( A Front of Revolutionary & Patriotic Parties, Peoples' Movements, Democratic Groups and Individuals) 2510(J), Kedargouri Area, Rabi Talkies Square, Bhubaneswar-751 002
Phone- 9337112265, 9861013320, 9861083155
BRUTAL POLICE ACTION ON AGITATING TRIBALS IN KASHIPUR
Orissa Govt. Using Police Force to Start Alumina Plant
Joint Appeal to All Citizens and Organisations and political Parties to Protect the Democratic Rights of the People and the Right to protect Their Livelihoods and Life by Deshapremi Jana Samukhya and Prakrutika Sampad Surakhya Parishad, Kucheipadar, Kashipur, Rayagada
1. Under the direct command and the presence of the Rayagada District Collector Shri P.K. Mehrda, IAS, and SP Sri Sanjaya Kumar on December 1, 2004 the police have brutally attacked and critically injured 16 tribals and have arrested several of them (Mostly women) when more than 300 tribals and Dalits were protesting against the Government's forcible establishment of a Police Station along with a barrack for
armed police at the village of D. Karol, near the proposed Alumina Plant site of UAIL at Doraguda.
2. The critically injured persons have been denied hospital care and they are now languishing in Rayagada jail. Several injured agitators are reportedly missing.
3. The Government has been trying to set-up this Police station since a long time but was not successful because of the agitation against the same by the Kashipur Movement under the leadership of Prakrutika Sampad Surakhya Parishad (PSSP). The Police Station is required by the company to suppress the Movement and carry out construction activity
for the plant under armed police protection.
4. It interesting to note that while the people of Kashipur have been demanding setting-up of medical facilities and schools at all Panchayats, the Government chooses to set-up Police stations at huge cost. People ask for medicines and the Government gives them bullets.
5. On December 1, 2004 when the District Collector & S.P, along with a big police force were trying to inaugurate the approach road to the plant site and the Police Station, the tribals and local people gathered at D.Karol and protested the action by the Government. After the Police action in which blank firing, tear-gassing and lathi charge was resorted to, thousands of protesting tribals and dalits have gathered at D.Karol village. The district administration has brought in more than 1000 armed police force to the location. The situation is extremely tense.
6. The Kashipur Tribals and Dalits have been opposing the establishment of the proposed Rs.4500 crore Alumina Plant of the Utkal Alumina Ltd. (a joint venture of Aditya Birla Group and ALCAN-a Canadian Alumina major). The peoples' protest has been going on for the last 12 years as a consequence of which the Company has not been able to lay a single brick at the site in spite of the strong support by the State Government and all major political parties.
7. The peoples' protest is based on the fact that the proposed Bauxite mining and Alumina refinery at Kashipur shall lead to the destruction of their fertile agricultural land, forests, mountains and perennial water-streams, the very basis of their livelihoods and livelihood of generations to come. The PSSP has been opposing the project because with Bauxite mining the water holding capacity of the mountains shall be drastically reduced. The tribals have always believed that Bauxite holds water and is the source of perennial water for their agriculture and drinking. Nearly 20,000 people shall be affected in 82 villages.
The proposed project has employment potential of only 1000 and that too for only 20 years.
8. The State Government tried to suppress the antimining Movement by resorting to strong police action, which culminated in the killing of three tribals by police firing at Maikanch on December 16, 2000. After the killings, the Movement has gained even more ground. The Justice P.K. Mishra Commission, set-up to enquire about the Maikanch police firing, has clearly identified the Officers culpable for the incidence. However, the Government is yet to take any action. This is inspite of the fact that PSSP has lodged an FIR to this effect on October 19, 2004 after a rally of nearly 7000 tribals and dalits.
9. After the 2004 election the State Government has taken an aggressive posture in favour of mega industries and against those opposing mega industries. The Industry Minister Biswabhusan Harichandan in the floor of the Assembly said that those who protest
against Industries would be arrested. The chief Minister in a recently held Collector's conference on November 24, 2004 instructed the Collectors and SPs to strongly deal with those who oppose mega Industries.
