Contributors raise funds for blogger hit by law suit
Rodrigues stepped in to fill the void of lack of information through his blog. But the thirty something blogger has been hit with a Rupees 500 crore defamation suit by a mining company at the Calcutta High Court.
RESEARCHER SEBASTIAN Rodrigues from Goa calls himself not an environmentalist but a scholar concerned about affairs in the society. Mining is his pet subject. The former Portuguese colony has iron, manganese and bauxite. Issues related to mining had been put on the back burner by the local and national press.
Rodrigues stepped in to fill the void of lack of information through his blog. But the thirty something blogger has been hit with a Rupees 500 crore defamation suit by a mining company at the Calcutta High Court.
The blog mandgoa.blogspot.com. was started sometime in August 2007. It was started because Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED), the tribal people of Goa, wanted it to express its point of view and let the world know the plight of the indigenous people in Goa.
Besides mining, the blog has highlighted land issues including documentation of police violence, of people fighting for their rights, history of tribal movements in Goa, real estate and struggle against it and takeover of tribal lands by industries.
The total mining leases - 810 granted by Portuguese Colonial regime - continues to be active in free India. This is indeed a paradox. Anyway, the trends are that all these mining leases are to get activated within the next few years. Already over 200 mining leases have been given Environmental Clearance by the Central Government’s Ministry of Environment and Forest. Total land under 810 mining leases is around 68,000 hectares covering a stretch of 95 kms out of a total 105 kms from North to South of Goa.
It’s a market and market alone that overrides all considerations, in spite of the global recession. Goa losses several times more than what it gains as annual royalty of approximately Rs. 20 million.
Goa police have been routinely used to crush people’s protests all over Goa’s mining belt. The Rs.500 crore defamation suit filed against Rodrigues at Calcutta High court by the mining company is another bid to put fear in those who dare to speak out against mega disaster in Goa in the offing for the past 60 years called - open cast iron ore and magnesium mining.
“I am getting increasing public support both psychologically as well as financially to fight the case. The first decision I took is not to spend any of my personal money to fight this case and appealed for public contributions. I am encouraged by the way people from near and far responded to the call,” says Rodrigues.
There are many people involved in supporting Rodrigues fight, many people have signed the online petition in his support.
“I am overwhelmed with the support. Movement has only intensified further after the defamation suit. There are lawyers from across the country who are supporting me and even offered to take up the case. Without their financial support I would not be able to fight the case.”
“Defamation suit against me itself is a huge testimony that sustained criticism of the system can cut though the prevailing nexus between mining companies and the state agencies and render it vulnerable and delegitimized. Critical questioning by various categories of people is going to expose this. Most of our politicians have got vested interest in the mining industry. They have business ties and they are not willing look at the interest of Goa beyond their nose,” says Rodrigues.
Rodrigues’ financial needs are taken care of by Professor Peter Ronald de Souza, former Head of Political Science Department, Goa University. He encouraged him to return to Goa and work with GAKUVED in Goa. Through his networks, he involved various agencies such as Vikas Adhayan Kendra, Mumbai to support his initiatives.
“I get a monthly honorarium of Rupees 12,000. Besides I also take professional short research assignments on tribal and land aspects in Goa. I have completed one study ‘Land, Mining and Adivasis in Goa’ and it is gone for publication in Delhi. It was funded by ‘The Other Media’ in Delhi,” disclosed Rodrigues.
His P Phil dissertation was on ‘Origin and Consolidation of Landless Worker’s Movement in Brazil’ which he completed from the Centre for Latin American Studies, Goa University, Goa. It is about one of the biggest social movements of the World – MST – wherein historically marginalized Brazilians are organizing themselves to capture large landholdings known as ‘Latifundious’.
“I had no role model in life but during my childhood days I admired Helen Keller - what she achieved in spite of being blind. But family and relatives had sowed enough seeds to transform me into what I have become today. My mother Claudina comes from traditional fishermen’s family known as Ramponkars in Goa. I have witnessed all the turmoil of the fishermen’s agitation as a child, when my mother would carry me on her lap to see people involved.”
“Then, my Father Luis was involved in Toddy tappers movement and I still remember those nights he would be returning late at home after public rallies and meetings in Panjim. My father is a toddy tapper who tapped coconut trees good part of his life. In college I got involved with AICUF – All India Catholic University Federation and was inspired by its Poonamalee declaration ‘We are born in an unjust society and we will not leave it as we found it’.”
Rodrigues met many people throughout his student days and was inspired a few during the Poonamalee declaration, he met veteran Goan activist Roland Martins in 1991 and became an active with a number of initiatives like Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fauz (JGF, Vigilant Goan Army) campaigning around tourism issues in Goa. Its two week long padayatras (foot marches) – one at Pernem coast and another on Canacona coast - gave him rich exposure to Goa and its varied discourses in early and mid 1990s.
