annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights

INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Jharkhand
and Indian Penal Code. Many were too
poor to pay the bail bond money and have
little access to legal aid. However, those
police personnel who had abused POTA
have been given complete impunity.
Hundreds of people continued to remain in
the First Information Reports filed under
the POTA.
On 20 June 2004, the People’s War
Group (PWG) in response to Jharkhand
Chief Minister Arjun Munda’s call for
dialogue on 12 June 2004, offered to hold
peace talks with the government. The
PWG put forth nine conditions including
immediate withdrawal of paramilitary
forces from Naxal-infested areas, probe
into cases of fake encounters and action
against guilty police officials, withdrawal
of the POTA and lifting ban on the outfit. 1
However, Jharkhand government did not
respond positively and no talks were held
at the end of 2004. On 7 November 2004,
the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and
PWG reportedly merged into a single
group - Communist Party of India
(Maoists). 2 The PWG is reportedly active
in 18 out of the 22 districts. Nearly 495
persons including 188 policemen have
been killed in the Naxalite related violence
since the creation of the state in November
2000. 3
The security forces have been
responsible for serious human rights
violations while countering the Naxalites.
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties
(PUCL) in its inquiry report released in
May 2004 held the members of the
Nagarik Suraksha Samiti (NSS), a counter
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insurgency group floated by the police,
responsible for lynching to death of about
13 alleged activists of the Naxalites at
Longo in Dumuria block in East
Singhbhum district between 7 and 22
August 2003. The PUCL alleged that
district police and the NSS members
continued to harass innocent villagers
accusing them of being Naxalite
sympathisers. 4 There were reports of
torture and arbitrary deprivation of the
right to life in 2004. 5
Jharkhand, the heartland of India’s
indigenous peoples, registered sharp
decline of the percentage of Adivasis. The
State government recommended inclusion
of the Kurmis, presently considered as
upper Caste Hindus, into “Scheduled
Tribes” list which evoked vehement
protest. The Adivasis have been
disproportionate victims of displacement
by development projects, land alienation
and extreme poverty.
II. Atrocities by security forces
i. Arbitrary deprivation of the right to
life
The security forces have been
responsible for serious human rights
violations including arbitrary, summary and
extrajudicial deprivation of the right to life.
The People’s Union for Civil Liberties
in its inquiry report of May 2004 held the
members of the Nagarik Suraksha Samiti
(NSS), a counter insurgency group floated
by the police, responsible for lynching to
death of about 13 alleged members of the
Peoples War Naxalites at Longo in