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State Violence In Kalinganagar, Orissa

Concerned Citizens Committee On Kalinganagar Firing

19 April, 2010
Sanhati

 

Bhubaneswar March 31, 2010: A citizens’ committee which visited Baligootha Kalinganagar under the leadership of Justice Chaudhry Pratap Mishra ( Retd Judge of Orissa High Court ) on 30th March, 2010 after indiscriminate firing against peaceful protesters of Vistapan Virodhi Janmanch was reported in the media, has come across shocking incidences of police and mafia brutality. The members of the committee which also included Sri Rabi Das (senior journalist), Shri Chitta Mohanty (writer and political activist), Sri Sudhir Pattnaik (senior journalist), Sri Mahendra Parida (Trade Union and human rights activist) met the victims of bullet injury in Baligootha, Chandia and Baragadia and saw the damages done to the houses, bovine wealth, food grains, food articles, motor bikes and cycles of the villagers.

The Sarpanch of Baligootha reported before the committee that his cash and golden chain also have been stolen from his house apart from the damage caused to food grains. Dabur Kalundia, another leader, also deposed before the team. Rabi Jarika, the leader of the agitating tribals who had sustained a bullet injury also narrated the incidents of the day and the politics behind the common corridor. The committee met men, women and children and about 25 injured persons including 9 women received treatment from the senior doctor who accompanied the committee along with a team of volunteers.

Observations of the Committee

1. About 30-40 tribals have sustained bullet injuries in the firing and 25 were treated by the doctor accompanying the committee. Four critically injured persons were in the hospital. Some have bullets stuck within their wounds. Though it appears to be rubber bullets, the kind of bloody wounds each one of the persons treated has received does not seem to be the work of rubber bullets.

2. No efforts by the administration to treat the injured. People don’t wish to go out for treatment for fear of torture and arrest.

3. The police firing at the site of the controversial common corridor road near Baligootha was unwarranted and uncalled for and therefore looks to be preplanned.

4. 29 platoons of armed police, 2 platoons of NSG, 70 police officers and 7 magistrates does speak a lot about the firing and also speaks about the atmosphere of police terror prevailing in the area.

5. The witnesses report that familiar faces in the nearby localities close to the ruling party came in police uniform and attacked all houses in Baligootha. They did not carry guns. They had swords and other deadly weapons in their hand.

6. Civilian goons in the presence of police could be seen in the place in which 144 was declared, as reported by the people.

7. The houses of leaders of the Manch have been damaged and all important articles including food grains burnt.

8. Agitating and aggrieved tribals are spending sleepless nights under trees in fear of more attacks, since the police, goons of the company and certain criminal elements associated with the ruling party are having a field day with good cooperation of the administration and police.

9. The presence of such a huge force itself threatens the peace of the area.

10. The administration does not seem to be sensitive to the cause of the tribal protesters as much as it is concerned for the companies in Kalinganagar.

Recommendations

1. The Honble Chief Minister should immediately intervene and call an immediate halt to the controversial common corridor project

2. Since the administration has betrayed the people once more a dialogue should take place at the highest level with the CM on the demands of the tribals including the one calling for land for land. Even people owning land in the common corridor have not been consulted.

3. Instead of building police stations one after another in a small place with corporate funding the CM should ensure that every village gets developmental inputs particularly education, health, water, social security schemes such as widow pensions all of which have been suspended arbitrarily.

4. Law should not be taken to hands by any citizens and this law applies first to the police administration. All officers, civil and police, involved in the firing of 30th March and in criminal activities such as injecting a sense of fear among the tribals the day preceding the firing and conflicts must be suspended immediately and be subjected to trial.

5. Financial compensation to the tune of Rs 1 lakh for every person injured in the firing be given to the victims.

Justice Ch.Pratap Mishra(Retd)

A Summary of events in Kalinganagar till 31st March

By Debaranjan Sarangi

Orissa government has started war on people in Kalinga Nagar.


The forces meant for ‘Operation Green Haunt’ like SOG forces were used for this purpose (as per media report Government of Orissa is formally launching ‘Operation Green Haunt’ from April 2010.)


This entire mobilization of armed forces in Kalinga Nagar is for construction of common corridor.


This common corridor is a connecting passage from main road to Tata’s proposed project site


This would help the administration and police to reach the Tata’s project site without any hindrance from local villagers.


Though the government of Orissa says that it would help transporting vehicles for other factories, a road already exists for their transportation and they are using it.


Many villagers have not yet received compensation for Tata project and even they are refusing to receive.
But the government of Orissa has mobilized/deployed 29 platoons of State Armed police, 2 platoons of Special Operation Groups (SOGs), 70 senior police officers, 7 magistrates besides District collector and Superintendent of Police at the spot.


Entire area has been cordoned off and section 144 has been declared.


Mediapersons were not permitted to enter those villages and were forced to sit inside the police station. But photographers hired by the private companies were moving around within police cordon.


Yesterday, police has used 500 round rubber bullets and did blank firing to send the villagers back. When the people were withdrawing from the area, police chased them upto 3km and came inside Baligotha village.
Inside Baligotha village, the police has burnt several houses and has beaten many old people.


Some villagers are injured. Their exact number is yet to be known. Most of them are taking private treatment.
One team from Bhubaneswar went yesterday night and some doctors accompanied them. They have come back now.


‘Bisthanpan Birodhi Janamancha, which is spearheading the movement in Kalinga Nagar, recently met the administration three days back after the latter invited for the discussion.


The Mancha placed few things before the Adm, like (a) after Kalinga Nagar firing (on 2nd April 2006 when 14 tribals died for opposing Tata steel project) the chief minister has invited and met them twice. But none of the demands have yet been met. It speaks how far really the government of Orissa is serious about the problem of Kalingnagar. (b) The Mancha is not opposing the project. But land against land should be given and those who are already displaced by previous projects should be rehabilitated properly.


Administration has not accepted any of the demands but next day started their ‘war’ on the people.


Surprisingly, those political parties who were opposing Kaling Nagar firing and called Orissa bandh on 7th January 2006 , are maintaining complete silence.


Local newspapers are only giving the version of police. None of them has yet carried any interview of one of any leaders of the Mancha.