“Roland guided me in those crucial years when I was looking for direction for future. Then during my post graduate and research scholar period in Goa university I was influenced by Mathematics post graduate student from Bangladesh Amiya Bhushan Sarkar and Dr. Bikram Dasgupta, a faculty from the Chemistry department. I was regular participant to the Saturday Study Group which was very often moderated by Professor E D’Sa from the Physics Department of Goa University. It is over here during these interactions I understood the importance of rigorous study to add substance to what one advocates and campaigns.”
Water scarcity is one major threat which Goa faces if mining is not stopped immediately.
The question however is that to what extent we are going to sell ourselves, our Goa, our people, our fields, our rivers, our springs, our waterfalls, our forest, our mountains, our soil.
Mining is leading Goa towards desertification drying up the major source of water. There is mining going on inside the catchments areas of major dams – Selaulim, Opa and Assanora. Besides villages in mining belt in Sattari, Bicholim and Sanguem has become dependent upon mining companies for the supply of water. The conflicts are growing sharper day by day. Few years ago one man from Pissurlem village Pandurang Parab was even attacked with a chopper because he wanted one extra bucket of water! If mining is not stopped immediately then Goa will face very acute water shortages. Coastal Goa, cities of Margao, Panaji, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa – all depend upon Goa’s hinterlands for its water supply.
All the nine rivers of Goa are affected because of mining. And also all the 42 tributaries that connects Western Ghats to these rivers living in a relationship with Arabian Sea are getting increasingly silted. One only has to look at the plight of Kushavati River in order to understand the situation. This river couple of years back went dry for the first time.
Goa’s Industry as well as tourism too is going to be badly hit due to continuous expansion of mining leases.
“Global consuming classes are responsible for increase in demand for metals with their irresponsible over consumption patterns. Disintegration of Goa due to mining can be thwarted also by realization of the burgeoning global middle class that their consumerist behaviour and appetite for cars is finishing off one of the world’s most sought after tourism destinations. Several middle class families from India and abroad have visited Goa for share their precious moments together, “says Rodrigues.
But, as a school teacher from Bicholim, Ramesh Gauns who is constantly exposing the mining lease regime puts it: “The world is risking one of the best honey moon destinations in Goa due to mining. If the middle classes do not speak up for Goa then middle classes are equally responsible for it. So stand up to defend Goa, defend our homeland and global middle class’s favourite honeymoon destination from the cancerous spread of mining. Speak up for Goa now, before it is too late.”
Besides mining, the blog has highlighted land issues including documentation of police violence, of people fighting for their rights, history of tribal movements in Goa, real estate and struggle against it and takeover of tribal lands by industries.
The total mining leases - 810 granted by Portuguese Colonial regime - continues to be active in free India. This is indeed a paradox. Anyway, the trends are that all these mining leases are to get activated within the next few years. Already over 200 mining leases have been given Environmental Clearance by the Central Government’s Ministry of Environment and Forest. Total land under 810 mining leases is around 68,000 hectares covering a stretch of 95 kms out of a total 105 kms from North to South of Goa.
It’s a market and market alone that overrides all considerations, in spite of the global recession. Goa losses several times more than what it gains as annual royalty of approximately Rs. 20 million.
Goa police have been routinely used to crush people’s protests all over Goa’s mining belt. The Rs.500 crore defamation suit filed against Rodrigues at Calcutta High court by the mining company is another bid to put fear in those who dare to speak out against mega disaster in Goa in the offing for the past 60 years called - open cast iron ore and magnesium mining.
“I am getting increasing public support both psychologically as well as financially to fight the case. The first decision I took is not to spend any of my personal money to fight this case and appealed for public contributions. I am encouraged by the way people from near and far responded to the call,” says Rodrigues.
There are many people involved in supporting Rodrigues fight, many people have signed the online petition in his support.
“I am overwhelmed with the support. Movement has only intensified further after the defamation suit. There are lawyers from across the country who are supporting me and even offered to take up the case. Without their financial support I would not be able to fight the case.”
“Defamation suit against me itself is a huge testimony that sustained criticism of the system can cut though the prevailing nexus between mining companies and the state agencies and render it vulnerable and delegitimized. Critical questioning by various categories of people is going to expose this. Most of our politicians have got vested interest in the mining industry. They have business ties and they are not willing look at the interest of Goa beyond their nose,” says Rodrigues.
Rodrigues’ financial needs are taken care of by Professor Peter Ronald de Souza, former Head of Political Science Department, Goa University. He encouraged him to return to Goa and work with GAKUVED in Goa. Through his networks, he involved various agencies such as Vikas Adhayan Kendra, Mumbai to support his initiatives.
