NFF Demands separate Ministry for Fisheries at the Centre

NFF Demands separate Ministry for Fisheries at the Centre: 

Delegation meets ministers to demand stopping of anti-fisherpeople projects including Kudankulam Nuke project and the pipeline project in Kerala

New Delhi 17^th Dec 2011: A delegation of National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) and support groups in Delhi met with the union ministers at the centre and demanded that a separate central ministry for fisheries be immediately formalized by the UPA Government. Speaking to media persons after the meetings, Shri T. Peter, Secretary, NFF reminded the UPA that this was going to be the most contentious issue since Congress and other UPA partners have often supported this demand of fishworkers, without any concrete action being taken to materialize the same. “we demand establishment of a separate Fisheries Ministry in the Government of India as this sector involves more than 25 million people, vitally contributes to the food security of the country and is still neglected”, added Mr. Peter.

The delegation comprised of leaders of NFF, along with Vijayan MJ of Delhi Forum, Madhuresh Kumar of National Alliance of Peoples’ Movements (NAPM), Ashok Choudhary of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW) and Amar of National Hawkers’ Federation (NHF), met with Prof. KV Thomas (In-charge, Minister of state, Ministry of Agriculture), Mr. KC Venugopal (Minister of State, Ministry of Power) and submitted memorandums to Shri. AK Anthony (Defence Minister), Shri. Sharad Pawar (Agricultural Minister) and the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.

The delegation met with the Power Minister Shri Venugopal to demand that the coastal gas pipeline project in Kerala – from Kochi LNG Terminal to Kayamkulam Thermal Power Plant, be scrapped by the Centre. The delegation briefed the Minister about the threat posed by such a project, since it destroys the sea, the coast and the livelihood of many fishworkers in Kerala’s coast. The Minister assured the delegation that the government will not take any decision that will negatively impact the lives of the fisherpeople of Kerala.

The other demands made by the delegation included:

1.  Stop Free Trade Agreements and Foreign Direct Investment in retail trade in the Fisheries Sector and that the Fishworkers must be consulted before entering into any trade agreement involving the Fisheries Sector.
2.  Stop the building of Nuclear Power Plants at Kudankulam, Gorakhpur and Jaitapur.
3. Stop setting up of thermal power plants with captive ports on the coast and also setting up of new private ports.
4. Object the imposition of Marine Protected Areas with blanket ban on fishing at Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, Malvan in Maharashtra, Gulf of Munnar in Tamil Nadu, Gahirmata and Bhitarkanika in Orissa and Sundarban Tiger Reserve in West Bengal; and demand consultation with and participation of the coastal fishworkers in the proposition and management of ecologically sensitive coastal areas.
5. A comprehensive legislation to rationalize the fisheries sector with reference to fishing vessels, gears, efforts and fish resources ensuring preferential access of small and traditional fishers to the stock of fish in Indian waters.
6. Ban on Bottom Trawling and Purse-Seining in the territorial waters. In Maharashtra and Gujarat Bottom Trawling and Purse-Seining should be prohibited even   well beyond the territorial waters, where traditional fishing takes place on large scale.
7. Ratification and implementation of ILO Convention No.188 for Work in Fishing for all coastal fishworkers of the country.
8. Immediate implementation of Unorganised Workers Social Security Act 2008 with reference to all fishworkers of the country.
9. Implementation of remaining 40 recommendations of Mandal Commission for Other Backward Classes (OBC).
10. Implementation of reserved electoral constituencies for coastal fisherpeople as recommended by the Mandal Commission

NFF leaders and support groups were in the city to join the Parliament Rally on the 15^thDecember and to also participate in the founding conference of the ‘National Federation of Traditional Workers’, a national coalition force of natural resource based traditional community organisations and working people. The Conference was held at Mavlankar Hall on the 16^th of December 2011.

Matanhy Saldanah         Rambhau Patil

Chairperson                            General Secretary

 

Contact for details: 09868165471

 peter.ksmtf@gmail.com,

vijayanmj@delhiforum.net

Release from the National Conf of community groups in Delhi – 16 Dec 2011

Unified struggles against United aggression:

National Federation Formed to Step up Struggle

To Protect Rights of Natural Resource Based Traditional Communities

New Delhi, December 16 2011: “The fish in the sea would not have been there, if not for the rain, and the rivers, produced by the hills and the forests. The fishworkers of this country cannot sustain ourselves without identifying with and struggling together with the forest people, the handloom weavers, the women vendors, the bamboo workers, etc of this country” T. Peter, National Secretary of National Fishworkers’ Forum said.

Peter was speaking at the national conference of traditional livelihood and natural resources based communities organized today in Delhi’s Mavlankar Hall, aiming at bringing together the diverse groups dependent on natural resources to build a National Federation of Natural Resource Based Traditional Communities and Organizations, at the national level.

“The issue of forest rights for forest dwellers is not that of the last five years. Communities have been demanding it for the last many decades. Having achieved that five years back, what we are facing now is a total failure in its implementation”, K. Krishnan, activist of Adivasi Solidarity Council, Tamilnadu said. “The governments of the left and the right, have failed in catering to the core issues of the traditional working people of the country. We cannot remain silent anymore” he further said.

