10:44 AM, rashneek kher wrote:
>
> > Dear Shudda,
> >
> > I have just a small point to make here.Before I do that I must say
> > I dont trust the state neither do I hold a brief for the Indian
> > state which I believe is hugely responisble for my homelessnes.
> > If people can become separitists by themselves or join them or
> > become Maoists or join any other force which isnt on the side of
> > the state why dont we accept that in the same manner people can
> > join Ikhwanis or Salwa Judum.Both groups(though undoubtedly
> > supported or even run by the state) have the same"sons of soil" as
> > their opponents like Hizb or Naxalas have.
> > Anyone who uses violence as a means of achieving any goal no matter
> > howsoever noble needs to be despised(even if it is the state).
> > NO cause is worth a human life.
> >
> >
> > Best Regards
> >
> > Rashneek
> >
> > On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 6:09 PM, Rajendra Bhat Uppinangadi
> > <rajen786uppinangady at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Dear Shuddha,
> >
> > how intellect can be lulled by your post to think that maosists are
> > genuinely working for the poor, under privileged and tribals,
> > indeed, it is
> > posts like these which deflect the disgust against the atrocities of
> > naxalites.
> > Your words,
> > "The presence of 15 special police officers in the bus that was bombed
> > cannot be offered as a justification for the bombing, because a large
> > number of people who were harmed in the attack had nothing to do with
> > any arm of the state, they were just ordinary passengers. This is a
> > simple and disgusting act of terrorism. It cannot be explained away
> > in any sense as part of a campaign of liberation."
> > Are the special police officers not the citizens of this nation,
> > who are
> > employed by the stste to maintain law and order and to contain the
> > deviants.?Have they got no families , wife and children, for whom
> > they are
> > toiling in dangerous terrains of deviant domination.?
> > Naxalites have only one goal, to capture power for the leadership
> > and their
> > sympathisers, who are cowards, who can not contest any election and
> > seek
> > public mandate, nor are they having guts to own the actions, unlike a
> > Bhagath singh whom they invoke when caught, for BHAGATH Singh did
> > not run
> > away and hide, faced the system, went thru the trial and prosecution,
> > claimed if he is born again, he will again act the same way of
> > actions to
> > seek freedom for the society and nation from the british rule. look
> > at the
> > Kobads and varavara, who live in hiding, meet only "friendly'
> > journalists
> > and order executions of "informers." Naxalites killing the
> > innocents is not
> > stste action of act against deviants, if they want, they can change
> > the
> > "system" by democratic process but not by violence, if they do not
> > understand that they are the deviants in the democratic rule of laws,
> > deserve the prosecution by apprehending of the deviants.Naxalites
> > have used
> > the words of war and enemy not the state, rule of laws in democracy
> > demands
> > that the deviants be brought under the contained deviation, if
> > necessary by
> > force in the present circumstances, as rabids have to be put to
> > sleep, so
> > are the naxals and such deviants.
> > regards,
> > rajen
> > On Mon, May 17, 2010 at 9:50 PM, Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> > <shuddha at sarai.net>wrote:
> >
> > > Dear All,
> > >
> > > While I have on several occasions expressed my disgust at the way in
> > > which the Government of India is conducting it's 'Operation Green
> > > Hunt', I have to say that the news of the attacks by alleged Maoists
> > > in Chattisgarh, in which 6 villagers have been killed, and more
> > > recently a bus, with several civilians (and some special police
> > > officers)  has been bombed, is deeply disturbing.
> > >
> > > It is a totally different matter from attacking men in uniform,
> > (such
> > > as the CRPF jawans who were attacked not so long ago, resulting
> > in 76
> > > casualties). Though I do not support any war, including the Maoist
> > > initiated 'Peoples War' or for that matter, the Government of
> > India's
> > > 'Operation Green Hunt',  in any war, armed men in uniform in a
> > combat
> > > zone are fair targets. The death of the 76 CRPF jawans, though
> > > regrettable, is not in any way different from the death of any
> > > guerrila soldiers in the PLGA in any combat operation. I refuse
> > to be
> > > blackmailed into thinking of such an event as an evidence of Maoist
> > > 'atrocities'.
> > >
> > > But by no stretch of imagination can the same principles of
> > combat be
> > > extended in operations that involve unarmed civilians, (such as the
> > > incidents that have come to light today) no matter who conducts
> > them.
