Messages In This Digest (6
Messages)
Messages
- 1.
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Sat Aug 8, 2009 5:26 am (PDT)
Military, monsoons and Maoists
By Jawed Naqvi
Thursday, 06 Aug, 2009 | 08:15 AM PST | The Dawn
MONSOONS play a big role not only in the upkeep of food security in
South Asia; they are also an important factor in the region’s military
strategies.
If we had relentless rain instead of periodic drought the chances of
war breaking out would be substantially reduced. There would be more
prosperity to share than to fight for and the perennially overcast
skies would make the movement of tanks and warplanes an uncertain
enterprise if not an outright deterrent. After all, the military
strategy in Kashmir is based on the quantity of its winter snowfall.
Monsoons have been the backbone of an entire community of tribespeople
straddling the dense forests of central India’s Chhattisgarh state and
in their neighbourhood. Since the region rests on a vast reservoir of
untapped minerals, powerful Indian corporates have been drooling over
the treasure trove.
However, the local people are resisting the advances. Their leaders
include Gandhian pacifists. A few have picked up arms and joined a
rag-tag army of guerrillas who mostly share a common ethnicity but are
known in national parlance as Naxalites, a popular synonym for
Maoists, which happens to be just as loose a definition in the Indian
context. It’s all too confusing. Anyway the Maoists are now a banned
group.
Their activities are reported mostly to highlight attacks they carry
out against police convoys that carry the mandate to hunt the
guerrillas. Not much is known about the other side of the picture.
What, for example, keeps the Maoists going? And what about the fate of
the tribespeople caught in the crossfire? Civil rights groups visit
the region occasionally, but they do so at personal peril. Prof Amit
Bhaduri, who retired as an economics teacher at Delhi’s Jawaharlal
Nehru University, led one such team to Chhattisgarh.
Reports of abuse, including rape and indiscriminate killings,
evidently carried out by state-backed vigilantes, led Prof Bhaduri to
the police chief in Chhattisgarh who turned out to be one of his
former students. His group expressed the desire to travel into the
Maoist-controlled area on the other side of the Indrawaty River, which
divides the territory between the vigilantes of Salwa Judum and
guerrilla-controlle d areas. Prof Bhaduri’s fawning former student said
they could go, but the police would be obliged to shoot them.
The Bharatiya Janata Party rules the state though the vigilantes have
the backing of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Congress party. Prof
Bhaduri listened to the police officer’s determined advice and thus
neither he nor the team was able to know really what was happening on
the other side of the divide, which he believes should be brought into
the public domain for an informed debate.
Going by the findings of the report released by Human Rights Watch on
Tuesday, Indian police in any case need to be reined in. The report
echoes the comments of a celebrated former head of a high court,
Justice Anand Narain Mulla, who described Indian police in a judgment
as ‘the biggest organised group of criminals’. That was decades ago.
Tuesday’s 118-page report, Broken System: Dysfunction, Abuse and
Impunity in the Indian Police, documents a range of human rights
violations committed, including arbitrary arrest and detention,
torture and extrajudicial killings.
Brad Adams, Asia director of Human Rights Watch, observed that while
India was modernising, its police continued to use their old methods:
abuse and threats. ‘It’s time for the government to stop talking about
reform and fix the system,’ he declared.
His report is based on interviews with more than 80 police officers of
varying ranks, 60 victims of police abuses and numerous discussions
with experts and civil society activists. The stakes are high for the
corporate world and, therefore, naturally for the government which is
closely identified with it.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that the Maoists pose the most
serious threat to India’s security. In order not to be ignored, he
said this a few days after the horrific attack on Mumbai last
November. The prime minister also said subsequently that nobody should
be allowed to prevent the exploitation of the nation’s resources for
public good, a signal that a bloody confrontation was looming.
The Indian Express reported last week that the government would
introduce the army into the fray, which includes a new brigade
headquarters in Raipur, capital of Chhattisgarh.’ The stage is being
set for the military, particularly the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), to join
counter-Naxalite operations,’ the newspaper reported. Raised in 1990
to fight counter-insurgency in Kashmir, the 80,000-strong RR has been
operating on a temporary mandate under the Indian Army. ‘Before this
mandate expires in September, the ministry of defence is moving the
CCS (cabinet committee on security) to allow RR to be deployed
nationwide for counter-insurgency operations.’
