Appeal to Strengthen the Protest in Delhi
Dear friends,
It is almost two years after the main communal violence that took place in Kandhamal. Human rights groups estimate that in the months of violence against Christian minorities over 100 people were killed, including women, disabled persons and children, adivasis and dalits. Three women were gang-raped and many injured. 295 churches, big and small, were destroyed. 13 schools, colleges, and offices of 5 NGOs damaged. Even today, many people are living in tents struggling against the rainy season. Thousands of people can not go back to their own lands and many are still in psychological trauma. And to add to the wounded souls of the Kandhamal survivors, the criminals responsible for the violence are getting acquitted regularly.
National Solidarity Forum (NSF), a countrywide platform of concerned civil society organizations has called for nationwide protests/public meetings/civil society actions to observe August 25, 2010 as `Kandhamal Day’, on the day of completion of two years of the main violence in Kandhamal. We fully support the call and appeal to you to involve in whatever action you can do on this day. A planning meeting for protest in Delhi is being held at the Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road, New Delhi on August 18, 2010. We request you to send your organizational representatives for the meeting and mobilize maximum people to make the protest in Delhi a huge success.
It is only through our concerted collective action that we can ensure that no more Kandhamal takes place in future.
In solidarity.
Ashok Chowdhary – NFFPFW
T. Peter – President, Kerala Independent Fishworkers’ Federation/ Secretary, NFF
Prashant Paikre – Spokesperson, Anti-Posco Movement Orissa
Zakia Soman – Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan
Ashim Roy –General Secretary, NTUI
For further information, please contact:
Dhirendra Panda – Coordinator, National Solidarity Forum
Mobile: 09437385757
Email: nptkandhamal@gmail.com
Related posts:
- National tribunal on Kandhamal violence to be held in New Delhi
- TRIBUNAL ON KANDHAMAL OPENS IN DELHI
- Observe 25 August as ‘Kandhamal Day’!