A growing sense of anger and frustration marked the commemoration of the five years since the enactment of Forest Rights Act 2006. Speakers at the national conference reiterated that themovement to effectively implement the Forest Rights Act is an inalienable part of the struggles for democratic governance.

They said, today the struggle for the implementation of Forest rights is not just important for the forest dependent people or communities, it is equally important for the other natural resource based working people like fish workers, mineral dependents, agriculturalists, bamboo workers, handloom weavers and artisans who are partly or indirectly dependent on forest and other natural resources and also the larger society.

“The challenge before us is to make the government accountable to the people. What it does now is hobnobbing with the corporations, who are bend upon plundering the natural resources, and help them amassing profits. This has to change. The political class should show courage to speak for the people and stand by them,” senior activist Ashok Chowdhury said. “The sea, forest and mountain dwellers’ coming together is not just for the sake of it. It is to move towards making a new world order,” he said.

Large number of adivasis, dalits and traditional workers, representing 18 states attended the national conference. Key speakers at the conference included: Jarjum Ete of Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Commission, Subhash Ghayali of Jharkhand Mines Area Coordination Committee, Guman Singh of Him Niti Abhiyan, Gautam Bandyopadhaya of Nadi Ghati Morcha, Ashim Roy of New Trade Union Initiative, Anuradha Talwar of Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity, Vasantha of National Adivasi Alliance and Munnilal of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers.

“The need of the hour for all people struggling to protect their natural resources is to come together as a federation to coordinate and amplify the struggle in a better way,” Shanta Bhattarjee of Van Sramjeevi Manch, Uttar Pradesh said. “Women needs to be at the leadership of this federation, as women are the ones who bear the cost of losing rights over natural resources disproportionately,” she said.

The call for the Parliament rally yesterday (Dec 15) witnessed support for the cause from different quarters, including political parties, mass movements and organizations from different parts of the country.  At a time when the government is fighting one corruption charges after another, skeletons of its ministers falling from the cupboard, it should not forget the basic rights of the people and the promises made to them, speakers at the rally warned the government.

The national conference was a rare confluence of several movements, the forest struggles, the fishworkers forum, the anti-mining struggles of Jharkhand, the affirmative land struggles from Kerala, UP and AP, the Dalit movements from South and North India, etc. This was pegged as a part of preparing a platform to discuss, share and brainstorm politics, movements, strategies and alliances.

Press Contacts: Roma: 9868217276, romasnb@gmail.com,

Vijayan 9868165471, vijayanmj@delhiforum.net

Office: 011-26680883, 26687724

 

People’s Forest Rights Rally 15th December 2011

RELEASE OF ’3 MILES TO GORAKHPUR’ directed by PREM PIRAM AT ISI on 20th October

Media collective & Delhi Solidarity Group welcomes and invite you to the release of “3 mile to Gorakhpur…“

Directed by Prem Piram, the film is about the proposed Nuclear Power Plant in Gorakhpur village of Haryana.  Its 30 minutes long and the film will be followed by adiscussion with the affected people from Gorakhpur village who have been protesting against the proposed plant for the last fifteen months.

Date- 20th October 2011

Language- Hindi with English Subtitles

Venue- Indian Social Institute, 10- institutional area, Lodhi Road, behind Sai Baba Mandir.

Time- 4.00 PM

For any queries

contact 011-26680883/ 914

9868769256

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5macXnt4qg

Soni Sori case – Protest video

Sangharsh to UPA: Ensure Land Rights: Stop Land Acquisition and Displacement

Sangharsh to UPA: Ensure Land Rights: Stop Land Acquisition and Displacement
Struggle for right to life and development intensifies
Gram Sabha Divas and Bhumi Haq Satyagraha before August 31^st

New Delhi: August 5 – Amidst heavy rains and scorching heat and worsening political climate, thousands of adivasis, farmers, labourers, forest dwellers, fish workers, hawkers, small traders, urban and rural poor from across fifteen states and over a hundred grass root movements across India stayed put at Jantar Mantar for the past three days, challenging the ‘aam aadmi ki sarkaar’ and demanded their right to life and development as also immediate end to the historical injustices inflicted upon the nature based, marginalized and disadvantaged communities.

From Assam to Gujarat and Himachal to Karnataka, India’s ‘aam janta’ rocked the national capital with a singular demand for a Comprehensive Development Planning Act, with inviolable decision making rights to the Gram Sabhas And Basti Sabhas. There was unanimity among people that although, decades of struggle has resulted in the Rural Development Ministry, accepting some of the significant demands of people’s movements, nonetheless, the new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill, 2011 fails to address the core concerns flagged off by the struggling masses for years.