10. The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) of Southern Division and the Collector and the Superintendent of Police (SP), Rayagada have reduced themselves to the position of project managers of Utkal Alumina Ltd. The major difference they enjoy vis-Ã -vis other company managers is that they can bring the power of the State to bear for the advancement of private corporate interest. Similar to the revenue and police administration in Kalahandi ( Vedant-Sterlite's Alumina project in Lanjigarh), the administration in Rayagada is also trying to push the construction of the UAIL project by hook or by crook. It has resorted to manufacturing peoples' consent for support of the UAIL Plant through use of force, by bribing a few persons and declaring benefits for those who would be displaced.
11. The Government has been trying to confuse and divide the protesters by saying that the Village Kucheipadar (Centre of PSSP) shall not be included under the plant. But this is a gimmick meant to silence the protesters. In reality all the villages in Kashipur area
except very few are against the project and only the workers of the ruling political parties such as BJD, BJP, Congress and some workers of BSP favour the construction of the plant.
12. An all party( Congress, BJD, BJP and BSP) rally was organised on November 28, 2004 at Tikiri( 11 km. from proposed plant site) by spending nearly Rs.22 lakhs and trucking nearly 5000 people from outside Kashipur area. The rally was planned to enter the proposed plant site. While this event was covered widely by all news papers of
the state the fact that more than 2000 tribals led by Bhagaban Majhi, Convener, PSSP blocked the road to the proposed plant site on the same day was suppressed except one news paper. Shri Anantram Majhi of Congress party, the MLA from Kashipur was seen to be taking orders from Krushna Mohapatra (the established tribal exploiter and tribal
land grabber of Kashipur) the local BJD leader, for this rally. This indicates clearly that the Congress, BJD, BJP and BSP are one as regards suppressing the people and favouring the Foreign and Indian Companies who want to loot our resources.
13. The Government is trying to do all this in order to create a positive environment for rapid industrialisation in Orissa. Incidentally the State Government has received proposals for an investment of Rs.2, 50,000 crores during the next 5-10 years in big
and mega industries. Most of these investments are in Aluminium, Steel and Infrastructure Industries (Roads, Ports, Power, etc.).
14. It is interesting to note that this entire investment of Rs.2,50,000 crores shall lead to an employment potential of only 1,75,000 as against the present unemployment level of 20 lakh (and another at least 20 lakh who are underemployed and who will be loosing
employment). As against this only Rs. 5000 crores if invested in cottage industries, Small and Medium industries and Big Industries shall create employment of nearly 1 Crore People. The Proposed Kashipur Aluminum plant with an investment of Rs.4,500 crores has a meager employment potential of only 1000 and that too only for 20 years (after which the Bauxite mines of the area will be exhausted) as against 20,000 persons who would loose their livelihoods and resources.
15. The core of the issue is forcible establishment of mega industries at gunpoint that give nothing to the people and takes away their and their future generation's livelihoods.. The Government wants to go for rapid industrialization through setting up of mega and big industries that threaten the livelihood base of the majority of the population. The Rs. 2,50,000 crores planned to be invested by the corporates in Orissa would lead to displacement of more than 10 lakh families (the GOO has admitted that at least 2.5 lakh people would be displaced as a consequence of 20 mining projects and 5 big dam projects), exhaust its entire mining resources within the next 50 years, and lead to
massive environmental and ecosystem degradation leading to erosion of life sustaining natural resources for the local people. The indutrialisation would lead to pollution and drying up of all rivers and ground water in the state.
16. The State's ruling elites's obsession with mining and industrialization is a mask for ruthless stripping away of the environmental and mineral wealth of Orissa for their own personal and class interests. This is the current face of colonization, where global mining corporates collaborate with the ruling elite of the State to obtain access to the minerals and other natural resources at throwaway prices. The Tangarpada mines verdict of the High Court exposes the conspiracy between the ruling class and the corporate sector, where it has ruled that the chromite mine lease to a private corporate house should be cancelled as the current condition would have led to a loss of Rs. 20,000 crores to Orissa. Similarly, the bauxite mining lease for the mountains of Niyamgiri and Khandualmali
are surrounded by allegations of large-scale kickbacks. In its greed to sell off the resources of the State, the ruling elite has even omitted to comply with its own Forest Conservation Act in Niyamgiri, and allowed felling of forests without seeking permission from the Central Government. The fate of the tribal and poor who stand in the way of this ruthless loot of State's resources seems to be bullets and lathis. The massive personal gain by the politicians and bureaucrats explains the extreme haste and interest with which they are pushing the opening up of the State's resources to global capital. The desire
for development through industrialization is but a mask – no country or state in the world has become developed simply by exploiting its mineral resources. The example of Bihar and Jharkhand next door should serve as a lesson. There are a large number of countries such as Iraq which are being colonized by imperial powers and transnationals
precisely because they are rich in mineral resources. This seems to be that fate that awaits Orissa. The doors for Orissa's colonization have been opened by World Bank loans and the administrative reforms facilitated by DFID, pushing the same neo-liberal agendas which have destroyed the economies of the countries like Argentina, Brazil and
Mexico and has pushed masses of those countries to complete destitution and desperation. It needs to be remembered that the same DFID, seen as the saviour of Orissa, is complicit with the Tony Blair Government in the imperial loot and destruction of Iraq.
