Legacy of Ethiopia's famine. Food Insecurity in the Divided geopolitics!
Indian Holocaust My father`s Life and Time- One Hundred and EIGHTY THREE
Palash Biswas
http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/
Is ETHIOPIA so far away as Romantic Poetry rhetoric is concerned!As we live in a Peripherry of US war ECONOMY, I have been writing since the Beginning of Post Modern Manusmriti aparthed Rule and ECONOMIC Reforms do unite the RULING Classes worldwide! How may we gain SUSTENANCE remaing so ISOLATED like Islands, say continets or Hemisphesre whilethe MOON and MARS and far AWAY Planets from different Galaxies have to be COLONISED very soon! While you are in a GLOBAL Village, you must behave as GLOBAL Citizens but the have BLINDED usas GLOBAL CONSUMERS with Strategic Marketing based in Holy Scripts and Political Ideological hypocricies! We believed the Marxists for Hundreds of years and now we fall in love with Maoist Menace! May it save us from Ultinmate Destruction? ultimate calamity. provided NUCLEAR Plants in Pakistan or India are TARGETED in TerrorStrikes, how far would be HIROSHIMA and Nagasaki as we alredy seem tobe Habitual to live with Bhopalgas Tragedy, Babri demolition, CHERNOBYLS!
I read GOOD EARTH in my CHILDHOOD which deals with Great China FAMINE!CHHOTOKAKA got the book for me while I was a Primary student and jsut learning reading. WANG remains in my heart even today and OLAN resembles our women folk. We read only the VIETNAM reports while we SAW the OIL War! The VISUAL LIVE CAST and REALTY SHOWS these days may not change our senses! RUSSIAN Classics and ENGLISH Novels with French Classic Les Miserables EXPOSE the WORLD only, in which we BREATHE even today! Tragedy of TESS is our RURAL Indian IDENTITY. DICKENS Novelexposes Industrialisation MYth so Naked!
Frineds, we the Black Untouchable Negroid Pan African ENSLAVED people selected for ETHNIC Cleansing, to whom my father belonged as well as my fore fathers, we do live in the World of ETHIOPIA!
Is the Tragedy of Othelo limited within African Humanscape?
Is the ANTI APARTHEID movement in AFRICA not our Heritage?
We may not dare to distance or detach ourselves fromeither ETHIOPIA nor SOMALIA but NONE amongst us seems to replicate the Original REBEL, SPARTCUS in GREEK!
Yes, our life and time, both have the elements of Greek Tragedy where we are the same people, the same suffering Humanity worldwide since time INFINITE BONDED by DESTINY,INEQUALITY, INJUSTICE, ETHNIC CLEANSING, HOLOCAUST, EXODUS, DESTRUCTION, CALAMITIES, PANDEMICS, UNTOUCHABILITY,APARTHEID, REPRESSION, HEGEMONY, FOOD INSECURITY, global Warming, CLIMATE Change and the GLOBAL Market!
Why do you forget the Continuity of bengal and Chinese FAMINES? Why do you not see the DEATH PROCESSIONS and SUICIDES, Massacres and genocide culture! We need not any fresh CONNECTIVITY with our brothers in AFRICA , Europe, Australia or AMERICAS! We are CONECTED in Blood!
The Galaxy Hegemony seeks for Human Space in ZERO but thsi EARTH suffers INTENSE Food Insecurity in every part of different Geopolitics, different Culture, different Nationality and different FOLK!
We stnd UNITED in HUNGER and STARVATION ,though we may not bethat ROCK SOLID in RESISTANCE but the Insurrections continue!
