[Reader-list] [caravan99] CDDB 36 : IS CONVERGENCE TAKING SHAPE ?

[Jai Sen]

 From Delhi, Tuesday, May 16, 2006

PLEASE SEND ON

CACIM DELHI DEMOS BULLETIN / CDDB 36 : IS CONVERGENCE TAKING SHAPE ?

The pressure in India – so far perhaps, in certain parts of India -  
has become unbearable, and some shape to more coordinated resistance  
to what has been and is happening (massive displacement in rural  
areas, massive evictions and demolitions in urban areas) seems to be  
emerging.  But there are also sharply different manifestations of  
what is happening.

At least three very important developments are taking shape : First,  
a crucial first meeting in Mumbai tomorrow (Wednesday, May 17), in  
formal terms to examine and critique the recent extremely regressive  
trends in the judgements of the Supreme Court of India, but behind  
this, almost certainly, to also explore the possibilities of a wider  
and more coordinated engagement not only with judicial trends but  
also executive and political trends with respect to the rights and  
freedoms of labouring and working people in the country.  (Item 1.)

The range in the coalition of organisations who have called this  
meeting (for those who cannot ‘read’ this, people concerned with  
democratic rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, dwelling rights,  
and the rights of people being displaced in both urban and rural  
areas) is also extremely significant. They include the NBA (Narmada  
Bachao Andolan), the organisation that held the month long strike in  
Delhi during march-April that was reported in detail here in CDDB  
(see below for link to all earlier issues)

Mumbai has been a crucible for the emergence of new politics and  
directions for decades now, even over a century.  This is a space we  
should all watch.

Second, a call for a National Day of Action in India just ten days  
later, on May 26, by the NBA (Narmada Bachao Andolan).  (Item 2.)   
Meetings have already started all over the country towards giving  
this shape.

We will try and keep reporting on all this.  WE ALSO REQUEST ALL  
READERS TO PLEASE SEND US news and information on what is happening,  
so that we can broaden our coverage.
ALSO, IN CASE YOU ARE READING A FORWARDED COPY AND WOULD LIKE TO BE  
PUT ON OUR MAILING LIST SO THAT CDDB REACHES YOU EARLIER, please  
write back and let us know.

The third development is also very interesting and important : The  
emergence over this past several months (or year) of a very active  
listserve and, as far as we know, also real-world and -time  
coalition, of what in Delhi are called ‘residents’ welfare  
organisations’ (RWAs) – local neighbourhood associations in middle- 
class areas; named URJA - United Residents' Joint Action. The choice  
of the name is very significant : ‘Urja’ in Hindi means ‘power’,  
energy.  Starting off looking at distortions in power / energy bills,  
and protesting this (the latest protest in this area is members of  
specific RWAs collectively submitting only 50% of bills received, on  
the argument that consumers will not accept responsibility for  
electricity theft losses, which the power companies are trying to  
pass on to them in bills), they have moved to looking at a wide gamut  
of urban issues – including evictions and demolitions.  (See item  
3.)  But their take on what the Supreme Court is doing through its  
recent and current orders is radically different from how the Mumbai  
group is seeing things; they see the Court as the last bulwark  
against the chaos they see overtaking cities in India, not only  
through so-called ‘unauthorised settlements’ of the labouring poor  
but also, for instance, the huge amount of unauthorised construction  
by commercial interests in the city; and through corruption.  So they  
support the Court’s current moves to put a stop to ALL of this – and  
in the course of which it is ordering the evictions of hundreds and  
thousands of households, in Delhi and all over the country.

But the reason for including them here in CDDB is that this is also  
happening parallel to the emergence of ‘we’ might see as more  
‘progressive’ coalition against such actions - this emergence of a  
very vibrant urban coalition in the capital of India, with amazingly  
rich exchange on its listserve.  URJA apparently has some 100 paid-up  
RWAs as members, and claim to be in touch with (and representing the  
interests of) lakhs (hundreds of thousands) of households.   
Significantly, they are widely using blogs and e-groups for  
communicating. See links and contact details given in item 3 for more  
details.

Completely on another hand, the Bhopal struggle – which made such  
good ground last month and won such an apparently amazing victory  
through its dharna in Delhi (see CDDB 22) - has taken a sharp  
downturn.  (Item 5.)  Maybe the honeymoon is over ?

But their supporters continue to be creatively active : Item 6.

