Salwa Judum prog may cause civil war: Panel

New Delhi, May 29 (UNI) An Independent Citizen's Initiative of writers, senior journalists and former civil servants who visited Chhattigarh's areas which are under the state government sponsored 'Salwa Judum' programme to deal with Maoists, today observed that replacing the administrative control with criminals under this programme could lead to a civil war.The Initiative panel which travelled through Dantewara district, met a cross-section of people including those living in camps, police officers and other citizens, found the situation extremely serious in the area, with a fear-ridden atmosphere and violence leaving ordinary villagers, particularly tribals the main sufferers."The Chhattisgarh administration appears to have 'outsourced' law and order to an unaccountable, indisciplined and amorphous group of criminals which called itself Salwa Judam which the government described as 'spontaneous, self-initiated peace mission resulting in flocking of ordinary people against the Maoists' onslaught", said the panel's study report released to the mediapersons here.The Panel comprised Dr Ramachandra Guha( historian from Bangalore), Mr Harivansh( editor Prabhat Khabar, Ranchi), Ms Farah Naqvi(writer, social activist), Mr EAS Sarma(former Secretary of Indian Government), Dr Nandini Sundar (Professor Sociology, Delhi University) and Mr B G Verghese (former Editor Hindustan Times, Indian Express). The panel found "evidence of killings, burning of homes, attacks on women including gang-rape. Only the killings by Maoists are recorded and killings by Salwa Judum recruits have been ignored... arrests are arbitrary.. several people are missing"."The press is tighty controlled and intimidated , and feels unable to report the truth", the report said.The violence by Maoist guerillas continues, the report said adding that violence could not be countered by violence.Under the Salwa Judum programme, thousands of villagers have been forced to come and live in camps... and the government appears to have no long-term plans for rehabilitation or safe return of villagers, the report said.Besides, under the programme, minors were used as Special Police Officers (SPOs) armed with lathis and guns converting the entire rural society into criminals and exposing them too retaliatory attacks by the Maoists.The panel members said, despite the fact that they were carrying Additional Chief Secretary's letter informing all officers about their movements, they were prevented from visiting the villages seriously affected with human rights violations." We were physically attacked three times by Salwa Judum activists, manhandled and our possessions including camera stolen, with the police standing by", Mr Vergese said.The panel demanded immediate withdrawal of Salwa Judum, disarming of 'SPOs", restoration of law and order and civil administration and facilitation of the return of villagers to their homes.It also demanded judicial inquiry into the Salwa Judum and it's large scale human and civil rights violations.For this, the panel member said "both Maoists and the government must come to a ceasefire", The panel also appealed to the Maoists to stop violence, help return of affected villagers to their homes.