17. The desperate resistance by the tribal people of Kashipur against the UAIL is therefore not just a struggle against effective genocide of their lives and cultures, but it is also the leading edge of the struggle against the onslaught of global imperialism and attempt of the international capitalist class to appropriate the lifespaces and lives of all marginalized people. This struggle must be supported by all progressives.
Our Appeal:
Since, the administration is determined to suppress the people's movement in Kashipur which is evident from the fact that despite the protest of tribals and dalits yesterday and the subsequent brutal police action against them, sources from Rayagada suggest that the
collector and SP have gone to the area with more armed forces to repeat the abandoned programmes of yesterday.
All groups working for the protection of democratic rights of the vulnerable people must get into action immediately to prevent any further violation of democratic rights of the peaceful tribal agitators.
All Political parties claiming to be working for the cause of the tribals and dalits and are aware of the implications of the loot going on in the name of rapid industrialisation should also take exemplary steps to prevent any further atrocities on the people and persuade the government to abandon the Alumina projects.
We request the media to publicise widely our views and report fairly and impartially on the actual field situation by organising immediate field trips.
Gananath Patra, CPI(ML)
Bhalachandra Sarangi , CPI(ML- New democracy)
Lingaraj, Samajwadi Janparishad
Shivram, CPI(ML-Red Flag)
Rajendra Sarangi, Loka Pakhya
And
Bidyadhar Majhi, Co-convener (PSSP)
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Reign of terror in Kashipur
People pay the price as the CM wants to inaugurate UAIL Plant in January, 2005
Kashipur Update 03/12/2004
District Administration and police have unleashed a reign of terror in the Kashipur area. The whole proposed project area and the villages opposing the mining project have been sealed by the administration and police, with no press people and others being allowed beyond Tikiri on the road to Kucheipadar and the other proposed project affected villages. The situation seems to be very tense with armed police moving around and beating up people without much provocation. Three people namely Nabeen Naik, Lokanath Naik and Vibhu Gouda were called by the Collector to Kashipur in order to have discussions. However, on reaching Kashipur, they were arrested and sent to jail on charges of creating disturbances as far back as on 14th September, 2004..
Interestingly, it also reported that after the brutal lathi charge on Dec. 1 (where many people, including women were injured, some critically), the Collector, on reaching back to Rayagada, was seen dancing in a party. A typical case of "fiddling while Rome burns". It also shows with the contempt with which Orissa's bureaucrats hold the tribal people.
Construction work for Police Station, Armed police Barrack and a Company Camp office is continuing in D. Karal village. A Police Surveillance post is also being created at the top of the hill near Nuapada Chak to monitor the physical movement of local people. It has been reported to us that all these developments have taken place because Shri. Nabin Pattanaik, Chief Minister wants to inaugurate the UAIL project in January, 2005.
We have received this dispatch from an activist in who is near the site. He wants to remain anonymous in order to avoid harassment ( received at 08.15 PM, 3rd December):
"The police has turned very aggressive. At the slightest provocation they are beating up people. After the first dec. incident, I believe, they even chased and beat up people who were returning from their fields;
The Collector and SP are camping here, in Kashipur. They came to Tikiri again yesterday( December 02), and camped in Kashipur IB.
Today, they have arrested Nabeeno and another boy from Khorigaon last night. The police are all over the place, and it is anybody's guess who they will pick up next.
The administration has issued instructions / declaration that any body coming in the way of the mining will be dealt with in no uncertain manner. The decision is that they will not fire at people, but, they can do anything else!! ((How kind));
They are also targetting Dec. 16th.