Hunger Facts: International
World Hunger and Poverty: How They Fit Together
1.02 billion people across the world are hungry. 1
Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes--one child every five seconds. 2
In essence, hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food. 3
Hunger manifests itself in many ways other than starvation and famine. Most poor people who battle hunger deal with chronic undernourishment and vitamin or mineral deficiencies, which result in stunted growth, weakness and heightened susceptibility to illness. 3
Countries in which a large portion of the population battles hunger daily are usually poor and often lack the social safety nets we enjoy, such as soup kitchens, food stamps, and job training programs. When a family that lives in a poor country cannot grow enough food or earn enough money to buy food, there is nowhere to turn for help. 3
Facts and Figures on Population
Today our world is home to 6.7 billion people. 4
The United States is a part of the high-income group of nations, which consists of about 65 countries with a combined population of about 1 billion, less than one sixth of the world’s population. 5
In contrast, approximately 5.6 billion people live in low and lower-middle income economies. This world, earning under $3,705 GNI per capita, is made up of about 103 low and middle income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries. 6
Facts and Figures on Hunger and Poverty
In 2005, almost 1.4 billion people lived below the international poverty line, earning less than $1.25 per day. 7
Among this group of poor people, many have problems obtaining adequate, nutritious food for themselves and their families. As a result, 947 million people in the developing world are undernourished. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth. 8
Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy, hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation. 1
Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income. 1
Socially, the lack of food erodes relationships and feeds shame so that those most in need of support are often least able to call on it. 1
Go to the World Food Programme website and click on either "Counting the Hungry" or "Interactive Hunger Map" for presentations on hunger and poverty around the world.
Facts and Figures on Health
Poor nutrition and calorie deficiencies cause nearly one in three people to die prematurely or have disabilities, according to the World Health Organization. 9
Pregnant women, new mothers who breastfeed infants, and children are among the most at risk of undernourishment. 9
In 2006, about 9.7 million children died before they reached their fifth birthday. Almost all of these deaths occured in developing countries, 4/5 of them in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the two regions that also suffer from the highest rates of hunger and malnutrition. 10
Most of these deaths are attributed, not to outright starvation, but to diseases that move in on vulnerable children whose bodies have been weakened by hunger. 11
Every year, more than 20 million low-birth weight babies are born in developing countries. These babies risk dying in infancy, while those who survive often suffer lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities. 12
The four most common childhood illnesses are diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, malaria and measles. Each of these illnesses is both preventable and treatable. Yet, again, poverty interferes in parents’ ability to access immunizations and medicines. Chronic undernourishment on top of insufficient treatment greatly increases a child’s risk of death. 11
In the developing world, 26 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely underweight. 10 percent are severely underweight. 11 percent of children under 5 are moderately to severely wasted, or seriously below weight for one’s height, and an overwhelming 32 percent are moderately to severely stunted, or seriously below normal height for one’s age. 13
Facts and Figures on HIV/AIDS
The spreading HIV/AIDS epidemic has quickly become a major obstacle in the fight against hunger and poverty in developing countries.
Because the majority of those falling sick with AIDS are young adults who normally harvest crops, food production has dropped dramatically in countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. 13
In half of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, per capita economic growth is estimated to be falling by between 0.5 and 1.2 percent each year as a direct result of AIDS. 14
Infected adults also leave behind children and elderly relatives, who have little means to provide for themselves. In 2003, 12 million children were newly orphaned in southern Africa, a number expected to rise to 18 million in 2010. 14
Since the epidemic began, 25 million people have died from AIDS, which has caused more than 15 million children to lose at least one parent. For its analysis, UNICEF uses a term that illustrates the gravity of the situation; child-headed households, or minors orphaned by HIV/AIDS who are raising their siblings. 13, 15
1 % (ages 15-49) of the world is HIV prevalent (2005 data). 5
1.1 % (ages 15-49) of developing countries are HIV prevalent (2005 data). 5
Approximately 39.5 million people are living with HIV/AIDS in the world. Of this figure, 63 percent live in Sub-Saharan Africa. 14
In 2006, 4.3 million people become infected with HIV and 2.9 million people died of AIDS. 14
http://www.bread.org/learn/hunger-basics/hunger-facts-international.html
Meanwhile, reuter reports:
Despite Doha, India pushes ahead with free trade
India's rising number of free trade agreements signals a commitment to more open markets, but the question remains whether such deals
will smooth the way for Asia's third-largest economy to sign a global trade pact.
Against the backdrop of the stuttering Doha world trade talks and the global economic slowdown, the Indian government has pushed ahead with smaller, more manageable deals with the likes of Thailand, South Korea and the ASEAN bloc of nations.