Some of the major concerns that remain are: abuse of the concept of ‘public purpose’, unreasonable minimum stipulation of 100 acres land for applicability of R&R, no guarantee of compulsory and time-bound land and livelihood based rehabilitation etc. The very approach to consider urbanization and industrialization as ‘inevitable’, but not social justice and equity as necessary is deeply disturbing and unacceptable.  It is also widely felt that there is an imminent need for a complete halt to acquisition and diversion of farmland across the country (just multi-cropped irrigated land) or at least to the bare minimum, where inevitable for a real public purpose.

A delegation of senior Sangharsh leaders including Medha Patkar, Ashok Chowdhury, Vimalbhai, Dr. Sunilam, Anand Mazgaonkar and others shall meet Mr. Montek Singh Alhuwalia and other members of the Planning Commission later in the afternoon today. Alongside informing the Commission about the ground realities of defective ‘development’ models being pushed by it in virtual every sector, be it urban or rural development, energy, health, education, housing, PDS etc. the team shall also impress upon the Commission the ‘inevitability’ for recognizing the primacy and role of the Gram Sabhas / Basti Sabhas in the entire planning process, which must infact be the thrust of the XII Five Year Plan.

Mr. Singh had infact written to the Chief Secretaries of all the states before the XI Plan, that Gram sabha plans should be the basis for all development planning and called for such plans, but that never happened and the XI Plan was pushed, without this. This ‘disaster in planning’ should not be repeated once again. By inviting only a few NGOs and selected activists / researchers, the Govt. is doing enormous disservice to the people.  Gram sabha are the direct democratic units, and as constitutional bodies, above the Planning Commission. This bottom-up approach must be reflected in the new Bill as well, which much move towards development planning and not acquisition of land and R&R alone. Sangharsh shall also present the alternative paradigm in urban housing, water, energy and other sectors, which must ensure equity and justice, beyond addressing climate change alone.

Earlier in the day, more than a thousand people marched upto to the Parliament Street, with banners and buntings, screaming slogans ‘Lok Sabha ke Upar Gram Sabha aur Basti Sabha’. Braving the police and the barricades, the gathering reflected the nation’s mood today: of anger and anguish against increasing inequality, injustices and corruption. As a mark of protest to the government’s weak anti-corruption law, the people broke up 10 pot-heads representing corruption in virtually every sphere of socio-economic life; such as education, rationing, health, forest rights, access to natural resources, livelihood and NREGA, corruption from the Panchayat to the Parliament; Janpad to the Judiciary. The present government draft does not cover the actual corruption and atrocities faced by the poor and downtrodden day in and day out and the Government must fulfill basic needs and ensure basic rights, without corruption, the women and men said. A Sankalp (Resolve) against corruption was also taken that the struggle for a true ‘Janta ka Lokpal’ Bill shall continue.

A delegation comprising Kavitha Srivastava, Clifton Rozario, Sr. Celia, Subhash Lomte, Kailash Awasya, and others met the Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Mr. K.V. Thomas today afternoon and conveyed the collective concern on the Government’s proposed ‘Food Security Bill’ and demanded immediate universalization of the Public Distribution System and rejection of the ‘cash transfers’ approach. Campaigners of the Right to Food Campaign including Biraj Patnaik and Madhuri Krishnaswamy also spoke at the Dharna today, demanding a strong pro-poor and pro-people Food Security Bill.

Displaced by dams and canals, threatened by thermal and nuclear plants, evicted from urban bastis and hawking spaces, coastal development and tousirm projects, removed from forest lands; the real India posed tough questions and demanded justice. Tens of toiling women and men, both from villages and cities across India demanded a fair share and rights in return for their hard work entitlements to various schemes such as housing, rations, pensions etc. not as schemes but as non-negotiable rights. There was also a strong demand for effective implementation of the Unorganized Sector Workers Act.

Over the past two days, various delegations also met Environment Minister, Ms. Jayanthi Natarajan, Social Justice Minister, Mr. Mukul Wasnik, Rural Development Minister, Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Tribal Affairs Minister, K.C Deo, Urban Development Minister, Mr. Kamal Nath, amongst others and strongly placed before them the demand for a comprehensive development planning act (instead of piecemeal legislation) that would also link up the various functions these Ministers are presently performing. Sangharsh also demanded that the Rural Development Ministry call for a National and regional consultations on the Bills for receiving maximum feedback to the proposed draft.

The people shall return back to their states today evening, with a resolve to continue and intensify their struggle. In various states, Gram / Basti Sabha Divas and Bhumi Haq Satyagraha shall be observed in the coming weeks and resolutions passed demanding a comprehensive legislation and an end to displacement. Movements shall also hold consultations at various places, disseminate the Bill further and solicit widest possible response before the Bill is introduced in the Parliament. As people themselves rightly put it, the Government should minimize displacement and maximize development, and since it has failed to do so over the past 60 years, it is time for the State to give the Gram Sabhas and Basti Sabhas a real chance ‘develop’ and sustain their own lives.

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Sangharsh is a process comprising of various people movements and organisations working against anti- people policies and working towards a just and egalitarian society.