On the people's side, there is fear, and anger. The things might heat up after 7th Dec. as people plan to take action against the lathicharge on that day.
The administration are planning to book people beginning with Bhagwan Majhi under NSA (Does that act still exist? in any form, what have they done to POTA);
The injured apart from the ones arrested have been taken to the Dongasil Health Centre according to reports. There are broken bones, etc.
The work of the police outpost construction is going ahead with the connivance of D.Karala- the only village where some people support the project. It is a Rs.7 lakhs construction project, so not something very big.
The 7th Dec demonstration /rally is a crucial event people are planning, as it is going to teach them whether they have the strength to withstand this kind of an onslaught. There is intention of having a jail Bharo in solidarity with the people who are already there. They need to plan all this very carefully, and think what are the possible fallouts /aftermath, and how they will take it forward from there. There is likely to be violence as people are bent on breaking the police outpost construction. Which is why they have planned it for the 7th, and not immediately, as there is little construction on the ground as yet!!
From the support side, there has to be a good press & media coverage, which is my intention of writing to you. This has to be covered on camera, and by newspapers, local/ national etc. The state is not going to stop unless it is completely discomfited. On the other hand, people are risking much. The leaders and people will be getting arrested / courting arrest in large numbers. This is more than just the Dec.16th show. It is quite a do or die situation for the people, and there has to be substantial support from outside. Please do your bit"
The situation seems to be getting out of hand with the administration bent on breaking the anti-mining movement by any means possible. It seems the Government has forgotten the valiant history of the tribals of Koraput who had fought the British with Laxman Nayak and were least cowed by the killing of the three tribals in Maikanch firing. Sooner or later the matter will come to a head and the blame will be laid on the doors of Shri Nabin
Pattanaik and the District Collector for deliberately provoking the tribal people for the benefit of a private company.
It seems that a confrontation is inevitable on December 7th. The people are angry and will not back down in front of state terror. They see the Project as a basic infringement of their fundamental rights and dignity as human beings and are willing to die to oppose the same. The administration must desist from this game of "chicken", for it is going to end in bloodshed of innocent people.
It seems so ironical that a CM who swears by his "tribal friendly" identity has turned so "corporate friendly" at the cost of the tribal people. He should do well to remember that we still live in democracy, however flawed it may be, as one of his co-student from his illustrious school reminds him.
Nachiketa
Independent Media
Bhubaneswar
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Kashipur Update dated 06/12/2004
Contents :
1 Situation in Kashipur
2 Support activities by solidarity groups
3. Appeal to help prevent violence in Kashipur
1. Situation in Kashipur
We are still getting rather sketchy reports from Kashipur in view of the area being cut off through police blockades on all access roads. However, these reports from Kashipur and Rayagada suggest that:
a. A bloody clash between the tribals protestors and the police may take place on December 7th, when the movement has decided to congregate at D. Karal to protest against the continuing police atrocities after the lathicharge. They will also protest the
construction of the police station and Armed Police-barracks which they perceive as a means not only to facilitate the Company's project but also to demolish the movement..
b. Police is continuing to harass all and sundry. So far 10 people have been arrested in cooked up cases and put behind bars. None of the injured who have been arrested has been taken to the hospital with only first aid having been given at Tikri.
c. Police have blocked the main entrance of the Kahipur valley and the whole stretch of the road from Gumma Ghati to D. Karal (a distance of 30 kms.) is infested with police personnel. The police are also trying to arrest the leaders and activists of the Kashipur movement. The large numbers of tribal people, who have congregated at Kucheipadar
village, expect the village to be raided to arrest the movement leaders today or tomorrow and have vow to resist the raids to arrest their leaders. Any such efforts to arrest the leaders would lead to bloodshed.
2. Solidarity for the Kashipur movement :
On 05/12/2004, a protest against police repression and deployment of armed Police in Kashipur in front of the Rajbhanwan in Bhubaneswar was carried out by all the constituents of Desh Premi Jana Samukhya and representatives from various political parties. The various political formations showing their solidarity with the Kashipur movements included representatives of CPI, CPI-M, Smajawadi Party; Loka Shakti
Abhiyan; Gana Sangram Samiti, Gopalpur; Lok Sangram Manch; Baliapal Movement;Orissa Rajya Krushak Sabha;Upakula Surakshya Andolan and
members of the Desh Premi Jana Samukhya namely CPI-ML(New Democracy), CPI-ML (Red Flag), CPI-ML(CS), Samajwadi Jana Parishad and Loka Pakhya. Prakrutik Sampad Surakhsya Parishad (PSSP), Kashipur, was also represented. Two sitting MLAs Narayan Reddy, CPI and Shambhu Nayak, SUCI, were also present.
