The Forest Rights Act

Orissa government continuously using police violence against people's resistance in Jagatsinghpur, Orissa; latest example is arrest of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti leader Abhay Sahoo

 

The Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a national platform of tribal and forest dwellers' mass organisations, condemns the Orissa government's arrest of Abhay Sahoo, leader of the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), and the continued repression of the protests against the illegal POSCO project. Yesterday's arrest is just one more step in the Orissa government's criminal attempts to hand over the people's resources to POSCO.

The POSCO project is a massive violation of law and justice. Thousands of families will be deprived of land, employment and livelihoods, even as POSCO takes away hundreds of millions of tonnes of iron ore for the price of a song. Contrary to talk of "development" vs. livelihoods, this project will benefit no one except POSCO itself. Moreover, it is also illegal, for under the Forest Rights Act of 2006 can no longer be handed over to POSCO until the villagers' rights are recognised and the community's consent has been taken. The Orissa government's officers are guilty of committing and abetting the commitment of criminal offences under the Forest Rights Act.

The people of the area, led by the PPSS, have been peacefully resisting this assault for more than three years now. They have faced killings, hired goons, bomb attacks, and a police siege. Indeed, at one point Shri Sahoo himself assisted the police in protecting those responsible for a bomb attack from the anger of the people. Yet at no time have the police seriously acted against those responsible for this violence, nor has the government of Orissa even once attempted to hear the views of the people. The arrest of Abhay Sahoo is only one more step in this process of repression.

Therefore we demand:

* The immediate cancellation of the illegal POSCO project and the withdrawal of all police from the area;
* The immediate withdrawal of all cases against Abhay Sahoo and other PPSS leaders and their release from jail;
* Prosecution of those responsible for the violence in the area and compensation to the people for the three years of repression that they have suffered;
* Prosecution of the government officials participating in and abetting violations of the Forest Rights Act.