Akhil Gogoi – Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, Assam ; Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey, J P Singh, Manesh Gupta – NAPM, UP ; Ashok Choudhary, Roma, Munnilal – National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers ; Bhupender Singh Rawat, Nanu Prasad – Jan Sangharsh Vahini & NAPM-Delhi ; Bilas Bhongade – Gosi Khurd Prakalp Grasht Sangharsh Samiti & NAPM – Maharashtra ; Chitranjan Singh – INSAF ; Dayamani Barla – Adivasi Moolwasi Asthitva Raksha Manch, Jharkhand ; Dr. Sunilam, Adv. Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, MP ; Gabriela Dietrich, Geeta Ramakrishnan – Pennuruimai Iyyakam & NAPM-Tamil Nadu ; Gautam Bandyopadhyaya – Nadi Ghati Morcha, Chhattisgarh ; Guman Singh, K Upmanyu – Him Niti Abhiyan, Himachal Pradesh ; Rajnish Gambhir, Ramchandra Rana – Tharu Adivasi Mahila Kisan Manch & NFFPFW, Lakhimpur Khiri, UP ; Manju Gardia – Nawa Chhattisgarh Mahila Sangathan & PSA – Chhattisgarh ; Mata Dayal, Rani – Birsa Munda Bhu Adhikar Manch & NFFPFW-MP ; Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan & National Alliance of People’s Movements ; Prafulla Samantara – Loksakti Abhiyan & NAPM Odisha ; P Chennaiah, Ajay Kumar, Ramakrishna Raju, Sarasvathy Kavula – APVVU and NAPM Andhra Pradesh ; Rajendra Ravi – NAPM, Delhi ; Shanta Bhattacharya, Rajkumari Bhuyian – Kaimur Kshetra Mahila Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti & NFFPFW, UP ; Shaktiman Ghosh – National Hawkers Federation ; Simpreet Singh – Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan & NAPM-Mumbai ; Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union, NAPM – Karnataka ; Sunita Rani, Anita Kapoor – National Domestic Workers’ Union & NAPM, Delhi ; Ulka Mahajan, Suniti S R, Prasad Bhagwe – SEZ Virodhi Manch & NAPM – Maharashtra ; Vimalbhai – Matu Jan Sangathan & NAPM-Uttarakhand; Niketan Palkar, Tata Dharangrasth Sangharsh Samithi; Subhash Lomte – National Campaign Committee for Rural Workers; Janaklal Thakur, Chattisgarsh Mukti Morcha

for information contact :
Seela Mahapatra: 9212587159, Madhuresh Kumar: 9818905316, Vijayan M J: 9582862682
c/o: 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi – 110014   # 011-26680914, 26680883
email : action2007@gmail.com Web : http://napm-india.org/node/326

Contacts:
Vijayan – 9582862682 / 9868165471,
Madhuresh – 9818905316
Joe – 9871153775
———–

For daily updates on the dharna: http://sangharshblog.wordpress.com/
For Podcasts: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sangharsh-dharna-aug-3-5-2011
Follow us on Twitter: #sangharsh
For images: www.flickr.com/joeathialy
For higher resolution photos of dharna, contact:  +91-9871153775

Land Rights, not Land Acquisition! Participatory progress not corporate growth!

New Delhi, 4^th August 2011: Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramash was told forcefully by a delegation from Sangharsh that the issue of land aquistion is political and is one of the most burning issues of the country and that cannot be passed with a political process and discussion in the country. The minister was reminded about the large number of people hitherto displaced by various developmental projects and demanded a white paper on it. The minister was further told that the people displaced by the massive projects in the urban areas are not covered under this Bill and they will left high and dry.

The delegation also raised concerns about widening the definition of public purpose, which under the new Bill could easily include private interests as well. They rejected the formation of a committee which would include experts to decide whether a project will benefit the people of the area.  It was reinforced by the delegation that only the gram sabha and the basti sabhas who will be affected have the right to decide whether the project will be beneficial or not.

The minister was reminded that it is incorrect impression that is being spread is that farmers across are ready to give their land if provided with higher compensation. It was asserted that people do not want to give up their land under any circumstances.

The Sangharsh National Action against Land Acquisition Act, 1894 demanding a comprehensive National Development Planning legislation entered the second day with more people from Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh joining the dharna at Jantar Mantar, bringing in added vigour and spirit on a rain washed day. Even as the dharna addressed urban issues, energy policy and forests rights, separate delegations held meetings with the Ministers of Environment and Forests, Social Justice and Empowerment and Rural Development.

“The Constitution of India is made by the people and for the people, and the government will have to accept the demands of the struggling marginalized people” said Rajinder Sachar, former Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court while expressing solidarity with Sangharsh dharna.

Addressing a gathering of thousands of struggling people from across India, Socialist ideologue and leader of movements from Odisha, Prafulla Samanthra, referred to the Supreme Court judgment on POSCO and said “We reject the judgment. Irrespective of what Court says, people will continue their struggles to protect their lives and livelihood till the very end. Repression in a democracy is unacceptable”.

He further demanded that agricultural lands should not be handed over to industries or any non-agricultural activities. He said that the gram sabhas must be the primary level of decision making on all issues of development. “We are not against industrialization. We support small and non-polluting industries and those which do not cause displacement,” he added.

