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dam-l LS: Protests in India Escalate - Indefinite Sit-in Planned, Hunger Strike Likely
This email contains 3 press statements by the Narmada Bachao Andolan
and an appeal for action by Baba Amte.
1) People Affected By Several Dams in the Narmada Valley To Launch
Indefinite Program From 7 April In Bhopal (April 5, 1999)
2) Human Rights March of Narmada Oustees Draws Support (April 3, 1999)
3) North Maharashtra Groups Support Narmada Struggle; Human Rights March
in Shahada, Dhule & Malegaon (April 2, 1999)
4) Appeal For Action by Baba Amte
PRESS STATEMENT 5.APRIL.1999
People Affected By Several Dams in the Narmada Valley To Launch
Indefinite Program From 7 April In Bhopal
The people affected by the large dams coming up on the Narmada river
have announced that they will start an indefinite sit - in program from
the 7 April in Bhopal which would be converted into a indefinite hunger
strike if the Government does not respond to the demands raised by the
people. The people affected by ongoing or proposed dams such as
Maheshwar, Narmada Sagar, Maan, Jobat, Goi, Veda as also those already
built like Tawa and Bargi will start on 5 April 1999 from their
villages and move in large numbers to Indore. In Indore, a rally and one
day's dharna in front of the Office of the Commissioner will mark the
start of the program. Then, the people will move to Bhopal and launch a
sit in from 7 APril. This was announced by NBA activist Chittaroopa
Palit in a press conference in Bhopal on 4.3.99
The demands are very simple - implement the recommendations of the
Government constituted Task Force. It may be recollected that the
Government of M.P. had set up a Task Force consisting of Senior
officials, NBA representatives and independent experts to critically
evaluate the current Narmada Valley Development Project and develop a
framework of alternative approaches. The Narmada Valley Development
Project consists of 30 large, 135 medium and 3000 small dams in the
Valley, all but one of these being in M.P. The Task Force had submitted
its report in January 1999. Before that, the Task Force had submitted a
separate report on the Maheshwar Hydro Power Project, jointly owned by
Indian -German companies.
The Report on Maheshwar had recommended that the whole cost - benefit
analysis of the project would have to be relooked into, and if the
project was found viable, then the feasibility of rehabilitation should
be examined. The work on the project should begin only after these had
been done. Yet, the Government has ignored the recommendations and
immediately after receiving the report, has allowed work to resume on
the project. Thus paving way for displacement without justification,and
displacement without rehabilitation.
The private companies owning and building the project - S.Kumars,
Bayernwerk and Vew Energie, too have ignored all these issues and are
bent up on only pushing the work ahead, regardless of anything. The
work on the project is proceeding even though the oustees expressed
their anger at the volte-face by the Government by taking up a number of
one day occupations of the dam site, the latest one being on 31st March,
where the police used tear gas to disperse the people.
With the Government refusing to implement the recommendations of its own
Task Force, in spite of a number of warning demonstrations, the people
now have no recourse left but to launch an indefinite program.
Meanwhile, the situation in the other projects in the Valley also remains
serious. In spite of repeated warnings by the NBA, and discussions in the
TAsk Force, the it is likely that people in the submergence area of
Maan and Narmada Sagar projects would be affected in this monsoon,
without any proper rehabilitation what-so-ever, in blatant violation of
their basic rights. Work continues on these projects also. On the
contrary, when the problem of displacement of these projects itself is
not solved, the Government has given the go ahead and sanctioned money
for new projects like Veda, sure to lead to misery fro thousands of more
people.
In view of all this, the NBA has no choice left but to come out on the
streets and launch an indefinite struggle.
The Government of MP seems to be preparing to tackle the whole issue
with he use of police force. This is indicated by the fact that tear
gas was used on the peaceful demonstrators on 31 March at Maheshwar dam
site, and then, in bid to justify it and prepare grounds fro further
use of force, the District Collector has accused the agitators of
stone throwing and has filed false cases against 23 people.
Meanwhile, the people affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project are
already on a "yatra" (journey) where about 2000 people have started out
since 1 April, traversing various parts of Maharashtra, and have reached
Mumbai. This "yatra" which is challenging the Government for its wrong
and misleading facts, will culminate in Delhi on 7th and an indefinite
program will begin there too. The people affected by SSP will join the
Bhopal program in representative capacity, and the people affected
by other dams will be joining the Delhi program in representative
capacity.
