OJAM condemns police attack on anti-POSCO struggle
Orissa Jan Adhikar Morcha (OJAM) condemns the planned offensive against the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti.
THE ORISSA Jan Adhikar Morcha (OJAM) condemned the deployment of 25 platoons of police at the site of the protest Dharna against the proposed POSCO steel plant in Jagatsinghpur District, Orissa and the planned offensive against the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti. This wholesale attack on the democratic rights of the people is nothing less than daylight robbery. The reality is that, out of 4,000 acres that will be given to POSCO 3,000 acres land comes under forestland, most of which is being cultivated by people. These people have rights over this land under the Forest Rights Act of 2006. The said act and rules say the cultivators have right over this forestland, not the government. They have power to protect the forestlands of the area.
There has been a myth circulating that the Environment Ministry has cleared the use of this forest land for POSCO and therefore the land can be used. But a clarification has been given from the Ministry stating that use of the land is subject to the Forest Rights Act and the Ministry's own circular of August 3, 2009. The forest law says the circular requires not only that the people's rights should be recognized but also that the Gram Sabhas of the area should pass resolutions giving consent to the use of the forestland for the project. In the first week of February 2010, all three Gram Sabhas in the affected area have rejected the proposed diversion. To take this land now is in direct violation of the Forest Rights Act, a criminal offence under section 7 of that Act, and also a violation of the Environment Ministry's 2009 circular.
If the Orissa government sends in the police now, it will demonstrate that it is nothing but a hired mercenary for POSCO. Barely two days after the police fired on adivasi protesters in Kalinganagar, killing one and injuring 30, has the government shown that yet again it will use all the brute force at its command to crush the people, their rights and also the rule of law. We condemn these attacks of the government and call upon all democratic forces, political parties and citizens to support the struggle against POSCO, stated by Nikunj Bhutia, State Convener and Madan Marandi, State Secretary of Orissa Jana Adhikar Morcha (OJAM)
If the Orissa government sends in the police now, it will demonstrate that it is nothing but a hired mercenary for POSCO. Barely two days after the police fired on adivasi protesters in Kalinganagar, killing one and injuring 30, has the government shown that yet again it will use all the brute force at its command to crush the people, their rights and also the rule of law. We condemn these attacks of the government and call upon all democratic forces, political parties and citizens to support the struggle against POSCO, stated by Nikunj Bhutia, State Convener and Madan Marandi, State Secretary of Orissa Jana Adhikar Morcha (OJAM)
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