A memorandum was submitted to the Governor. The main demands raised by the protest were:
• Withdrawal of Armed Police from the proposed site of construction
• Immediate halt to the construction work of the proposed police station and Armed Police Barrack at D. Karal in the heart of the movement area
• Cancellation of UAIL project in Kashipur
• Withdrawal of all cases against the anti mining agitators and protestors
• Proper medical treatment of the injured and immediate release of all
arrested activists
All the constituents of Desh Premi Jana Samukhya declared complete solidarity with the aims and efforts of the Kashipur movement.
3. Appeal to civil society for pre-emption of state led violence:
The struggle of the Kashipur tribals against the mining of the sacred Baphlimali Mountain for bauxite and the proposed alumina refinery started 12 years back. The Kashipur tribals have opposed the removal of the bauxite rich mountain top for short term gain. For them, the employment and compensation generated by the project will last for a
few years, whereas the loss of water retaining bauxite, the drying of the springs, the poisoning of their lands will destroy the lives of their future generation. Deeply attached to their ancestral land and lifescape, the adivasis of Kashipur have faced the combined might of the State and the powerful companies for these twelve years, in spite of their people being killed, arrested, tortured and humiliated. The anti-mining movement in the Kashipur area has gone from strength to strength, and three massive bauxite mining projects, all export oriented, have been stalled by the resistance of the movement.
After the Maikanch firing in December, 2000,, there was a lull in the efforts to implement the projects. From 2003, reflecting the ups and downs of the commodity market and the political cycles, the State Government and the Aditya Birla Group which holds the controlling interest in the UAIL have again launched their efforts to kick start the Mining project and the Alumina refinery. The recent incidents starting from December 1st, 2004, seem to be aimed at breaking the Kashipur movement through police repression. It seems that the State Government and the UAIL have realized that the movement can't be bribed or broken through covert means, and that the only way to achieve their goal of implementing the projects is to destroy the Kashipur movement through repression and arrests. Thus a deliberately thought out blueprint for destroying the Kashipur movement are being implemented. The key elements of this plan seem to be:
i) Creating a political, all party consensus for the project
ii) Posting armed police in the heartland area of the movement to facilitate the construction work of the project and provoke the anti-mining protestors.
iii) Flooding the Kashipur area with armed police and blocking access to outsiders, including journalists
iv) Arrest key leaders and activists in false cases, including NSA.
v) Deliberately provoke the tribal people into retaliating and then use the violence as an excuse for massive repression and state led violence. The police are under strict instructions to use non-lethal forces initially, and then graduate to lethal means. Convert the project area into an armed camp and ensure that project construction takes place.
vi) Coerce and bribe journalists to enable them to be "embedded" in administrations plans. Local journalists have been talking about unbearable pressure being applied on them by the administration, including the Collector Mr. Mehrda himself.
It is widely rumored that the Company has been spending huge amounts of money to ensure that all powerful political formations, bureaucracy and press supports its project.
The administration, however, seems to be underestimating the resolve of the Kashipur tribals to resist the Project. The Maikanch firing aftermath as well as the aftermath of the 1st December, 2004, lathicharge should provide indicators of future flow of events. Just
after Maikanch firing, thousands of tribals armed with traditional weapons gathered at Rupkona Chak after an unprecedented mobilization, willing to do or die. The State government backed off. Again, after the recent lathicharge, thousands of tribals have gathered in Kucheipadar and nearby areas, and are planning to protest the Police
station and armed barrack construction at D. Karal tomorrow. Any police violence is liable to set the whole area on fire, with tribals confronting the police and administration. The current standoff ensures that a major confrontation is set to happen, and it will be
deliberately designed by the administration and the UAIL. In this unequal battle, it will be the tribals lives that will be lost, for they have resolved that while they are alive, the project can't be built in their area.
