Maoist, rebel, not-human-enough

From The Hindu. Photo by Samir Mandal, PTI.

Dead 'Maoists' clearly don't rate biers; it's enough to truss them up like animals.

The Independent People's Tribunal

This seems to have dropped off my radar. About the IPT, Dr. Vandana Shiva says:

“Last year a broad coalition was formed that has worked to put this tribunal together. The IPT will create a dialogue so that the adivasis of India can be brought in the debate. This is the reaction to the lie that Maoists are angry about being left out of India’s economic miracle as promoted by media in our co-citizens that This is not true. They are angry because they are being exploited and they are bearing the price of our development. The areas where the present “Operation Green Hunt” is going on is the most bio-diverse in the country. The sustainable livelihood of the people in the area is should be respected”.

The IPT met in Delhi between the 9th and the 11th of this month. Testimonies and reports are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

I have just begun to read these posts, so (maybe) more soon.

Arundhati Roy and Kafila

I was going to say more, but I think I need to re-read everything first. At any rate, it's good to see all this ferment.

What am I talking about?

Arundhati Roy's essay, 'Walking with the Comrades' in Outlook.

The responses at Kafila came quickly. First with Jairus Banaji, followed by the one that everyone is circulating all over the interwebs, Moonwalking with the Comrades. Finally, there's A Believer's Obeisance and a possibly related post, Rumours of Maoism.

[And earlier, on Tehelka.]

Update: K. Balagopal's article from early last year (what a loss his death is), 'Reflections on violence and non-violence in political movements in India'. *


Also, Falstaff's substantial exposition of his problems with Roy's essay.

*Thanks, Paromita.