Citizens' Report Highlights Security and Human Rights Concerns in Bastar Division

New Delhi - A newly released report by a group of concerned citizens has shed light on the alarming security and human rights situation in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, revealing widespread unrest and violations against the local Adivasi population. The report, titled "Security and Insecurity, Bastar Division, Chhattisgarh, 2023 – 2024," was presented at a press conference at the Press Club in New Delhi on Monday.

According to the report, the proliferation of security camps in Bastar has turned the region into one of the most militarized zones in India. Since 2019, the government has established around 250 security camps, with an additional 50 camps announced earlier this year, creating a ratio of one security personnel for every nine civilians. These camps, which are often set up on Adivasi private or community land without their consent, have sparked widespread protests across the region.

The government justifies the camps as necessary for "area domination" and the development of infrastructure, such as roads, schools, and health centers. However, the report and local Adivasi communities dispute these claims, arguing that the camps are primarily intended to facilitate mining operations in the resource-rich region. Since 2022, 51 mining leases have been granted in Bastar, with only 14 under public sector control, raising concerns about the encroachment of corporate interests.

Human rights violations near these camps have become rampant, with the report documenting harassment by security forces, restrictions on local markets, and mass arrests. Between 2011 and 2022, 6,804 arrests were made in the Bastar region, often under charges of Maoist sympathies. The report also highlights a spike in extrajudicial killings, with 136 such incidents recorded between January and June 2024 alone.

The situation in Bastar mirrors similar developments in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, where at least 30 camps have been set up in the Saranda and Kolhan forests. These camps, located in conservation zones under the Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM), 2018, have led to increased illegal detentions, false cases, and violence against the Adivasi communities.

Speakers at the press conference, including representatives from Jharkhand and Odisha, condemned the proliferation of these camps, calling it an imposition on local Adivasi communities. They argue that the camps are part of a broader strategy to suppress peaceful democratic protests and advance corporate mining interests at the expense of Adivasi lives and constitutional rights.

The citizens' report calls for an immediate halt to human rights violations, the implementation of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006, and the withdrawal of security camps set up without local consent.

The report urges the government to address the grievances of the Adivasi communities and respect the legal frameworks designed to protect their rights.