New Delhi is also eyeing pacts with big hitters such as the European Union, to whom Indian exports jumped 29 per cent from the previous year to $34.5 billion in 2007-8, according to Indian government data.
But Doha remains the biggest prize at a time when the financial crisis has smothered exports and raised the spectre of a return to protectionism.
There are fears preferential one-on-one deals could entangle countries such as India and shrink their bargaining power in a Doha deal, still stuck after eight years.
But for India, the government says it's so far, so good. "(FTAs) will not really create handicaps for us, they don't constrain our position," PK Dash, a trade ministry official involved in FTA negotiations, told news agency.
"We believe it is in line with our issues in the multilateral forum."
Critics in rich countries blamed India for the collapse of the Doha talks last year in a row over farm and industry tariffs.
India has since made optimistic noises about reaching a deal, and a gradual lowering of barriers through FTAs could actually help prepare a country historically cautious about freeing its markets for a global pact.
"Sometimes these FTAs also serve as what you might call an immunisation or inoculation," said Rajiv Kumar, head of the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.
"The real benefit to India comes along in terms of making India more open and less protected."
India, China sign climate cooperation deal
21 Oct 2009, 1822 hrs IST, REUTERS
NEW DELHI: India and China
on Wednesday signed a broad agreement to cooperate in the fight against climate change and also underlined a common
position on contentious talks for a tougher global climate deal.
The sweeping agreement covers cooperation for action to reduce planet-warming greenhouse gases, transfer of technology and in areas of energy efficiency and renewables, among others.
It comes weeks before a major climate meeting in Copenhagen in December the United Nations hopes will end with agreement on a broader pact to slow the pace of climate change that scientists say is caused by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
Finding ways to get big developing nations to join is crucial, the United Nations says, with China now the world's top greenhouse gas emitter and India the fourth largest.
The deal is among several that India is sealing with rich and developing nations as proof of its commitment towards sealing a new climate pact meant to expand or replace the existing Kyoto Protocol.
"My clear understanding is that India is in no way signing bilateral deals to undermine multi-lateral negotiations. This is an expression of interest in finding common ground," said Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment.
Tuesday's agreement, which holds good for five years, was signed by India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Xie Zhenhua, vice minister at China's National Development and Reform Commission.
India signed a similar deal with Japan this week and has spoken of cooperation with South Korea, Brazil and the United States.
The India-China agreement said developed countries should take the lead in fighting climate change by reducing emissions and providing finance and technology to poorer nations.
It said: "...that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol are the most appropriate framework for addressing climate change."
The Kyoto Protocol, the first phase of which ends in 2012, obliges 37 rich nations to cut emissions by an average of five percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.
A huge gap also exists between rich countries reluctant to pay the fiscal and lifestyle costs of deep cuts in their emissions, and developing states which say they must be allowed to increase emissions so their economies can catch up.
Negotiations have stumbled on lack of clarity on the amount, sources and management of any climate funds as well as the legal nature of any new post-2012 pact.
Gloom, frustration mark Doha talks
23 Oct 2009, 0337 hrs IST, REUTERS
GENEVA: Gloomy negotiators are expressing frustration at the lack of progress in the World Trade Organisation's Doha round, even as they hold an
intensive series of meetings intended to secure a breakthrough.
"We have a credibility problem... these are lean times," said the ambassador of one emerging country, as he left a meeting of key delegations to take stock of the talks, which political leaders want wrapped up by next year.
"People are saying it's not just about procedure, but about substance," added a senior ambassador from a developing country.
The Doha round is now in its eighth year, but its promise of opening markets and helping developing countries to prosper through trade seems remote, with WTO members apparently unwilling to compromise enough to kickstart the stalled talks.
"My perception is that despite all the meetings there has been no progress whatsoever," Brazil's WTO ambassador Roberto Azevedo said.
BACKTRACKING
Azevedo even detected some backtracking. Rich countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and other food importers wanted to step up protection for their farmers beyond levels agreed in abortive talks in July last year, he said.