Movements from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Haryana rejected the government’s energy policy which is focusing on nuclear energy. They warned the government about the disastrous consequences of nuclear and thermal plants and demanded that instead of exposing the people to such impacts the country should opt for decentralized and renewable energy sources.

Dr.Banwarilal Sharma, leader of Azadi Bachao Andolan said, “Gram sabhas should be above the Lok Sabha” and called upon the people to be steadfast in their commitment in their struggle.

Fresh energy was infused into the dharna by the joining of Slum Jana Andolan from Karnataka which has been militantly battling for the rights of urban deprived for land rights and dignity in the cities of Karnataka. The dharna was also joined by Tharu Adivasi Mahila Kisan Manch from Lakhimpur Khiri, Uttar Pradesh.

While the morning session was devoted to urban and energy issues, the contentious issue of Forest Rights Act (FRA) was discussed and debated in the afternoon session.

Forest based communities have always been demanding community ownership and governance rights over forests whereas the state governments have been resisting the implementation of FRA. At most they are ready to grant only pattas and individual rights which is a subversion of the landmark provisions of the Act said community leaders from Sonbhadra and other forest regions. Speaking about the struggles in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Roma of NFFPFW said “Today the Forest department stands as the biggest stumbling force in the effective implementation of FRA. It is unfortunate that neither the Ministry of Environment and Forests nor the Ministry of Tribal Affairs have reigned in the Forest Department which acts like a landlord of 24% of India’s landmass.”

Prominent among the national leaders attended the dharna includes, Dr. Sandeep Pandey, Dr.Binayak Sen, Chitranjan Singh (INSAF), farmers’ leader Dr.Sunilam, forest workers leader Ashok Choudhary, Akhil Gogoi of KMSS, Assam, Ajit Jha of Samajwadi Jan Parishad, and Swami Agnivesh.

 

Contacts:

 

Vijayan – 9582862682 / 9868165471,
Madhuresh – 9818905316
Joe – 9871153775
———–

For daily updates on the dharna: http://sangharshblog.wordpress.com/
For Podcasts: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sangharsh-dharna-aug-3-5-2011
Follow us on Twitter: #sangharsh
For images: www.flickr.com/joeathialy
For higher resolution photos of dharna, contact: +91-9871153775

Press Release from Sangharsh Day 1

New Delhi: August 3 – Over 4500 people from around 15 states univocally demanded immediate repeal of the archaic Land Acquisition Act 1894 (LAA) and replacement of it with a comprehensive National Development Planning Act. They vowed never to desert their land to the government or private builders.
They have joined the Sangharsh dharna at Jantar Mantar, where nearly 80 organisations from 15 states have come to raise their issues. They have invited Jairam Ramesh, the Minister of Rural Development, and the proponent the present draft of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill to come to the dharna and hear firsthand what the farmers, adivasis, dalits and other sections of the people who are land-based have to say about their land.
Responding to the draft by Jairam Ramesh, which got widespread meida reporting, Sangharsh said that today when the ministry of rural development has brought out the first draft of the ‘comprehensive’ Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011, they at Sangharsh, stand vindicated. This has been a demand of people for the last many decades. They said, “Today, what we dreamt about, the repeal of the LAA and the replacement by a more pro-people comprehensive legislation is closer to being a reality. The struggling people acrossIndia, from Koel Karo to Nadigram and fromNarmada to Kalinga Nagar and Niyamgiri have lots to cheer in what we have in hand.”
The new draft legislation precisely falls short of its biggest claim of being ‘comprehensive’. All the packaging nor the repeated claim of being ‘comprehensive’ can hide its actual limitations.
The present draft, put forth along with a foreword by Ministry of Rural Development, for the purpose of nationwide consultations, has opted to restrict itself to dealing with Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement. While being a political retraction, it also amounts to utter injustice to the entire process that went on in this country since 2004.
The Congress led UPA, instead of progressing from its previous positions has actually retracted to its pre-2006 position through the draft. It has also gone back from the promises made by the UPA Chairperson, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, in 2006, while agreeing to the National Advisory Council (NAC) draft of the legislation. The NAC Draft, in hindsight was far more progressive and comprehensive as it referred to the draft legislation for ‘Development Planning, Minimum Displacement and Just Rehabilitation’.

It is an irony that Jairam Ramesh, who has introduced this draft, was part of that NAC team. 
Summing up the general sentiment of the people, Medha Patkar said, “We are here not to beg, but to ask for what is rightfully ours. Nobody can eat electricity or money. To ensure survival, save agriculture land.” She further asked the UPA government to make it clear that the government is in support of the repeal of LAA in toto, while propounding a new Land Bill and remove the veil of confusion.

