Sukma attack

Sukma attack

Beefing up security and addressing tribal grievances must go together.
The deadly Maoist attack on a CRPF platoon in Chhattisgarh's Sukma ¬ that has seen 25 jawans die in combat ¬ again highlights the threat that leftist ultras pose. This attack is one of the three biggest attacks on security forces in seven years. The CRPF jawans had been deployed to secure an under-construction road in the Maoist stronghold when they were ambushed by around 300 to 400 insurgents. That only last month 12 CRPF jawans were killed in a similar fashion barely 20km from Monday's attack site shows two things.There is a clear failure of intelligence among security forces and Maoists desperately want to halt road construction projects in the area.
It's shocking that of the more than 1,100 casualties among security forces recorded on the Maoist front in Chhattisgarh since the state was formed in 2000, around 550 are from Sukma alone. Attacks like the one in 2010 that killed 76 CRPF personnel or the one in 2013 when 27 people including Congress leaders VC Shukla, Mahendra Karma and Nand Kumar Patel were killed in a Maoist ambush, should have led to a comprehensive review of standard operating procedures and better coordination among security agencies. Not only has this not been the case, security forces are literally walking into death traps in this region which lies on the tri-junction of Maoist activities in three states.
There's no denying that development is a crucial component in defeating the Maoist propaganda. And building of roads in Maoist-affected areas will facilitate the establishment of schools, hospitals and basic amenities for the locals. This of course requires a modicum of security. But tribal grievances too can't be ignored. Unfortunately, there has been a stream of reports of human rights abuses perpetrated by both security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh's red zone. Alienation of tribals needs to be addressed if long-term development and peace are to prevail.
Approaches to tackling Maoism are inevitably stuck in a security human rights binary, but this doesn't have to be the case. In fact, government needs to deploy the right mix of security, development and human rights protection to root out the Maoist problem. This can be done by bringing Adivasi groups, civil society organisations and political parties together, while simultaneously improving intelligence and operational coordination for security forces. It's time to cast aside old shibboleths and adopt a fresh approach.