> Dear All, > > > Koodankulam Updates: > > > The *non-violent* hunger *strike at Idinthakarai has entered its 9th day > but the state and central governments have turned a blind eye and deaf ear > to the demands of the people. In the meantime, *the situation of many of > the hunger strikers continues to deteriorate to an alarming level. *More > than 15,000 people* have been gathering every day for the *past 8 days*from > 30 odd villages and towns around Koodankulam from three districts, viz. > Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli. The protest has spread to many > parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala with southern Tamil Nadu turning out to be > the epicenter of protests. For the eighth day in succession, fishermen, > farmers, manual laborers, merchants of the area did not go to work while > students have boycotted educational institutions. Shops remain closed in > many places around Idinthakarai. > > The men and women who gather everyday to participate in the protest also > fast throughout the day. People of Hindu, Muslims and Christian faiths and > of all major caste groups are involved in the hunger strike and the relay > fast by tens of thousands of people. Leaders of most of the major > political parties have come and expressed their support to the protest and a > few of them have also announced specific protest programs. > > The authorities have foisted false cases on 500 odd people and a few have > been put in jail. A huge police battalion has been posted near > Idinthakarai and neighboring villages. Road blocks have been created and > public transport has been suspended by authorities who are preventing people > from coming to the protest in all possible ways. > > With the swiftly deteriorating health situation of the fasters and lack of > any serious or official initiative on the part of the governments to talk, > some people are losing their patience. Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer has issued > a call to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to intervene immediately and has > also asked the movement to continue the protesters without putting the lives > of the people in danger or resorting to violence. Medha Patkar is joining > the protest today. The protest needs intervention from eminent and > respected personalities like you and solidarity and support from groups > across the country to force the governments to act and save the lives of > fasters and to maintain a peaceful atmosphere. > > K.Sahadevan > from Koodankulam > > Forwarded by > Nandalal R > (N.B-Please inform me if you don't want to receive mails of this type which > are about activities around us) > >
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