Naxalites have moved into tribal areas, forcing social workers to pull out in Andhra Pradesh
the People's War Group ( pwg ) has threatened ngo s working in the tribal hill tracts of Andhra Pradesh, blaming them for 'creating an illusion among the masses that their problem could be solved within the existing system'. At least one ngo , Samata, has pulled out of the area.
Accusing ngo s of 'suppressing rebel lion, which is part of the revolution', the pwg had apparently taken objection to their tackling 'non-serious issues' such as literacy, hygiene, savings and environmental protection. The naxalite group distributed leaflets in villages in the districts of East Godavari, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and -- straying from its beaten track -- Visakhapatnam.
In Orissa, the pwg has moved into the Koraput and Ganjam districts as well. Some of these districts are mineral rich, and large investments have been made to take up mining projects.
"We thought it better to move out once we felt that we were under threat," said Ravi Pragada of Samata, speaking to Down To Earth from Visakhapatnam. Samata had been working in the tribal area of Arakku Valley for close to a decade. "Even the tribals we had worked with advised us to leave, as they did not want us to get hurt on their account," adds Pragada.
Pragada had supported the cause of the tribals and helped them file a case against private companies who had obtained mining leases in scheduled areas. The Supreme Court, in a ruling in July 1997, revoked all the leases -- including that of Birla Periclase, which had obtained a calcite mining lease in Arakku valley. The pwg has made its presence felt in the valley only in the past few months.
Other ngo s like Laya have also been affected. Most of these ngo s have asked their workers to pull out of the hills. "This is certainly a setback for the tribals in the Orissa-Andhra hills," says Walter Fernandes of the Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. "Some of these organisations have been assisting tribals displaced from other mining and hydro projects in the area and in their rehabilitation. This may change now."
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