Maoist Attack in Sukma

Why in News

A team of security forces was attacked by a People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) unit in the Tarrem area near the Sukma-Bijapur district border, Chhattisgarh. Several security personnel were killed and many were injured.

• PLGA was founded in 2000. It has been declared as a terrorist organisation and banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-1967 (UAPA).

Key Points

• About the Sukma District:
  
  • Located in the southern tip of the state of Chhattisgarh, the district was carved out of Dantewada in the year 2012.
  • It is covered with the semi-tropical forest and is a mainland of tribal community Gond.
  • One major river that flows through the district is Sabari (a tributary of Godavari river).
  • Over a few decades, this region has become a fostering ground for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) activities.
    
    • Uneven terrains and the tricky geographic locations made this region a safer hideout for the LWE activists.
• Left Wing Extremism in India:
  
  • Left-wing extremists, popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.
  • The term Naxalism derives its name from the village Naxalbari of West Bengal. It originated as a rebellion against local landlords who bashed a peasant over a land dispute.
    
    • The rebellion was initiated in 1967, with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.
  • The movement has spread across the Eastern India in less developed areas of states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
  • It is considered that Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.
    
    • Maoism is a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung. It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances.
• Reasons for Left Wing Extremism:
  
  • Tribal Discontent:
    
    • The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 has been used to target tribals, who depend on forest produce for their living.
    • Massive displacement of tribal population in the naxalism-affected states due to development projects, mining operations and other reasons.
  • Easy Target for Maoists: Such people who do not have any source of living are taken into naxalism by Maoists.
    
    • Maoists provide arms and ammunition and money to such people.
  • Gaps in the Socio-Economic system of the Country:
    
    • Government measures its success on the basis of the number of violent attacks rather than the development done in the naxal-affected areas.
    • Absence of strong technical intelligence to fight with naxalites.
    • Infrastructural problems, for instance, some villages are not yet connected properly with any communication network.
  • No Follow-Up from Administration: It is seen that even after police take hold of a region, administration fails to provide essential services to the people of that region.
  • Confusion over tackling naxalism as a social issue or as a security threat.
• Government Initiatives to Fight LWE:
  
  • Greyhounds: It was raised in 1989 as an elite anti-naxal force.
  • Operation Green Hunt: It was started in 2009-10 and massive deployment of security forces was done in the naxal-affected areas.
  • LWE Mobile Tower Project: To improve mobile connectivity in the LWE areas, the Government in 2014, approved installation of mobile towers in LWE affected States.
  • Aspirational Districts Programme: Launched in 2018, it aims to rapidly transform the districts that have shown relatively lesser progress in key social areas.
  • SAMADHAN:
    It stands for
    
    • S- Smart Leadership,
      
      • A- Aggressive Strategy,
      • M- Motivation and Training,
      • A- Actionable Intelligence,
      • D- Dashboard Based KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and KRAs (Key Result Areas),
      • H- Harnessing Technology,
      • A- Action plan for each Theatre, and
      • N- No access to Financing.
    • This doctrine is the one-stop solution for the LWE problem. It encompasses the entire strategy of government from short-term policy to long-term policy formulated at different levels.

Way Forward

• Though the number of incidents of LWE violence has come down in the recent past, continued efforts and focus are needed in eliminating such groups.
• Government needs to ensure two things; security of the peace-loving people and the development of the naxalism-affected regions.
• Centre and states should continue with their coordinated efforts in development and security both where Centre should play a supportive role with state police forces taking the lead.
• Government needs to undertake technological solutions such as the use of drones to minimize loss of lives of security personnel.

Source:TH