From: Tom Mangattuthazhe <tmangatt@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 10, 2011 at 7:30 AM
Subject: In solidarity with the Hunger Strike in Manja
To: sarah phangchopi <sphangchopi@gmail.com>
In solidarity with the Hunger Strike in Manja
on 17th May 2011
A Press Statement
On 17th May,2011 people in Manja will start a collective hunger strike for a genuine need of 20 years. They demand immediate implementation of their longstanding demand. They are denouncing the appalling apathy of our system which they are victims of. They are denouncing the hypocritical way our authorities are dealing with genuine issues of human rights, livelihood, displacement, and turning it into a problem which can be easily tackled.
Every year, people in this area undergo horrifying experiences during the raining season, precious lives of our children have lost, last year alone thousands of children could not go to the school, three weeks all the schools in the area were closed, the sick people had no access to medical facilities resulting the death of several persons. While seeking for a better life they engage in a highly uncertain journey especially in June July August and September when the river water level rise. These are days of forced invisibility and fear, deprived of access to basic human needs specially food, education and medical care.
However this system cannot fool us! We know that abject poverty, and pushing people onto a deadly journey are in fact the very consequences of the dictates of imperialism and political neglect. I have seen memorandums, submitted from the president of India to our district officials for the last several years, I have seen and have participated in the non-violent road blockade for more than 26 times and the last one was on September 28th, 2010 for the first time in Police custody for two hours. I still remember that on 28th at 9.30 am Mr.H.Rajkumar, the Additional District Collector of Karbi Anglong District came to the police station and met the general public and assured that the temporary bridge will be completed within 20 days and that the permanent bridge will be completed during the financial year before March 2011, I too was present in that meeting. Months are over history has repeated itself.
As a resident of Hidim Teron Village I will join the hunger strike and I affirm that it is a reality that can be solved by our all powerful country. No forces can prevent people from seeking for better life conditions, and neither do our administration have any legitimacy to deny basic rights of our people. The struggle of the people of Manja must win because it is justified and urgent. As our people emphasized time and again, this is a struggle for all and it is our duty to stand in solidarity.
Tom Mangattuthazhe
(Principal, Little Flower School, Manja)
--
Tom Mangattuthazhe
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http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/NESRC/Publications/Violence.pdf
--
Palash Biswas
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