[Reader-list] NBA support meeting April 1st, 5.30 pm

[abhinandita mathur]

Dear All ,

some of you you  must be getting all the mails and information
regarding the Narmada struggle and Dharna which is going on since 17th
of March 2006 against the Narmada Control Authority's clearance for
the increase in the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The dam height
has been proposed to be raised from 110.64m up to 121.92m without
proper rehabilitation of those at 110.64 m. . This indeed is not only
the human rights violation but also ignoring totally the Supreme Court
Order. Though, The PM and his ministers have met the NBA
representatives but so for there is no positive statement has come out
from them. Please refer to the press release Therefore, from Yesterday
a Hunger fast has been started by many people from the valley and
Medha Patkar. In this context, many of us have decided to meet on
Saturday 1st April at 5.30 P.M at NAPM Office , Haji Habib Building,
Naigaon Cross Rd, Dadar ( East) Mumbai 400014. This is really
imperative at this jucture and we need to update ourselves and to
discuss what could we do as Mumbai Support group to strengthen the
strggle and to support the people from the valley. We request all of
you to join the meeting. Please do respond soon... Mukta, Pervin
jehangir Contact: pervin at 22184779 NBA URGENT PRESS RELEASE 29th
March, 2006 We will not accept the government?s silence Indefinite
hunger strike begins at Jantar Mantar We will not accept the
government?s silence! We will put our lives on the line to stop the
destruction of the Valley! 3 people begin indefinite hunger fast!
Since the 17th of March, the adivasis, farmers, of the Narmada Valley
have been sitting on a peaceful dharna in Delhi. On 8th March, 06, the
Narmada Control Authority gave clearance for the height of the Sardar
Sarovar Dam to be raised from 110.64m up to 121.92m. This clearance,
given on the basis of untrue reports and false claims of the
government, will cause the destruction of the homes, fields and lives
of about 220 villages in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. This
decision is not just a blatant violation of the orders of the Supreme
Court, but most of all, it has made a mockery of the human rights of
lakhs of people still living in the submergence villages. As per the
law, the governments were required to ensure that every single
affected family was resettled at least 6 months before submergence,
offering cultivable land for land and resettling them in resettlement
sites provided with all civic amenities. However, in clear and inhuman
violence of this it has not resettled atleast 35,000 families. It is
to challenge this injustice and illegality that we have, for the last
12 days, been on this dharna, speaking out against this continuing
injustice and challenging the Centre to use its powers and not to give
in to the dirty politics and pressure of the Gujarat BJP government.
We have met all concerned, from the Union Minister of Water Resources
and Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment to the Prime
Minister and President. In all these meetings we have repeatedly
exposed and proved the illegalities in the processes and the falsity
of resettlement claims of the governments and the authorities. We also
have proven that the authorities like the NCA and its sub ? groups are
just not capable of ensuring just resettlement and are mere pawns
before the politics that determine when the construction of the dam
can progress. Rehabilitation has been reduced to a paper exercise in
the process. This decision, made possible by the political nexus
between Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh governments, will not only murder
the lives and futures of affected people but will also submerge a
culture, a heritage, a civilization that is centuries old. The cruelty
with which the natural resources including land, water, minerals, of
adivasis and farmers are being snatched away by governments, using
brutal force in most instances, in violation of Constitutionally
guaranteed rights needs to be stopped immediately. Those who will dare
to measure these practices and policies, against human values are not
to be found amongst the power wielders. This is the experience of the
Narmada Valley, of every river valley, of all determined struggles of
those displaced. Who does one explain to that the meaning of
development is not social uprootment, destruction of nature and
economic ruination. Or that true development the consent and
participation of those to be displaced is paramount. Or even at the
very least displacement must promise a just and better life through
resettlement? Even one when ventures to say this, who is listening? In
the last 20 years, we have seen a great game unfolding in the Narmada
Valley, which involves a mockery of figures. With this project of
50,000 crore rupees, the generations-old villages are being taken away
from us by using water as a weapon. We cannot bear this. With our
struggle and reconstruction for 20 years, we take up the challenge yet
again. This is the final frontier of every struggle and the voice of
displacement everywhere, from the death of farmers in villages to
large-scale uprootment of bastis. In our eyes, this development that
is based on capital investments from large Multi National
Corporations, is leading to the massacre of our workers. Even the
public sector is going in the same perverted direction. The principles
of the capital market and political contractors are pushing this
process forward. Sardar Sarovar Project best epitomizes this. Those in
power probably imagine that the resilient sathyagrahis of the Narmada
valley, the adivasis and farmers, will be destroyed by mercilessly
submerging. They also imagine that the throttling of the courage and
resilience of those struggling in the Narmada Valley will open the
path for an reckless and inhuman development. ... And this struggle is
not just for the Narmada. It is for every valley, every village, every
community under threat. And is the voice against the snatching away of
sustenance and livelihood. - Our pledge is that, while stopping the
Sardar Sarovar project, any form of forced displacement without
consent and participation is unacceptable. - We are pained and ashamed
by the use of force and arms to displace people - We want that the
planning of development projects must be in the public interest and
within the democratic framework and through scientific processes - we
believe that where a dispute has been raised by people, it should be
resolved through dialogue and consent, and not through monetary
inducements and threats of violence - The development planning must
start in the gram sabha at the village level, and the basti sabhas at
the city level - The Government of India should change the colonial
Land Acquisition Acts and changes in the National Resettlement Policy
must be introduced - We announce that peoples movements from every
corner of this Country, raising such questions to come here, join this
struggle and seek answers to the fundamental questions we all pose
together Therefore, from today, three representatives from the Narmada
Valley, Jamsing Nargave from village Amlali in Badwani district
(Madhya Pradesh), Bhagwatibai Jatpuria from village Nissarpur in Dhar
district (Madhya Pradesh) and Medha Patkar begin an indefinite hunger
strike at Jantar Mantar.

 Dipti Bhatnagar Clifton Medha Patkar

--
abhinandita