India - Anti-bauxite agitation flares up again in Visakha Agency

JERRELA (VISAKHAPATNAM): After a lull of nearly four years, the bauxite mining agitation has flared up once again in the Visakha Agency following attempts by Maoists to cash in on the issue to stage a comeback. The issue, which had almost died down, was rekindled after chief minister Chandrababu Naidu announced late last year that bauxite would be mined through ITDA for the betterment of tribals. According to sources, the agitation had lost steam in 2010-11 following delays in granting mining permissions and domination by the security forces of both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in the Maoist-infested areas but over the past one month there has been a sudden spurt in the bauxite agitation, leaving the security forces jittery.
However, security forces are now worried that naxals might once again resort to brutal killings of tribals and local people’s representatives by accusing them of being pro-government and branding them as police informers. The chief minister’s announcement seemed to have given the Maoists, who had lost ground in a few pockets in the Agency area, yet another reason to flex their muscles. Sources said, the Reds had already conducted meetings with local sarpanches and directed the opposition parties in the state to protest against bauxite mining in Visakha Agency. Meanwhile, the local people’s representatives, fearing for their lives, staged anti-bauxite mining protests on May 7 on the occasion of revolutionary fighter Alluri Seetarama Raju’s death anniversary.
Various people’s organisations and tribal welfare associations also began conducting meetings on the issue even before the Reds swung into action.According to sources, from 2005 to 2011 there was a major spurt in Maoist violence forcing even members of the ruling party to take up anti-government agitations. The Red rebels have been reportedly sending threatening letters to local body representatives to take up anti-bauxite protests or face dire consequences, sources said. The anti-bauxite agitation, which started in 2005, reached its peak when the Maoists killed ZP vice-chairman Sammida Ravi Sankar at Hukumpet, MPP Somalingam in Koyyuru mandal and another ZP vice-chairman Ugrangi Somalingam in Chintapalli mandal.
Maoists had even formed bauxite area committees to guide the agitating tribals. The Reds were also involved in several killings, blasts and exchanges of fire with security forces besides famine raids against those supporting bauxite mining. However, the agitation eventually fizzled out as the Maoist movement started losing strength as the key leaders, who played a crucial role in the movement, either died in encounters, were arrested or surrendered.

The Maoists lost leaders like alternative central committee member Vadkapuri Chandramouli alias BK, Valluri Mastan Rao and Golla Ramulu alias Madhav in encounters, while several Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) level leaders such as Ponnoju Parameswar alias Nandu, Gopu Sammireddy alias Jogal, commanders such as Dantanna alias Anil, Mahesh and others surrendered. Other AOB leaders Tella Anil alias Chandu and Marpu Venkata Ramana alias Jagadeesh were arrested. Hundreds of militia members and symphatizers as well as party squad members surrendered in the past decade. Sources said that Maoists lost their cadres in the Galikonda area, which has a huge bauxite reserve, along with their stronghold areas like Kannavaram, Nerellabanda, Garikabanda, Garimanda, and Rallagedda.