Dear friends
this is a message forwarded by vinod raja <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> in
vikalp group
Dear friends, Saroj was picked up from the Tikri rail station(near Rayagada,
South Orissa) by the police on 14th july. He was on his way to Kuchepadhar
to meet his wife who was not keeping well. If you all remember, my camera
was smashed by the Tikri police on 25th May 2005 while filming the protest
march from Kuchepadhar to Tikri.
Two months ago, Saroj spent a week with me here in bangalore translating Kue
language to English. I have not met him since then. Please circulate this
message widely and send protest letters to CM and Home dept. Governor,
Orissa.
Thanks , truly vinod
KASHIPUR SOLIDARITY GROUP
ARREST OF ACTIVIST SAROJ MOHANTY: AN URGENT APPEAL
17 July 2007
Saroj Mohanty, poet and long-time activist with Prakrutik Sampad
Surakhya Parishad (PSSP), which has over 15 years been opposing
the entry of large bauxite mining companies in Kashipur, has been
arrested. Saroj was picked up at a railway station in Rayagada
District, on Saturday, 14 July. He is currently in judicial custody in
Rayagada district jail.
The charges against him are completely fabricated but serious. These
charges include section 395 of the IPC (Dacoity), section 397 (Robbery
or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grevious hurt), and section
450 (House tresspass with intention to commit offence that is
punishable with imprisonment for life).
These absurd charges against Saroj stem from attempts in late 2004 by
the mining company UAIL and the Orissa government hell-bent on pushing
the project for bauxite mining through to undermine the resistance to the
project by slapping false cases on the leadership and mass base of PSSP. The
intense protests by the people was met by severe repression,
harassment and arrests, which continues to this day. As part of the
continuing repression carried out at the time, a number of PSSP
activists and ordinary people were falsely charged. Among them was
Saroj Mohanty.
Prior to his intense involvemnt as senior activist with the struggles of the
adivasi people of Kashipur region, Saroj Mohanty was active with the
anti-liquor movement in Sambalpur district as soon as he completed his MA in
Political Science from Sambalpur University . He has been a student leader
throughout his college and university years. He is a well known progressive
Oriya poet and intellectual and is currently the Editor of the respected
journal Anvesha. Anvesha has been a forum for rich debate on questions
pertaining to development, industrialization and other important
socio-economic issues of our time.
The arrest of Saroj Mohanty at this time constitutes a setback to the
movement in Kashipur and to movements that are erupting all over the
country against the plunder of people's resources, lands and ivelihoods by
large industry. It is an increasingly alarming trend
that activists and movements struggling for preservation of people's lives
and livelihoods are being ruthlessly targetted physically and by the use of
law.
This is an urgent appeal to you/ your organization to join the many
voices demanding his release and that these fabricated cases against
Saroj and other activists of PSSP Kashipur be withdrawn.
A protest programme demanding his release is being organized on 21 July in
Bhubaneshwar in front of RAJ Bhavan, the Governor's Residence from 10 am
onwards.
We request you to lend your solidarity and raise your voice by participating
in the programme; organize protest programmes in your own city on that date;
write to the Chief Minister and Governor, Orissa demanding that Saroj be
released. The suggested draft of the mail is at the end of this letter. You
can change it in your own way too. Do send a copy to
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
In solidarity,
Ranjana Padhi, Nagraj Adve, Madhumita Dutta, D Manjit and Arun Bidani
for
Kashipur Solidarity Group
Subject: Immediate and unconditional release of Saroj Mohanty, poet,
activist and editor of Anvesha
I/we wish to bring to your urgent notice the arrest of Shri Saroj Mohanty on
14th July 2007, a poet and a long-time activist with Prakrutik Sampad
Surakhya Parishad (PSSP), Kashipur, Rayagada District.
Subsequent to his arrest, Saroj has been charged with serious offences under
section 395 of the IPC (Dacoity), section 397 (Robbery or dacoity, with
attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), and section 450 (House tresspass
with intention to commit offence that is punishable with imprisonment for
life).
I/we contend that these charges are completely fabricated and are an attempt
by the district administration under the pressure from Utkal Alumina Limited
(UAIL) to repress and undermine the peaceful resistance of the people of
Kashipur to the proposed setting up of bauxite mines and alumina smelter in
the area. Since 2004 the district administration has been slapping false
cases on the leadership of PSSP, which for the last 15 years alongwith the
people of Kashipur have been peacefully demanding the protection of the
lives and livelihood of the local people, mostly adivasis and dalits, who
will loose their land and livelihood to UAIL project.
Saroj Mohanty is a well known social activist, who has been working since
college days with people's movements, a progressive Oriya poet and an
intellectual and is currently the Editor of a respected journal Anvesha.
Anvesha has been a forum for rich debate on questions pertaining to
development, industrialization and other important socio-economic issues of
our time.
Arrest of Saroj Mohanty impinges on the democratic space of the citizens of
this country to protest and voice their opinion in free and fair manner.
I/We therefore demand that:
1. Saroj Mohanty be immediately and unconditionally released
2. All false cases against Saroj Mohanty and other PSSP activists and local
people be unconditionally withdrawn
3. All harassment and repressive tactic by the state administration to
undermine the peaceful resistance of the people of kashipur be immediately
stopped
Sincerely,
Great means continuing...
Continuing means going far....
Going far means returning!!
-Lao Tse
Vinod Raja
6/2, Oakland residency, B-1
High Street, Cooke Town, Bangalore-560005
Tel: 91-80-65719066, 91-80-23342975
Mail Authentication : Vinod raja
_______________________________________
regards
gp.ramachandran
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