Thursday, 3 December 2009

Wake up, stand up!

The Oxford English dictionary defines "genocide" as the deliberate killing of a very large number of people from a particular ethnic group or nation. The word "genocide" is derived from the combination of Greek "genos" which means "race", and Latin "-cida" or "-cidium" which means "to kill".

If one has to check the open-access encyclopedia Google for a more global and inclusive definition of genocide, it throws up a fairly credible result, from the United Nations (UN) Convention:

(a) Killing members of the group;

On April 12, 2009, Chhattisgarh police claimed that three Naxalites were killed in an encounter. © Javed Iqbal

From the world of etymology and the world of virtual reality, let's return back to a world closer home where "genocide" can be best explained, with real examples. Where life is traded for land, where life is traded for the benefit of the larger good, where life is traded for a chicken, where life is traded by those who take up the pledge to safeguard the dignity and liberty of individuals -- these are the examples of genocide.

In 2005, the Chhattisgarh government set up a vigilante group called Salwa Judum, which was meant to be a people's uprising to restore peace against Naxal violence. Turns out, the Salwa Judum was launched to dislodge the tribals from their home of centuries, for corporate land grab, which was being aided by the state government -- an irony that in a democracy, the state relegates its own people! But no, we are not talking about being anti-corporate here. At least, not yet.

Salwa Judum soon presented a macabre sight -- 3.5 lakh poeple had to flee from 700 villages as they saw their loved ones being burnt, raped, murdered, mutilated -- all in the name of restoring peace against Naxals. Those who couldn't flee, about 50,000 of them, were dragged to Salwa Judum camps by the state's forces. If you chance upon visiting the camps through some "rural India tour" programme, check out the camps for the girls -- and don't ask why so many young girls are pregnant.

With the villages now empty, I need not explain who took over them -- barricading the farmlands of the terrified people in hiding, with barbed wires and strict notifications against trespass. Where would the people run? Deeper into the jungles, where there was an armed revolution which originated to fight off the social injustice. And we cry of peace in the cities, because we have everything in place. Think for once: would you be at peace of injustice was being meted out to you?

Salwa Judum was meant to curb Naxalism; the practical joke is that Naxalism grew by 22-fold since 2005; incidents of violence grew 30 times. Now the government that was elected by a "fair" franchise in Chhattisgarh, wants to be a strict father to its people.

So Salwa Judum didn't break your backs? Then here is Operation Greenhunt, where we will have our premium security forces gunning you down from the air, if you are found to be Naxal. We don't care if you are an 80-year-old woman and can't walk, or you have a two-year-old grandchild. We will chop your breasts and kill you nevertheless, we will chop your grandchild's fingers nevertheless. We have done this in Gachanpalli and Gompada -- you are a Naxal, after all!

One of the youths killed by the cops on April 12, 2009, was 19-year-old Channu Mandavi who was from Hiroli village and was to join the National Mineral Development Corporation. © Javed Iqbal

Let's not get into the details of what will happen next. If you think you shudder at the thought of what could happen, and you feel impotent at not being able to do anything, here is your chance. Below is the detail of what you can do in your capacity -- visit the place, open up your eyes to a reality which you are shielded away from conveniently by 90 news channels and newspapers that love to talk about the tiff between Tiger Woods and his bikini model wife. Go, spread the word of how power corrupts, how power causes impotency.


Say NO to displacement and Tribal Genocide
Demand the right to live with justice and peace
Raipur / Dantewada
December 1, 2009

Dear Friends,
In order to build public opinion and to support the tribal people in their demand to stop this displacement and genocide and to reclaim their right to live with justice and peace, several community based and people's organisations, union and human rights groups from Chhattisgarh and outside are planning a series of activities in Dantewada in Chhattisgarh.
This letter is being sent to you so that you can block the dates between December 14, 2009 and January 7, 2010, and come to Dantewada in support of tribal people. The list of events and dates are as follows:

PADYATRA: December 14 to December 26

DANTEWADA SATYAGRAH: December 25 to January 5

Tribal people from all over Dantewada and other regions of Chhattisgarh will launch a Satyagrah on 25 December 2009 which will have the upport of tribals from Jharkhand, Orissa, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, among other states. We are hoping that large groups of people from these states and from all National Networks, unions and organisations working on diverse people's issues will respond to this call and join in the Satyagrah for some of these days. The objective of the satyagrah is to bring together concerned people from all over the country to demand in one voice an end to displacement of people and to the war that is underway in this region.

