STOP FORCEFUL EVICTION AND WITHDRAW POSCO PROJECT
3rd June 2011
Dear Friends,
On 3rd June 2011 (today), at around 9 am, the Odisha police and administration have brutally beaten villagers of Nuagoan who opposed the forceful acquision of their land to be handed over to the POSCO Company. Basu Behera, the Panchayat Samiti member of Gadkujang Panchayat and vice President of PPSS (POSCO Pratirodha Sangram Samiti) bled owing to the attack. The police destroyed their betel vines. 17 people including women and 6 children (5-12 years old) have been arrested. Police platoons, numbering about 20, are creating an atmosphere of fear to terrorise and force us to obey their dictates. Now the police is threatening, by using loud speakers, that if the villagers do not leave their betel vines voluntarily, then force will be used indiscriminately to destroy them. The administration incited pro-POSCO people to burn down the betel vines of Natha Samal, PPSS member from Nuagaon village.
Our people are in high alert and have formed human barricade at Gobindapur village under Dhinkia gram panchayat to prevent entry of officials and police forces into our area. For the last one week, more than 2000 villagers both men and women are protesting day and night in the Govindpur and Dhinkia village boarder.
As you know, from 18th of May 2011 onwards, the administration is acquiring the land of the few villagers who are supporting the POSCO project. Till now, the administration has acquired 38.69 acres of forest land by demolishing a total of 434 beetle vines. The government is creating an impression, using favourable (government support) media houses, that people are voluntarily giving their land. This is the well thought out strategy made by the government to confuse the public and mobilize public opinion in favour of the project. However the major protest is at Dhinkia Panchayat. Out of the 4004 acres of land requirement, major chunk of land falls under Dhinkia Panchayat. We are determined to fight against this illegal and unjust land acquisition process.
On dated 17th May 2011 Nishakar Khatua and five others of our area filed the petition in the High Court praying for quashing forest clearance granted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for the project and to halt the land acquisition.
Today i.e. on 3rd of June 2011, the High Court rescheduled the hearing of the petition challenging the land acquisition for POSCO. The state government in its affidavit had stated that the land acquisition was for public purpose and not for private purpose. This is a blatant lie as we all know that this land acquisition is for a private company like POSCO. The next hearing will be held on 8th of June 2011.
At this juncture, we appeal to all our friends to raise the pitch of protest, visit our area and show solidarity to our people. We are continuing our Dharana on the boarder of Govindpur and Nuagaon villages. We are determined to fight till government withdraws the project from our area.
Kindly widely circulate the appeal.
In Solidarity,
Prashant Paikray
Spokesperson, POSCO Pratirodha Sangram Samiti
Mobile no.- 09437571547
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Prasant Paikray
Spokesperson
Posco Pratirodh Sangram Saiti
Mobile - 9437571547
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