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Disinterested · Aug 27, 2006, 02:36 pm

This is a great piece on the latest developments in the low intensity war between the Naxalites (Maoists) in India and Salwa Judum, the anti-Maoist forces backed by the Indian government:

India's Naxalites

A spectre haunting India
Aug 17th 2006 | DANTEWADA DISTRICT, CHHATTISGARH
From The Economist print edition

Maoist rebels are fighting a brutal low-level war with the Indian state

GANESH UEIKE, secretary of the West Bastar Divisional Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), seems a gentle, rather academic, man, who does not suit his green combat fatigues or clenched-fist “red salute”. He shuffles dog-eared bits of paper from a shabby file in his knapsack and writes down the questions he is asked. He answers them in slogans that he gives every appearance of believing. He wants to “liberate India from the clutches of feudalism and imperialism”.

The rare interview took place last month, in a thatched shelter in a clearing in the Bastar forest in southern Chhattisgarh. The spot was some seven hours' walk from the nearest road, and there had been a day-and-a-half's wait for such a “big leader” to emerge from a hideout even deeper in the jungle. His party, he said, was facing renewed suppression, because “the resources of finance capitalism are facing sluggishness in their development, and are looking for new routes,” such as the mineral riches of this forest.

Mr Ueike did not mention that, just a few hours beforehand, at the edge of the forest, in a place called Errabore, his comrades had fought back. Several hundred had mounted a co-ordinated attack on a police station, a paramilitary base and a relief camp for displaced people. They killed more than 30 of the camp's residents, mostly by hacking them to death with axes. The scholarly Mr Ueike did boast that his army relied on “low-tech weapons”.

India's Naxalites | A spectre haunting India | Economist.com

Nono · Aug 27, 2006, 04:11 pm

Interesting piece, Dis. This is a far more significant phenomenon in India than the Western press generally let's on. Indian society, especially rural society, is so grossly unjust that it's no wonder Mao looks pretty good to a lot of people, whatever stuff we always here about call centres in Bangalore and the rest of the pro-globalization pitch.

And the Economist is right to compare this to Nepal, where we have seen just how successful Maoists can be when backwardness and injustice are left to fester endlessly.

Hell, that's how Mao got started in China.

bishop · Aug 27, 2006, 04:20 pm

one of my indian coworkers told me about how he used to have people clean his house all the time, and cook dinner for him and his wife every night.. i thought he was living like a king and couldn't understand why he'd come here (on a visa)..

i mentioned this to my boss, also indian, and he said that that's very common in india because labor is so dirt cheap. but, if you want to buy something like a tv or air conditioner, expect to pay a small fortune for it.

with the prices of manufactured goods so vastly exceeding labor prices, you're definitely seeing widening inequality for those who can't get into the hot industries in india (namely everything relating to technology).. on one hand, you see a rapidly growing middle class (as evidenced by the growth in commercial bank accounts and ATM construction).. on the other, there are the uneducated, rural indians.. there's always been conflict between rural and urban indians, and that conflict has had many different faces over time. now, it just so happens to have an economic face.

perhaps this movement can result in greater standards of living for indians in general? (i can't really see this growing into a major civil war imo.)

Ghumanto · Aug 28, 2006, 05:11 am

Naxalites are festering in India because of extreme poverty and injustice. The hindu caste system put a lid for the poor villagers and tribals to upgrade their life . Only in year 2005 alone - more than 3000 farmers committed suicide ( due to inability to repay loans taken to bear dowry for their daughters marriage , or just to buy food and in some cases treatment/medicine ).
Naxalites are also operating in Bangladesh and the south - easter part has been their playground for many years. Although Bangladesh is mainly Muslim but the Hindus ( 10% of the population ) also doesn't bother much about caste system. It is because of the dire unemplyment .

The places near mega Indian cities like Chennai ( Madras ) and Banglore - many farmers are selling 1 kidney to earn some money ( to be paid as dowry for daughters marriage or repay loans ).

We can blame the Naxalites, make fun out of them but unless the root cause is solved - there will always be some sort of violent resistence from the deprived / oppressed.

Fyi, the Nepalese communists banned the caste system ( Nepal is mainly Hindu dominated ) and the new democratic governement is trying to turn it to a secular state ( instead of a Hindu kingdom ) - under the pressure from Mr. Prachanda ( Communist leader ).

