Anti-POSCO - At Any Point Of Time,
The Police Will Forcefully Enter Into Their Villages
By POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS)
14 May, 2010
Countercurrents.org
On 11th May 2010, the government sent 25 police force platoons, 5 Ambulances and 2 fire engines to near-by areas and forcefully occupied different schools close to the affected villages by the proposed POSCO plant at Jagatsingphur district of Odisha, India. When villagers of Kujang refused to hand over the High School key, the police ignored them and entered forcibly the school campus. In doing this, the police themselves were breaking the law.
It is entirely possible that the government and POSCO company will begin their massive operation to, forcefully, oust people from their habitats and to sabotage the democratic peaceful movement by the people under banner of POSCO Pratirodh Sangam Samiti (PPSS) for the last five years. The ground situation of the villages is under strain and villagers are on high alert to face any government attempts to acquire their land.
As you may know, all the villagers are vehemently resisting the forcible land acquisition process to establish 12 million ton per annum project of integrated steel plant, captive power station and port in Ersama block of Jagatsinghpur. Villagers strongly feel that if this project goes ahead it will not only destroy their paddy lands, fish-ponds, betel-vine and the entire environment, but also take away their sustainable and the most dependable livelihood systems. In addition to this, tribal people operating under the slogan of Khandhar Suraksha Samiti are protesting against the land acquisition and environmental degradation caused by proposed excavation of mining at Khandadhar hills of Sundhargarh district.
From January 26th 2010 onwards, hundreds of villagers are sitting daily at Balithutha – the entry point into the proposed project affected villages Nuagoan , Govindpur and Gara Kujanga panchayat.
The POSCO authorities and district administration tried to use forest officials for surveying the proposed area, which was resisted by the people. Now it’s learnt that for this refusal, three criminal cases have been registered in the local police station by the administration against the leaders of PPSS including its President, Abhya Sahoo and others. Now villagers are apprehending that at any point of time, the police will forcefully enter into their villager in the name of surveying the forest land.
At this juncture, we appeal to all the concerned citizens, media, human rights orginisations, and environmentalists to come forward and show their solidarity and help the people to fight against this injustice. We also earnestly appeal that you kindly write to concerned authorities of the government of Odisha and India to forbid any kind of such repressive measures to us. We are attaching a draft letter addressed to the Orissa Chief Minister for your reference. Kindly do necessary changes if you feel so and send it to the Chief Minister. The same letter may be sent to the Prime Minister and other concerned authorities. Please widely circulate this mail.
Also, you are requested to join Mass Resistance Week at Balitutha from 15th to 21st May 2010 and add your voice with the people struggling for their rights and justice.
Thanking for your continuous cooperation and support
Here is the latest news from Orissa
Dear all,
I spoke with Abhay Sahuji and Prasanth Paikare now. It seems police force is increased from 25 platoons to 40 platoons . Prasantji also mentioned about the information they received about a confidential action planning meetng by Govt on District collectorate. Police also rented mikesets, generator etc for tomorrow early morning ( possibly for announcing people to go out from project area) . As per these indicators ppss thinks police action will start most likely on tomorrow morning 5am . We must act something quickly
Anivar
Dear friend:
We need your help urgently. As many of you are aware, the Korean Steel giant, POSCO (Pohang Steel) is touted to be moving forward with its plans building a steel mill in Jagatsingpura in north-east Orissa. The mill, also involves mining at Keonjhar and a new port just north of Paradip. In all, over 30 villages are targets for forced displacement and have been in continuous protest in one form or the other for the last two years or more under the leadership of the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti. Currently there has been a rapid build of police forces over the last 72 hours. An Ongoing peaceful dharna by hundreds of villagers under the leadership of PPSS is continuing from January 26th 2010 onwards at Balithutha – the entry point into the proposed project affected villages. Now Dharna & Villages are under the threat of an attack on the people and forced entry into the lands and occupation by govt forces looms large. Please call following contacts and ask them to immediately stop all plans of forced occupation of land and instead seek the immediate implementation of the Forest Rights Act. Remind them that the project will effect both adivasis and non adivasis, a delicate eco system with a rumenurative betel leaf cultivation system and a unified movement against POSCO.
Call/Fax/Email
Chief Minister of Orissa
Address: Naveen Nivas, Aerodrome Road, P.O.-Bhubaneswar, Dist.-Khurda
Pin -751001(Orissa)
Tel. No.(O) 0674- 2531100,2535100 (FAX)
Tel. No.(R) 0674- 2590299, 2591099,2590844,2591100,2590833
Email : [email protected]
Shri Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister’s Office,
Room number 152, South Block, New Delhi, Fax: + 91 11 2301 6857
P. Chidambaram, Minister of Home affairs, Residence: 19 Safdarjung Road, New Delhi 110011, Phone: 91 11 23792222
Office: Room No. 104, North Block, New Delhi 110011, Phone: 91 11 23092462, 91 11 23094686, Fax: 91 1123094221
Chief Justice of India, Supreme Court,Tilak Marg, New Delhi -1,
Fax: +91 11 233 83792, Email: [email protected]
Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of India,
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi 110 001, Tel: +91 11 230 74448,\
Fax: +91 11 2334 0016, Email: [email protected]
Mr. T. Theethan, IAS, The Joint Secretary, National Commission for SC,
5th Floor, ‘B’ Wing, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi 110103,
India. Email: [email protected]
Prashant Paikary
Spokesperson, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.
Mobile no - 09437571547