Sijimali Hills: STOP THE ATTACKS!

The State has used raids, surveillance, detentions and heightened security deployment. Activists alleged that heavily armed police personnel carried out late-night operations, used tear gas and detained key movement leaders.

Independent Ink News Desk

Bhubaneswar: Civil rights groups and activists have raised concern over the Odisha government’s handling of protests against the proposed bauxite mining projects in the Sijimali Hills of South Odisha, where Adivasi and Dalit communities have been resisting mining activities over fears of ecological destruction, displacement and loss of traditional livelihoods.

In a recent statement, the Human Rights Forum described the developments in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts as a troubling example of the increasing criminalisation of democratic dissent. The organisation urged the State to ensure that constitutional safeguards, democratic freedoms and due process are fully respected while addressing the conflict.

The Sijimali Hills, spread across parts of Rayagada and Kalahandi districts, have witnessed sustained opposition from local residents and anti-mining groups led by the Maa Mati Mali Surakhya Mancha. Villagers—dependent on forests, streams and agricultural land in the region say the proposed mining projects threaten not only the fragile ecology of the hills but also their cultural identity, livelihoods and collective existence.

According to the Forum, villagers and activists associated with the movement have been charged with serious non-bailable offences, including allegations of rioting, unlawful assembly, dacoity and attempt to murder. Rights groups argue that the use of stringent criminal provisions against ordinary villagers risk portraying democratic protest as criminal conspiracy and may deepen mistrust between vulnerable communities and the State.

The statement also referred to reports of police action in villages such as Talaampadar in Kalahandi district and Kutamal in Rayagada district, including raids, surveillance, detentions and heightened security deployment. Activists have alleged that heavily armed police personnel carried out late-night operations, used tear gas and detained key movement leaders. While the administration has maintained that measures were necessary to preserve law and order, rights advocates have called for restraint, transparency and dialogue.

The arrests of activists including Lingaraj Azad and Suresh Sangram have further drawn national attention to the issue. Civil liberties groups say that individuals raising constitutional and environmental concerns should not be treated as enemies of the State.

“The people resisting mining in the Sijimali Hills are not criminals,” a representative of the Human Rights Forum said. “They are cultivators, forest dwellers, labourers, women and youth seeking to protect their land, forests, water sources and constitutional rights.”

Another activist associated with the campaign said that the conflict should be resolved through democratic engagement rather than confrontation. “The government must engage meaningfully with affected communities and ensure that development does not come at the cost of ecological survival, dignity and justice,” the activist said.

The unfolding situation in Sijimali has increasingly become part of a wider national debate on balancing mineral-based development with environmental protection, indigenous rights and democratic participation. 

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Photos courtesy Human Rights Forum.