Raipur is situated on the Mumbai-Kolkata route and is well connected by train from most parts of the country. Dantewada is situated 400 kms from Raipur and direct buses are available between the two towns through the day and night that take about 12 hours each way.
JAN SUNWAI: January 6-7 (the date may be advanced or postponed by a day)
The Satyagrah will culminate with a Jan Sunwai where tribal residents of this region will share their experiences of the Salwa Judum, Operation Green Hunt and their struggle for justice. This Jan Sunwai will be witnessed by a panel of ex-justices, senior activists from various people's movements, ex-bureaucrats and policemen, journalists and intellectuals including those from among the tribals.
This letter is a request to you and your group/organisation to begin preparation for your participation in the series of events given above. A more detailed invitation shall be sent to you soon. For more details please contact at the phone numbers provided below.
We are:
Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, People's Union for Civil Liberties (Chhattisgarh), Chhattisgarh Visthapan Virodhi Manch, Chhattigarh Mukti Morcha, Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha – Mazdoor Karyakarta Samiti, Nadi Ghati Morcha, Human Rights Law Network (Chhattisgarh), National Alliance of People's Movements, Chhattisgarh Mahila Jagriti Sangathan, Chhattisgarh Bal Shramik Sangathan, Gram Sabha Parishad, Tribal Welfare Society, and others (endorsments by other organisations are awaited)

Himanshu Kumar: 09425260031
Rajendra Sail: 09826804519
Sudha Bhardwaj: 09926603877
Vijendra: 09406049737


  1. We do not really lose any sleep over what happens in the interiors because we are protected by the mental distance we have been able to create between that India and the India we can see and pass through. We are still able to account for rural India because we know it exists and see regular evidence of its existence particularly at election time, but when it comes to issues that concern those beyond the pale of easy access, we are blind. When it comes to issues like land acquisition or displacement caused by dams, for instance a large section of India turns its ire towards activists for they are visible, unlike the people they fight for. The misery of those displaced does not register at all for it belongs to people who do not exist. The cause seems to belong to the activists who clearly have their own vested ideological interests.

    A problem like the widespread influence of Naxalism is far too complex for any one factor to make a fundamental difference. However, no long term progress is possible without including all of India in our mental map of the country. We find it easy to talk airily of attacking the Naxals, forgetting that it is in effect an attack on our own country and its people because in our minds those parts of India are further away than Pakistan or China. The characterisation of the Naxal problem serves to cover a large part of India with a thin film of militancy, and makes retaliation appear inevitable. By seeing Naxalism as the primary problem, and converting a problem of social equity into one that involves law and order, we are able to reasonably justify to ourselves a whole set of possible martial actions. That doesn’t mean that no police action should be taken right now, and it certainly does not mean that the Naxals have a right to violent means, but merely that in the arithmetic of consequences, we account for the people whose lives are involved with greater understanding than we do currently.

  2. Samir, yes, the issue is complex. It is easy to talk over this on mails and dinners, but to really see what ails our brethren one needs to go there. We are a class of people that loves to seek new adventures; then why are we backing away from seeing a real India? If the search for adventure translates into the much-loved idea of "search for truth", why do we often stay clear of the truth that is standing right in front of us?

    You want to see "the truth", then it actually ain't too far or tough to see it at all. Just one phone call to Himanshu Kumar, just one train ticket to Raipur, and just one open and blank mind to absorb -- that's all we need. Go buddy, go! Spread the word among your friends.

  3. Hey guys,

    How much of my contribution will reach at the meaningful end?

    Sometimes, Operating folks cut the bits here and there. Where should I drop the amount?


  4. Hii Kuldip, thanks for writing in. I will be personally going to Chhattisgarh on December 23 and will be carrying the goodwill of Mumbai to our tribal brethren. I am going there at my own cost entirely -- would have been great if you too could have gone there to see the "war" yourself. Mail me at if you want to contribute. Thanks again

  5. Hi Priyanka,

    I have dropped my bit to our common friend Satyen's account. Had troubles in dropping into VCA's SBI account. Share some pictures and thoughts from your trip to this tribal zone.


  6. Priyankaji,
    Please do not forget to cover the tortures inflicted by naxals also.Be impartial.Do not support a person who is opposed by the tribals of Dantewada.
    Rajesh Singh Sisodia