At the same time they were calling on developing countries to open their markets more to industrial goods and services.
WTO members agreed only in September on an intensive work programme until the end of the year. This involved negotiations on the full range of trade issues, attended once a month by senior officials from capitals, plus informal bilateral contacts and meetings in small groups.
But many countries – led by Argentina – expressed frustration on Thursday at being left out of meetings of a dozen leading players hosted by the European Union which they say touched on topics of direct interest to them.
Many WTO members believe the blockage in the talks comes from Washington -- where free trade is hard to sell politically and trade generally is a lower priority than issues such as healthcare, the war in Afghanistan and the financial crisis.
GENEVA: Gloomy negotiators are expressing frustration at the lack of progress in the World Trade Organisation's Doha round, even as they hold an
intensive series of meetings intended to secure a breakthrough.
"We have a credibility problem... these are lean times," said the ambassador of one emerging country, as he left a meeting of key delegations to take stock of the talks, which political leaders want wrapped up by next year.
"People are saying it's not just about procedure, but about substance," added a senior ambassador from a developing country.
The Doha round is now in its eighth year, but its promise of opening markets and helping developing countries to prosper through trade seems remote, with WTO members apparently unwilling to compromise enough to kickstart the stalled talks.
"My perception is that despite all the meetings there has been no progress whatsoever," Brazil's WTO ambassador Roberto Azevedo said.
BACKTRACKING
Azevedo even detected some backtracking. Rich countries such as the United States, Canada, Japan and other food importers wanted to step up protection for their farmers beyond levels agreed in abortive talks in July last year, he said.
At the same time they were calling on developing countries to open their markets more to industrial goods and services.
WTO members agreed only in September on an intensive work programme until the end of the year. This involved negotiations on the full range of trade issues, attended once a month by senior officials from capitals, plus informal bilateral contacts and meetings in small groups.
But many countries – led by Argentina – expressed frustration on Thursday at being left out of meetings of a dozen leading players hosted by the European Union which they say touched on topics of direct interest to them.
Many WTO members believe the blockage in the talks comes from Washington -- where free trade is hard to sell politically and trade generally is a lower priority than issues such as healthcare, the war in Afghanistan and the financial crisis.
PM looks to fast-track Asean talks
22 Oct 2009, 0119 hrs IST, Amiti Sen, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI
: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to ask the ten-member Asean grouping to speed up bilateral negotiations on opening up markets in
services and investments during the East-Asia Summit and the India-Asean Summit in Bangkok this week, a government official has said.
Commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma, who will accompany the PM, will hold talks with Asean ministers on the execution of the recently-concluded free trade agreement (FTA) on goods, and also the investment and services pact in the works.
India is keen on getting the agreement on services and investments finalised. The reason is that as Asean’s tariffs on goods were already low, India is expected to reap a much greater benefit from the agreement on services and investment than from goods.
“Since services and investments are the main areas of interest for India, the country is keen that the negotiations happen with the same enthusiasm with which the talks on goods were carried out. The PM will pass on this message at the summit,” said a commerce department official, requesting anonymity.
Mr Shrama is scheduled to enter ink a pact with his Vietnamese counterpart, giving recognition to the country as a market economy, following which Vietnam will sign the FTA, the official said. Vietnam is the only country that did not sign the India-Asean FTA as it had insisted on the market economy status from India.
He will also exchange views on the pan-Asian economic ties that is being planned between the Asean countries, Japan, China, Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
India is also expected to “enthusiastically” participate in the discussions on the pan-Asian economic partnership which ultimately would lead to a free trade area in the entire Asia-Pacific region. “Now that India has signed the long negotiated FTA with Asean, it can participate in the East Asia talks with a feeling of greater ownership,” the official said.
The Asean countries include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
Rice crop reels under Deccan floods in Maharashtra
7 Oct 2009, 0728 hrs IST, Jayashree Bhosale, ET Bureau
PUNE: Heavy rain in Maharashtra has damaged crops spread over 1 lakh hectare in eight districts. This includes 79,000 hectare of recently sown rabi
jowar, which will need re-sowing. However, the overall rainfall will be helpful for the rabi and the standing sugarcane crop.
