Protection of Tribals from Naxalism
Several instances of exploitation of tribal communities by the naxalites has come to the notice of the government. Such instances primarily include sexual exploitation in Maoist camps, which have been disclosed through statements of several surrendered women CPI (Maoist) cadres of Odisha, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand and other States. This has been widely reported in the media also from time to time. Such instances of sexual exploitation include rape, forced marriage and molestation by senior male CPI (Maoist) cadres. In Chhattisgarh, some surrendered CPI (Maoist) male cadres have disclosed that they were forced by the senior leadership to undergo vasectomy operation as a pre-condition for marriage with women cadres. During an operation launched by the Border Security Force (BSF) in January, 2012 at a naxal hideout in Niliguda forest, PS Podia, District Malakangiri, Odisha, a large number of pregnancy test kits, condoms, contraceptive pills, etc. were recovered. Such recoveries have also been made in other States. There are allegations that women cadres of CPI (Maoist), who become pregnant, are forced to undergo abortion against their will. The surrendered women cadres have also disclosed that even if they are married to male cadres, they are not allowed to give birth to children since the senior leadership of the CPI (Maoist) feel that it impairs their fighting capability and mobility. Further, forced recruitment of children from families of poor and marginalized segments of the society by the Maoists has also come to notice. In order to instill a sense of fear in their areas of dominance, the naxals also kill civilians after branding them as police informers. Out of 5811 civilians killed by the Maoists since 2001, the overwhelming majority are tribals. The Maoists have in reality killed thousands of innocent Adivasis, whose cause they profess to espouse. This tragic reality is glossed over by the Maoist Front organizations and their apologists in towns and cities who have launched a propaganda war against the Indian state.
The aforesaid problem has to be seen in the overall context of the LWE insurgency. The Central Government closely monitors the LWE situation and supplements the efforts of the State Governments over a wide range of issues, both on the security and development fronts. These measures include deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), help to State Governments towards capacity building of State Forces and implementation of a wide range of development schemes in LWE affected States. The State Governments initiate legal action when they receive complaints of exploitation of tribals, under the relevant provisions of law. As regards forced recruitment of children, the matter was brought to the notice of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which is implementing ‘Bal Bandhu Project’ in areas of civil unrest. In order to prevent exploitation of tribals, the Government of India also issues advisories to the State Governments from time to time. The Union Government has recently advised the State Governments to consider facilitating vasectomy reversal operations of willing Maoist cadres who were forcibly sterilised. The Government has also enacted the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers, who have been residing in such forests for generations, but whose rights could not be recorded. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs have issued comprehensive guidelines to the State/UT Governments for expeditious recognition of forest rights. The Ministry of Environment and Forests has also written to the Chief Ministers of all States to treat bamboo as a minor forest produce and respect the rights accrued to communities as per the aforesaid act.
This was stated by Shri R.P.N.Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs in written reply to a question by Kumari Saroj Pandey in the Lok Sabha today.
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KSD/RC