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As we go to the press
more news has been coming in of the horrors and inhumanity of the Salwa Judum,
being led by opposition party leader, Mahendra Karma, with full backing of the
State. While the media has been portraying this as a people’s revolt the real
facts have been totally blacked out from the media. Genuine reporters are being
prevented from going to the area. In fact the Bijapur SP, Manhar, has given
clear orders to kill any reporters that may come to cover Naxalite activities.
Of the over 100
killed the People’s March has received a list of 64 killed and of 31 women
gang-raped, of whom six were then killed. The 64 names received belong to 37
villages and the 31 raped belong to 17 villages. Of the 64, eight are office
bearers of the mass organisation, another 36 are its members while the rest are
ordinary villagers. The worst affected villages are Hariyal, Kotrapal, Pottenar,
Jangla, Kondum, Karre Pondum, Of the six gang-raped and killed two were
pregnant. The rest of the facts are still to come to light.
On the main road to
Byranmgad there are about 70 villages that have no direct touch with the
revolutionary movement. It was from these villages that some were duped to take
part in the Salwa Judum. Mahendra Karma and his hoodlums organised ex-landlords,
lumpen elements and those whose loot was ended by the movement, to gather people
from these villages for the Salwa Judum. On Jun.18th about 3,000 people
gathered. In the lead along with Karma were Mukhiyas and a number of anti-social
elements from Bel and Dharma villages. After the meeting about 1,000 were
mobilised to attack nearby Kotrapal village. Anticipating this attack the mass
organisation leaders had cleared the village of all elders and children. The
rest of the youth (both male and female) divided themselves into two groups and
lay in wait with bow and arrows ready. As soon as the goons launched their
attack on the village they let loose a volley of arrows killing three goons on
the spot. While the gangs began to flee the villagers ran after them and caught
hold of 12 of the gang leaders. The police/para-military, that also accompanied
this mob, also fled in fear.
Angered by this
action the police/para-military took out their venom on the Kotrapal villagers
and launched an inhuman attack on it on July 1st. The attack was of the nature
of a war on a country. Hundreds of police/para-military and goons, armed to the
teeth, participated in the attack under the direct leadership of I.G. Ansari,
Bijapur SP, Manhar, and Mahendra Karma. Expecting an attack most of the people
had already fled to the forest. They burnt down 8 houses and killed and looted
all the chicken, pigs, and animals of the village. Meanwhile as two elderly
villagers were returning to the village they were brutally killed by the CRPF
and they shot at and seriously injured an old woman. Then again the police/para-military
once again attacked Kotrapal on August 8th and killed three innocent peasants
and raped four women.
But it was Haryal
village which has been the centre of state anger. Situated just two kms from the
Mirtul PS in West Bastar, this village has been under white terror since the
past six months. But, they have not been cowed down, though 10 people have been
massacred from this village alone. Taking refuge in the forests the villagers
have been fighting back. The Mukhiya of this village, Doru Magu, who has been a
target of the people’s movement was one of the leaders of the Salwa Judum. He
spread the rumour that the villagers were to attack the PS and also showed the
police/para-military where they were staying in the jungle. The police/para-military
caught hold of 10 unarmed ordinary villagers who were going to the forest.
Though they yelled that they were not members of the organisation they were put
in a line and the fired upon. The police/para-military then announced that 10
Naxalites had been killed. Of these one was a young boy of 12, but even he was
not spared. These bodies were not even given to their relatives but were
secretly burnt by the police/para-military in the forest. Even some relatives of
the Mukhiya were killed in this massacre. That took place on Sept 1st.
The method of
conducting the operations have been much the same, where the IG of police/para-military
has been directly involved. Hoards of police/para-military and goons attack a
village. Most villagers flee to the forests before hand. They then go on a
rampage looting and burning anything that they get, killing all the animals in
the village. They burn the houses down and beat and kill any that they may set
eyes on. In the first week of August they launched such an attack on Mejjumendri
village. Mahendra Karma based in nearby Karpa village directly directed the
attack. On July 20th they attacked Pondum and Pallayvaya villages; on July 22
they attacked Munder village; on July 25th Phulgatta village; on July 29th they
attacked Karrebodli village. In the month of August they virtually fully burnt
down Majjimendri,Kotrapal, Mankel, Munder, Pottem, Pullum, Alvur, Pedda Jojjer,
Chinna Korma, etc. Reports of further attacks in Oct. and after are still coming
in.
The police/para-military
did not even spare small children. On August 26th as the Naga forces were coming
to attack Pottnar village they were ambushed by the PLGA forces. While fleeing
in fright they came across four people grazing cattle. They shot all four dead
including a 12 year old boy. On August 28th in the attack on Aakva village by
the Naga forces and goons they found just one boy of 12 hiding. He too was shot.
On Oct 10th in a raid on Paralnar village they killed a 14 year old boy. On
Oct.3rd they shot dead the chairman of the Janta Sarkar of Lova village, comrade
Komar Mankeli. A 14 year old boy, Raju was a witness to this murder. He has
since disappeared without a trace. So the tale of terror goes on and on.
Simultaneously they
have set up police/para-military camps in neighbouring villages each with 100
CRPF men spreading terror in the region under the name of Operation Rakshak and
Operation Green Hunt. Such camps have been set up in Bodli, Pindum, Matvada,
Naimad, Goduma, Karkelli, Ambelli, etc villages and are spreading their terror
in the name of "carpet security".
Inspite of all this
terror the people’s forces have been heroically resisting. Besides blowing up
the CRPF ‘mine-proof’ van on Sept 3 killing 24 and injuring three, the people
have also killed some of the leading hoodlums. Besides this they have also
killed some top Congress leaders. The people themselves have also caught hold of
some of the more notorious elements and killed them. There is no doubt that this
attack too will be beaten back.
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