Human rights body for equal treatment in rehbilitation of surrendered Maoists

By Naz Asghar

New Delhi: While the government claims to have achieved a lot under its Maoists surrender policy, still there are many areas that need attention as has been reflected in various reaction of human rights organisations and Maoist bodies.

In a latest development, the Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) based in Hyderabad has called upon the Telangana Government to give up what it described as “double standards” in the implementation of rehabilitation policies.

“A policy of reconciliation cannot be confined to senior leaders while lower-rank former cadre continue to languish in prison. Justice, equality before the law, and humanitarian considerations require that their cases also be reviewed fairly and individually.” the CLMC said a statement.

There should be a humane, just, and non-discriminatory approach towards all former Maoist cadre. If the State has chosen the path of reconciliation by welcoming and rehabilitating former senior Maoist leaders, the same principles of justice, equality, and human dignity must be extended to lower-rank former cadre, the Telengana human rights body said.

The committee said there were a large number of former lower-rank, poor cadre who were in prison under stringent laws, with limited opportunities to obtain bail or rebuild their lives, and many have spent years separated from their families despite significant changes in the conflict landscape.

CLMC urged the state Government to set up a high-level review committee to examine the cases of former Maoist cadre, facilitate appropriate legal relief wherever justified, and extend rehabilitation, education, livelihood assistance, and reintegration programmes to all eligible former members without discrimination.

Dissatisfaction with the methods to tackle Maoists have also been voiced from other affected states.

The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the Chhattisgarh government’s policy to tackle Maoists.

“Everyone knows that talks will not be possible without a favourable environment… The government wants to continue with the method it has adopted till now, and this should be opposed. There should also be opposition to the government’s surrender policy being described as a complete resolution to the problem,” the purported statement published in The Hindu last year had said.

The party was of the view that it was necessary to stop the security forces’ offensive in the Naxal-dominated areas, mainly Bastar, to bring the process of peace talks to a conclusion. Responding to the latest letter, the state government said it was ready for talks but the Naxals should free the villagers from their grip as dialogue could not be held amid threat of violence.

Different affected states were facing various grievances from the surrendered cadres. It happens that surrender doesn’t close all criminal cases, so while the Maoist cadres chose to give up arms, they still rot in jails under various cases.

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