> > > Regardless of whether the state or the Maoists conduct such
> > > operations, they must be condemned by all sensible people in the
> > > harshest terms. The Maoists, and the state must be compelled,
> > through
> > > relentless civic pressure, to publicly abide by the Geneva
> > > Conventions in the matter on the treatment of non-combatants in a
> > > conflict situation. (And yes, there are conventions that shape the
> > > conduct of non-state actors, or the conduct of the state in relation
> > > to non-state actors)
> > >
> > > The presence of 15 special police officers in the bus that was
> > bombed
> > > cannot be offered as a justification for the bombing, because a
> > large
> > > number of people who were harmed in the attack had nothing to do
> > with
> > > any arm of the state, they were just ordinary passengers. This is a
> > > simple and disgusting act of terrorism. It cannot be explained away
> > > in any sense as part of a campaign of liberation.
> > >
> > > If it is true that these attacks have been carried out by the
> > > Maoists, then, it is clear that they want to ratchet up the general
> > > intensity of violence in the regions where they have a presence.
> > They
> > > want the government to unleash a military style offensive, because
> > > nothing would serve their purpose better. There can be no other
> > > explanation for the manner of these attacks. This is a disastrous
> > and
> > > cynical policy, which will wreck havoc with the lives of the people
> > > of the area and cannot be justified by any means whatsoever. If the
> > > government of India responds by increasing the level and
> > intensity of
> > > the conflict, it will become an accessory of the Maoists design to
> > > totally militarize the areas of central, southern and eastern India
> > > where they currently have a presence.
> > >
> > > If nothing else, this shows how the policy of 'Protracted People's
> > > War' is bound to degenerate (and in fact is already degenerating)
> > > into an orgy of random violence, exactly as it did in Peru and
> > > Colombia, where the 'Sendero Luminoso' ('Shining Path') and 'FARC'
> > > rebels competed with the state and right-wing militias in a sad
> > > spiralling descent into armed chaos and brigandage that did nothing
> > > to fulfil any revolutionary goal. If anything it strengthened the
> > > might of the state and the right wing militias in Peru and Colombia.
> > > The Maoists actions (attacks on unarmed civilians) cannot bring
> > about
> > > any other results either. The ultimate and only beneficiary of this
> > > process will be the state and the corporations who want total
> > control
> > > over the forests of Central India.
> > >
> > > However, we must not rush to conclusions. If the Maoists disclaim
> > > responsibility for these attacks, then we will have to see
> > whether or
> > > not such a disclaimer has any objective basis. Independent
> > > investigations will have to be carrired out. If, by any means, it is
> > > possible that these attacks are 'false flag' operations,
> > conducted by
> > > rogue elements of the state machinery, or even endorsed by the
> > state,
> > > then the responsibility for the violence will lie squarely on the
> > > state. It must, however, be understood by the Maoists (even if they
> > > have not perpetrated these massacres) that the style of their
> > > politics can and does ennable the state to conduct precisely such
> > > 'false flag' operations. If there are any amongst the leadership of
> > > the Maoists who are sensitive to the possibilities of forging an
> > > alternative radical politics they must begin considering the
> > > necessity of abandoning the disastrous method of 'protracted peoples
> > > war' and explore ways to an open, transparent, militant and public
> > > politics that does not involve the endless cycle of retreats and
> > > massacres.
> > >
> > > Wherever the truth may life, this is a very sad day indeed,
> > >
> > > best
> > >
> > > Shuddha
> > >
> > >
> > > Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> > > The Sarai Programme at CSDS
> > > Raqs Media Collective
> > > shuddha at sarai.net
> > > www.sarai.net
> > > www.raqsmediacollective.net
> > >
> > >
> > > _________________________________________
> > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> > > Critiques & Collaborations
> > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> > > subscribe in the subject header.
> > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> > > List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Rajen.
> > _________________________________________
> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> > Critiques & Collaborations
> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> > subscribe in the subject header.
> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> > List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Rashneek Kher
> > http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com
> > http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com
>
> Shuddhabrata Sengupta
> The Sarai Programme at CSDS
> Raqs Media Collective
> shuddha at sarai.net
> www.sarai.net
> www.raqsmediacollective.net
>
>
> _________________________________________
> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> Critiques & Collaborations
> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
> subscribe in the subject header.
> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
> List archive: &lt;https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>