International community raises alarm over 'escalating state violence' against Adivasi people in Bastar

By A Representative 

Global human rights groups, indigenous activists, and civil society organizations have issued a joint international statement condemning the intensifying violence by Indian state forces against the Indigenous Adivasi communities of Bastar, Chhattisgarh. The statement, which was launched for global endorsement in November 2024 and updated monthly through April 2025, accuses the Indian government of severe human rights violations in the name of counterinsurgency operations.

The statement, signed by over 50  organisations, and more than 130 individuals, asserts that over 450 people have been killed since January 2024, with the majority being Indigenous Adivasis. Initial estimates recorded 180 deaths, but by May 2025, that number had more than doubled. Activists claim these are largely extrajudicial killings, often described as “encounters” by authorities but disputed by local communities and human rights groups, who allege that many victims were unarmed civilians taken from their homes or villages.

The violence, the statement says, is part of a wider strategy of militarization and corporate encroachment in the mineral-rich Bastar region. It outlines how state forces, including the District Reserve Guards (DRG)—a unit composed of surrendered insurgents and local youth—are deployed alongside sophisticated military technologies, such as drone surveillance and mortar bombing, in civilian areas. These actions reportedly coincide with expanding mining activities under public-private partnerships, raising concerns of displacement, ecological degradation, and illegal land acquisition.

Adivasi communities, protected under India’s Constitution and laws such as the Forest Rights Act (FRA) and Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), are described as facing systemic repression and loss of ancestral lands, despite legal recognition of their rights. Protests and movements such as the Moolvasi Bachao Manch (MBM) and Maad Bachao Andolan have been met with arrests, detentions, and bans. In October 2024, the Chhattisgarh government declared MBM an "unlawful organization" for one year.

The statement also highlights the arrest of several Indigenous rights defenders, including MBM President Raghu Midiyami in February 2025, under India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Rights groups view such arrests as attempts to silence dissent and criminalize constitutionally protected activism.

Of particular concern is the proposed acquisition of over 54,000 hectares of the Abujhmad forest for an Indian Army training range, which is expected to displace more than 10,000 Adivasis. Activists warn this move not only threatens Indigenous livelihoods and culture but also risks irreversible damage to a critical ecological zone.

In April 2025, the situation further escalated with the launch of a massive military operation involving more than 20,000 personnel in the Karregutta hills and surrounding areas—reportedly one of the largest anti-Naxalite actions in Indian history.

The joint statement calls for urgent international intervention, outlining specific demands:

- An immediate end to all forms of state violence and human rights abuses in Bastar.

- Full demilitarization of the region and dismantling of military camps.

- Adherence to the 2011 Supreme Court ruling banning the recruitment of Adivasi youth as counterinsurgency personnel.

- Enforcement of constitutional and legal protections for Indigenous communities.

- Halt to land acquisitions without Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).

- Protection of human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society actors.

- Accountability for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

The statement has been endorsed by a wide spectrum of organizations and individuals worldwide, with signatories urging the global public, governments, and international institutions to hold India accountable and support the Adivasi struggle for justice, dignity, and self-determination.

The Bastar region, comprising dense forests and rich mineral resources, has long been the site of conflict between government forces and Maoist insurgents. However, observers say the current wave of violence has disproportionately targeted civilian Adivasi populations under the guise of anti-Naxalite operations. The area has seen increasing militarization over the past two decades, exacerbated by corporate mining interests and infrastructure development projects.

Beyond the humanitarian crisis, the statement also emphasizes the environmental degradation caused by deforestation, explosives use, and mining-related infrastructure, warning of broader climate and biodiversity impacts.

Described as “a struggle for survival, dignity, and the recognition of Indigenous rights,” the situation in Bastar is drawing heightened scrutiny from global rights bodies. The international community is being urged to act decisively to prevent what signatories fear may amount to a slow genocide of India’s Indigenous peoples and the destruction of a vital ecological region.