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Adivasi Swaraj Is the Answer to Violence
The Indian state’s strategy to combat Naxalism has wrecked havoc on the Adivasi and tribal communities. A heavily militarised area of operations is certainly not the answer forpeace and security. It might make those in power feel less insecure, but eventually such a strategy will have disastrous effects, whenthose who have been alienated, exploited and displaced take up arms against the state. The rightstrategy for developing Adivasi communities is through thede-escalation of military operations and providingthem with autonomy and institutional support.
The Sukma incident of 24 April 2017, in which 25 CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) jawans lost their lives, is yet another milestone in the cycle of violence and counter-violence in the 50-year history of the Indian Maoist movement. The reflective comments in the media on this have been far more introspective than the dominant security-centric line of analysis, propagated in recent years. But unfortunately, the principal policymakers of the Indian state continue to believe that militaristic counter-insurgency can wipe out the Maoist challenge. They plan to strengthen this perspective with an even more superior technology and a reorganisation of counter-insurgency strategies and personnel, with the help of global expertise. They refuse to reckon with the reasons the movement has gone on for five decades, at present covering, according to official figures, 104 districts in 13 states and much more unofficially.
The Times of India said in its editorial on 26 April 2017:
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