signed
k.ashraf
media student
calicut
kerala

On 1/29/10, sarathi <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I endorse.
>
> VP SARATHI, CHAIRPERSON: COIMBATORE HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM, COIMBATORE-
> 641018.
>
> On Jan 26, 6:35 pm, Rohit Shetti <[email protected]> wrote:
> >    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<
> [email protected]?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<
> [email protected]?subject=pls+endorse:+Statement+condemning+TN+Police+for+qu
> ­ashing+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=X3oDMTMzcjg0Yj...>(
> > 1)
> > Recent Activity:
> >
> > Visit Your Group<
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009;_ylc=X3oDMTJmczhrZmRkBF9TAzk3Mz...>
> > Start
> > a New Topic<
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmcm9qcHFiBF9TA...>
> > [image: Yahoo! Groups]<
> http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNHJ1Z2FkBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycEl...>
> > Switch to: Text-Only<
> [email protected]?subject=change+delivery+format:+Traditional
> >,
> > Daily Digest <
> [email protected]?subject=email+delivery:+Digest>•
> > Unsubscribe <[email protected]?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 [email protected].
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
> [email protected]<greenyouth%[email protected]>
> .
> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.
>
>

-- 
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 [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to 
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at 
http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB.

Reply via email to