Therefore we request all right thinking people to write to key people involved in this process from the administration and Government and ask them to withdraw from the confrontation.
Please write to the following people within Orissa:
Governor of Orissa Shri Rameswar Thakur. Fax No: +91 674 2536582, 2536581, 2536584
Chief Minister Shri Nabin Pattanaik. Email:
cmo@ori.nic.in Fax: +91 674 2535100 Chief Secretary Shri Subash Pani. Email:
csori@ori.nic.in Secretary to Chief Minister Shri B K Pattanaik. Email:
cmo@ori.nic.in RDC, Berhampur, Dr. Arun Panda. Email:
rdcbmp@ori.nic.in ; arunpanda84@yahoo.com Collector, Rayagada, Shri P K Mehrda. Email :
dmrgd@ori.nic.in Shri Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, ex- bureaucrat and BJD Rajya Sabha MP, is the chief architect of this standoff. His email is
pyarimohanap@sansad.nic.in and his Phone nos. are 0674-2545132 and 9868181155 (M). (Please note : His (Nabin Pattanaik's) dependence on Pyari Mohan Mahapatra a retired civil servant who was principal secretary to his father during his last stint as chief minister for day-to-day political and administrative decisions, has considerably eroded his authority. The state capital is agog with stories of how PM (as Mahapatra is known) is the real CM of the state. (Telegraph,
March1, 2004))
Please also mark copies to these letters to constitutional authorities such as the Commissioner SC/ST, National Human Rights Commission etc.
Unfortunately, the State media and the national media have been reluctant to cover the issue. Please help us put pressure on the media to highlight this situation by writing to national newspapers and TV Channels requesting coverage about Kashipur. The more the issue gets highlighted in the media, more difficult will it be for the State Government to indulge in repression on behalf of corporate sector.
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Kashipur Update 08/12/2004
Leadership dissuades people from confronting Police on 7th Dec. to avoid bloodshed. Police terror continues in Kashipur area
Latest reports coming from inside Kashipur inform us that over 2000 people had gathered in Kucheipadar (the focus point of the movement) on 7th Dec. This was inspite of the fact that platoons of armed police have been circulating to all movement villages, threatening the villagers not to go to Kucheipadar or D. Karal on 7th Dec. and promising another Maikanch in case people gathered. The police has also been monitoring all the paths to Kucheipadar and D. Karal as well as checking all vehicles going on the road for people going to Kucheipadar. The leadership, fearing massive bloodshed in case of
confrontation, decided not to go ahead with the program to protest the construction going on in D. Karal.
Meanwhile, the intimidation and arrests by the police continues. The police are specifically targeting people from Kucheipadar, as it has been the nerve-center of the Kashipur movement. The administration has refrained from sending people directly to Kucheipadar, most probably in view of the civil society pressure generated on it through appeals to the Chief Minister and Governor, Orissa. However, it has been arresting anyone who belongs to Kucheipadar from public places. For example, on 5th Dec., three platoons of police raided the Haat at Dongasil to arrest people who has come there from Kucheipadar for their marketing. In the ensuing panic in the Hat, one Ajit Majhi, 11
years, son of Late Rama Majhi, Kucheipadar, has gone missing and has not been found till now. When contacted, the Tikiri police station people have said that they have arrested some people but were not willing to identify them or tell if Ajit was amongst them. Ajit's parents are still waiting for him.
Another boy from Kucheipadar, Jaganath Sahu, 14, had gone to Tikiri to get his photograph taken for his 10th Class Board examination forms. It is reported that he was dragged from the Studio and arrested and sent to jail by the police. The police claims that they have released him but he is not yet reached his home. The police is also checking
all vehicles passing on the road for people going to Kucheipadar. Some Sarvodayis who were going to Kucheipadar to show their solidarity report that their bus was stopped at Tikiri and boarded by police searching for people going to Kucheipadar.
The Kashipur movement is going ahead with 16th December, 2004, as Martyr's day, and a massive rally is planned for that date. Three innocent tribals were killed on that date by police firing at Maikanch and people from the Kashipur valley as well as solidarity groups from across the State are expected to come for this rally.
There is still no coverage of the Kashipur situation in mainstream media. The parallels with how American media treats going ons in Fallujeh and other cities of Iraq are unmistakable. It illustrates the partisan and biased nature of Indian corporate owned media which refuses to carry news affecting the interests of Corporate sector.
