From: "World Forum of Fish-harvesters and Fishworkers WFF]"
<[log in to unmask]>
Fishworkers Killed in Police Firing in India
Fri, 11 Jun 1999
Protest Against the killing of fishworkers in Orissa, India.
Four fishworkers, including a women, were killed and 13 injured some of
them seriously as police opened fire late at night against the
fishworkers
who were in their villages after participating in an anti
prawn culture agitation organised by Chilika Matsyajibi Mahasangh.
The problem in Chilika is going on for some time. There was a strong
movement in Chilika which was supported by the National Fishworkers
Forum
which had earlier resisted the industrial group of TATAS from conducting
aquaculture there which destroys both the livelihood of fishworkers and
the
environment.
The Chilika lake (which is the largest Brackish water lake in India) has
been occupied by mafias for aquaculture with the support of local
politicians and beaurocrats. The Supreme Court of India by their
historical judgement against aquaculture has said that there should be
no
shrimp farms within 1000 meters of the lake.
The fishworker organisation had given a 24 hour ultimatum to demolish
all
prawn gheries which lapsed on May 29. Fishworkers then destroyed about
11
illegal prawn farms.
Police raided the village on midnight after 10,000 villagers led by
Chilika Matsyajibi Mahasangh destroyed the prawn farms. Police then
began
to beat villagers mercilessly, threw tear gas shells and began shooting
without provocation. Banchhanidhi Behera died on the spot; Digambar
Behrera and Prema Behra on the way to hospital (and another victim died
later at the hospital.).
The National Fishworkers Forum Chairperson Mr.Harekrishna Debnath has
condemned the incident and strongly protested against the police action.
He said that National Fishworkers Forum uphold the right of the
fishermen
to freely fish in the lake and asked the administration to evict all
outsiders from the lake. NFF is supporting the strike call of June 5th.
NFF vows to intensify the struggle against
industrial aquaculture and demands the withdrawal of the Aquaculture
Authority Bill.
Thomas Kocherry Co-ordinator of World Forum Of FishHarvesters and
Fishworkers has also condemned the police firing and asked the
guilty to be punished immediately.
ORISSA BANDH OF 5TH JUNE.
The police violence has resulted in a massive popular strike held on
June
5th called by the fishermen's union.
On 5th June, due to the 12 hours Bandh called by Chilika
MatsyajibiMahasangh, the railway and road connection with Easten coast
of
the country came into a standstill. This bandh was supported by two left
groups and Janata Dal. Fishworkers have blocked the railroad in many
stations as a result of which trains were stranded in different
stations.
>From the morning fishworkers started sitting on the railway lines of
Rambha, Khallikote, Bhusandapur and other stations.In Bhubaneswar
station
600 women carrying their children stopped the Chennai-Howrah Koromandal
Express. Eight trains including Puri-Talcher Passenger, Puri-Katak
Passenger were
cancelled.
Apart from the communication system, in rest of the state the impact of
the
Bandh was partial. In capital Bhubaneswar it was totally successful,
shops
were closed. Thousands of fishworkers from Chilika and adjacent area
have
made human wall in the city and vehicles were totally stopped.
Attendance
in offices was very poor. Police arrested 2000 people including
fishworkers
and workers of different political groups.
For more information, contact:
Thomas Xavier Kocherry
Co-ordinator, World Forum of Fish-harvesters and Fishworkers [WFF]
Co-ordinator, National Alliance of Peoples Movements (India), [NAPM]
Velankanny, Junction, Valiathura, Thiruvananthapuram 695 008, INDIA
Phone & Fax: +91 - 471 - 50 1376;
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.south-asian-initiative.org/wff
-----------------------------------------------------------
ACTION ALERT!!!****
Please send faxes and/or letters of protest to Prime Minister and Orissa
Chief Minister at the following addresses:
1) Mr. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee,
Prime Minister of India,
152, South Block
New Delhi- 110 011,
India.
Fax : +(91) 11 301 8906, 301 6857
2) Mr. Giridar Gomang
Chief Minister of Orissa,
Bhubaneswar,
Orissa
India.
Fax: +(91) 674 401 007
3) Ambassador R.K. Rai
Indian Ambassador to Thailand
The Indian Embassy
Sukhumvit 23 Road
Soi Prasanmit 46
Bangkok 10110
Fax: 02-258-4627
And, please include in your cc of any copeis of correspondence you may
have
sent out to embassies or Indian PM to the National Fisherworkers Forum
(NFF) of India and to
Harekrishna Debnath at: <[log in to unmask]> so that they can
pass the word along to the people on the frontlines who, I'm sure,
will receive a moral boost to know that the eyes of ISA Net are
watching!
------------------------------------------------
SAMPLE LETTER
Honourable Prime Minister Vajpayee,
With this letter, I wish to express to your government
condemnation and absolute repulsion over the lamentable events that have
occurred in Orissa, India that resulted in the killing of four
fisher people, and the wounding of 13 others, as a result of police
actions
taken against their protests over the construction of shrimp aquaculture
facilities in Chilika Lake.
Chilika lake has been occupied by the shrimp industry, with the
support of the local politicians and bureaucrats, even though the
Supreme Court of India has ruled in an historical decision that
shrimp farms were to be prohibited within 1,000 meters of lake.
In response to the illegal establishment of these shrimp farms, the
fishermen of Chilika, supported by the National Forum of
Fisherworkers, were exercising their right to protest against these
actions, and denounce them to the authorities.
The Indian Government must initiate actions against the people
responsible for the deaths of these citizens of Chilika, and to
prosecute those who have installed or continue to operate shrimp
farms, in violation of the order of the Supreme Court of India.
Yours sincerely,
___________________________________________________________________
NEW possibility of CHEAP INTERNET FAXING:
http://www.net2phone.com/net2fax
____________________________________________________________________
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From: Bethany-Megan R. <[log in to unmask]>
> To: Undisclosed [log in to unmask]
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