First round of govt-naxal talks sets land agenda in motion

The first-ever direct talks between naxalites and the Andhra Pradesh government paved way for setting in motion a process to find a possible solution to the 35-year old left wing extremism in the country.

The first round of talks, which ended last night, could bring to fore the land issue, slackness in implementing land reforms and repressive measures on revolutionary movements.

Setting up a committee to identify surplus land among the 32 types of holdings, including endowments, barren and Wakf, was one of the major achievements of the four-day talks.

Andhra Pradesh home minister K Jana Reddy said the talks were 'satisfactory' while naxal leader Ramakrishna termed the exercise as "disappointing as they could not extract any categorical assurance from the state."

Though no date was fixed for next round of talks, naxalites are favouring to resume on november 17, as their new outfit CPI (Maoist) will be holding a public meeting here to explain the reasons for the merger of CPI (ML)'s People's War Group (PWG) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) to form CPI (Maoist) which was announced a day ahead of the talks. "We have to discuss and decide on the date and venue of talks," Jana Reddy said.

The naxalite leaders, who were 'state guests during the course of talks, will be returning to their 'hideouts' later in the day.

The 28-member negotiating team was led by home minister K Jana Reddy from government side while Ramakrishna of Maoist CPI and Amar from Janashakti were in the forefront from the naxalites side.

The talks hit a roadblock initially, when there was no concord on the issue of laying down of arms, which formed as clause 7 of the agreement between naxals and government. The issue was set aside after pursuation by mediators and naxalites had put forth the demand of withdrawal of cases against all revolutionaries, release of political prisoners and disbanding private armies drawing draggers at revolutionaries. A patient hearing was given but not decision on this was conveyed by the state government.

Distribution of land was the other issue raised by naxals which was discussed for two days during which the naxals had given a list of land sharks, who occupied agriculture land around the city depriving farmers of their livelihood. Large extent of land was still in the hands of a few wealthy people, the naxals contended, as the land reforms were not implemented with commitment.

The state government said a committee will be formed to identify the surplus land for distribution among the poor while the naxals insisted that the committee should be a broad based one taking village as a unit to get a real picture. The naxals, who came overground on october 11 emerging from the nalamala forests skirting three districts of guntur, prakasham and kurnool, will be returning to their "base" and will be participating in the public meeting on november 16 in the city where maoists from across the country are likely to participate.