I endorse. Sukla Sen EKTA (Committee for Communal Amity), Mumbai
Here is a "rough translation" of the flyer to be distributed. Grossly, almost grotesquely, exaggerated. Neither Salwa Judum is sponsored by the Union Government, in fact Chidambaram is on record publicly disapproving it, nor anybody else has reportedly talked of 5,000 rapes, or even one-hundredth of that figure has been cited in the past, I guess. But even then that's not "sedition". The protest letter is quite restrained and well drafted. Sukla ROUGH TRANSLATION OF THE PAMPHLET THAT ALLEGEDLY CONTAINS THE SEDITIOUS MATERIAL: Government of India: Stop the War P.Chidambaram, who in order to pander to the imperialist designs of Tata, Essar, Mittal, Vedanta, has destroyed 644 villages, and made 3 lakh Indian refugees in their own land. India is becoming Africa Chattisgarh is where this sorry state of affairs prevails. Under such circumstances, is it the celebration of Republic Day justified? The Right to Life of Citizens of the country is a big question mark. The Republic Day is a day when the state reaffirms its intent to safeguard the democratic rights of Indian citizens. However, on this day, the Central Government has, in the name of battling the naxalites, armed some adivasis organised as the Salwa Judum. Further, in the name of Operation Greenhunt, Mr. P. Chidambaram and his cabal have caused more than 5000 adivasi women to be raped. More than 2.5 lakh adivasis have been forced to escape into the forests to safeguard their lives. Further, more than 50,000 adivasis from Chattisgarh are living as refugees in Andhra Pradesh. Further, the Supreme Court has ordered the Central and State Governments to restore to the more than 300,000 adivasis from 644 villages their homes and villages, and to facilitate their return to their home villages. But despite this, the Governments have done nothing to obey the Supreme Court order. Why this illegal act? Where are the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the people? On this day, (26th January), what guarantees are being extended by the Indian state to Adivasis? Is it the intent of the Indian Government merely to hand over land to Tatas, Essar and Vedantas, and enrich them? At a time when farmers have underlined their problems by committing suicides, by snatching away agricultural lands and handing it over to the rich, are you declaring that this is the face of progress? We will raise our voices against it. On 26 January, we will undertake a cycle rally via Sivagangai (Chidambaram's constituency) to Chennai. Campaign for Justice and Peace. 14A, 5th Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090 Contact: 9443248582 2010/1/26 Rohit Shetti <rohit...@gmail.com> > Hello all, > > TN Activist Piyush Sethia was arrested today in Salem and charged with > sedition against the state before the commencement of a peaceful cycle rally > across Tamil Nadu to bring about awareness of the State and central > Governments war and atrocities against tribals in Chattisgarh. > > The rally in Tamil Nadu was of particular significance since it passed > through Home Minister P. Chidambaram's constituency - Sivangangai. > > However, even before a single pamphlet was distributed, the arrest was made > and charges of sedition under section 124A have been filed. The pamphlet > containing 'seditious' material asks why the State is denying the guarantees > under the Constitution by the Republic of India to adivasis, and why the > State Government has refused to obey the Supreme Court order directing them > to rehabilitate the 644 evicted villages, and their 3 lac residents. The > pamphlet ends by stating that we won't remain silent and will take a cycle > rally through the villages of Tamilnadu to build public opinion (hardly a > non-democratic means). > > Lawyers and friends are helping out, but a condemnation of the State's > high-handedness and the atrocious attempt to curb freedom of speech is > definitely called for. > > *Please endorse the draft statement below in your personal and > organizational capacities, so that the statement along with the names of the > endorsers can be sent to Commissioner of Police, Salem City, Tamilnadu: > Phone/Fax: +91 (0)427 2410217* > > Please also use your channels and contacts to write opinion pieces, > articles in defence of free speech, etc in all forms of print and electronic > media, discussion forums. > > Contact for more information: Campaign for Justice and Peace. 