Chhattisgarh tribals having sleepless nights

Meri News
K. Sudhakar Patnaik

Tortured and tormented by Chhattisgarh government backed Salwa Judum – a Naxalite movement – thousands of Chhattisgarh tribals migrated to Andhra Pradesh. Adding to their agony, the Andhra Pradesh government considers them pro-Maoists..

THE TRIBALS living in about 800 villages of Dantewada, Bijapur and Bastar district of Chhattisgarh forests migrated to Bhadrachalam and Khamam district of Andhra Pradesh one year back. They settled there to save themselves from both the Naxalites and the Chhattisgarh government, which is backing Salwa Judum - a Naxalite movement.

These tribals at present are neither the citizens of Chhattisgarh nor the citizens of Andhra Pradesh. The tribals, who depend upon forest produce and cultivation as they live in the forest, are forcibly displaced by the Chhattisgarh government, police and Salwa Judum. The Salwa Judum burnt some of their villages, killed people, raped women and snatched away domestic animals of those who refused to leave their birthplaces.

Finding no other alternative, about half of the tribal population from Dantewada, Bijapur and Bastar district of Chhattisgarh migrated to Bhadrachalam and Khamam district of Andhra Pradesh. They are now facing a fresh threat of displacement by Andhra Pradesh government that suspects them to be pro-Maoists after the Chitrakonda incident in which Maoists ambushed one motor launch while the Andhra Pradesh greyhounds force was crossing the Balimela Reservoir at Chitrakonda on June 29, 2008.

Suspecting the migrated tribals as pro-Maoists, the Andhra Pradesh police urged the state government to not implement the anti-poverty schemes sponsored by the Union government for the people who have migrated. The angered Andhra Pradesh police has requested the Rural Development Department of the state to not allow the migrated tribals to work under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). The police gave the reason that the tribals of Chhattisgarh are known supporters of Maoists.

The fact is that the tribals, who have migrated are neither the supporters of Maoists nor the supporters of Salwa Judum, as a result they preferred to leave their birthplaces, not accepting the rehabilitation provided by the Chhattisgarh government near road side under the supervision of Special Anti-Naxal Police Camps.

A few months back, some human rights activists and NGOs, on visiting these camps, urged the Andhra Pradesh government to provide them work to earn their daily bread. These activists

also reaffirmed that the were the victims of Salwa Judum (Peace Keeping Force) - a violent anti-Naxal movement functioning with the support of Chhattisgarh government and multinational companies.

The recent Forest Act is not applicable for these unfortunate forest dwellers as they are neither the citizens of Andhra Pradesh nor the citizens of Chhatishgarh. Now, these tribals are spending sleepless nights in their struggle to earn daily bread.

An environmental group says that more than 3.5 lakhs tribals have been displaced and about 2.63 lakhs have gone missing in the last one year. It is alleged that thousands of them took shelter in Andhra Pradesh forests and have settled there.

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