More than numbers

Revision of conflict deaths

Related story

Numbers behind vote that plunged UK PM Starmer into crisis

The most frequently cited data from the conflict period must be the number of people killed during the ten years of war. Citing research of various government teams and human rights organizations, the initial estimated death toll of 13,000 was in 2009 revised upward to 17,000. Since then the statement that '17,000 were killed during Maoist conflict' has become almost a truism. But a new taskforce, the fifth formed under the aegis of the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, following a detailed survey of the 20 districts most affected by conflict, now says the actual death toll is 14,379. It appears some deaths were recorded at two different places and some Maoists were listed both under their actual names and their nom de guerre. But what difference does it make, one might ask, whether 13,000 or 17,000 people died since the guns have long since fallen silent? It makes a huge difference.

First of all, the peace process that started with the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2006 between then-Seven Party Alliance and the warring Maoist party is still incomplete. The final stage of the process is well underway with the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission on Enforced Disappearance earlier this year. But with the remit of the two commissions hotly disputed, it could take years before they complete their assigned task. The beginning point for both is determining accurate death toll so that a proper demarcation can be made between those killed in combat and those killed in cold blood. The latter may include many of the 1,300 people officially listed as 'disappeared'. The cavalier attitude that has characterized such a vital undertaking is thus unfortunate.

Another reason why we need to come up with accurate numbers is because the state has in two phases promised a total of Rs 500,000 each to the families of those killed during the conflict. The first tranche of Rs 300,000 has already been distributed on the basis of old data. The new revision of death toll now raises the troubling prospect of the money meant for the bereaved families going into the wrong hands. Huge sums are involved; the state has already spent Rs 6.4 billion in such reparations; another couple of billions have been promised. We are aware of the inherent complexities in such a vast undertaking. Even with the best of preparations, there is bound to be some error. But it is also true that the kind of seriousness that would have been expected in such a sensitive issue has been missing. Otherwise, there can be no justification for formation of five different panels for the same job. Successive taskforces, it seemed, were more concerned about getting their jobs over and done with and submitting their final reports than with the veracity of the numbers they were reporting. This kind of flippancy is costly and undermines people's faith in their government. It is also cruel on victim families who are being made to interminably wait for a sense of closure.