Shripad Dharmadhikary
NBA
********************
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
58, Gandhi Marg, Badwani, M.P.-451551
( Ph.07290-22464; Mumbai contact : Pervin-2184779,Sanjay:5574895)
Press Note/3.4.99
HUMAN RIGHTS MARCH OF NARMADA OUSTEES DRAWS SUPPORT FOR ITS FUTURE
STRUGGLE ON ITS WAY TO MUMBAI
Impressive Programmes in Malegaon, Niphad and Nashik
The people in the Narmada valley undertaking the Manavadhikar Yatra accused
the Gujarat government of deliberate attempts to defame the non-violent
struggle of the oustees, mostly with the intention to influence the mind
of the Supreme Court and prepare a ground to suppress the people's
movement. The people were on the third lag of the March, which has started
from Badwani ( M.P.) and reached in Nashik on the third day. Over two and
half thousands of men and women were warmly welcomed by number of people's
organisations, institutions in and around Nashik on Saturday (April 3)
afternoon. The organisations resolved to extend all the help to the
struggle of the people in the Narmada valley against the unjust
displacement and destruction.
The Yatra was welcomed by Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat, Chhatrabharati,
Rashtra Seva Dal, Ekata Samiti and number of other organisations alongwith
prominent people in the city. They expressed full solidarity with the
Narmada Bachao Andolan and its quest for justice. They also condemned the
anti-people attitude of government of Maharashtra and that of the union
government as they had submitted false affidavits regarding the
resettlement and displacement in the Narmada valley, thereby facilitating
the permission by the Supreme Court to restart the work on the Sardar
Sarovar Project (SSP).
The thousands of people took out a rally through the main streets of the
city. They held corner meetings at various places before gathering for the
public meeting. Earlier, the Yatra held demonstrations and public meeting
in Niphad, the onion bowl of Maharashtra, appealing the peasants to join in
the struggle of the peasants in the Narmada valley to save their lands,
forests, villages and their rights. They were welcomed by number of
organisations including the Azadi Bachao Andolan, Rashtra Seva Dal, various
organisations of dam and other project affected people in and around
Niphad.
The main activists, including Medha Patkar, Noorji Padvi, Govindbhai and
others decried the attempts by the Gujarat, Maharashtra and Union
governments to oust the people with the threat of submergence. They
expressed the resolve that the people in the valley would withstand the
attempts by the government to forcibly displace them with the threat of
submergence.
On previous evening, that is on March 2, a city march and public meeting
was held in Malegaon. In the meeting, where the Member of Legislative
Assembly, Mr. Nihal Ahmed confessed that all the political parties had made
mistake in supporting such ill-advised project as the SSP and promised on
behalf of the town to extend all the help to the Andolan.
Meanwhile, there has been a systematic on the part of Gujarat government to
defame the people's movement and deflect the attention of the nation from
the real issues raised by the NBA during its fourteen year long non-violent
struggle. The villagers later made it clear that there had been no attack
on the Gujarat government official in village Chhota Badada as was widly
publicised by the Gujarat government. The charge was fake and mischievous
and was intended to malign the image of the Andolan. The Gujarat
government has been acting systematically and in well planned manner to
create bias in the mind of the apex court. This has been the attempt of
Gujarat government in and out of the court even on previous occassions,
instead of facing the main issues raised by the NBA petitions. Even in the
final hearing, the Gujarat lawyer spent most of his time in NBA bashing,
that too on fictitious grounds. Had the Court taken the trouble to in deep
about these accusations, the anti-people acts of the Centre and Gujarat
governments would have been exposed in the Court itself. In fact, this is a
poor attempt by Gujarat government to camouflage the serious violations of
the oustees' democratic and human rights and the government's total failure
to resettle the people fully according to the rules and laws. The people
would expose these spurious attempts on the part of Gujarat government.
The Yatra, after the public meeting in Nashik, will be proceeding to Thane,
a district near Mumbai, also a centre of number of people's movements in
Konkan region. They would arrive in Mumbai on 4th evening and will have a
joint programme with the fishworkers' organisation in Mahim. They would
hold a dharna in Azad Maidan against the false claims made by the
Maharashtra government in the Supreme Court regarding the displacement and
resettlement.
