http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/
Posted by redpines on March 23, 2012
The mainstream media in India, the UK and elsewhere have spilled plenty of ink over the CPI Maoist kidnapping of two Italian tourists last week. Such coverage ignores the frequent killing, rape and displacement that Indian state forces afflict on tribal communities. While this situation may or may not be a sign of weakening Maoist influence in Odisha, we must remember the context in which such actions occur. The following list of demands, reportedly released by the CPI(Maoist) after the kidnappings, provides a much more comprehensive view of the stakes.
Readers who may have more insight into this situation are especially encouraged to comment with their thoughts.
13-point demand made by Sabyasachi Panda alias Sunil (Secretary, Odisha State Organising Committee of CPI-Maoist)
1. It should be declared unequivocally that tribals are not objects of tourism and tribal inhabited areas are not tourist places. Violators must be arrested.
2. Operation Green Hunt must be stopped. Except for places where Police were posted earlier, all Police camps set up in interior areas must be withdrawn. Efforts must be made towards creation of a congenial atmosphere to address problems of the common people in consultation with the revolutionaries.
3. Ban imposed on CPI-Maoist and other people’s organisations must be revoked.
4. Superintendents of Police and Police personnel involved in fake encounter and custodial deaths of Lalit Dehury,Junesh Badaraita and Pradeep Majhi, and gang rape of Arati Majhi must be charged and tried for murder and rape.
5. All those arrested for their involvement in Nayagarh armoury raid including Ashutosh [Soren], Kamalakanta Sethi, Sujata, Kishore Jena, Pratap, Manjulata (Muduli) must be released.
6. The practice of re-arresting those released by courts under new charges must be stopped. In this context, Subhashree Das, Lalit of Raigarh and others who have been re-arrested or detained must be released unconditionally.
7. Shatrughna Bishwal, Uttam, Sekhar, Sudarshan mandal, Ramesh Naik, Lata, Bijal, Ratna and all the innocent people of Rayagada, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Sambalpur, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar and other districts who have been falsely implicated as Maoists must be released.
8. The Scheduled Tribe (ST) status of Jodia, Kondadora, Acha Kui, Gauda Kui, Kumbhara Kui, Saora, Odia Kandha, Khaira and other tribals should not be withdrawn and others who have not been given ST status should be accorded that status.
9. Potable drinking water and irrigation facility to every village; free medical facility and free education upto 10th standard in every Gram Panchayat should be provided.
10. Police atrocities on protestors against Posco – Vedanta and all movements protesting against displacement must be stopped. Abhaya Sahu, Narayan Reddy and all leaders protesting against displacement must be released.
11. Gananatha Patra, Nachika Linga’s brother, husband of Ex-chairman of Darigibadi block, two school students and all those involved in people’s movements who have been arrested must be released. All cases against those fighting for land rights in Mandrabaju, Nendipadar, Gudari and Narayanpatna area must be dropped and those arrested in those cases must be released.
12. The illegal practice of forcing people who have earlier been taken into custody to formally surrender and asking them to rant against revolution must be investigated. The case of Sangit Pradhan whose hand was fractured in Police torture after he surrendered and who has been kept under house arrest for years by Keonjhar Police, must be investigated by an independent body.
13. Government must fulfill all the demands that it had accepted during the abduction of Malkangiri Collector.
