Skip to main content

Hemant Soren govt 'indifferent' to security forces' atrocities on tribals: Civil rights group

Counterview Desk 

The civil rights network, Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM) has complained to the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police of the West Singhbhum district about how Adivasis of Chiriyabeda, during a security forces' search operation, have become victims of violence and abuse. Innocent Adivasis and other poor locals were were being falsely accused in Maoist related cases, it added.
Based on a fact finding report, the complaint said, the security forces “beat up Adivasis (including women), abused a girl with the intention of raping her, and destroyed people’s belonging”, adding, They entered the house of Noni Kui Jojo – an elderly widow – and scattered the things in her house. Then two of the jawans held her adolescent daughter – Shanti Jojo’s -- hands and a third jawan molested her.

Text:

On 11 November 2022, during a search operation in Chiriyabeda (Anjedbeda revenue village, Sadar block, West Singhbhum) security forces once again unleashed violence on innocent Adivasis. Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha, a network of people’s organizations and activists, conducted a fact-finding on the matter. A delegation of the Mahasabha met with the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police to discuss its findings.
The fact-finding team found that during the search operation, the security forces beat up Adivasis (including women), abused a girl with the intention of raping her, and destroyed people’s belongings. The forces entered the house of Noni Kui Jojo – an elderly widow – and scattered the things in her house. Then two of the jawans held her adolescent daughter – Shanti Jojo’s -- hands and a third jawan molested her.
They wanted to drag her towards the bushes, but she somehow managed to escape and went to her mother. The jawans then brutally beat up Noni Kui when she refused to let go off her daughter. Shanti Jojo told the factfinding team that the manner in which she was abused clearly indicated the security forces’ intention of raping her.
Many other people were also beaten. Sixteen-year-old Bamiya Bahnda was brought down from a tree and beaten. When his mother Kadma Bahnda went to rescue him, even she was beaten. The jawans held Kadma’s hands and then kicked her and also beat her with a rifle butt and dragged her to her house.
They then caught her hair and swirled her in circles. The jawans destroyed many people’s paddy, clothes, utensils etc. kept in their houses and the paddy in the khaliyan (threshing area). Throughout the operation, the jawans interrogated the villagers in Hindi, although they kept saying in Ho that they do not understand the language properly.
According to a local media reports published on 12 November, this was a combined operation of Cobra 209/205, Jharkhand Jaguar, CRPF battalion and the local police. During the operation in Chiriyabeda, Lovabeda and Hathiburu, the team defused bombs planted in series in the forests and also recovered CPI(Maoist)’s posters, banners and items of daily use. However, the media reports made no mention of the violence unleashed on the Adivasis.
This incident has again raised several serious questions. Security forces had brutally beaten the residents of Chidiyabeda with sticks, batons and rifle butts on 15 June 2020 as well. The victims submitted written applications at many levels, but till date no action has been taken against the perpetrators nor have the victims received any compensation. In the court as well, the investigating officer continues to shirk away from getting the testimony of the victims registered.
The lack of basic services and welfare schemes in Chidiyabeda and Anjedbeda is also a matter of grave concern. The children of Chidiyabeda are deprived of the ICDS services as the closest anganwandi is 6 kilometers away in Anjedbeda.
Many elderly and widows do not get social security pension. Eight extremely poor families in Anjedbeda have not got ration for about a year now, despite making complaints. In the absence of livelihood in the village, the local youth migrate on a large scale.
The inhumane and illegal behavior of the security forces towards the Adivasis during the search operation is wholly against the spirit of the constitution and democracy. Instead of addressing the gross deprivations faced by the people of these villages, the state repeatedly unleashes brutal violence on them.
It is also worrying that security forces are setting up camps in the Saranda area without the permission of the gram sabha and despite people’s opposition. This is a blatant violation of PESA and provisions of the fifth schedule.
Innocent Adivasis and other poor locals are falsely accused in Maoist related cases. While the central government’s lack of concern for Adivasis is clear, it is saddening that even Hemant Soren’s government is indifferent to the injustice faced by Adivasis of Chaibasa.
In this context, Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha demands the following:
  • An FIR should be lodged and appropriate action should be taken against the security forces responsible for unleashing violence on the residents and sexually abusing an adolescent girl of Chidiyabeda on 11 November 2022.
  • Appropriate action should be taken against the security forces responsible for unleashing violence on residents of Chiriyabeda on 15 June 2022 and the victims should be given compensation. 
  • Innocent villages should not be linked with Maoist cases on mere suspicion or because they are forced to feed the Maoists.
  • The security forces should stop unleashing violence of people in the name of Naxal search operations. The police should stop implicating people in false cases.
  • Before conducting any search operation in Fifth Schedule Area villages, permission has to be obtained from the gram sabha and the traditional heads. The local police and security forces should be trained about Adivasi languages, customs, and world views and made sensitive about them.
  • Security forces’ camps should not be established without the permission of the gram sabha and adequate discussion with the villagers.
The Mahasabha delegation comprised of the following representatives of Johar, Adivasi Women’s Network, Adivasi Youngster Unity, Jharkhand Kisan Parishad and other organizations – Ambika Yadav, Elina Horo, Kamal Purty, Mili Horo , Narayan Kandeyang, Ramesh Jerai, Reyance Samad, Siraj and Sonal.

