Request for immediate withdrawal of the police force from Jagatsinghpur and protect peoples’ lives and livelihoods
14 May 2010
To
Shri Naveen Pattnaik
Hon. Chief Minister of Orissa
Email- cmo@ori.nic.in
Sub: Request for immediate withdrawal of the police force from Jagatsinghpur and protect peoples’ lives and livelihoods
Sir,
We at the National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW) are shocked and anguished to learn that 40 platoons of police force have been deployed near Balitutha in Jagatsinghpur district – the entry place for the POSCO project area with a plan of attack on the peaceful demonstrators who have been having a sit-in demonstration since 26 January 2010. We understand that this arrangement by the state is in order to facilitate the land acquisition for the steel project by POSCO which has been opposed by the local communities since 2005.
It is not the first time your government has unleashed the police power on democratic struggles in the state to silence peoples’ voices and action of dissent. This has led to inhuman killing, torture and exploitation of people and, keeping in mind this trend, we anticipate another unwarranted police action against peaceful protestors in Balitutha and the villages nearby in Jagatsinghpur. This well-planned move by the state comes just a day after the police firing in Chandia in Kalinganagar where one tribal lost his life and many were injured. The presence of massive police force also suggests the state’s desperation to aid the corporate plunder of natural resources as well as peoples’ lives and livelihoods. This is absolutely undemocratic and can not be condoned.
The National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW) requests you to uphold people’s faith in democracy and their right to democratic resistance, and withdraw the police force from the area immediately. After establishing peace in the area, you must also come to dialogue with the people of Jagatsinghpur who are resisting to protect their lands, resources and identity – mandatory in any democracy.
Yours sincerely,
Sanjay Basu Mullick, Pushpa Toppo, Kanta Marathe, Munnilal, Shiba Sunwar
Conveners, NFFPFW
Copy to: 1) Prime Minister of India; 2) Home Minster of India; 3) Governor of Orissa
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