The rain has also damaged the standing crop of rice in the Konkan region. Rice, which was ready for harvesting, has been damaged over 18,000 hectare in the two districts of Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri.
State agriculture commissioner Prabhakar Deshmukh who toured the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts on Tuesday told ET that in Sindhudurg, 4,800 hectare of rice, especially near rivers, is under water.
“The heavy rainfall, which was more than 400 mm on some days, has damaged the early maturing varieties of rice, which were at the harvesting stage,” he said.
Jowar, gram, wheat and maize are the main rabi crops of the state. The Pune region, comprising Ahmednagar, Pune and Solapur, is the main jowar-growing area in the state. Rabi jowar sowing began a fortnight ago and had picked up momentum last week, with five lakh hectare added to the area under jowar in that week alone.
Solapur, represented by Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, had taken the lead in sowing of rabi jowar. Till October 5, jowar has been sown on more than 1 lakh hectare in the district, amounting to 15% of the normal jowar area there. Of this 1 lakh hectare, re-sowing will be needed to be done in over 62,000 hectare. Akkalkot and Mangalvedha are the main talukas in Solapur where jowar has been damaged by the recent downpour.
In Sangli district, too, rabi jowar will have to be re-sown on 15,000 hectare. Here, the maximum damage has taken place in Jat taluka, a perennially drought-prone area.
Overall, though, the current rainfall is expected to prove helpful for the rabi season of the state as sowing of a majority of the rabi crops like gram and wheat is yet to begin. Maharashtra has 53.6 lakh hectare under rabi while sowing has taken place on 14% of this area so far.
Kharif crop estimates to be out on Oct 15 sans flood-impact
8 Oct 2009, 0409 hrs IST, Prabha Jagannathan, ET Bureau
NEW DELHI: After a prolonged delay that set the cash registers ringing for agri commodities countrywide, the Centre is readying the release of its
early kharif crop estimates by October 15. But irony of ironies: the farm ministry's estimates will be based mainly on inputs of crop acreage and damage from all the states in the aftermath of poor rains and outright drought in more than half the districts for the country.
It will take much longer for Krishi Bhavan to collate the actual damage from the recent heavy rains and floods in three states to standing paddy, cotton, groundnut, soyabean, maize and jowar (coarse cereals) crops in several flood affected districts.
Prices for several of these could go up further, as also for some spices, pulses and vegetables on the back of apprehensions of adverse impact. But the real fear is the extent to which the damage will increase pressure on Rabi output, already under heavy pressure to increase, after the extensive drought, to make for foodgrain shortfall pegged at a rough estimate of at least 18%. “We are working on releasing the first advance estimates for 2009-10 indicating production projections for key kharif crops by October 15. All the states have given their crop assessment inputs as a consequence of the poor monsoons in several districts only recently, although they were supposed to do this by end August so that the estimates were out on time by mid to end September,” a farm ministry official in the know told ET.
The recent rains and floods in three states wreaked extensive damage to irrigation facilities and roads and bridges, to cattle and farmsteads etc. Apart from kharif, that will also impact on any possibility of early Rabi sowing in all these district unless farmers are supported through special loans.
The farm ministry could, in the event, push for support to farmers in these states so that they may maximise Rabi output despite the developments. We have directed the state governments to let us know early on whether any significant revision of crop estimates is needed in the flood affected districts. That will likely take another fortnight for district officials to survey the regions and report to the Centre, the official said.
However, a detailed report is only expected after the relief and rescue operations are completed, a development that has been made easier for the defence forces after water levels receded on Tuesday.
The Centre has already received massive interim damage assessment reports for infrastructure, agriculture, irrigation horticulture and animal husbandry from both state governments. What could also definitely add to the Kharif crop output woes of the government is that the floods could bring down further the current estimates of rice output, already down by 10-12 million tonnes because of a six million hectare lower acreage. Andhra Pradesh, among the affected states, is a key rice producer for the country.
