More than 2000 villagers including about 1000 women, who are opposing the proposed POSCO project, are sitting day and night on the boarder of Govindpur village of Dhinkia Panchayat in Jagatsinghpur district of Odisha, India. This protest is against any kind of forceful attempt by state police forces to enter into their village in the name of conducting socio-economic and land survey for establishing proposed integrated steel plant by POSCO Company of South Korea. It is learnt that on June 7th and 8th of June 2010 (Monday and Tuesday), the Government of Odisha is readying itself with massive police force to enter into the Gobindpur village for the survey despite vehement opposition by the villagers.

At this juncture, we appeal all concerned citizens, journalist, writers, academicians, human rights activists to gather at Govindpur village and witness the attempt of state government to use police force against the democratic struggle and peaceful demonstration of the local people. Your presence on one hand will discourage the state to use force on this peaceful protestors and on the other boost the morale of the villagers. Your physical presence as mark of solidarity for the ongoing democratic movement is highly solicited. Your support to the cause of the villagers in any form is need of the hour where a democratically elected state has chosen to lift arms against its own people.

With Solidarity,

Prasant Paikray,
Spokesperson, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS)
Mobile no: 09437571547

Background Information

For the past five years people living in the villages of the proposed POSCO site have been strongly protesting against the land acquisition process in their areas. People fear that transfer of land to the POSCO Company will take away their basic means of livelihood and will also destroy the surrounding environment.

On 15th of May 2010, the police fired rubber bullets and used tear gas on and finally resorted to a brutal lathi-charge on more than 3000 villagers, who refused to leave the site. Over 100 persons were injured in the police action, five of them critically. Violating norms of criminal procedure, women protestors were manhandled by the male police.

In spite of continued tension in the region, the state governmnet has decided to expedite socio–economic and land survey in the proposed site. After the incidence on 15th of May, the state government has offered discussion with the leaders of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), the people’s organization spearheading the anti-Posco agitation in the state. From the government side, the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) is negotoating with the group, while the local Member of Parliament is facilitating the process of negotiation.

On 2nd June 2010 in the Nuagaon village, when people opposed the survey process, they were lathi-charged wherein a number of people were injured, including the Sarpanch Bhaskar Swain. Two people, Somnath Samal and Ajay Kumar Swain, were arrested. Somnath had also sustained bullet injuries in the May 15th police attack, and he was apparently beaten up yet again in the police station.

Related posts:

1. Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti to observe black day on June 22
2. Appeal from PPSS: Prevent Police attack on Anti-Posco villeges
3. Opposition parties join hands against Posco project