According to the Express a total of 231 security personnel have been
killed by Naxalites this year – over 10 times the casualties in J&K
and the northeast put together. It doesn’t say how many civilians both
sides have killed and how many have been uprooted from their homes by
the police.
The other key decisions taken to beef up the looming battle includes
an army brigadier who has been deputed to the home ministry to advise
on the operations. Some paramilitary units fighting the Maoists will
be de-inducted and trained in guerrilla warfare with select army
infantry units Talks with the Indian Air Force for the ‘evacuation’ of
special forces behind Maoist lines in armed helicopters is part of the
strategy, the report said.
A group of senior and respected civil rights activists met in Delhi on
Tuesday to try to prevent what they fear could be a massacre. They
urged both sides to heed the following: ‘Put people’s security and
welfare above everything else and ensure they are free of fear from
the government and the Maoists. Initiate a judicial process to hold
accountable and bring to justice those guilty of violations, including
extra-judicial killings.’ The monsoons in Chhattisgarh are expected to
end in September. That’s about all the time there is for a last chance
to salvage an agreeable peace deal. How many would be helplessly
praying in the deep and inaccessible recesses of the forests that the
monsoons would never go.
The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Delhi.
jawedna...@gmail.com
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/jawed-naqvi-military-monsoons-and-maoists-689
- 2.
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Sat Aug 8, 2009 5:28 am (PDT)
No end in sight to contract labour debate
Trade unions insist that contract workers must enjoy the same benefits
as regular employees; firms want liberal laws
Maitreyee Handique, Mint
New Delhi: Atask force set up by the government is reviewing a law
regulating contract employment and will suggest ways to prevent
exploitation of contract workers who, trade unions say, are often
denied adequate wages, regular work hours and welfare benefits.
The six-member group, which will meet on 10 August, has
representatives of employers, trade unions and the government. The
meeting marks a step forward from the last such talk on the subject
held at the Indian Labour Conference in February.
Contract workers are those hired en masse by a contractor, who is paid
a fee by the employer. The contractor has the responsibility of paying
the workers their wages and other benefits. No accurate data exists on
how many such workers are employed by the Indian industry and
government departments, but the labour ministry estimates that they
make up nearly 28% of India’s 459 million-strong workforce.
Contract employment has often led to friction at workplaces, where
employees often demand its prohibition, which managements resist.
Graphics by Sandeep Bhatnagar / Mint
An early settlement of the contentious issue is unlikely because
employers and trade unions differ widely on the use of contract
workers.
While firms view contract workers as a mainstay of a rapidly changing
economy, trade unions have for long been insisting that these
employees must enjoy the same benefits as regular ones and must have
the right to job security.
At the Indian Labour Conference, employers pointed out that in order
to remain competitive, firms must be allowed greater flexibility to
outsource workers while states must implement the often-flouted
minimum wage regulations for contract workers.
Employers favoured an amendment to the Contract Labour (Regulation and
Abolition) Act, 1970, which prohibits employment of contract workers
in certain core activities of an enterprise. The Union government has
issued nearly 76 notifications banning employment of contract labour.
Employers also said that in a changing business environment, a
separation of core and non-core activities is not possible and pointed
to China’s contract law, which does not make such a distinction.
“There are two critical issues here: whether contract employment
should be banned, which is not an option. So the (second) issue is
whether a contract worker should be given all benefits, except
security of tenure,” said a labour ministry official, who declined to
be identified.
Contract employment has often led to friction at workplaces, where
employees often demand its prohibition, which managements resist.
This has led to two landmark court judgements: In 1996, the Supreme
Court ruled in an Air India case that contract workers employed in
jobs, which they are not supposed to hold, would automatically become
regular employees. However, a 2001 court decision reversed the ruling
in a separate case involving Steel Authority of India Ltd and the
National Union of Waterfront Workers.
But as employment in the formal sector declines and companies
increasingly prefer contract workers, concerns are growing about the
welfare of such workers, who are mostly poor migrants with few
privileges and bargaining rights, and even lesser choices when the
number of unemployed, according to the government, stands at 10.8
million.
