August 8, 2009: The Maoist terrorists in eastern India are changing their targets. Increasingly, they are going after transportation and communications. Until recently, the communist gunmen mostly attacked the police (to steal weapons, ammo and other equipment, like radios) or wealthy people (especially landlords, as the economy in the area is somewhat feudal). The communists also finance their operations by extorting money from local businesses, and even some landlords (who they have vowed to drive out of the area.)
There were 71 attacks on economic targets in 2006, 80 in 2007, and 109 last year. But in the first six months of this year, there have been 56, and the rate of such attacks appears to be accelerating. Of the economic attacks in 2009, 46 percent were against communications towers, and 27 percent against railroads. Communications are vital for the police, and enable the growing number of civilians to use their cell phones to call in information about the Maoists. There are also growing attacks on road building operations, and some large businesses, like mines.
The Maoists want to establish communist police state, and create a worker's paradise.