The entire Krishna, Mehboobnagar, Prakasam and Kurnool beltl in AP and parts of neighbouring Karnataka that were flood-hit are paddy regions.
Govt seeks estimate of short-term farm loans
23 Oct 2009, 0310 hrs IST, ET Bureau
MUMBAI: To help the government assess likely interest subsidy amount, RBI on Thursday asked state-run banks for estimates on short-term loan of up
to Rs 3 lakh given to each farmer in the current fiscal.
“Banks are advised to immediately submit their estimates of short-term production credit to farmers up to Rs 3 lakh for Kharif and Rabi 2009-10 (separately) to enable us to provide the government with an estimate of the likely amount of subvention,” RBI said in a notification.
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee in his budget speech this year had proposed continuing with the interest subsidy scheme for short-term crop loans to farmers for loans up to Rs 3 lakh each farmer at the interest rate of 7% per annum. Following the announcement, the government had said it would provide interest subsidy of 2% to public sector banks on short-term production credit up to Rs 3 lakh provided to farmers. The subsidy would be given to those public sector banks, which extend short-term credit at 7% per annum. RBI said the banks are required to submit their claims on half yearly basis.
Mr Mukherjee had also announced that the government would pay additional subsidy of 1%, as an incentive to those farmers who repay their short-term crop loans on schedule. The interest rate for these farmers will come down to 6%.
PSU banks told to lend more for infra thrust
23 Oct 2009, 0308 hrs IST, Sangita Mehta, ET Bureau
MUMBAI: The Centre has urged public sector banks to increase financial support for building urban infrastructure by lending
more to municipal
corporations. Banks have in turn agreed to double support to a facility aimed at funding municipalities. The move comes from the thinking that given the rapid pace of urbanisation, the urban infrastructure will come under pressure.
In 2006, IL&FS, IDBI, IIFCL and Canara Bank had decided to initiate the unified framework of debt financing known as Pooled Municipal Debt Obligation (PMDO) facility, whereby these four lenders would be the key sponsors to lend to urban municipal. Each of the lenders had committed to lend up to Rs 250 crore. The sponsor banks also had received commitment from another 11 banks for Rs 2,000 crore. Under the facility, banks had agreed to provide loan for 10 years with a base rate of 9.5% with a three-year moratorium. The basic purpose of this pooled facility is to channelise the debt funds to the urban infrastructure with a common governance framework.
“Earlier all lenders had agreed to commit about Rs 3,000 crore for three years. In a recent meeting between banks and senior officials from the finance ministry, it has been decided that banks will double their commitment for PMDO,” said a lender present in the meeting. So far, under this facility, banks have assisted 30 projects for Rs 800 crore. During the meeting, banks have reviewed loans to municipal corporations and measures that can be taken to increase credit to them.
IL&FS Urban Infrastructure Asset Managers is monitoring loans and overlooking administration work of the urban infrastructure projects that are funded through this facility. The PMDO has been financing projects like water supply and sewerage, solid waste management, road and urban transport and environmental projects. In fact, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is an initiative by the government to improve the urban infrastructure, while the PMDO facility is common platform for banks to participate in the government scheme.
“Bankers have pointed out that although there are about 5,000 municipal corporations in India, very few of them have come forward to avail loan,” pointed a banker, who attended the meeting. Among the municipal corporations, Surat and Nashik are given highest rating (among municipals) of corporate credit rating (CCR) AA-, while Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kolkata Varodara and Rajkot have been rated as A by rating agency Crisil.
Relief for women buys freedom for OC
- Bailed out
OUR BUREAU
Flanked by gun-wielding and masked Maoists, officer-in-charge Atindranath Dutta (in spectacles) minutes before his release on Thursday evening in the Bhulagera forests of Lalgarh. A Maoist poster hung from his neck says ‘P.O.W. juddha bandir mukti sammelan (a meeting to release the prisoner of war)’. Picture by Samir Mondal
Oct. 22: The Maoists released Sankrail officer-in-charge Atindranath Dutta around 8 tonight at Bhulagera forest village in Lalgarh after striking a deal with the state government that allows 14 jailed tribal women to walk free.
