The South Asian: Indigenous People Suffer in Lalgarh

June 23, 2009

Indigenous People Suffer in Lalgarh

With alleged ongoing activity by Maoists groups and a major security thrust by State forces, reports tell of violence affecting people in Lalgarh.

With ongoing action against villages in Lalgarh – both by Maoists and by State agencies such as police and paramilitary – there are fears of violence and massive injustice against tribal people. Already reports show rape, pillage and plunder.

Numerous organizations are asking the government and Maoist groups to come to the table so that long standing concerns of these indigenous peoples and grave injustices can be addressed. Please sign this note to the government or write another one sharing your concerns about the rights as well as the dignity of many indigenous people affected by this violence.

Please read and sign the petition and make your voice count.

Subject: Appeal for stopping Lalgarh violence.

Honourable Chief Minister,

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the situation in Lalgarh, West Bengal. We strongly condemn the use of violence on civilians either by the state or by the CPI (Maoist). We appeal to the State, the Peoples' Committee Against Police Atrocities, and the CPI (Maoist) to come to the negotiating table, and stop all violent gestures immediately. Not even a single civilian death is acceptable.

We believe that the current situation is the result of various factors including police atrocities, and the lack of development over the last 3 decades which have led to the growing discontent of the people of the region. Atrocities by the police have intensified after the attack on the Chief Minister's convoy in November 2008. According to news reports, minors were beaten up and arrested, and women beaten and molested in their homes. Smt. Chhitamoni Murmu lost her eyesight due to the beatings. The very formation of Adivasi-Moolvasi people’s movement, led by the Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities, points to the situation of police excesses.

We strongly condemn the violent actions of the Maoists who have inhumanly attacked and murdered CPI(Marxist) supporters in the region.

We feel that the state has not made any sincere attempts either to engage the people of Lalgarh in a dialogue, or to address their woes. Instead, the state has responded with violence, through the use of a disproportionate number of paramilitary forces, including air power. There have also been reports of armed CPI (Marxist) cadre trying to make a Nandigram-style entry into Lalgarh, resulting in more violence and suffering. Such violent responses will lead to bloodshed and further suffering of the people of Lalgarh who have already been victimized by economic and social marginalization. We feel that the state is using the explosive situation at present to justify the increased use of violence and to suppress dissent against the growing atrocities by the state.

We believe that the state needs to use its power to facilitate negotiations among various dissenting voices. We appeal to the state to negotiate with the Peoples' Committee Against Police Atrocities to arrive at a democratic non-violent solution with deference to the peoples' demands.

Media articles for reference

Bengal now comes under Central attack (ToI)
The Telegraph - Regained, lost, regained...
Top Maoists to skip combat -The Statesman Tribals stop central forces from entering Lalgarh

Telegraph - Tribals recount cop ‘kicks’
Telegraph - Lalgarh entry bid, Nandigram-style
Telegraph -Polls without police ruled out in Lalgarh

Posted by collective at June 23, 2009 09:35 AM

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