Date:03/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/03/stories/2005030307710400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Stop killings: citizens' panel

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 2. The Committee of Concerned Citizens has called upon the CPI (Maoist) to desist from killing and other acts of violence so that people can live in peace and hope for further talks.

S.R. Sankaran, convener, in a statement on Wednesday termed the killing of eight persons by the Maoists in Vempenta "inhuman" and "reprehensible." He said the killing of these persons as also the so-called informers would only lead to further recurring cycle of violence and vitiate the atmosphere for the continuation of the peace talks. "This is a matter of deep concern to society."

Mr. Sankaran pointed out the committee had been reiterating that the stalemate in the talks process did not mean a licence for resumption of violence by the revolutionary parties or the Government. The revolutionary parties, he said, were accountable to people and they could not indulge in such arbitrary violence, causing loss of lives.

The State unit of the Organisation for the Protection of Democratic Rights also condemned the killing. V. Narayana Reddy, organising secretary, in a statement asserted that the Maoists seemed to have lost balance and were behaving like factionists.