Intermediaries who facilitated Maoists surrender urge Karnataka govt to look into their demands

The Citizens’ Initiative for Peace (CIP) worked closely with the Naxal surrender and rehabilitation committee to mediate and negotiate the demands of the surrendered Maoists.

Bengaluru: Three days after the six Maoists came to the mainstream, the Citizens’ Initiative for Peace (CIP) organisation urged the state government to look into the demands of the naxals and implement them.

The CIP worked closely with the Naxal surrender and rehabilitation committee to mediate and negotiate the demands of the surrendered Maoists.

Noor Sridhar, the member of CIP, addressed a press conference on Saturday at Legislators’ Home in central Bengaluru to draw the government’s attention.

Sridhar urged the government to provide legal assistance to the six Maoists to obtain bail and walk out of the cases filed against them. He also demanded cooperation from the government to settle cases against Kanyakumari and others who came to the mainstream eight years ago.

“The Karnataka government should officially send a letter to the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments and obtain their cooperation in getting the ex-Naxalites out from the jail to the democratic mainstream,” Sridhar said.

The prominent demand that Sridhar put before the government was a judicial inquiry into the killing (encounter) of Vikram Gowda by the Anti Naxal Force. Gowda was killed in a police encounter carried out by the ANF on November 18 near Peetabailu village in Udupi.

He also urged the government to invite the ex-naxalites who have already come to the democratic mainstream and hear their grievances.

Six Maoists—Mundagaru Latha from Sringeri, Vanajakshi Balehole from Kalasa, Sundari Kutluru from Dakshina Kannada, Mareppa Aroli from Raichur, Vasantha K from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, and N Jeesha from Wayanad, Kerala—came to the mainstream at a public event on Wednesday in the presence of CM Siddaramaiah.

“They are only brought out of the forests; they have not yet reached the society at large. They are placed behind bars and need to face several serious charges. The main responsibility of releasing them from the jails should be borne by the government,” a note released by the CIP said.

The CIP claimed in its release that an elderly tribal woman facilitated the negotiations and acted as an intermediary between the committee and the Maoists. The whole negotiation operation went on for 40 days, according to the CIP.

The press conference was also attended by V S Sridhar, Nagaragere Ramesh, B T Lalitha Naik, and Vijayamma.