10-26-2005, 05:13 AM
http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?m...t&counter_img=2
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Maoists have made us refugees in our own land'
Shivanand Shukla / Dantewara (Chhattisgarh)
More than 450 tribals have taken shelter to escape the wrath of the Maoists at a Chhattisgarh Government-run relief camp in Krishi Upaj Mandi near Aram Chowk in Dantewara district, 400 km from Raipur. The group comprises men, women and children from ten villages of the district.  Â
Most camp residents returned from a salwa judum (peace march) meeting at Bhairmagarh. It was addressed by Governor KM Seth, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam, Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma and other leaders. The Governor congratulated them for rising against the Maoists and assured security to them.
The same night, on Saturday, more than two dozen Maoists raided village Gumra, a few kilometers from where the meeting was held in the district. The Maoists killed a former Sarpanch Manguram.
'The killing was a clear message to those people who had dared to go against them and had joined the salwa judum,' a senior police official pointed out.
'We were expecting a Maoist attack in our villages and even in the refugee camps,' said 25-year-old Lakshman of village Pulewaya. Sanaru Karma of Niram village agrees with him. But, they along with several other young men at the camp are determined. 'We are not going to surrender the Maoist's bullets. We will set our village free from their terror.'
They alleged that Maoists had for a long time threatened them, killed people, demanded grains and land produce, had forced them to close the market, had not allowed them to collect tendu leaves (a major source of their earning) if they ever protested against them. People at the relief camp had several such complaints.
For a large number of people, who came armed with traditional bow and arrow to listen to the Governor's speech, the problem was entirely different; only few understood what the Governor said in his speech.
'We understand only Gondi,' Jagu of Porsan village said.
More curiously, while most of the men at the relief camp could not interact with this reporter owing to the language problem, the ones who understood Hindi were ill-informed. While most of them did not know who Raman Singh or Ajit Jogi were, the ones who knew that Raman Singh is Chief Minister of the State, did not know anything more than this.
At another relief camp, Channu of Palnar village or Mangu of Irauli knew nothing about how they came to the camp. More than 10,000 people have been living in such relief camps to evade Maoists bullets. Many of them were brought from remote areas.
The camp provides food, shelter and even arranges other programmes like Angan Bari. Women are taught about child care and children are educated at these camps. Ratte Singh Kunjam, one of the teachers at these relief camps, says, 'People are not educated and do not understand Hindi.'
In fact, on a drive from Barsur valley to Gidam, one finds nothing but poverty. People here are still deprived of the basic necessities.
People here seem to be in a time warp owing to the neglect by successive governments. But what adds to their torment is being constant targets of the Maoists. More than 50 people have been killed so far after the beginning of salwa judum in June this year.
Despite all this several people have come to relief camps leaving behind their family. But they are hardly at peace here. They often worry about their family and their land.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Maoists have made us refugees in our own land'
Shivanand Shukla / Dantewara (Chhattisgarh)
More than 450 tribals have taken shelter to escape the wrath of the Maoists at a Chhattisgarh Government-run relief camp in Krishi Upaj Mandi near Aram Chowk in Dantewara district, 400 km from Raipur. The group comprises men, women and children from ten villages of the district.  Â
Most camp residents returned from a salwa judum (peace march) meeting at Bhairmagarh. It was addressed by Governor KM Seth, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam, Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma and other leaders. The Governor congratulated them for rising against the Maoists and assured security to them.
The same night, on Saturday, more than two dozen Maoists raided village Gumra, a few kilometers from where the meeting was held in the district. The Maoists killed a former Sarpanch Manguram.
'The killing was a clear message to those people who had dared to go against them and had joined the salwa judum,' a senior police official pointed out.
'We were expecting a Maoist attack in our villages and even in the refugee camps,' said 25-year-old Lakshman of village Pulewaya. Sanaru Karma of Niram village agrees with him. But, they along with several other young men at the camp are determined. 'We are not going to surrender the Maoist's bullets. We will set our village free from their terror.'
They alleged that Maoists had for a long time threatened them, killed people, demanded grains and land produce, had forced them to close the market, had not allowed them to collect tendu leaves (a major source of their earning) if they ever protested against them. People at the relief camp had several such complaints.
For a large number of people, who came armed with traditional bow and arrow to listen to the Governor's speech, the problem was entirely different; only few understood what the Governor said in his speech.
'We understand only Gondi,' Jagu of Porsan village said.
More curiously, while most of the men at the relief camp could not interact with this reporter owing to the language problem, the ones who understood Hindi were ill-informed. While most of them did not know who Raman Singh or Ajit Jogi were, the ones who knew that Raman Singh is Chief Minister of the State, did not know anything more than this.
At another relief camp, Channu of Palnar village or Mangu of Irauli knew nothing about how they came to the camp. More than 10,000 people have been living in such relief camps to evade Maoists bullets. Many of them were brought from remote areas.
The camp provides food, shelter and even arranges other programmes like Angan Bari. Women are taught about child care and children are educated at these camps. Ratte Singh Kunjam, one of the teachers at these relief camps, says, 'People are not educated and do not understand Hindi.'
In fact, on a drive from Barsur valley to Gidam, one finds nothing but poverty. People here are still deprived of the basic necessities.
People here seem to be in a time warp owing to the neglect by successive governments. But what adds to their torment is being constant targets of the Maoists. More than 50 people have been killed so far after the beginning of salwa judum in June this year.
Despite all this several people have come to relief camps leaving behind their family. But they are hardly at peace here. They often worry about their family and their land.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->