June 9, 2017

INDIA: Maoist Couple Involved In Several Crimes, Including Murder Surrenders. CRPF Recruits 743 Youths From Chhattisgarh’s Bastar Region To Fight Naxals/Maoist.

[source: Encyclopedia Britannica]

Naxalite, general designation given to several Maoist-oriented and militant insurgent and separatist groups that have operated intermittently in India since the mid-1960s. More broadly, the term—often given as Naxalism or the Naxal movement—has been applied to the communist insurgency itself.

The name Naxalite is derived from the town of Naxalbari (Naksalbari) in far northern West Bengal state in northeastern India, which was the centre of a tribal peasant uprising against local landlords in 1967. Although the rebellion was suppressed, it became the focus of a number of communist-led separatist movements that sprung up in remote, often tribal areas in India—at first primarily in northeastern India but later more widely in other parts of the country. The rise of Naxalism corresponded to the growth of militant communism in India, particularly the creation of the Communist Party of India–Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML) in 1969, and to the emergence of such rebel groups as the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and the Peoples’ War Group (PWG).

Naxalite groups generally have claimed to represent the poorest and most socially marginalized members of Indian society (notably tribal peoples and Dalits [formerly untouchables]) and to adhere to the Maoist doctrine of sustained peasant-led revolution. For decades they have waged guerrilla warfare against such targets as landlords, businesspeople, politicians, and security forces, and they have disrupted infrastructure by damaging transportation, communication, and power lines. In the process, they often have been able to establish bases of operation in remote forested areas. Naxalite groups have come to control large territories in many of the states of eastern India—notably Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West Bengal—and their influence has spread even wider beyond those areas. Often Naxalite groups have taken over governing functions and provided social services within areas under their control, although they also have been accused of using harsh enforcement tactics.

National and state governments in India consistently have labeled Naxalite groups as terrorist organizations and declared them to be illegal. The original CPI-ML has not operated as a legal political party (though several offshoots of it have), and the more recent Communist Party of India-Maoist (formed in 2004 by the merger of the MCC and the PWG) has been outlawed. Police and security forces have responded to the Naxalites with various raids and military campaigns aimed at counteracting the guerrilla attacks and flushing the rebels out of their sanctuaries. Those operations have had mixed success, in part because authorities often have not provided adequate services in the territories where they have reestablished control. In addition, the fighting frequently has reverted to the government and Naxalite sides each retaliating against the other. Thousands of people have been killed during the decades of the insurgency, and tens of thousands have fled the fighting to become refugees.
Daily News & Analysis (DNA), India
written by Staff
Wenesday June 7, 2017

A Maoist couple, involved in a number of crimes including murder and carrying rewards totaling Rs nine lakh on their heads, surrendered before police in Malkangiri district on Wednesday to return to the mainstream as they were fed up with naxal activities.

Rama Kawasi (38), involved in at least 29 cases of crimes including murder, and his wife Weli Madkami alias Malati (25) facing around a dozen cases, surrendered before Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra.

While Rama was active in the banned Maoist outfit since 2002 and carried a reward of Rs five lakh announced by Odisha government, Weli was involved in naxal activities since 2006 and carried Rs four lakh reward, the SP said.

Both were involved in heinous crimes including killings, landmine blasts, explosions, attack on security forces and attack on government buildings and properties in the area, police said.

Rama, who hailed from Bodigeta village under Kalimela police station limits in the Maoist-hit district, was a 'deputy commandant' in Boipariguda Area Committee under Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), police said.

Weli belonged to Bada Tekguda village in Kalimela area and worked as an area committee member in Boipariguda Area Committee under AOBSZC.

The two stated that they were disillusioned with the activities of the Maoists who had deviated from original ideology and indulged in torture of people including tribals, the SP said.

Therefore, both wanted wanted to lay down arms and stage a come back to the social mainstream.

The two, who were produced before the media, also appealed to others to give up arms and join the social mainstream.
The Indian Express, India
CRPF recruits 743 youths from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region to fight Naxals
written by PTI
Thursday June 8, 2017

As many as 743 candidates, including 242 women, have been recruited by the CRPF from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, one of the worst Naxal-hit areas, for an ‘all-tribal battalion’ being raised to fight Maoists. The youths have been recruited for the post of constable in the CRPF from tribal-dominated Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts and will join the ‘Bastariya’ battalion.

“743 scheduled tribes candidates, including 242 women, have been recruited,” a Home Ministry official said. Bastar region comprises Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh.

The ‘Bastariya’ battalion in CRPF is a unique initiative to enhance local representation in security forces and also provide employment to youths, the official said.

2016 witnessed maximum Naxal violence in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh — 68.5 per cent of the total incidents and 69 per cent of the deaths.

Situation in Bastar region is considered to be critical due to unabated violence perpetrated by the Maoists.

While giving its approval for raising the Bastariya battalion, the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had made it clear that all recruits would have to be from Bastar region.

The concept of ‘Bastariya’ battalion was considered useful as the recruits, mostly local tribals, would help address local unemployment issue, provide tactical advantage to CRPF in operations, intelligence collection and language benefits.

Tribal candidates joining the force are also given a 4.5 cm relaxation in minimum height, which is 160 cm for others. Besides, a 10 per cent relaxation in weight, which has to be proportionate to height and age, is given to them.

Once the training of the recruits in the ‘Bastariya’ battalion is completed, they will be deployed in Chhattisgarh for at least five years. The Central reserved Paramilitary Force, which played a pivotal role in curbing militancy in Punjab during 1980s and in Tripura during 1990s, works under the Ministry of Home Affairs. More than one-third of the CRPF is deployed in Naxal-affected regions to control left-wing extremism.

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