SANJAY SANGVAI
**********************
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
58, M.G. Road, Badwani, M.P. -451551
Press Note/ 2.4.99
NORTH MAHARASHTRA GROUPS SUPPORT NARMADA STRUGGLE HUMAN RIGHTS MARCH IN
SHAHADA, DHULE & MALEGAON
Number of organisations in the North Maharashtra joined over two thousands
men and women from the Narmada valley from the villages affected by the
Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) have commenced their Human Rights March from
Badwani in Madhya Pradesh on April 1 ( Thursday). The March has arrived in
Malegaon in Maharashtra on the second day, conducting public meetings in
Shahada, Dondaicha, Dhule . They were welcomed by number of organisations
and people of the area. The people reasserted their determination to expose
the false claims made by the state and union governments and to face the
unjust submergence that is imposed on them. " We will not be cowed down by
the attempts of the governments to displace us by the threat of
submergence" said Noorjibhai, one of the main village leaders from the
tribal area of Maharashtra.
Hundreds of people from the resettlement sites in Gujarat and Maharashtra
joined the people from the villages resisting the dam and displacement.
Women and men from plains of Nimad, from the mountains of Vindhya and
Satpuda along with those affected from the other dams in the Narmada valley
have been a part of the rally. Number of activists from Kerala, Tamilnadu,
other parts of Maharahtra have been accompanying the march. The March was
welcomed en route at Anjad, Palsud, Khetiya in M.P. and at Shahada,
Dondaicha and Dhule in Maharashtra before it camped for the night at
Malegaon. Mr. Waharu Sonavane, the prominent leader of the tribals and of
Adivasi Ekata Parishad said that whatever happens regarding the
displacement and dam in the Narmada valley would have profound impact on
the tribalsí rights and resources all over India. Expressing his solidarity
with the struggle in the Narmada valley he decried the attempts of
Maharashtra government to displace the people with the threat of the
submergence.
The people at these places have arranged for the food for the marchers and
joined with them. The people will be having similar halts and
rallies-meetings at Nashik, Then before reaching to Mumbai on 4-5 th April
en routre Delhi. The people will, through the Yatra, would appeal the
people along their way to rise against the spectre of displacement and
destitution.
In Delhi, the people will be protesting against the role of the Union
Ministry of Social Justice in facilitating the further construction on the
dam when the ground reality was something else.
The people in the Narmada valley have decided to take out a "Human Rights
March" to reassert their right to life and to expose the false claims made
by the governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and the Union
government regarding the displacement and resettlement of the SSP oustees.
The interim order of the Supreme Court will further inundate 33 tribal
villages in Maharashtra and at least 25 villages in M.P. with 1500-2000
families facing the displacement. Those who have been resettled upto the
present height of 80.3 meters could not be resettled fully. Even the first
few villages near the dam site are not resettled. Those who have been
resettled have been facing the problems regarding non-availability of land,
uncultivable land, problems regarding drinking water, fodder, fuel etc. The
Maharashtra government claimed that it had enough land to resettle the
oustees upto 110 meters, when in reality hundreds of those who have been
displaced hitherto are left in lurch without land, and other amenities.
( Prof, Shyam Patil) ( Kesubhavu Vasave) ( Sanjay
Sangvai)
********************
APPEAL BY BABA AMTE
A Sigh of a Withering Flower
I am 85, but in my late youth.
A spine-less man, who cannot sit
a man who is withering away petal by petal
But don't you see my heart bleeding pollen?
I am positive.
Your action must indulge in deep sympathy for the
plight of the tribals of this nation.
Certain states condemn for their suffering is obscene and inhuman.
Dear friends, do not camaflouge your emotions. please do not.
Dear friends, the whole nation has gone in moral coma.
Dr. Ambedkar rightly emphasised that rights are protected not by law,
but by the social and moral conscienceness .
My colleagues in conscience,
listen to the cry of the people of our blood-soaked nation.
Tribals are getting furious.
We all know that fury ignite a new wave of violence.
Please do not get side-tracked by comforts and conformity.
Let us together carve out a new life-style for our sick nation.
Time has come when realistic action must replace theoretical talk.
Enough of this guest appearance on the Narmada scene.
Remember, I am making this appeal through the veil
of tears of the tribals of this nation.
The tribals are getting desperate.
The tribal areas in the nation are in the rebound.
Remember, no good deed go unpunished.
Join. join. immediately in action.
I am appealing to the men and women of conscience
because their potential is basically unlimited.
- Baba Amte
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Susanne Wong
Campaigns Assistant
International Rivers Network
1847 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94703
Tel: 1.510.848.1155 ext 316 email: swong@irn.org
Fax: 1.510.848.1008 web: www.irn.org