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The Rape of Goa - A photo documentary
by
Rajan P. Parrikar
Venue: Menezes Braganza Art Gallery, Panjim, May 21-24, 2008
http://www.parrikar.org/misc/doc-notice.pdf
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Advalpal villagers tirade against mining companies continues today on a third
day today. People are attacking mines due to threat to their village, Water
sources, Forests and Agriculture.
According to the reports reaching here at 6.10 pm confrontation is on between
Sesa Goa mining company an the Adval villagers. Around 150 villagers have
squatted on the road blocking mining trucks carrying ore from Sesa Goa mines.
Tension was mounting on on the mine side with no side in a position to relent.
Vedanta - that owns Sesa Goa - is known for thorough environmental destruction
as well as application of brutal repressive measures in number of Indian States.
Sesa Goa mine owned by British corporate Vedanta was involved in beating up of
three Advalpal villagers two of them being women. Sheetal Thalekar, Surekha
Santosh Gaonkar and 17 year old Sandesh Vithal Gaonkar was beaten by Sesa Goa
goons at around 3.00 pm today on the mines site in the presence of Goa Police
personnel attached to Bicholim police station. Bicholim police station has
registered the case against unknown persons at the demand of Advalpal villagers
after initial reluctance.
Today morning Advalpal villagers marched into Sesa Goa mines and forced it to
close down. Then the group marched on the Fometos mine. However today too
police were deployed to provide security cover thereby preventing people from
entering mine. While people were at the Fomentos mine Sesa Goa mine too were
provided with police protection and re-started again.
One group today morning squatted before the deputy collectors office shouting
slogans against mining company and deputy Collector accusing officer Arvind
Bugde being agent of the mining companies. police too rushed here and put in
place barricade preventing people from entering the deputy collector's office.
The third mine operated by Salgaoncar mining company remains close for the past
three days. Goa's Mining Minister who is also Chief Minister - Digambar kamat -
will have to take some important and hard decisions to resolve this stand off.
Neither application Goons nor Police violence is going to solve this problem.
He has to straighten his backbone and sent home mining companies to defend
homes and lives of Advalpal people. Earlier he does it better for him and his
government stability.
Sebastian Rodrigues with inputs from Ramesh Gauns in Bicholim and Shamsunder
Naik in Advalpal.
www.mandgoa.blogspot.com
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