“I get a monthly honorarium of Rupees 12,000. Besides I also take professional short research assignments on tribal and land aspects in Goa. I have completed one study ‘Land, Mining and Adivasis in Goa’ and it is gone for publication in Delhi. It was funded by ‘The Other Media’ in Delhi,” disclosed Rodrigues.
His P Phil dissertation was on ‘Origin and Consolidation of Landless Worker’s Movement in Brazil’ which he completed from the Centre for Latin American Studies, Goa University, Goa. It is about one of the biggest social movements of the World – MST – wherein historically marginalized Brazilians are organizing themselves to capture large landholdings known as ‘Latifundious’.
“I had no role model in life but during my childhood days I admired Helen Keller - what she achieved in spite of being blind. But family and relatives had sowed enough seeds to transform me into what I have become today. My mother Claudina comes from traditional fishermen’s family known as Ramponkars in Goa. I have witnessed all the turmoil of the fishermen’s agitation as a child, when my mother would carry me on her lap to see people involved.”
“Then, my Father Luis was involved in Toddy tappers movement and I still remember those nights he would be returning late at home after public rallies and meetings in Panjim. My father is a toddy tapper who tapped coconut trees good part of his life. In college I got involved with AICUF – All India Catholic University Federation and was inspired by its Poonamalee declaration ‘We are born in an unjust society and we will not leave it as we found it’.”
Rodrigues met many people throughout his student days and was inspired a few during the Poonamalee declaration, he met veteran Goan activist Roland Martins in 1991 and became an active with a number of initiatives like Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fauz (JGF, Vigilant Goan Army) campaigning around tourism issues in Goa. Its two week long padayatras (foot marches) – one at Pernem coast and another on Canacona coast - gave him rich exposure to Goa and its varied discourses in early and mid 1990s.
“Roland guided me in those crucial years when I was looking for direction for future. Then during my post graduate and research scholar period in Goa university I was influenced by Mathematics post graduate student from Bangladesh Amiya Bhushan Sarkar and Dr. Bikram Dasgupta, a faculty from the Chemistry department. I was regular participant to the Saturday Study Group which was very often moderated by Professor E D’Sa from the Physics Department of Goa University. It is over here during these interactions I understood the importance of rigorous study to add substance to what one advocates and campaigns.”
Water scarcity is one major threat which Goa faces if mining is not stopped immediately.
The question however is that to what extent we are going to sell ourselves, our Goa, our people, our fields, our rivers, our springs, our waterfalls, our forest, our mountains, our soil.
Mining is leading Goa towards desertification drying up the major source of water. There is mining going on inside the catchments areas of major dams – Selaulim, Opa and Assanora. Besides villages in mining belt in Sattari, Bicholim and Sanguem has become dependent upon mining companies for the supply of water. The conflicts are growing sharper day by day. Few years ago one man from Pissurlem village Pandurang Parab was even attacked with a chopper because he wanted one extra bucket of water! If mining is not stopped immediately then Goa will face very acute water shortages. Coastal Goa, cities of Margao, Panaji, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa – all depend upon Goa’s hinterlands for its water supply.
All the nine rivers of Goa are affected because of mining. And also all the 42 tributaries that connects Western Ghats to these rivers living in a relationship with Arabian Sea are getting increasingly silted. One only has to look at the plight of Kushavati River in order to understand the situation. This river couple of years back went dry for the first time.
Goa’s Industry as well as tourism too is going to be badly hit due to continuous expansion of mining leases.
“Global consuming classes are responsible for increase in demand for metals with their irresponsible over consumption patterns. Disintegration of Goa due to mining can be thwarted also by realization of the burgeoning global middle class that their consumerist behaviour and appetite for cars is finishing off one of the world’s most sought after tourism destinations. Several middle class families from India and abroad have visited Goa for share their precious moments together, “says Rodrigues.
But, as a school teacher from Bicholim, Ramesh Gauns who is constantly exposing the mining lease regime puts it: “The world is risking one of the best honey moon destinations in Goa due to mining. If the middle classes do not speak up for Goa then middle classes are equally responsible for it. So stand up to defend Goa, defend our homeland and global middle class’s favourite honeymoon destination from the cancerous spread of mining. Speak up for Goa now, before it is too late.”
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.Researchers have a prophetic role to play in our Society. Their training and vocation is to voice the spiritual yearning of the silent and silenced majority. Society will surely militate against such Researchers and condemn their research findings but like the good old Prohets Amos and Isaiah of Biblical times, researchers do find strength, courage, stamina, enthusiasm and inspiration to go ahead with their research and come up with fresh findings for newer proclamations. Let us wish all our researchers good health as they try to respond to the higher call to do further research and enlighten us all.
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