Assessing the Indian Government's Response to Naxalite Maoism

Leaders of India's Indian National Congress party (INC) have made statements an insurgency named the Naxalite movement is both a high national security threat and should be dealt with using Government forces and State sponsored militias. To date 100's of Indian police officers have gone missing or are documented as murdered by the Naxalites who are attempting to seize control of Indian villages using terrorist tactics, illegal use of force and other highly questionable methods.

THE INSURGENCY:

Throughout the districts and states of Eastern and Central India, Maoist-Communist inspired rebels known as Naxalites train, recruit, indoctrinate and spread their beliefs among poor locals and villagers. The Naxalites utilize violence, theft, and military control to achieve their objectives and target some of India's poorest regions. This insurgency was originally founded in the late 1960's in the Eastern Indian state of West Bengal and has since spread to many more of India's Eastern states in addition to central states despite a forceful Government crack down on the insurgents during the early years of its existence. Some known information about the Naxalites is provided below.

• The Naxalite movement began in a city named Naxalbari within the Indian State of West Bengal
• The Founders of the Naxalist movement are named Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal
• 10,000-20,000 Naxalite Insurgents are believed to operate within India
• Recently, ties to the Napalese Maoist movement have been identified
• Approximately 40% of Naxalites are Women
• The Naxalite movement is one of several Indian extremist terror organizations
• Naxalites claim political legitimacy through connection with the Indian Maoist Communist Party
• 100's-1000's of deaths are attributed to Naxalite violence annually

THE PROBLEM:

Since it's founding in the late 1960's, the Naxalite movement has only grown in size and taken hold of the minds and geography of more and more Indians. Social and cultural factors are believed by many to be at the root of the movement. Specifically, variables such as poverty, dissidence and profound frustration with the economic divide between India's elite and economically comfortable classes and those at the very bottom of the wealth spectrum are identified as being causal.

The Naxalite movement makes use of tactics and strategies that are vicious, illegal, misguided, and politically unsanctioned by the Indian Government. Government police and armed militias are frequently attacked, kidnapped and/or killed by the Naxalites causing much bloodshed and terror. The Naxalites arm themselves through these attacks and claim legitimacy through endorsements of the Maoist Communist Party of India.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS:

Since the Naxalite movement is an internally derived and funded rebellion that makes use of its forceful tactics to intimidate, tax, and seize control of territory, the solutions that may be effective might also be internal. Generally, solutions should be Democratically arrived at through the Indian political system or comply with existing Indian laws if efforts are carried out by non-profit, international or corporate entities.

While the need for and benefits of International assistance and attention may not be essential, the Naxalite problems are essentially ones of domestic inequality of justice, corrupt governance, poor economic management and week security in affected Indian districts. In other words, the failure of the Indian government to completely deal with the growing problem may at least justify consideration of international assistance. Potential solutions therefore would seem to be intrinsic and therefore rest in the hands of Indians to manage in an ongoing fashion. A few of the solutions which might be considered are mentioned below.

• Reduce weekly and/or corruptly administered parts of India with patronage, accountability, and enhanced Democratic regulation.

• Maintain Law and Order with military presence in States and districts influenced by the Naxalite insurgency.

• Stimulate economic development and growth at the grassroots level through loans, and grants aimed at generating both practical and sustainable project, business and community progress.

• Recognize and reward Indians who implement and operate economic development projects.

• Instate and encourage secular civil rights, employment laws and equitable justice throughout all Indian States as appropriate and determined by national political democracy.

• Solicit International conflict resolution task forces to assist Indian efforts to solve the problem.

CONCLUSION(S):

The Naxalite movement is relatively small militarily, but has considerable clout among the demographics of certain parts of India. The movement is fueled by inadequate Governmental, and civil intervention that fails to address the core issues of the issues which fuel the Naxalite agenda. Past use of Indian government led military force has been demonstrated through the history of the Naxalite movement to only temporarily disenfranchise the insurgency.

As with all uprisings, the conflict starts in the minds of those engaging in the uprising. At some point whether it be via community indoctrination, coercion, misinformation, threat, informed or uniformed choice, survival or otherwise individuals within the Naxalite movement at some point became Naxalite in their sentiment. While sentiments may not be completely reversible, people are still people and respond to a wide variety of psychological, sociological and cultural influences.

Correctly identifying the right influences for the East Indian people who are targeted and recruited by Naxalites could involve reengaging a belief in an unified India, civil justice, democracy, sustainable economic development and a recognition of human dignity and national Indian rights. Additionally, appropriately dealing with Naxalites who use force, illegal transgressions of personhood, false taxation, violence and other wrongdoings may serve as example of an even handed justice that applies not just to Naxalites but to all Indians.

Sources and References:

http://www.cfr.org/publication/12773/terror_groups_in_india.html#7
http://www.pulitzercenter.org/showproject.cfm?id=44
http://www.asthabharati.org/Dia_Apr05/Sanjay.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxalite
http://www.parabaas.com/translation/database/reviews/brSumanta.html
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/204438.php/Police-destroy-15-Naxal-camps-in-Jharkhand