Vinod Kumar Sharma, a member of the contract law task force and
working president of the Indian National Trade Union Congress in
Chhattisgarh, said employers often violated the contract law and
offered few facilities to contract workers. He cited the example of
Bharat Aluminium Co. Ltd, or Balco, which is 51% owned by UK-based
Vedanta Resources Plc.
Sharma said the number of contract workers in the firm had grown
10-fold, from 1,500 to 15,000, since it was disinvested by the Union
government in 2001; at the same time, regular employment has fallen
from 7,000 to 5,400.
Wages to contract workers range between Rs3,000 and Rs5,000 a month
compared with Rs12,000-19,000 a month paid to a regular employee, said
Sharma, general secretary of Bharat Aluminium Mazdoor Sangh, a union
of Balco workers. Contract workers are also often deprived of benefits
such as medical facilities.
Sharma said their canteen allowance was raised from Rs5 to Rs10 a day
only three years ago, after workers protested. “Workers do not get
equal pay for the same jobs. This violation is found in all kinds of
public and private power and steel companies, as well as coal mines.”
Ranjit Lal, Balco’s vice-president for human resources, refused to
comment when reached on the phone. He did not reply to an email
questionn aire sent by Mint.
G. Ramanand, who is also a member of the contract law task force and
national secretary of Mumbai-based All Indian Manufacturing
Organization, which has 10,000 employers as members, also said
contract workers are unfairly treated. “Workers are exploited and they
must get their statutory dues (wages, dearness allowance and
gratuity).”
Copyright © 2007 HT Media All Rights Reserved
- 3.
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Sat Aug 8, 2009 8:13 am (PDT)
Dear friends,
When three of our volunteers Chhabilal, Somu and Hulsi were returning from Lingagiri village to go to their respective villages for celebrating Rakhi festival, they were stopped and beaten up by Naxals on the way.
They told the Naxal activists that they are volunteers with Vanvasi Chetna Ashram and they are helping people of Lingagiri to start their lives once again since they have returned to their home after a gap of 3 years but the Naxals did not listen to them.
Hulsi, the lady volunteer was not touched but both the boys were slapped and their mobile phones were taken away. Naxals said that they suspect them to be SPOs and if it was found that the story they are telling about being VCA volunteers is not correct then they will be further punished
As you know 8 people including a VCA volunteer Sukhlal still remains in jail after a week. Sukhlal had escorted these villagers from Nendra and nearby villages, where VCA volunteers are living and working as Human Shield with Nendra villagers from last more than a year. Draconian CG Public Security Act has been slapped on all these people.
Lingagiri was the second village to be adopted by the VCA Human Shield volunteers.
Meanwhile 6 girls who were raped by Salwa Judum goons and SPOs in Samsatti village and who have filed a case with the help of VCA were threatened by the SPOs and have been forced to leave their village and are now camping in VCA camp near Dantewada
Another VCA activist Kopa Kunjam's house was searched and he was beaten up near Dantewada last week by police. He was asked to disassociate himself from VCA otherwise he will have to face similar beatings in future, he was warned.
All these informations are for appropriate action from your side. We need your help
Sincerely
Himanshu Kumar
Vanvasi Chetna Ashram
Camp : Dantewada
09425260031
- 4.
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Sat Aug 8, 2009 8:24 am (PDT)
Three ex-SC judges to decide Balco stake sale arbitration Abhineet Kumar /
Mumbai August 06, 2009, 0:05 IST
V N Khare and S P Bharucha, both once Chief Justices of India, have been
appointed to the arbitration panel to resolve the issue of sale of the
government's residual 49 per cent stake in Bharat Aluminium Company (Balco)
to Sterlite Industries.
The arbitration is significant for Indian companies, as the earlier
Attorney General had termed the call option given to Sterlite Industries to
buy out the residual stake legally invalid. This case has implications for
other call options given to joint venture partners in several businesses.
Most of the insurance companies in India are working under joint ventures
and the result of the arbitration is keenly awaited,� said a person familiar
with the issue.
Justice Khare represents the government on the panel, while Justice Bharucha
represents Sterlite Industries. The three-member arbitration panel is
scheduled to meet in the last week of this month to resolve the five-year
issue. The third member is retired Supreme Court judge B P Jeevan Reddy, who
was selected by the other two members.