Prominent among the national leaders attended the dharna includes, Dr.Binayak Sen, Janaklal Thakkur (Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha),farmers’ leader Dr.Sunilam, forest workers leader Roma, PUCL general secretary Kavita Srivastava, Dr. Banwarilal Sharma of Azadi Bachao Andolan, Ajit Jha of Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Ashok Chaudhary, Akhil Gogoi and Swami Agnivesh.
Gautam Bhandhyopadhya, leader of Nadhi Ghati Morcha from Chattisgarsh said, “It is time to take a stand on who will have ownership rights over land and natural resources.” He focused on the struggle of the farmers, workers, fish workers who are determined not to let go of their land and rights. He mentioned that it is important to discuss how developmental projects such as dams and power plants acquire and utilize large tracts of agricultural and forest land.

Addressing a full house at Jantar Mantar, former National Commissioner of SC/ST Dr. B.D. Sharma said, “If farmers are trapped in the lure of money, they will be deprived of land, and hence their livelihood. Death of large number of the farmers are not suicides – they are driven to death by the wrong policies of the government, which devalued the value of farmers and farming.” He called the people to insist on Hamara gaon me hamara raj (self rule in the villages) to end mindless exploitation.
Member of Parliament from Samajwadi Party, Mohan Singh said, “The issues are so pertinent that you need national support from all progressive political parties. A better communication and understanding between people’s movements and political parties is the need of the hour, rather than any distance between the two.” He further said that no fertile land should be usurped for private purposes.
A delegation of Sangharsh is meeting the Tribal Affairs Minister, Kishore Chandar Deo as well as Kamalnath, Minister of Urban Development late in the afternoon to discuss issues pertaining to tribals.
The Sangharsh action is being held inDelhi on the 20th anniversary of economic reforms. It is evident that the neo liberal paradigm is collapsing from within as the nation is rocked with scandals on land, telecommunications, mining and infrastructure projects. People across the country are rising up against the corporate led model.

For daily updates on the dharna: http://sangharshblog.wordpress.com/
For Podcasts: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sangharsh-dharna-aug-3-5-2011
Follow us on Twitter: #sangharsh
For higher resolution photos of dharna, contact: +91-9871153775

 

Sangharsh invite – Aug 3-5 Delhi Dharna against Land Acquisition demanding replacement by comprehensive legislation

SANGHARSH INVITATION

National Action against Land Acquisition Act, 1894
AGAINST Amendments, demanding new comprehensive legislation

&
TO PROTECT Jal, Jungle, Jameen, Khaneej & Livelihood Rights
Sansad Dharna 3rd – 5th August, 2011, Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

Dear Comrades,

Forced displacements and land grab have been the curse of our country, since colonial days and which has continued even after ‘independence’ under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. Today, the use of the legislation for land grab by corporates aided by the Indian state has got us on the verge of nothing less than a civil war in India. It is nothing but a national shame that we have democratically elected governments who neither know what has been the magnitude of the misuse of this legislation, nor understand the affected people’s plight. Movements who have been opposing LAA have also been for long demanding community control over natural resources and the right to livelihood – some of it achieved under comparatively progressive legislations like the PESA Act, 1996 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Unfortunately, these very legislations are today under threat of being not implemented or worse misused for distributing land titles to some.

Sangharsh collective has planned a National Action to be held at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi against Land Acquisition Act 1894, for repeal and replacement of the same with pro-people comprehensive legislation, along with other pressing people’s demands. The dharna will be joined by adivasis, dalits and other marginalized sections including farmers, forest workers & forest people, fishworkers and other marginalized sections of India’s rural people. The working class poor from the cities who face eviction on a daily basis from their dwellings and their livelihood and those who are threatened by various developmental activities too will join the dharna and so are the peasants whose land is constantly being taken by the urban development authorities for urbanisation.

We will be assembling at Jantar Mantar, from the 3rd to 5th August 2011, during the monsoon session of the Indian Parliament, in New Delhi, demanding the repeal of the existing colonial Land Acquisition Act and demanding its replacement by a comprehensive legislation that takes care of the need for land, the land use alterations that are required for genuine public purposes and for land reforms for distributive justice. The strategies of this national action were decided and discussed at various dialogues between the people’s movements working at different stages on the mentioned issues, the latest being the National Consultation held on May 6th 2011 on the issue, in Delhi.

The process of Sangharsh was initiated in 2006-07 by various people’s movements who were working on the issues of land rights and forced land acquisition. We came together with a charter of demands in Sangharsh 2007, which was one of the first such collective actions by hundreds of Indian movements together in front of the Indian parliament with a comprehensive political positioning. Since then, the collective has been also demanding a white paper from the government, on all the land acquired since independence along with a current status of all the displaced. We also have been demanding a moratorium on new acquisitions until a parliamentary review is complete.

If one just looks at the last decade, people’s movements have successfully resisted land grab in Kalinganagar, Niyamgiri, Singur, Nandigram, Sompeta, Jashpur, Latehar, Chandrapur, Haripur, Raigad, Karla, Kulu valley, Narmada Valley, Jagatsinghpur, Mumbai and hundreds of other places. Farmers, peasants, landless labourers and others have together fought to protect their land and livelihood rights. In the same vein communities dwellings in forests have fought to claim their rights over the land they have been residing for generations and earning their livelihood from. These farmers, adivasis, dalits and working class people have given their life, while trying to defend their right over the natural resources which supports their livelihood and to which they belong against the state’s notion of ‘eminent domain’ and development.

