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dam-l NAPM opposes MNC's
>>NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS
>>
>>
>>PEOPLE OF INDIA OPPOSE MNCs AND GLOBAL AGREEMENTS ; WARN THE GOVT AND
>>MULTILATERAL INVESTORS; STRUGGLE FOR ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT TO BE
>>INTENSIFIED - Janadhikar Panchayat In Delhi
>>
>>
>>While the Government of India is busy in inviting the multinational
>>companies and investors, over one hundred fifty movements and
>>organisations from 15 states have declared their total opposition to the
>>multinational companies and multilateral agreements like GATT, WTO and
>>incoming Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) on April 27-28, 1998,
>>at the unique Janadhikar Panchayat ( The Council of People's Rights) held
>>in Delhi. It was for the first time since the new government at centre had
>>assumed power that the people's movements from all over country have
>>reasserted the basic issues regarding the life, rights and resources of
>>the people and the sustainable, equitable development as have emerged
>>through their struggles. The Panchayat, consisting of over 5000 women and
>>men of different languages and terrains, declared its unequivocal
>>oppsotion to the forces of globalisation, privatisation and so called
>>liberalisation which in effect means the monopolisation of the means of
>>the livelihood and natural resources.
>>
>>The Panchayat ( people's council) was organised by the National Alliance
>>of Peoiple's Movements, a process of the coordiantion of the efforts by
>>various movements throughout India for last five years.
>>
>>The organisations also declared the campaign against the imposition of
>>the iodised salt all over India and banning the natural salt produced by
>>thousands of salt farmers. The campaign will be launched from June 5, the
>>day on which Jaiprakash Narayan, the veteran Socialist leader who
>>spearheaded the people's movement for the restoration of democracy in India
>>during the regieme of Indira Gandhi,launched his programme of 'Total
>>Revolution'. Apart from rallies, demonstration against the compulsion and
>>imposition of the iodised salt in all parts of India, the movements will
>>be selling the natural salt in open as a part to defy the unjust
>>provision. This would be another 'Salt Satyagraha' after the historic Salt
>>Satyagraha by Mahatma Gandhi against the impostion of salt tax by the
>>British. The National Alliance of People's Movements has been making a
>>well researched case against such imposition of iodised salt, wwhich in
>>effect is a step to help the national-international capital even in the
>>case of such a simple case of salt to the detriment of the salt producers
>>and consumers.
>>
>>The organisations also have decalred to intensify the struggle againest
>>the infamous ENRON power project on Konkan coast of Maharashtra and in
>>South India where the company is trying to enter. It was a heartening
>>sight when the villagers from Kerala whre the ENRON was to come, expressed
>>gratitude and felicitated the villagers from Konkan who have been
>>struggling against the ENRON powerr project for last four years. The
>>Kerala government has recently refused entry for the ENRON, due to
>>the people's opposition the company has been facing in Maharashtra. Thus
>>though the people in Konkan are still struggling against the continuing
>>construction of the ENRON power plant their struggle has saved the people
>>in Kerala. The National Alliance has been participating in the anti-ENRON
>>struggle taking up it as one of the major issues.
>>
>>The organisations discussed at length the farmers' plight in India due to
>>the unjust cost management and due to the so called Green Revolution
>>technology, now accompanied by the onalaught of global capital and market.
>>They decided to strengthen the farmers' movements througought India and
>>declared support for the Farmers' Rally that was to be held at Hyderabad
>>on May 1. The National Alliance has been taking up the issues of Dalits
>>(scheduled castes), backward classes and castes and minorities and has
>>declared that it would continue to do so more effectively, with a constant
>>dialogue between the movement sof Dalits, Bahujans, minorities,women and
>>the movments against the displacement, disparity and for alternatives.
>>
>>The organisations also declared their stiff opposition to the impending
>>changes in the patent law of India under the pressure from multilateral
>>agreements and companies. A programme will be chalked out to intensify
>>the resistance for such a change.
>>
>>JAN SUNWAI ( PEOPLE'S HEARING)
>>
>>The first day of Janadhikar Panchayat was devoted to the public hearings
>>on the issues raised by various organisations throughout the nation. The
>>Jan Sunwai was launched by Mr. Justice (Rtd) P.B. Samant, Chairman of the
>>Press Council Of India. He came out against the present policy and
>>paradigm of development which benifitted only the capitalists and
>>advocated the people's planning based on their priorities, knowledge,
>>skills and aspirations. Thomas Kocherry, the National Coordinator of the
>>Alliance, cautioned the people against the imposition of industries,
>>technology and machines, production processes unwanted in the Western
>>countries which would cause displacement, destruction and disparity in
>>India. Medha Patkar, the outgoing National Coordinator, clarified the need
>>for the Public Hearing on the issues raised by the people's movements, as
>>all the channels - either in the government set up or in media- seemed
>>incapable of taking a serious cognisance of the issues of survival,
>>equality, and sustainabilty emerging ut of the movments in India.
>>
>>The Jan Sunwai was divided into four major themes : the Displacement,
>>Disparity and the Altenative; the issues of Dalits, Bahujan, Women and
>>Minorities; MNCs and the Globalisation of Development; the Centralisation
>>of Power and Power to the People. The organisations came up with well
>>argued and well documented cases and the 'panchs' ( juries) consisted of
>>eminent people, jurists, journalists, experts, prominent social activists.
>>
>>Each case regarding the struggle against the displacement brought out the
>>total anti-people and class biased nature of the developmental projects,
>>policies and paradigm behind them. The cases of the displaced people in
>>Koyana Dam in 1960s in Maharashtra, in the Narmada valley, of the multiple
>>displacement in Singrauli from 1961, the struggles in Orissa against BALCO
>>mines, the Missile Range at Baliapal, and the Tata Steel Plant at Gopalpur
>>on shore, a rich land producing exotic and aromatic plant of kevada, the
>>urban displacement in Bhati Mines area in Delhi, Calcutta Mumbai, Dalits
>>land issue ( panchami land) in Tamilnadu, the anti-airport struggle in
>>Kerala and the woes of the people affected by the Damodar River Valley
>>Projects in South Bengal -all have the same message regarding the prevalent
>>Development policy and
>>projects and the inevitability of the people's strugle at all these
>>points, opposing this development and thereby setting up the parametres of
>>the true development.
>>
>>
>>The discussions on the Dalit and Bahujan issues brought out the presnt
>>structures of exploitation and inequality and thresponses from the victims
>>- individuals or in communities. The struggle by the sanitary workers' c
>>community (mehtar), the panchami land struggle in South India, women's
>>struggles and their issues and the issues of the Muslim, Christians for
>>equality and survival all focussed on the need for doing away with the
>>internal contradictions within the society alongwith the struggle against
>>the outside onslaught. The theses of MNCs brought out the adverse impact
>>of globalisation in all sectors and the people's struggel in form of Azadi
>>Bachao Andolan, Fishworkers' struggle, the struggle by peasants, against
>>ENRON, Maheshwar hydro-power project in Narmada valley, Shell company near
>>Allahabad. In the fourth hearing the people's responses to the present
>>development were enumerated and the movments demanded the complete right
>>to information, prohibition of alcohol, equal treatment for farmers and
>>the need for developing people's power at the village and community level.
>>
>>The Panchayat also organised a ' Vikalp Mela', an exhibition of the
>>efforts, processes, and production on altenative and sustainable lines by
>>organisations. Over 40 such stalls drew attention of the peoeple in and
>>out of Delhi.
>>
>>( SANJAY SANGVAI)
>>
>>Narmada Bachao Andolan and
>>
>>For National Alliance of People's Movements
>>