The South Asian: 'Suspected Maoists' Arrest Sparks Debate

December 22, 2008

'Suspected Maoists' Arrest Sparks Debate

The Orissa government has begun a systematic campaign to brand dissenters of its policies as maoists and execute arbitrary arrests.

The Statesman Reports arrest of Dissenting Journalists

The recent arrests of 'suspected Maoists,' particularly Pratima Das and Debendra Dash who were moving in broad daylight drawing attention of one and all by accompanying a foreign national David Pugh, has inevitably triggered a debate on whether anti-displacement activists were being dubbed and booked as 'suspected Maoists'.

A section of human rights and social activists, poets and journalists raised questions on the recent police action here today. While a local Oriya daily newspaper had a front page editorial captioned 'I am a Maoist,' another magazine editor held a meeting at Bhubaneswar to decry state repression. The Oriya daily newspaper which carried a front page editorial claimed that Debendra Dash was a reporter working for the paper in Jagatsinghpur district.

Human rights activist and lawyer Biswapriya Kanungo contested the police claim that Dash had been arrested as a suspected Maoist and that he was linked to an arms loot case of Sambalpur district. Kanungo noted out that the Sambalpur district police authorities had written to the Orissa Human Rights Commission in 2007 stating that they had no criminal case against Dash. This was after Dash had moved the Commission questioning his detention in 2006.

Several other social and people's movement leaders like Prafulla Samantray and poet Asutosh Parida took part at a meeting convened by editor of quarterly magazine Nishan at Bhubaneswar today and raised doubts over the recent police action. Mr Lenin Kumar, editor of the magazine, took serious exception to police versions appearing in a section of the media here that the arrested suspects had named his magazine. Nishan is not a mouthpiece or publication of any political party, he said.

He alleged that of late voice of protest against government policy or system in Orissa has been branded as an act of treason or terrorism. He referred to the Dr Binayak Sen case and noted Orissa may soon witness many more Binayak Sen's being put behind bars. Prafulla Samantray expressed concern over the increasing trend of foisting false cases against social activists who lead movements against displacement and mindless industrialization or SEZ.

Both Dash and Pratima have been arrested under section 121, 121 (A), 124 Indian Penal code, under section 17 of Criminal Law Amendment Act 1908 and under section 10 & 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

Reuters Reports the Arrest of Journalist Criticizing Hindu Extremist Groups Attacks on Christians

Indian police have arrested a man for writing a book blaming Hindus for deadly anti-Christian violence in the country's east earlier this year, saying the provocative work could reignite communal tensions.

But rights activists and journalists term the arrest illegal and an attack on free speech. The book has not been banned by the government of Orissa state, where attacks by Hindu crowds since August have left 38 people, mostly Christians, dead.

About 100 protesters wearing black armbands and badges over their mouths held a silent demonstration in capital city Bhubaneswar on Thursday, demanding the release of writer Lenin Kumar who was arrested this week.

Violence broke out after the murder of a local Hindu leader and over the controversial issue of conversions in poor tribal areas of Orissa. It forced tens of thousands of Christians to flee to government relief camps.

Police arrested Lenin Kumar, a Hindu editor of a local literary magazine, whose book blames Hindu groups for some of the worst anti-Christian violence in decades.

Christian leaders at the time accused Hindu nationalist groups of targeting Christians for political gain. Rights groups accused the state government, supported by Hindu nationalists, and police of not doing enough to stem the violence.

Hindu nationalist groups had denied their involvement.

"We arrested him for writing a book which has objectionable contents," said Himanshu Lal, deputy commissioner of police, saying the book could stoke further violence.

There has been no communal violence in Orissa in the past month but the issue still simmers, with the opposition Congress party demanding the government publish a white paper on what it did to stop the killings.

Two others were also arrested for helping Kumar print and circulate the book. All three are now in jail after their bail pleas were rejected by a local court. Police had confiscated 700 copies of the book.

But the protesters say the police allegations are baseless.

"How can police arrest a writer without banning his book if it has objectionable content?" journalist Prasanta Patnaik said.

The communal violence was sparked in August by the killing of a prominent Hindu proselytiser, which police first blamed on Maoist rebels and later on Christians. Police say they found evidence that Kumar, a known left-wing sympathizer, has been involved in Maoist activities.

(Editing by Matthias Williams and Krittivas Mukherjee; Editing by Jerry Norton)

Posted by collective at December 22, 2008 11:21 AM

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