NEW DELHI: About 30 eminent citizens of the country have urged the Centre not to conduct aerial attacks in Chhattisgarh or any other tribal area and to engage in talks with villagers protesting against security camps, fake encounters and mass arrests.
According to media reports, tribals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district have alleged that on the intervening night of April 14 and April 15, police carried out air raids and bombarded parts of the forest around their villages in an attempt to neutralise Maoists.
Referring to the reports, the aforementioned people, in a statement, have said the government should not conduct aerial attacks in Chhattisgarh or any other tribal area.
They have also urged the government to engage in talks with the villagers protesting against security camps, fake encounters and mass arrests.
"Address human rights violations by security forces. Despite clear-cut findings by more than one judicial enquiry, CBI, NHRC and the Supreme Court that there have been grave violations of human rights in Chhattisgarh by the security forces, no action has been taken against them," they said.
They further said the government must provide justice to the innocent victims of mass killings by security forces in Sarkeguda and Edesmetta and to the victims of mass arson, rape and killings in Tadmetla, Timapuram and Morpalli.
"The cases of murder, sexual assault and rape by security forces that have been brought to the notice of the NHRC and courts must be prosecuted," they said.
They also demanded that the "militarisation" of Bastar with additional battalions and security camps should be stopped and the District Reserve Group (DRG) should be disbanded as directed by the Supreme Court in 2011.
Those who signed the statement included Teesta Setalvad of Citizen For Justice and Peace, Bela Bhatia, member of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan (CBA), Kavita Krishnan from the All India Progressive Women's Association and Vani Subramaniam, a member of the Saheli group.