From Idinthakarai With Love
As Told To Anitha.S
07 September, 2012
Countercurrents.org
I am Ignatius. The 13 year old from CASA colony, Idinthakarai. The Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant which has got all safety and technical clearances from the Madras High Court is just 900 metres from where I stay. I wake up and look out to see its yellow and red domes.
I am just getting back home today after a long and arduous journey to Chennai. Long because we were questioned at many places by the police. We just could not understand why 20 children of my age and some mothers cannot travel together. Do we have to give reasons for that?
Arduous because we did not know if we could fulfill the purpose of the journey. We were weighed down by the responsibility of the mission entrusted with us. We were taking letters from all the children in our region appealing for the right to live in our villages safely with our parents and family. To be able to return to a normal way of life, go to school, play, fall ill, get looked after, be assured that our parents are peaceful, go for weddings, festivals… all the normal and happy things of life.
Instead we are being forced to live close to this demon without being assured of its safety.
We attempted to meet the Chief Minister of our State with an appeal that we should be safe and a dialogue should be started with us, the first affected party in this scheme about how we can live here. I appeal with folded hands to her, as an intelligent woman and able leader to intervene and suggest a way out of this crisis.
We wrote to the children of U.S.President Barack Obama, Malia and Sasha about the need for all children of the world to come together and demand for a free, secure world. Will the letter ever reach them?
My heart was beating fast when a friend in the group asked “ Our struggle will soon cross 400 days. Do we look like we have foreign funds? I have seen my parents and other people give a portion of the money that they earn by fishing or beedi- rolling to the movement. We are proud of it”
I remember how a grandmother in the village said “ We have only this way to express our right to live. Atleast after many years, our great grand children will not have to ask where we were when they started this terrible project”
Yes, I can proudly tell that I was one of the youngest participants in this struggle for justice and safe life in the place where we were born.
I appeal to all of you now to spread this message of peace to the world. Some say this is the last fight for life. How can that be? This is just the beginning of a new phase. This is to live and survive, share and care, feel and think. Join us in your own way as fast as possible. We are now walking the thin and delicate trapeze thread back to living.
Remember me, us please in your thoughts and prayers.
Prepared by Anitha.S after conversations with Ignatius, Labisha, Shobana, Pinochia, Melrit and Xavieramma on their way back from Chennai.
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