CAVOW slams Govt for atrocities on women in Salwa Judum camps

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) Coming down heavily on the Chhattisgarh Government for atrocities on women in 'Salwa Judum' camps, the Committee Against Violence on Women (CAVOW) today said ''intense militarisation'' in the Dantewada district had led to ''brutal repression'' of the impoverished tribals seeking social justice.

The CAVOW, which conducted a survey in the district to investigate conditions of safety, life and livelihood of women has demanded an impartial probe by an independent agency into all allegations.

''Salwa Judum is a stark instance of state-sponsored repression of the worst ever kind on the people, particularly the adivasis of Chhattisgarh. Thousands of women and the children have been the victims of atrocities unleashed by goons of Salwa Judum, led by Congres MLA and leader of Opposition in Chhattisgarh Mahendra Karma accompanied by police and paramilitary,'' CAVOW Convenor Shoma Sen told a news conference.

Releasing the CAVOW survey report '' Salwa Judum and Violence on Women in Dantewara, Chhattisgarh'', author Arundhati Roy said that these new economic policies of the Government were the ''driving force'' behind such policies which will destroy the democratic fabric of the country.

''It is very irresponsible of the government to inject the blood stream of the country with vigilante groups without studying the impact it will have on the people. Such policies will only result in ugly violence,'' she added.

''The Government is going ahead with all sorts of policies just to maintain the eight per cent growth rate... it is taking away land from farmers on lesserrates and selling it to business houses,'' Ms Roy said.

Describing the findings of report as ''disturbing,'' Ms Roy said the present model of development has only caused large scale displacement and marginalisation of people.

''We are entering an era where the police and the Army will be the driving force of the society and all political parties were pushing the same agenda in different ways,'' she added.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also sent several recommendations, including an immediate end to the campaign involving young boys and girls, to the Centre and the Sate Government.

The CAVOW, in its report, has recommend state government must ensure that all adivasi villagers presently in the camps be relocated in their villages and they are able to economically sustain themselves.

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