Comments

TRENDING

Avoidable Narmada floods: Modi birthday fete caused long wait for release of dam waters

Counterview Desk  Top advocacy group, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), has accused the Sardar Sarovar dam operators for once again acting in an "unaccountable" manner, bringing "avoidable floods in downstream Gujarat."  In a detailed analysis, SANDRP has said that the water level at the Golden Bridge in Bharuch approached the highest flood level on September 17, 2023, but these "could have been significantly lower and much less disastrous" both for the upstream and downstream areas of the dam, if the authorities had taken action earlier based on available actionable information.

Biden urged to warn Modi: US can declare India as worst religious freedom offender

By Our Representative  During a Congressional Briefing held on Capitol Hill, Washington DC, Nadine Maenza, former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has wondered why the Biden administration should raise issues of mass anti-minority mob violence  -- particularly in Haryana and Manipur -- with Modi. Modi should be told that if such violence continues, the US will be “compelled by law” to designate India as one of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom, she urged.

From 'Naatu-Naatu' to 'Nipah-Nipah': Dancing to the tune of western pipers?

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD*  Some critics have commented that the ecstatic response of most Indians to the Oscar for the racy Indian song, “Naatu-Naatu” from the film, “RRR” reeks of sheer racism, insulting visuals and a colonial hangover. It was perhaps these ingredients that impressed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, one critic says.

Why iconic Urdu book stall, publishing house Maktaba Jamia died an 'unnatural' death

By Firoz Bakht Ahmed*  We have all grown through the fragrant flavours and flairs of our childhood, one of them being our childhood mother-tongue historic magazines like, “Thakurmar Jhuli” (Bengali), “Khilauna”, Payam-e-Taleem" (Urdu), “Hans” (Marathi), “Parag” (Hindi), “Chitralekha” (Gujarati), “Chandamama” (Telugu), etc. I “drank” Urdu while suckling his mother and learnt the language not from any madrasa, school or college but from these publications only — my treasure trove!

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Asset managers hold '2.8 times more equity' in fossil fuel cos than in green investments

By Deepanwita Gita Niyogi*  The world’s largest asset managers are far off track to meet the  2050 net zero commitments , a new study  released by InfluenceMap , a London-based think tank working on climate change and sustainability, says. Released on August 1, the Asset Managers and Climate Change 2023 report by FinanceMap, a work stream of InfluenceMap, finds that the world’s largest asset managers have not improved on their climate performance in the past two years.

Evading primary responsibility, ONGC decides to invest Rs 15,000 crore in sick subsidiary

By NS Venkataraman*  It is reported that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will infuse about Rs 15,000 crore in ONGC Petro-additions Ltd (OPaL) as part of a financial restructuring exercise. ONGC currently holds 49.36 per cent stake in (OPaL), which operates a mega petrochemical plant at Dahej in Gujarat. GAIL (India) Ltd has 49.21 per cent interest and Gujarat State Petrochemical Corporation (GSPC) has the remaining 1.43 per cent.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Sales, profits of Indian firms 'deteriorate', yet no significant increase in cost pressures

By Our Representative  The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad's (IIM-A's) latest Business Inflation Expectations Survey (BIES), a monthly exercise, has said that while cost perceptions data does not indicate significant increase of cost pressures, sales and profits of the Indian firms have deteriorated.

Why Bangladesh is achieving 'new heights' amidst economic collapse of Pakistan

By Sufian Siddique*  Pakistan's economy is on the brink of bankruptcy like Sri Lanka's. Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves have fallen below $3 billion. They have asked the IMF for a 'bailout loan' a long time ago, but the IMF is trying to impose strict conditions that Pakistan's current ruling coalition has no capacity to meet. Even China and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's long-standing loyal friends, are now reluctant to shoulder Pakistan's burden.