'War and the Lightness of Being Adivasi'

Between 26 and 31 December 2014, a Peoples Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR) fact-finding team visited nine villages of Bijapur District, Chhattisgarh to ascertain reports of arrests, intimidation and harassment, including sexual abuse by security forces who are stationed there to fight the Maoists. Predominantly Adivasi villages, the residents of Basaguda, Kottaguda, Pusbaka, Lingagiri, Rajpeta, Timmapur, Kottagudem, Korsaguda and Sarkeguda, narrated the daily acts of violence and violations committed by armed personnel residing in security camps. Apart from documenting the continuance of “area domination” by the security forces, the report draws particular attention to:

(1) The large number of “permanent warrants” issued against the populace, of which a significant number are declared as “absconders.” A rough estimate indicates that as many as 15,000 to 35,000 people live under the threat and fear of these warrants in Bijapur alone.