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Further Reading

Andhra Pradesh / Naxalite

In India today there are many Maoist parties and organizations that either predate the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) or emerged from factions when the CPI-ML split after the death of Charu Majumdar. Three of them, the CPI-ML (People's War), CPI-ML (Party Unity), and the Maoist Communist Center (MCC), are currently engaged in armed struggle. An inter-connected "Naxalite belt" stretches across central India, comprising Bihar, MP, Orissa, AP, Maharashtra and parts of Tamil Nadu. Those parts which were connected to the neighboring states came under the influence of Naxalism. Its members are called Naxalites after the eastern Indian town of Naxalbari, where their movement originated in 1967.

The 25 May 1967 peasant uprising at Naxalbari in Darjeeling district of West Bengal began under the leadership of revolutionary communists belonging to the Communist Party of India - Marxist [CPI (M)]. The uprising was brutally suppressed by the CPI (M)-led United Front government of West Bengal at the behest of the Congress government at the Center. In reaction, communist revolutionary ranks rebel against the leadership of the party. The rebellion soon assumes an all India dimension. Entire state units of CPI (M) in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and considerable sections in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh joined this rebellion. On 22 April 1969 they formed the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).

Since 1980 clashes between police and Naxalite Maoist revolutionaries have taken place in northwestern Andhra Pradesh. In areas under their control, Naxalites dispense summary justice in "people's courts" which in some cases condemn to death suspected police informers, village headmen, and others deemed to be "class enemies" or "caste oppressors." The Naxalites extort money from business firms, and railway services in one area had to be canceled in July and August due to PWG destruction of stations, track and signaling equipment. Over the past few years, hundreds of policemen and suspected Naxalites have been killed, according to press reports and human rights organization. As of September 1998 police had killed 102 Naxalites in approximately 80 "encounters." Decades of guerrilla-style conflict have led to serious human rights abuses by both sides. Human rights groups allege that "encounters" are usually faked by the police to cover up the torture and subsequent murder of Naxalite suspects, sympathizers, or informers. These groups cite as evidence the refusal of police to hand over corpses of suspects killed in "encounters," which are often cremated before families can view the bodies. Andhra police have contributed to the establishment of an armed vigilante group known as the "Green Tigers," whose mission is to combat Naxalite groups in the state. The NHRC is investigating some 285 reported cases so-called "fake encounter deaths" allegedly committed by the Andhra police in connection with anti-Naxalite operations.

Between 1999 and 2001, several hundred deaths a year were attributed to Naxalite/ government fighting and activities. The revolutionaries sought to carve out a "Compact Revolutionary Zone"; however their efforts were suppressed by the Indian and Nepalese governments.

In February, 2002 the Home Ministry held several rounds of talks with the state government of Andhra Pradesh and a representative of the Peoples War Group. In June 2002, the group withdrew from those talks following a police encounter.

By May of 2003, tensions seemed to ease. The Naxalite revolutionaries had not been violently active in the preceding 4 months, and the Indian Government appeared committed to implementing the 1997 act which stipulated improvement for the Naxalite population. The government decided to reduce the number of police forces in the area, and agreed to unconditional talks with the revolutionaries. An assassination attempt against Chief Minster Naidu of Andhra Pradesh marked a serious downturn in the peace process and PWG and the police to step up their activities.

In 2004 a government three month long cease-fire and a temporary lifting of a ban of the PWG failed to result in a long term peace agreement. More than 500 people were killed in 2004 in sporadic low-intensity conflict.

2004 also marked an important political development in the Naxalite movement. During the final months of 2004 the PWG merged with the Maoist Communist Center of India, creating the Communist Party of India (Maoist), becomming the largest Maoist rebel group with operations in over 9 states. This group also stepped up cross border relations with Nepal's Maoists.

In the wake of the breakdown of the peace process between the PWG and the Andhra Pradesh state government in 2004, the fighting between government and Naxalite forces increased in 2005. While the fighting remained low-intensity and sporadic in nature, over 700 people were killed, a third of whom were civilians.

In July, 2006 violence between Naxalites and government forces increased significantly. On July 17, an armed group of approximately 800 Naxalites attacked a relief camp in Dantewada killing at least 25 people and wounding 80 more. It is believed that the Naxalites staged their attack from the Andhra Pradesh state. The relief camp targeted provided shelter to over four thousand internally displaced persons. Four Naxalites were reportedly killed in retaliatory fire. On July 23, 2006 in what was claimed as a major blow against Andhra Pradesh Naxalite forces, the Naxalite leader of the Andhra Pradesh state was killed in a raid along with seven other people by police in the Prakasam district.

From 2002-2006 over three thousand people have been killed in Naxalite-goverment conflicts.