After recent  incidents in the Greater Noida region, an environment has been created whereby every political party is demanding passage of amendments to the existing Land Acquisition Act and the UPA government proposes to do so in Monsoon Session of the parliament. However, UPA leaders from Manmohan Singh to Rahul Gandhi have not been making it clear as to how some superficial amendments will change the basic structure of this colonial anti-people process and approach. They are only exploiting the lack of clarity among the political parties on the issue and trying to turn a blind eye to the long standing demands of the people’s movements. They are also capitalising on the World Bank and DFID/USAID supported land policy documents backed by certain sections of the Indian civil society that similarly demand repeal the land acquisition act, but for the purpose of aiding the corporatization of land. Hence this dharna is more significant at this juncture when the government needs to listen to the clear voices from the ground. The recent announcements by the new Rural Development Minister Sri Jairam Ramesh accepting formulation of one comprehensive law and not two separate legislations is a welcome move, but this is only the first step.

Other than the general focus on Land Acquisition Act repeal and replacement with a comprehensive legislation, the dharna would also address specific issues around: Dams (in Narmada Valley, North East India, Himachal and Central India), Thermal & Nuclear Power projects, Urban displacement, Forest Rights and Community Governance, struggles against Corporations (POSCO, Jaypee, Adanis, Tata, Coca Cola, Vedanta, Mittal, Reliance, Jindal, etc), and protecting livelihood rights of rural and urban communities in the form of statutory government entitlements such as demanding a Universal PDS and adequate beneficial rights to BPL members and oppose any move at introducing cash transfers.

In this journey, apart from the initiators of the Sangharsh collective, last year Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti-Assam and some new groups joined the collective process. This year along with comrades from more than 15 states, friends from Narmada Bachao Andolan, Khandwa ; Lok Sangharsh Morcha, Jan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti-UP; POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Ekta Parishad, Jan Kalyan Upbhokta Samiti and some farmers’ groups from NCR have offered to join Sangharsh, agreeing to the demands of the collective. They will also be mobilizing for Sangharsh 2011. We heartily welcome their participation and expect that this will strengthen the overall process.

We invite you all to join us in Delhi at Jantar Mantar from August 3rd to 5th to resist forced displacement and land acquisitions across the country and demand for a comprehensive legislation on development planning that will end the regime of forced displacements. Do send in your confirmations for the same and also support our efforts in whatever ways you can. We are looking for volunteers for various things and also resources for meeting the expenses of the programme. For details do get in touch. All the campaign documents are available at http://napm-india.org/node/326

In solidarity,

Akhil Gogoi – KMSS, Assam
Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey, J P Singh, Manesh Gupta – NAPM, UP
Ashok Choudhary, Roma, Munnilal – National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers
Bhupender Singh Rawat, Nanu Prasad – Jan Sangharsh Vahini & NAPM-Delhi
Bilas Bhongade – Gosi Khurd Prakalp Grasht Sangharsh Samiti & NAPM – Maharashtra
Chitranjan Singh – INSAF
Dayamani Barla – Adivasi Moolwasi Asthitva Raksha Manch, Jharkhand
Dr. Sunilam, Adv. Aradhna Bhargava – Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, MP
Gabriela Dietrich, Geeta Ramakrishnan – Pennuruimai Iyyakam & NAPM-Tamil Nadu
Gautam Bandyopadhyaya – Nadi Ghati Morcha, Chhattisgarh
Guman Singh, K Upmanyu – Him Niti Abhiyan, Himachal Pradesh
Rajnish Gambhir, Ramchandra Rana – Tharu Adivasi Mahila Kisan Manch & NFFPFW, Lakhimpur Khiri, UP
Manju Gardia – Nawa Chhattisgarh Mahila Sangathan & PSA – Chhattisgarh
Mata Dayal, Rani – Birsa Munda Bhu Adhikar Manch & NFFPFW-MP
Medha Patkar – Narmada Bachao Andolan & National Alliance of People’s Movements
Prafulla Samantara – Loksakti Abhiyan & NAPM Odisha
P Chennaiah, Ajay Kumar, Ramakrishna Raju, Sarasvathy Kavula – APVVU and NAPM Andhra Pradesh
Rajendra Ravi – NAPM, Delhi
Shanta Bhattacharya, Rajkumari Bhuyian – Kaimur Kshetra Mahila Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh Samiti & NFFPFW, UP
Shaktiman Ghosh – National Hawkers Federation
Simpreet Singh – Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan & NAPM-Mumbai
Sister Celia – Domestic Workers Union, NAPM – Karnataka
Sunita Rani, Anita Kapoor – National Domestic Workers’ Union & NAPM, Delhi
Ulka Mahajan, Suniti S R, Prasad Bhagwe – SEZ Virodhi Manch & NAPM – Maharashtra
Vimalbhai – Matu Jan Sangathan & NAPM-Uttarakhand

for information contact :
Seela Mahapatra: 9212587159, Madhuresh Kumar: 9818905316, Vijayan M J: 9582862682
c/o: 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi – 110014   # 011-26680914, 26680883
email : action2007@gmail.com Web : http://napm-india.org/node/326