Aug 27, 2006, 02:36 pm	#1 (permalink)
Disinterested Go Speed Racer Location: In my mind Posts: 361	Naxalite Movement in India This is a great piece on the latest developments in the low intensity war between the Naxalites (Maoists) in India and Salwa Judum, the anti-Maoist forces backed by the Indian government: India's Naxalites A spectre haunting India Aug 17th 2006 \| DANTEWADA DISTRICT, CHHATTISGARH From The Economist print edition Maoist rebels are fighting a brutal low-level war with the Indian state GANESH UEIKE, secretary of the West Bastar Divisional Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), seems a gentle, rather academic, man, who does not suit his green combat fatigues or clenched-fist “red salute”. He shuffles dog-eared bits of paper from a shabby file in his knapsack and writes down the questions he is asked. He answers them in slogans that he gives every appearance of believing. He wants to “liberate India from the clutches of feudalism and imperialism”. The rare interview took place last month, in a thatched shelter in a clearing in the Bastar forest in southern Chhattisgarh. The spot was some seven hours' walk from the nearest road, and there had been a day-and-a-half's wait for such a “big leader” to emerge from a hideout even deeper in the jungle. His party, he said, was facing renewed suppression, because “the resources of finance capitalism are facing sluggishness in their development, and are looking for new routes,” such as the mineral riches of this forest. Mr Ueike did not mention that, just a few hours beforehand, at the edge of the forest, in a place called Errabore, his comrades had fought back. Several hundred had mounted a co-ordinated attack on a police station, a paramilitary base and a relief camp for displaced people. They killed more than 30 of the camp's residents, mostly by hacking them to death with axes. The scholarly Mr Ueike did boast that his army relied on “low-tech weapons”. India's Naxalites \| A spectre haunting India \| Economist.com "Nothing is impossible, we just don't know how to do it yet." Cudmore, L.L. Larison

Aug 27, 2006, 04:11 pm	#2 (permalink)
Nono Throbbing Member Location: Old Europe Posts: 10,001	Interesting piece, Dis. This is a far more significant phenomenon in India than the Western press generally let's on. Indian society, especially rural society, is so grossly unjust that it's no wonder Mao looks pretty good to a lot of people, whatever stuff we always here about call centres in Bangalore and the rest of the pro-globalization pitch. And the Economist is right to compare this to Nepal, where we have seen just how successful Maoists can be when backwardness and injustice are left to fester endlessly. Hell, that's how Mao got started in China. "I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything." -- Viscount Melbourne

Aug 27, 2006, 04:20 pm	#3 (permalink)
bishop moderat-e/o-r Location: boston Posts: 11,179	one of my indian coworkers told me about how he used to have people clean his house all the time, and cook dinner for him and his wife every night.. i thought he was living like a king and couldn't understand why he'd come here (on a visa).. i mentioned this to my boss, also indian, and he said that that's very common in india because labor is so dirt cheap. but, if you want to buy something like a tv or air conditioner, expect to pay a small fortune for it. with the prices of manufactured goods so vastly exceeding labor prices, you're definitely seeing widening inequality for those who can't get into the hot industries in india (namely everything relating to technology).. on one hand, you see a rapidly growing middle class (as evidenced by the growth in commercial bank accounts and ATM construction).. on the other, there are the uneducated, rural indians.. there's always been conflict between rural and urban indians, and that conflict has had many different faces over time. now, it just so happens to have an economic face. perhaps this movement can result in greater standards of living for indians in general? (i can't really see this growing into a major civil war imo.) hope for america... http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

Aug 28, 2006, 05:11 am	#4 (permalink)
Ghumanto Igneous Magma Posts: 264	Naxalites are festering in India because of extreme poverty and injustice. The hindu caste system put a lid for the poor villagers and tribals to upgrade their life . Only in year 2005 alone - more than 3000 farmers committed suicide ( due to inability to repay loans taken to bear dowry for their daughters marriage , or just to buy food and in some cases treatment/medicine ). Naxalites are also operating in Bangladesh and the south - easter part has been their playground for many years. Although Bangladesh is mainly Muslim but the Hindus ( 10% of the population ) also doesn't bother much about caste system. It is because of the dire unemplyment . The places near mega Indian cities like Chennai ( Madras ) and Banglore - many farmers are selling 1 kidney to earn some money ( to be paid as dowry for daughters marriage or repay loans ). We can blame the Naxalites, make fun out of them but unless the root cause is solved - there will always be some sort of violent resistence from the deprived / oppressed. Fyi, the Nepalese communists banned the caste system ( Nepal is mainly Hindu dominated ) and the new democratic governement is trying to turn it to a secular state ( instead of a Hindu kingdom ) - under the pressure from Mr. Prachanda ( Communist leader ).