Sterlite, a subsidiary of London-listed Vedanta, bought 51 per cent of Balco
in March 2001 for Rs 552 crore, when the National Democratic Alliance
government decided to divest the government�s stake in the public sector
company. Sterlite owned the right to buy the remaining stake in the
aluminium producer after a three-year period, but ran into differences with
the government over valuation.
After the embargo expired in March 2004, Sterlite sent the government a call
notice and a cheque of Rs 1,099 crore for Balco's residual stake, in
accordance with the shareholders� agreement.
However, differences in the value of the government�s residual stake cropped
up after the United Progressive Alliance came to power in May 2004 and the
issue was referred to the Attorney General, who termed the call option
invalid under Section 111 A of the Companies Act. He said, however, that the
residual stake could be sold at the market price.
In 2006, Sterlite moved the Delhi High Court for interim relief, to ensure
the government did not sell the stake to anyone else. The high court asked
for reconciliation and arbitration.
�The arbitration is expected to get over by the end of this year,� said a
person close to the development. If the arbitration fails, the case may be
settled before a Supreme Court bench.
- 5a.
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Sat Aug 8, 2009 5:29 pm (PDT)
Mining as a form of violence has been there right from the time of the conquest of the Americas which has come to be called the "Columbian Encounter" after Christopher Columbus who initiated the plunder. Later it extended to Africa and Asia. The roots of violence are in profit seeking.
Rahul Banerjee
--- On Sun, 2/8/09, Goldy George < goldymgeorge10@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Goldy George < goldymgeorge10@gmail.com>
Subject: [chhattisgarh- net] Modern Manifestations of Violence
To: chhattisgarh-n...@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sunday, 2 August, 2009, 6:11
Dear all:
For some time we had been discussing on violence and on the other side the question of devleopment. Based on my research on mining industry, I wrote a short note some time back. Please have a look on this for further discussion on industrial violence.
Goldy
Modern Manifestations of Violence
In the present world violence would surface in different module or form, which might even appear to be absolutely peaceful at the peripheral level. But the hidden agenda and intension behind it is so violent that one cannot simply imagine it in ordinary terms. This is the case of mining as in normal terms it would surface as a means of development for the society and of course very much considered as part of national development. But the entire actors and non-actors or the spectators in this process understand the entire story in detail unless proper researches are undertaken. Nevertheless none would to take it as a mode of violence.
What is the different forms violence of mining? Some might even ask if development is violence. Or some may question if for the larger good of people, a few have to suffer what is wrong in that? All these questions sound to be just violent against the ordinary masses. Development in modern times has change the entire definition of economic and social relationship which of course incorporates political relationship too. Earlier economy in any society had been closely knitted in order to balance the relationship among human being and nature. With capitalism the principle had been always to multiply capital by all ways and means. Mining being a major means of productive capital it has been always in the eyes of the moneyed forces. Globalization legitimized and further fastened the process of growth, thus began the unabated plunder of everything on earth.
The context in which the entire thesis of development is debated is crucial and particularly it helps us in understanding the violence of development. The roots of this violence come from the basics of human greed to acquire more and more as part of individual/private property. This forces human beings to adopt violent and exploitative measures to the get maximum to fulfil greed. This exploitation is not limited to human beings, but also extends to nature and cosmos. What could be the end result of this is never thought of while engaging in such enterprise.
Mining is one of the latest manifestations of this violent greedy. Many more modern appearance of violence could be found in the world. However this has got severe implications. This dilapidate not only the socio-economic and political fabric, but it is the socio-cultural genocide of subaltern communities in most part of India. In fact this is the end result of mining since all mining takes place on the land of the indigenous people of this country. Only an economy based on self-reliance, sustainability and eco-harmony can strengthen our economy. A shift from the present one is inevitable.
- 6.
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Sun Aug 9, 2009 2:28 am (PDT)
Friends
otherindia.org is a website that was launched a few months ago by a group of folks concerned
about rapidly shrinking democratic space in India, and the ferocity with
which the Indian state responds to even the weakest sign of resistance
against its brutal onslaughts. Of late, the website has been concentrating on the ever intensifying harassment of VCA volunteers by SPOs, Salwa Judum, Naxals and security forces.
Sanjeev
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