Sukma attacks in retaliation to sexual violence on tribal women, say Maoists

Injured CRPF jawans being airlifted to Chhattisgarh capital Raipur by an IAF chopper for treatment on April 24, 2017 following a Maoist attack in the State’s Sukma district .   | Photo Credit: PTI

The also deny mutilating jawans’ bodies.

Pavan Dahat
-APRIL 27, 2017

The Dand Karanya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on Thursday claimed that the Sukma attacks were in retaliation to the alleged sexual violence by security forces against tribal women in the conflict zone. The outlawed outfit owned up the two back-to-back attacks on the security forces in Sukma district of south Chhattisgarh in the last 50 days which resulted in the death of 37 Central Reserve Police Force personnel.

“The PLGA (CPI (Maoist)’s military wing People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army) launched the Chintagufa-Burkapal attack (on the security forces on April 24, 2017) to give an answer to (the government’s) mission 2017 and the fake (Maoist) surrender campaign. We congratulate the PLGA, its leadership, commanders and the people of Dand Karanya for their active support. This attack (Burkapal attack) was just an extension of the Bhejji attack (on the CRPF in March 2017). These attacks are retaliatory, defensive, to defeat anti-people policies and to take forward the pro people struggle,” said the DKSZC spokesperson ‘Vikalp’ in an audio clip.

“These attacks should be seen as retaliation against the sexual atrocities that are being committed by the security forces against the tribal women and girls in the conflict zone. It should also be seen as an answer to the countless incidents of sexual violence which is a blot on any civilized society. Bhejji and Chintagufa-Burkapal attacks should be seen as (retaliatory) attacks for the dignity and respect of tribal women. These attacks are being carried out to liberate the tribal people in conflict areas from the inhuman atrocities they facing from the security forces,” Vikalp said.

The DKSZC spokesperson also reiterated his party’s opposition to the road construction in conflict areas.

“The roads, railway lines and mobile towers are being constructed for the protection of paramilitary forces and the police in these areas in the garb of providing relief to the common public, but it is being done to loot natural resources, to exploit common masses and to make sure easy transport of security forces. To oppose this open loot and to make sure these resources are used for the welfare of the common public, these retaliatory attacks are being carried out,” he stated.

The Maoist spokesperson denied that the dead bodies of CRPF jawans were mutilated by the PLGA.

 

“We don’t treat the dead bodies of the jawans killed in the PLGA attacks with disrespect. It is the corporate media which is falsely propagating that private parts of some jawans were mutilated by the PLGA (in the Burkapal attack). In fact, it is the police and the paramilitary forces who give such treatment to the dead bodies of PLGA members killed in encounters. Many dead bodies of the Maoists have been mutilated (by the security forces) and they also delayed in giving the dead bodies to their family members. The security forces also clicked objectionable pictures of our women PLGA members killed in fighting and spread them on social media,” the Maoist leader alleged.

Citing the crackdown by some groups on human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and opposition parties in Chhattisgarh, the DKSZC spokesperson accused the State and the central government of “undemocratic practices”.

“Bhejji and Chintgufa-Burkpal attacks should be seen as retaliation against this attempt to create an undemocratic and fascist atmosphere. These attacks are in opposition to the exploitation of the Dalits, the Tribals and the minorities and the attacks on their culture and economic lifestyle by the Brahmanic,
Hindutva, Fascist, Sanghi, and the BJP governments and the direct involvement and active protection of the police and security forces. We appeal to the journalists, the patriotic and pro-people forces in Chhattisgarh and the country, the human rights activists and the artists to look at these attacks in proper perspective and understand it. We are not violent people but we are bound to use violence in retaliation and in support of the exploited masses against the feudal forces, the national and international corporate houses and the governments supporting it,” claimed Vikalp.

The Maoist leader also appealed the jawans of security forces and lower level police constabulary to give up government jobs and participate in the “people’s struggle”.

“The jawans are not our enemies, least of all our class enemies. But they are coming in the way of public welfare by being a part of the government’s exploitative and anti-people machinery. We appeal to the lower level officers of the paramilitary forces and the jawans to stop fighting for the exploitative politicians, big contractors, national and international corporate, mafias, goons and Brahminic,
Hindutva fascist people who are by nature against the Dalits, the tribals, religious minorities, and women. Don’t lose your life protecting such people and their property. Give up the government jobs and participate in the people’s struggle,” he added.

Reacting to the Maoists’ statement, Chhattisgarh’s Special Director-General of Police D.M. Awasthi said that he will look into it and check its authenticity.

“The security forces do not commit any kind of atrocities and there have been no such instances. The human rights commission is dealing with some cases which were reported,” the DGP said.