The story does not end here. Reports reaching Independent media tell us that three raids have been conducted by the police in Bolangir, Sambalpur and Bargarh (these three places are more than 300 km. From Kashipur) under the direct supervision of their respective district police heads to arrest three activists working with the people in
Kashipur ( Rabi Pradhan, Saroj Mohanty and Debaranjan). In Bargarh, Samata Bhawan , the office of Samajbadi Jan Parishad (associated with one of the greatest Indian Socialist leaders, Shri Kishen Pattanaik, who died recently) was also not spared by the police. Sources inform us that these three activists along with Bhagaban Majhi will be booked under National Security Act (NSA). Already Non-Bailable arrest warrants have been issued in the name of Sri Prafulla Samantara, Sri Achyut Das, Sri Rabi Pradhan and 28 others. The present strategy seems to be to isolate the main centre of the movement, physically and morally, and then repress the leaders and divide the movement internally, say reporters and intellectuals who visited Kashipur on the 7th December. According to them, the police will verify the identity of each individual entering into Kashipur for the forthcoming martyr's day programme on the 16th Dec., 2004. All outsiders who come
to Kashipur to show solidarity with the trinal people will be dealt with a firm hand, Kashipur police has informed the people on spot.
No MLA has raised the issue of Kashipur so far in the floor of the house, though the Orissa Legislative Assembly is in session. Last four days have been wasted by the MLAs because of a drama jointly enacted by ruling parties with the active support of the main opposition Congress party over the Tangarapada mines and Vedanta aluminium,
wherein CM, Orissa, is being asked to resign. The fact that the no one in Opposition Congress is raising the current situation in Kashipur brings out the true nature of the political elite in the State and their willingness to collaborate with the international mining mafia at the cost of the tribal people and the poor of Orissa.
It is reported that platoons of CRPF, IRB (created to deal with Naxalite issue) and Orissa State Armed Police have been heavily deployed in Kashipur. These forces have all been redeployed from the so-called naxalite affected areas in South Orissa to Kashipur. They
raiding villages in the night to terrorise people. For instance on 6th Dec. night, almost 100 armed police raided the village of Baghrijhola and chased the menfolk who went and hid in the nearby dongar (hill). This unleashing of the might of the State including
Security forces raised to deal witt armed insurgency against tribals who are opposing a private sector mining project is a clear indication of how far things have gone in Orissa. One of the persons who has visited Kashipur commented "the Administration and the police seem to be acting like "company ra bhadha tiya goonda" (hired goons of the
company) in their dealing with the tribals of Kashipur.
We shall keep you informed about the latest developments from time to time. The pressure generated by those who are horrified by the injustice in the abuse of the tribals in Kashipur is extremely important for protecting the people of Kashipur from even greater
repression. How far the State is willing to go is apparent by the fact that we can't take the risk of naming our sources in Kashipur, Rayagada as well as in Bhubaneswar.
Nachiketa,
Independent Media
Bhubaneswar
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Independent Media, 09/12/2004
Progressive parties and organizations in Orissa express solidarity and support for the Kashipur Movement. Representatives to attend Martyr's Day at Kashipur
In an unprecedented move, the left and the progressive political parties in Orissa, came together in response to a call given by Loka Pakshya to express their solidarity with the fighting tribals and dalits in Kashipur, Orissa, who have been at the receiving end of
state patronized and corporate sponsored violence. The Political parties and organizations which included CPI-M, CPI, SUCI, CPI-ML (Red Flag), CPI-ML (Liberation), CPI-ML (New Democracy), Samajbadi Party, Samajbadi Jana Parishad, Loka Shakti Abhijan, Utkal Sarovodaya Mandal and Loka Pakshya, deliberated for a long time on the 12 years old Kashipur People's movement which has turned itself into the struggle against imperialism in Orissa today. At the end they adopted the following Resolution:
"While condemning in no uncertain terms the repeated brutal efforts of the State administration and Company authorities with the purpose of repressing a well justified movement which the people of Kashipur have carried out for the last 12 years to protect their lives and livelihoods, we urge upon the State to protect their inalienable right
to protest. Along with this we call upon the State to immediately withdraw all armed (police) forces deployed in Kashipur with the purpose of suppressing the people's movement. We also demand that the State Government immediately withdraw all false cases filed against the genuine agitators in Kashipur movement as well as the cases filed
against their sympathizers/supporters. We express our total solidarity with the Kashipur movement.
