Tribals take out rally opposing Operation Green Hunt'

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2010/05/02/stories/2010050254610300.htm)
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Tribals take out rally opposing Operation Green Hunt'


Staff Reporter



Some 5,000 tribals participate in the rally


BERHAMPUR: Armed tribals on Saturday took out a rally at Malkangiri town protesting against the ‘Operation Greenhunt', the proposed joint operation against Maoists parts of south Orissa, adjoining Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
This rally came up a day after the week-long ‘bandh' call by Maoists in south Orissa against ‘Operation Greenhunt', which ended on Friday. Around 5,000 tribals with their traditional arms like bows and arrows, axes, swords etc took part in this rally under the banner of ‘Malkangiri Zilla Adivasi Sangh'. These tribals were from remote naxal infested pockets of Malkangiri district. Armed security forces were deployed at Malkangiri town for the rally. But no untoward incidents were reported.
The tribals handed over a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister of Orissa to the Collector of Malkangiri. They demanded the ‘Operation Greenhunt' to be stopped as according to them it would lead to exploitation of tribals living in remote areas at the hands of security forces and their loss of livelihood. They also added up demands like provision of basic amenities in remote areas and tribal right over land on which they live.
Recently under different banners demonstrations are being taken up in naxal infested areas against any major joint operation against Maoists. On April 2, a large number of tribals, under the banner of Konda Reddy Unnayan Sangha (KRUS) made a demonstration at Malkangiri town opposing any major action against naxals to be taken up in their area. On April 15, a new outfit of tribal women named Biplabi Adivasi Mahila Sangh (BAMS) took out a rally in Maoist-hit Narayanpatna to protest against proposed special joint anti-Maoist operations in the area. The tribals also put up posters at several places in the district urging the State administration to refrain from such operation. It may be noted that Malkangiri and Koraput district of south Orissa adjoining Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh and naxal-infested areas of Andhra Pradesh are key areas of proposed anti-Maoist operation. It was suspected that Maoists involved in the carnage of 76 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in!
Dantewada district may have slipped into these districts of Orissa. Already Border Security Force personnel are deployed in these districts.






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