Talking peace and negotiating with the Maoists

Recently, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh announced that State government is ready for peace talks with Maoists if they laid down arms and expressed their faith in the Constitution of India.

Some conditions

• Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of the CPI(Maoist) wanted CM to clarify his stand on the Maoists’ conditions for creating a conducive atmosphere in which to hold peace talks.
• Criticised State government for not implementing Provisions of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 in Chhattisgarh.
• The major conditions the Maoists want
  • Llifting ban on People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) and people’s organisations
  • Withdrawal of security forces from camps
  • Release of jailed leaders in order to participate in the talks.
• State government did not change its earlier stand, so there has been no progress.
• 2010: Home Minister tried to negotiate with Maoists
• CPI (Maoist) put three pre-conditions
  • Cessation of hostilities by both sides simultaneously
  • Lifting ban on the party
  • Government should adhere to the Constitution and end the illegal murders in the name of encounters, tortures and arrests.
• To hold talks, it was necessary for government to release some leaders since the entire party was illegal.

Why talks failed

• 2004: In State Assembly election campaign, Congress promised to revive the peace process if voted to power in Andhra Pradesh.
• It lifted ban on the party in May 2004.
• October 2004 : Four-day peace dialogue b/w representatives of People’s War (PW) party and government representatives at the initiative of Committee of Concerned Citizens.
• Mutually acceptable team of mediators was constituted and an agreement on a ceasefire was reached.
• PW party proposed 11-point charter of demands such as legislation on land ceiling; creation of a separate state of Telangana; and questions associated with armed action by either side.
• ‘Clause 7 : which permitted Maoists to undertake propagation of their politics without carrying weapons, became problematic.
• Talks ended with an agreement on a ceasefire till December 16.
• Government promised to consider demand of land distribution among the landless, and talk again in November.
• Later, it was declared that no talks will happen unless Moaists agreed to lay down arms.
• It can be implied that Maoist’s demand of withdrawal of armed police forces can be met by a mutually agreed ‘ceasefire’.
• State government cannot afford the risk of moving out security forces as a pre-condition for initiating peace talks.

Government actions

• Release of jailed Maoist leaders need not be made a pre-condition by the Maoists.
• Chhattisgarh government has withdrawn criminal cases against many tribals and has ensured expeditious trial of Naxal cases.
• Government is implementing PESA.
• On lifting a ban on the CPI(Maoist) some concessions may be thought of to let the talks happen.
• Further, it cannot be denied that the Maoists misused the ceasefire during the 2004 peace talks in Andhra Pradesh.
• Moving forward with lessons learned, suitable modalities may be worked out if both sides are serious about peace talks.

Exam track

Prelims take away

• Greyhounds
• PESA