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To Die For The Right To Live

By Anitha.S

05 November, 2012
Countercurrents.org

Manrose raised her hands and shouted “ Venda, venda anuulai venda” to the 300 women gathered in a unique event organized in Thiruvananthapuram on November 3, 2012. Along with her 5 other women from Idinthakarai travelled to participate in the event “ From Koodankulam to Vilappilsala- Messages of Survival” conceived by 8 women’s organizations. Stressing on the strength and vigour of women who attempt to be part of struggles to hold their right to live in peace and harmony, the interaction also brought together the women from Vilappilsala, near Trivandrum where a waste treatment factory has been causing havoc to the environment and health of a sylvan village. The meeting was preceded by a March to the Secretariat by the women with placards and slogans.

Set in the most informal manner, the organizing team insisted on the need to listen to the trails and travails, the successes and pitfalls, the determination and will of the women in the struggle front. This was what made the program special and unique. Apart from this, the program was also accompanied by a poster exhibition on the life in Idinthakarai village along with the perceptions of women about the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant. The screening of the short documentary “ Daughters of the Sea- Voices from Koodankulam” ( by Satish,K ) brought to focus the tragic detention of 3 women friends in Trichy jail since September 20, 2012.

Manrose described about the long history of the anti-nuclear struggle since 1989 when the Save water Save Life movement raised the issue of desecration of coastal habitats and livelihoods by development programs. She emphasized on the need to let communities retain their own land and oceans or comprehend the depth of the struggle to live for which they might die. Josephine, Konsa, Therasita, Anselvam and Leela also stressed the relationship that they have with their land and the sea. Anselvam spoke about the death of democracy and lack of transparency with which the project was imposed on the people. She lamented about how the movement was charged with receiving foreign funds while it was their hard earned money that helped sustain the struggle. Leela spoke about the carnage on September 10th2012 when the Police moved with violence onto the peaceful protestors and how so many of their friends are still in jail with no attempt to even grant them bail. Therasita worried about the children of Sundari and Selvi looking at their photographs in the poster exhibition as both of them are still in Trichy jail. Konsa spoke in a troubled voice about the charges of sedition and warring against the State that was imposed on them and the indefinite declaration of 144 in the village that has disrupted normal life.

The team from Idinthakarai listened with shock to the inhuman way in which the village Vilappilsala has been bearing the waste of the city since 12 years. The sobre but moving speech of the Panchayat President Shobhana Kumari who described how all the people stood together without any political divisions elicited applause from the audience. The two grandmothers from Vilappilsala- Leelamma and Lalithamma traced the history of installation of the Waste Treatment factory in the name of a garden which would bring employment to the people. The treachery and cheating that the Corporation of Trivandul along with the company Poabsons carried out on the village was succinctly put forth by Shajina and Sobhana( Member, Vilappil Panchayat).

The meeting was special in that the women from the struggle fronts were the main speakers. The Malayalam Poetess Sugathakumari applauded the women in the battle ground along with the MLA Jameela Prakasam. The afternoon session saw the sharing of experience with women journalists from Mathrubhumi, Indian express, Janayugam and Asianet.

The program was made possible by the team work of SEWA-Union, Kerala Streevedi, Vanitha Kala Sahiti, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad- Gender wing, Working Women’s Forum, Vellarada Action Council along with many individuals and organizations.

The meeting decided to reach support to both these movements and also hold similar programs linking to local issues and problems in other parts of Kerala.

Anitha.S ([email protected])





 

 


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