After 54 hours in captivity, Dutta was led to a gathering of journalists and lawyers at Bhulagera primary school, a white paper inscribed with the words PoW (prisoner of war) pasted on a piece of red cloth hung from his neck.
“I wasn’t worried about myself; I was concerned about my parents, daughter and wife,” Dutta told the media, whom the Maoists had called for the hand-over after the government promised the rebels safe passage under the deal.
Maoist leader Kishanji, his face covered like all the guerrillas’, ceremonially removed the red cloth from Dutta’s neck. “You are being released…. It is up to you whether you will continue to remain with the police, but don’t commit atrocities on poor people,” he said.
The OC left with the journalists, walking 2km to the metalled road where the media’s cars were waiting. He was handed over to police at Jhargram town, 25km from Bhulagera, and will reach Calcutta tomorrow.
Dutta’s wife Indrani said in Calcutta: “I can’t describe how relieved I am. But I shall feel sure of his release only when I see him with my own eyes, I guess.”
Kishanji said the release had been delayed because early this morning, the joint forces encircled part of the Punnapani forest near Dharampur adjoining Lalgarh and appeared to be shooting at what they thought might be rebel hideouts.
“I wanted to release OC babu earlier, but with the police beginning their operations, the process has been delayed,” Kishanji had said in the morning. “Unless the forces stop their operations and remain confined to their camps for the next 24 hours, we will not take responsibility for OC babu’s life.”
The firing stopped soon, but government sources suggested Kishanji had no intention of releasing Dutta so early and had all along planned to do so after sunset to avoid being attacked after the release.
“The Maoists had made it clear they would release Dutta only after the judge granted the Adivasi women bail, which he did in the afternoon,” the officer said.
In keeping with the deal, the government did not oppose the bail petition of the women who had been arrested on September 22 for allegedly attacking the police. They will be freed tomorrow after formalities are complete.
The deal was struck after Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said yesterday afternoon that a “negotiation and settlement’’ was needed with the “kidnappers’’. The government decided to contact the Maoists through “unofficial channels”. A source said: “If any harm came to the officer, the state’s image would have taken a beating.”
A senior inspector-general got in touch with an aide of Kishanji with help from an officer of West Midnapore police around 8pm. The rebels had initially asked for the release of Lalgarh leader Chhatradhar Mahato, withdrawal of the joint forces from Lalgarh and bail for the women.
But the government rejected the first two demands and the Maoists quickly climbed down under pressure.
“The women were not hardened terrorists, just supporters of Mahato’s (People’s) Committee,” an officer said. “Although their release is a huge victory for the Maoists — as they will be seen to be with the tribals, fighting for their cause — the government’s message that for every policeman killed, 25 Maoists would be killed had also sunk in.”
It was to keep up this pressure that the morning offensive at Punnapani was launched. “The idea was to zero in on their base… to send the message that if they didn’t release the OC even after the (women got bail), the forces would attack their hideout and kill or arrest several of them,’’ a source said.
Dutta said he was told past midnight “that I might be released today”. The OC, who was in the same off-white T-shirt and trousers that he wore when he was taken hostage on Tuesday afternoon, said he had been shifted frequently. “The Maoists were initially aggressive but later they co-operated with me.”
Atindranath’s wife Indrani after his release. (Amit Datta)
Refusing to elaborate on the deal, chief secretary Asok Mohan Chakrabarti said: “We tried all possible ways to get him (Dutta) released and eventually that fetched results.’’
Director-general of police Bhupinder Singh said: “I am not concerned about the means or whether our government reacted at gunpoint. I only know the results.”
He, however, indicated this was not the end of the anti-Maoist offensive: “We are certainly not into Gandhian philosophy.”
The DGP also said that bail for the tribal women did not mean action against them would cease for ever.
“Bail doesn’t prove their innocence. We will frame chargesheets and submit them in court. Then it is for the court to decide whether the accused will be punished,” he added.
Kishanji said it was a “great victory” for the people of Lalgarh. “This is the first time that we have released a PoW,” he said.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091023/jsp/frontpage/story
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