Fwd: Press Release- Condemn of violence in Jaitapur

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: sadhan roychowdhury <sadhan.roychowdhury1@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 6:25 PM
Subject: Fwd: Press Release- Condemn of violence in Jaitapur

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: paschim banga khet majoor samity <pbkmswb@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 6:23 PM
Subject: Press Release- Condemn of violence in Jaitapur
To:

Please find a joint statement on the Jaitapur violence attached as well as below:

Parmanu Chulli Birodhi O Bheete Mati Jeeban Jeebika Bachao Committee

 Haripur, Kanthi, Purba Medinipore

& 

Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity

1, Shibtala Road, Maheswarpur,

Badu, Kolkata- 700128, West Bengal Ph: (033) 2538 2064 

    

 Press Release- Condemn of Violence in Jaitapur

19.04.11

We strongly condemn the attack by police on protestors in Jaitapur yesterday leading to the death of one person and several others who were injured in police firing at Sakhrinate village when around 600-700 locals were protesting against the proposed 9,900 MW nuclear plants project. As we write this, there are fresh reports coming in of protestors being lathi-charged today.

 

Jaitapur, site for the world's largest proposed nuclear power plants complex has been a site of struggle since 2005. The struggle has acquired particular urgency after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan which has highlighted the terrible dangers associated with nuclear energy. We oppose nuclear energy in all its forms.

 

In the last couple of months, the government has unleashed repressive measures on the people in Jaitapur. Right from giving prohibition orders which bar people from holding meetings and demonstrations under Section 144 of the CrPC and Section 37 of the Bombay Police Act, the administration has also resorted to lathi-charges, beatings, indiscriminate arrests, registering of false cases against hundreds of men, women and even children – including the atrocious charge of 'attempt to murder' on many of them.

 

Lately, thousands of people have courted arrest, and many have spent several nights in jail on trumped up charges. Leading activists of the area have been issued notices baring them from Ratnagiri district. Eminent citizens of the region who have extended support to the struggle, including former Supreme Court Judge P. B. Sawant, retired Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Ramdas and noted economist Dr. Sulabha Brahme, have been prevented from entering the district.

 

The acts of violence perpetrated by state forces have been without any evidence of reasonable provocation. Furthermore, it is the mandate of a democratic state apparatus to address any crisis in a democratic fashion taking into account the enormous power wielded by state forces when compared to democratic dissenters on the ground.

 

In this light, yesterday's instance of using force and lethal weapons is totally unacceptable in a democracy. In these times of crisis, we stand strong with the people of Jaitapur and extend our solidarity. We also ask the government of Maharashtra as well as the Central Government to immediately set up an inquiry against the killing and violence and award compensation to the victim's families.

 

 

Sukumar Bhuinya/ Sandip Das                                                                                     Swapan Ganguly

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For more information about our work and struggles , please also look at our new blog site at http://khetmajoorsamity.blogspot.com.

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sadhan roy chowdhury

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Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/