Anna Hazare, Swami Agnivesh, G R Khairnar and others join in the struggle with Medha Patkar against Demolition​s in Mumbai

People’s Power Vs Builder Shahi : More Join in Struggle from Across the Country

May 24, Mumbai : Someone once known as ‘one man demolition army’, G R Khairnar, who took cudgels against the land mafia and the builder lobby twenty years ago as Deputy Commissioner (Special – Demolitions) between 2000 – 02 today joined Ghar Bhachao Ghar Banao Andolan’s ongoing dharna in Ganesh Krupa Society, amidst the debris of broken houses by government authorities in collusion with Builder Lobby. He said, “the fight today led by Medha Patkar and this movement is an important fight. What he did as someone being in the authority is now being taken up by ‘people’s power’. This struggle needs support and everyone needs to join hand in this.” Even as people lent support and they resolved to fight for their rights demolitions continued in Powai, Mankhurd, Worli, and a couple of other places.

The resolve to fight was joined by other people’s organisations who visited the dharna and gave their solidarity messages and also sang songs of struggle against corruption and injustice. Republican Panthers, Ekveera Sez Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, Tata Dharan Grast Sangharsh Samiti, farmers from Malegaon, Chemical Mazdoor Sabha, Shramik Janta Sangh, India Against Corruption, Brihan Mumbai Niwas Abhiyan Samiti, SUCI, Lok Jagran Manch, Brihanmumbai Nivara Abhiyan Samiti, and may others. The dharna has become a meeting ground for many of the anti corruption activists not only from India Against Corruption, whose 15 members sat all day but also anti corruption activists like Bhagwan Das Ryani, Sharad Gayakwad and others.

Earlier in the day Deputy’s Collector’s office sent doctors and his representative requesting Medha ji to call off her fast, but Medha ji refused to be attended by them. Yesterday, the doctors who came to attend to her were the same ones who tried to influence people injured in the earlier demolitions on behalf of the Shivalik Builders. She is weak but her condition has been mostly stable today and continued to boost the morale of the people.

12 people arrested on May 19, released on bail

It brought cheer to the people present at the dharna site as they heard that the twelve of their comrades who were arrested while resisting demolition on May 19th are going to join them late in the evening after being released from the Arthur Road jail with the determination to save their houses at any cost.

Domestic Workers and Hawkers along with Anna Hazare and Swami Agnivesh join in support in Delhi

Anna Hazare, Swami Agnivesh, Arvind Kejriwal etc were at the Delhi Dharna in front of Maharshtra Sadan along with more than hundred others representing: NAPM, National Domestic Workers Union, Delhi Solidarity Group, Shahari Gharelu Kaamgar Union, SUCI, PUCL and others. On the request of Anna Hazare and Swami Agnivesh, Shri. Bhupendera Singh Rawat, National Convener, NAPM who was to start a solidarity hunger strike in Delhi, postponed it, subject to action from the state government. Anna Hazare said that he is in touch with Prithviraj Chauhan and Medha Patkar and is trying to resolve the issue. He added that he is concerned about the health of Medha ji and would like this situation to end soon. Swami Agnivesh, Arvind Kejariwal and others including Sunita Rani, Anita Kapoor, BS Rawat, Rajendra Ravi, N D Pancholi, Vimalbhai, Preeti Sampat, Seela M Mahapatra, Jawahar lent their support to the ongoing struggle in Mumbai against evictions.

Aurangabad too Joins in

Aurangabad Social Forum, a coalition of different progressive organisations joined the struggled against evictions and demolitions in Mumbai today at 11 am and submitted a memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner. Similar to the eviction at Golibar region Mumbai, a large scale eviction of the poor inhabitants on the riverfront of Kham river has been started by the district administration and the Municipal Corporation at Aurangabad. This brutal eviction too was condemned by the gathering and they decided to continue their fight against the evictions.

Apart from Delhi and Aurangabad, demonstartions were also held in Thrissur and Calicut. Similar events are being planned in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala and other places. Supporters have also started an online petition addressed to Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Prime Minister and Smt. Sonia Gandhi, President INC. International support is also being mobilised and emails are being sent to the CM demanding for putting a moratorium to all demolitions until an independent enquiry is held in to the 3k clause related projects and SRA is completely reviewed.

Even as we write this, a citizens delegation is trying to meet the Chief Minister, Shri Prithvi Raj Chavan.

Prerna Gaekwad, Santosh Daundkar, Deven Nair, Simpreet Singh
For details contact : Madhuresh Kumar (9818905316) | Simpreet Singh 9969363065

Facebook users can click on the link to see the Delhi action:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150253304211004.368198.702696003#!/media/set/?set=a.10150253304211004.368198.702696003&closeTheater=1 

 

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