“Being Neutral is Our Biggest Crime”

Government, Vigilante, and Naxalite Abuses in India’s Chhattisgarh State

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• Maps

• Glossary/ Abbreviations

• I.   Summary

• Government and Salwa Judum abuses

• Abuses by Naxalites

• Key Recommendations: The need for protection and accountability

• II.   Methodology

• Terminology

• III.  Background

• Naxalism in India

• Salwa Judum: Vigilantes to oust Naxalites

• Deployment of government security forces

• Civil society challenges to a failed policy

• IV.  Abuses by Salwa Judum

• A. Salwa Judum raids on villages coercing civilian participation

• B.  Coercing camp residents’ participation in Salwa Judum

• C.  Salwa Judum reprisals against villagers who leave camps

• D.  Salwa Judum reprisals against villagers who have fled to Andhra Pradesh

• V.  Abuses by the State

• A. Killings, beatings, burnings, and pillage

• B. Arbitrary detention, torture, and “disappearances”

• C. Failure of the government to investigate abuses

• D. Government intimidation of NGOs, journalists, and lawyers

• VI. Plight of Persons Displaced by the Conflict

• A. Failure of the Chhattisgarh government to provide adequate assistance to displaced persons 

• B. “Double jeopardy”: Abuses against displaced persons by Andhra Pradesh authorities 

• VII. Abuses by Naxalites

• A. Threats, extortions, and killings

• B. Use of landmines and IEDs

• C. Reprisals against Salwa Judumcamp residents

• D. Reprisals against Naxalite deserters

• E. CPI (Maoist) Party statements

• VIII. Recruitment and Use of Children

• A. Government recruitment and use of children as special police officers

• B. Recruitment and use of children by Naxalites

• IX. Impact of the Conflict on Education

• A. Disruption of schooling in Dantewada and Bijapur districts

• B. Displaced children’s access to education in Andhra Pradesh

• X. Recommendations

• To the Indian central government

• To the Chhattisgarh state government

• To the Andhra Pradesh government

• To the CPI (Maoist) Party

• To Foreign governments, Intergovernmental Bodies, and International Financial Institutions 

• Appendix I

• Appendix II

• Acknowledgments

 

July 2008    ISBN: 1-56432-356-0