Dear Friend,

This issue's focus is the human rights crisis in the state of Chhattisgarh, particularly the region of the Dandakaranya forests known as Bastar, home to an indigenous population living self-reliantly for centuries. Since Independence, the region has not seen even basic facilities like schools, primary health care, waterworks or public distribution function reliably. However its rich mineral resources - iron, gold, tin, diamonds, coal, uranium, bauxite and more - have drawn powerful corporate interests whose respect for people's rights, environment or rule of law itself has been questionable, and whom few dare question.

In this context a war has erupted between armed Maoist resistance and the State. In the name of countering Maoists, in 2005 the State introduced Salwa Judum, a private militia, and recruited Special Police Officers (SPOs), from tribal youth including minors, doling out arms and even monthly wages. While authorized to fight armed insurgents, they have instead ended up killing many noncombatants and innocent Adivasis and have herded people into camps with appaling conditions in the name of cleansing villages of Maoists. An emergency-like State power has been unleashed in the region with heavy and continuous militarization, using public buildings as military bases, and by means of draconian laws that give powers to government functionaries to withhold the freedom of any citizen on suspicion of resistance. The two year detention of Dr. Binayak Sen, physician and member of People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), under these laws awakened the outside world to the human rights crisis; while he is now released on bail he is not yet free, and over a hundred more people without his global recognition remain in Raipur jail without charge, bail, or trial.

As a result, the region has seen more casualties, disruptions of normal life, displacement, starvation, human rights violations, and Memorandums of Understanding than ever in the last few years. Even as this model of government control is being replicated in other states under the name of countering terrorism, several officials have publicly admitted that this approach has failed to address the problem of insurgency and in fact has only escalated tensions. The human and environmental costs of this experiment, meanwhile, are colossal. Today the area is all but a fully declared battlefield. As of this writing, tens of thousands of paramilitary forces have been sent to Chhattisgarh and adjoining areas of Andhra and Orissa; various military operations are taking place, and heavy losses are reported on all sides.

But all is not despair. Gandhian organizations such as Vanvasi Chetana Ashram (VCA) and local solidarity groups have stood by the people's right to their land, livelihood, homes and democratic development. Though VCA itself is facing harassment, it continues to advocate and provide legal support for people to enable them to fight for their rights through constitutional paths. Dr. Binayak Sen has proposed a solution to the conflict through development and dialogue. Action AID and Agriculture and Social Development Society (ASDS) have provided relief to thousands of tribal refugees who have fled to Andhra Pradesh and recently helped a few hundred families who have decided to return to their villages and resume agriculture and other forms of livelihood. AID has provided Rs. 25 lakhs to support relief, rehabilitation and civil rights efforts, that together help the tribal communities to regain confidence, raise their voices for their rights, and have a space to plan for their own future and reclaim their lives and livelihoods with a sense of dignity. Until the government supports the rehabilitation process, as directed by the Supreme Court, these rays of hope will remain limited to a few of the 644 villages facing displacement.

In solidarity with the people of Chhattisgarh keeping faith in the democratic path,
Volunteers, Association for India's Development