By TCN News,
New Delhi: As the testimonies of the eyewitnesses coming through the Media, Fact-Finding Reports of different Civil / Democratic Right Teams and the statements of different social-political forces (including the Congress Party of Chhattisgarh ) confirmed that the killing of the adivasis was a heinous massacre committed by the COBRA Battalion of the CRPF and the Chhattisgarh Police, under the command of top police officials. Even the Union Tribal Minister Mr. K C Deo has said that ‘17 innocent citizens, who were unarmed, who were wearing just a dhoti or a baniyan and who did not even have a sickle or a knife’ had been killed by the CRPF.
But still the central Home Minister and the top officials of CRPF are claiming that these adivasis have been killed in a “fierce” gunfight in the dense jungles of Dantewada on June 27-28 in a joint anti-Maoist operation by the CRPF and state police. This is really a matter of grave concern for all the justice loving progressive and democratic forces of our country.
Swami Agnivesh emphasized on a common strategy to fight with this problem, he told that people must know the truth. He said that the political solutions of these problems must come from the public. He suggesting raising awareness and a nationwide common group to fight for right and to prevent any such incidents.
Himanshu Kumar, a well known activist who is working for adivasis, narrated letters written to him by adivasis and also shared his experiences and view point. He told that President of India is the main custodian of adivasis and thus it automatically becomes his responsibility to react and to come forward on such issue. We also should lodge complaints against guilty.
Prof Nandini Sunder, who recently visited the Bijapur to meet the tribes there described horrible situation there. She told that many things, due to many reasons, are unknown to general public and told that she told about hospitalized persons there whose medical assistance is being provided while they are handcuffed and monitored by armed guards.
Bimal bhai said that the strategy should be such that it comes to light without fear. Any such attempt to suppress the voice of adivasis must be defeated by collective effort of adivasis and non-adivasis.
Prof Ashutosh Kumar said that adivasis are the important part of Indian culture, while it is clear that corporate groups need mining and other works in forests and for that displacement of adivasis becomes necessary. All these things are related to inhumane development and capitalism.
Prof John Dayal described the issue as a different thinking and approach of system that is not dependent over persons who are in government but in fact it is towards legality and technicality of the terms and provisions. He said that for example, centre directs about abandoning the security operations in case of human shield are provided in those areas, but who will define the ‘human shield’? He informed that there are many loopholes in system to carry out such things.
Dr. Marianus Kujur described the problem with the division in society, with rich and poor and with powerful and powerless. He also told that until common urban population will not be aware enough to raise voice for their co-citizens, the fight will be incomplete.
Youth activists Anisuzaman from Campus Front said “This is not only the problem of adivasis but many other section of the nation like dalits, minorties and etc. Moreover the problem is coming from one side which is the state. Thus all the oppressed section come together work against the oppression”.
Many students and youth activists were present there and they all agreed on building a common platform to fight on such humanitarian issue.
Resolutions:
1. All the CRPF and COBRA personnel who participated in the massacre near Sarkeguda village must be charged under Section 302 of IPC and under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and prosecuted.
2. All the victim families of this massacre must be given appropriate compensation.
The discussion was organized by Mission Bharathiyam and National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO).