Conflict expert analyses reasons behind surge in Maoist attacks

Human Rights Watch director and Conflict expert Meenakshi Ganguly has analyzed reasons that have led to a surge in the spate of Maoists attacks in the country's red corridor.

The Lok Sabha elections are about to conclude with its last ninth phase due on May 12. Heavy security was installed all across Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand ahead of the election as the Maoists tried to create ruckus during polls. They pasted posters calling for election boycott in many places.

Ganguly said the imposition of Maoist directives on innocent people with use of force was the main issue.

"The problem really is that the Maoists are imposing that boycott with threats, with attacks on polling officials, with trying to block people from voting and that really is a problem," said Ganguly.

More than the rebellious phenomenon, she defied the use of landmines, which has been banned by the UN as it causes indiscriminate destruction.

"One of the things that we are really concerned about is the use of landmines. The human rights watch has opposed the use of landmines all over the world. The Maoists continue to use landmines to target polling officials and the problem is that the landmines by their very nature are indiscriminate. So they can harm others as well. We are very concerned, we urge the Maoists to stop using landmine and comply with the UN regulations on the use of landmine," she added.

She insists that to combat the atrocious forces the establishments should ensure a pro-government feeling among the public and that they are not deprived under the state machinery.

"The only way that the threat can be addressed is to stop the cycle of violence and that is only possible if the people who are caught between these two forces, between a very combated Maoist who are always threatening them, demanding shelter, food, recruiting children. Once the state is able to ensure the people are not suffering under the Maoist but equally are also not suffering under state control. That is how this will be solved. But the problem right now that quite often we are finding that the state forces that is the government forces are also abusive. So it is bad enough that the villagers are suffering from abuses by the Maoist but then they are suffering Human Rights violations from state actors as well and this has to stop," she added.