Orissa will use tribal youth in war on Maoists

The Orissa government has rolled out a plan to recruit tribal youth in its war on the Maoists. The state has recruited 2,100 of these warriors, known as special police officers (SPOs), and is looking for another 3,500 for its anti-guerrilla operations.

The chief minister was so worried about Maoists influencing tribal youth that he thought the best way to wean them away was to engage them against the enemy. After an earlier plan to engage tribal youth (sports events and development programmes) failed, the state decided to fight the enemy using the enemy’s weapon. “The tribals know the area, can survive the rough terrain better than others and are conditioned to the climate. Their expertise will give the police an advantage over the Maoists,” said a senior police officer.