14A, 5th > Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090, Phone: 9443248582 > > *DRAFT STATEMENT FOR ENDORSEMENT:* > ** > *We have a Right to Dissent and We will uphold it > * > ** > *Shame on Tamilnadu Police for Quashing Free Speech > * > > Piyush (Sethia) Manush, a human rights and environmental justice defender > from Salem, was arrested today and charged with Sedition. His “crime”: To > attempt to circulate a pamphlet, in his capacity of a representative of a > much-wider Campaign for Peace and Dignity at a Republic Day function in > Salem. The pamphlet expresses outrage at the Central and State > Government-sponsored atrocities against adivasi people in Dantewada, > Chattisgarh. It questions the State-Corporate collusion to violently evict > adivasis from their homeland, and asks why the state is acting in contempt > of the Supreme Court order directing the Governments to facilitate the > return of more than 300,000 adivasis to their 644 home villages in > Chattisgarh. > > By charging Piyush for sedition under the IPC, the Tamilnadu Police and > Tamilnadu Government has exposed their ignorance of the law, and disrespect > and disregard for the Constitution of India that guarantees to every citizen > the right to free speech and expression. It is an irony and a sign of our > times in that this arbitrary curb on free speech should happen on the 26th > of January, the day our Constitution came into effect. > > Campaign for Justice and Peace's pamphlets announced that people will > undertake a cycle yatra across Tamilnadu to highlight the Indian and > Chattisgarh government’s brutal and inhuman treatment of the adivasis. > Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and other parts of central and east India > have been long subjected to plunder by Indian and International > corporations. The indigenous people have suffered heavily, losing their > lands, livelihoods and lives because they resist this invasion. There is > absolute lawlessness and blatant violations of human rights. Journalist and > common citizens are intimidated and barred from entering these areas lest > the word spreads and the truth be revealed. Even peaceful gatherings are > targeted by State police, para military forces, and state sponsored and > state-armed militia such as the Salwa Judum. Leaders and others are > threatened so that there is no voice of dissent. With Home Minister > P.Chidambaram's Operation “Green Hunt” which is styled along the recent > genocide sponsored by the Sri Lankan Government, the situation in > Chattisgarh has worsened. The present act of Tamilnadu Government shows that > no challenge to the nexus between corporations and the State will be > tolerated, and that the State is prepared to even violate the constitution > to curb any criticism against its actions. It also marks the generalized war > against free speech and dissent launched by the present governing elite in > New Delhi and Chennai. > > We, the people of this country, resolve not be quelled by this > intimidation. We resolve to keep our voices of dissent and resistance loud > and clear. We stand with our comrade Piyush in this struggle for a > democratic and free India where justice and peace can reign. We call upon > all the freedom loving people of this country to join us in this struggle. > We condemn the actions of the Tamilnadu Police in Salem, and demand that the > outrageous charges of sedition against Piyush be revoked. > > Signed > > __._,_.___ > Reply to > sender<rohit...@gmail.com?subject=pls+endorse:+Statement+condemning+TN+Police+for+quashing+free+speech,+%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0+arrest+of+rights'+activist+Piyush+Sethia>| > Reply > to > group<css2...@yahoogroups.com?subject=pls+endorse:+Statement+condemning+TN+Police+for+quashing+free+speech,+%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0+arrest+of+rights'+activist+Piyush+Sethia> > Messages in this > topic<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009/message/949;_ylc=X3oDMTMzcjg0Yjh0BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMjUxNDE3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0MzYyOARtc2dJZAM5NDkEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDdnRwYwRzdGltZQMxMjY0NTExNjg0BHRwY0lkAzk0OQ-->( > 1) > Recent Activity: > > > Visit Your > Group<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009;_ylc=X3oDMTJmczhrZmRkBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMjUxNDE3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0MzYyOARzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzEyNjQ1MTE2ODQ-> > Start > a New > Topic<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmcm9qcHFiBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIwMjUxNDE3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0MzYyOARzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzEyNjQ1MTE2ODQ-> > [image: Yahoo! > Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNHJ1Z2FkBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzIwMjUxNDE3BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA0MzYyOARzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTI2NDUxMTY4NA--> > Switch to: > Text-Only<css2009-traditio...@yahoogroups.com?subject=change+delivery+format:+Traditional>, > Daily Digest<css2009-dig...@yahoogroups.com?subject=email+delivery:+Digest>• > Unsubscribe <css2009-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com?subject=unsubscribe> • Terms > of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> > . > > __,_._,___ > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Green Youth Movement" group. > To post to this group, send an email to greenyo...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > greenyouth+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com<greenyouth%2bunsubscr...@googlegroups.com> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB. > -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. 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