This Resolution is being adopted and signed by the following representatives of following political parties and organizations present at the Nagbhushan Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, today i.e. 09/12/2004. These like minded political parties and organizations also decided to undertake the following programmes in order to express their solidarity with the people of Kashipur.
1. A delegation consisting representatives of all the like minded politically parties and organizations assembled at Nagbhushan Bhavan on 9th Dec. shall attend the Martyr's day Program at Kashipur on 16th Dec., 2004 which is being organized by PSSP. The sitting MLAs and the ex-MLAs of concerned parties will also be requested to attend the
program personally.
2. A symbolic protest meeting will be organized in front of Orissa Legislative Assembly, Bhubaneswar on the same day by the same political parties and organizations to highlight the cause of Kashipur struggle.
3. The participants of the meeting also decided to request Prof. Bhagabat Prasad Rath to defer his proposed "fast unto death" scheduled to start from the12th Dec. in order to protest police atrocities in Kashipur.
This resolution is being signed by the State Secretaries of all the political parties and organizations present in the meeting Janardan Pati, Secreatry, CPI-M,
Bijoy Mohanty, Member, Polit Bureau, CPI
Khitish Biswal, State Secretary, CPI-ML (Liberation)
Gananath Patro, State Secretary, CPI-ML,
Sivaram, State Secretary, CPI-ML (Red Flag)
Bhalla Chandra, State Secretary, CPI-ML (New Democracy),
Durjati Das, SUCI
Baisnab Parida, President, Samajwadi Party,
Lingaraj, Samajwadi Jana Parishad
Prafulla Samantra, President, Lok Shakti Abhijan,
Rajendra Sarangi, Convenor, Loka Pakshya,
Ramakant Mandal, Secretary, Utkal Sarvodaya Mandal,
Abhiram Behera, General Secretary, Orissa Krushak Sabha,
Satish Mishra, President, AIYF
Jyotiranjan Mahapatra, State Secretary, AISF;
Biswapriya Kanungo
Radhakand Sethi; Jaydev Naik; Bijay Samal and others."
Reported by
Nachiketa
Independent Media
Bhubaneswar
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Kashipur Update 12/12/2004
Kashipur situation continues to be tense. The harassment of ordinary tribals and arrest of innocent people continues apace with the armed police continuing to raid the villages. Bhulka Maniyaka was arrested on 10th Dec. 2004 and send to jail – this takes the total number of persons under arrest to 13. Ajit Majhi, the 11 year old boy, still remains untraceable. Construction of the barrack for armed police has been going on at a unprecedented speed with the armed police having made a security ring around it. The area continues to be infested with armed police and people are still being harassed.
Unfortunately, the State and national level media still continues to blackout the Kashipur situation. In spite of many attempts by the local activists and sympathizers to get the press to report on the state repression on Kashipur, there has been least coverage of the
situation. This has given the State a free hand in carrying out the repression. Even the press release of the left and progressive parties supporting the Kashipur movement has been blacked out from all major local newspapers (both vernacular and English), excepting for "Orissa Bhaskar". We are told by friends inside the media circles that there
is massive pressure on the media people not to publish anything which goes against UAIL. We request all friends to write to the media outlets in Orissa demanding coverage of Kashipur situation. We are collecting the emails and would send them in later dispatches.
On 10th Dec, around 1000 persons carried out a rally and Gherao of the RDC Office at Sambalpur. This program was organized by local organizations in solidarity with the Kashipur Movement and for stopping Lower Suktel dam project. The main demands of the protestors regarding Kashipur were :
• Cancel the MOU with UAIL and scrap the UAIL project
• Release all people arrested in Kashipur
• Withdraw all armed police forces from Kashipur area
• Immediately stop construction of barracks and police station in D Karal
The All left and progressive parties initiatives in solidarity of Kashipur movement are meeting again on 14th Dec. to chalk out future strategies. Activists supporting Kashipur movement have requested people to write to the Chief Minister, Orissa and also reach Kashipur on 16th Dec. to show solidarity with Kashipur people on Martyrs' day.
Nachiketa
Independent Media [
independent.media@gmail.com] Bhubaneswar
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C.R.Bijoy