             Jai Sen, for CACIM

IN THIS ISSUE OF CDDB :
CONVERGENCE !
[1]            PROTEST MEETING AGAINST THE RECENT TREND OF THE  
SUPREME COURT (India Centre for Human Rights and Law, CEHAT, Forum  
Against Oppression of Women, Awaz E Niswan, Committee for Protection  
of Democratic Rights (CPDR), and others, May 11)
[2]            Letter from the NBA : 26 May as a DAY OF NATIONAL  
ACTION (NBA Baroda, May 15)
[3]            On URJA (United Residents' Joint Action) (CACIM, off  
URJA blogspace, May 9/16)
NARMADA !
[3]            Maheshwar dam affected farmers and fisherpeople  
demonstrate at Power Finance Corporation (NBA Khargone, May 12)
MUMBAI !
[4]            Another Brutal Truth:  Immediate response needed  
(Mukta, nd, circulated May 14)
BHOPAL !
[5]            Bhopal gas victims demand balanced committee  
(IndiaTimes, May 13)
[6]            Dow Shareholder Meeting Protest, May 11, 2006  
(Students for Bhopal, May 13)

"There Is A Fury Building Up Across India" (Arundhati Roy, April 29 –  
see CDDB 29)

Note : The CDDB (CACIM Delhi Demos Bulletin) is a digest of material  
on the struggles that have been going on for twenty and more years,  
and have recently intensified, in Bhopal, the Narmada valley, and  
Delhi, for a place to live in security and dignity – and everything  
that goes with that. The CDDB series started during late March and  
April 2006, when all three movements were holding protests in Delhi,  
and with the Bhopal and Narmada movements on ‘dharna’ (sit-down  
strike) simultaneously at a place called ‘Jantar Mantar’ in the  
city.  See CDDB 1 and 2 for more details on Jantar Mantar and the  
demos.  All back issues of this Bulletin (the CACIM Delhi Demos  
Bulletin), number 0 onwards, are available @ : http://www.cacim.net/ 
twiki/tiki-view_articles.php?type=article&topic=1 <http:// 
www.cacim.net/twiki/tiki-view_articles.php?type=article&amp;topic=1>

Some sites for more information :
Go to www.cacim.net <http://www.cacim.net> and see ‘Newsclippings’  
and ‘Links’.
____________________________

[1]

On 16.5.06 11:55am, "Pervin Jehangir" <pervinj2000 at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

PROTEST MEETING AGAINST THE RECENT TREND OF THE SUPREME COURT

  Day: Wednesday

  Date 17th May, 2006 at 6.00 p.m.

  Venue: YMCA, Colaba

On 10th May, 2006 a news item appeared on the front page of Times of
India reporting a Supreme Court judgment concerning the rights of slum
dwellers. The Supreme Court categorically ordered that slum dwellers
have no rights and they cannot be tolerated. The Court further ordered
that poverty cannot be a ground for encroachment. By one stroke of the
pen the Supreme Court effectively dishoused millions of poor people
across the country.

Those who have witnessed the way the Supreme Court has dealt with the
marginalized in the recent years will not be surprised by this order.
Just a few weeks back the displaced of Narmada were shown the door by
the Supreme Court and a few months prior to that the Bombay Mill lands
judgment was delivered which was seen by most as a decision
heavily in favour of builders and the haves.

The last few years have also witnessed the Supreme Court reversing its
trends on criminal and labour jurisprudence. The rights of accused have
been whittled down and laws such as POTA and Armed Forces Special  
Powers Act have been upheld. Test identification parades have been  
rendered meaningless and the power of the police to use force against  
demonstrators has been enlarged.

In Labour matters the Supreme Court has categorically held that in the
era of globalization and liberalization, the labour jurisprudence has  
to be revised and workers rights have to be whittled down. The Court is
rapidly moving towards the regime of hire and fire.

Similarly in matters pertaining to anti poor economic policies the
Supreme Court has refused to interfere, whether it be privatization of
profit making public sector units or large projects which cause wide
spread devastation. Also, the decisions of the Supreme Court in T.M.A.
Pai Foundation and other cases have permitted virtually unregulated
privatization of education, making especially education from secondary
schools level inaccessible to the poor.

In short, while on the one hand the rights of displaced have suffered a
set back while on the other hand when they come to the cities out of
penury they have no right to stay in the cities.

It is in these circumstances that it is important for citizens to come
together and protest against the recent trend of the Supreme Court. We
need to raise our voice against the Supreme Court which is moving
rapidly against the direction which was set in the seventies and
eighties by Judges such as Krishna Iyer, Bhagwati, Chinappa Reddy
and D.A. Desai.

Though we are taking the initiative in holding this meeting we will be
happy if as many organizations join as co organisers for this meeting
and also join in the mobilization.

Justice Kolse Patil, a retired judge of the Bombay High Court has  
agreed to lead the discussion. Dr. Vivek Monteiro will speak on  
trends in labour law and Vijay Hiremath will give a brief  
presentation of recent trend of the Supreme Court in criminal matters.

We need to spend some time in the meeting in discussing the strategies
in campaigning against these trends.


In solidarity,

  India Centre for Human Rights and Law
  CEHAT
  Forum Against Oppression of Women
  Awaz E Niswan
  Committee for Protection of Democratic Rights (CPDR)
  Nirbhay Bano Andolan
  Trade Union Solidarity Committee
  Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI)
  Women's Research and Action Group (WRAG)
  Zopadi Bachao Parishad
  Narmada Bachao Andolan
  National Alliance for People's Movement
  Committee for Right to Housing
  Lokshahi Hakk Sangathana
____________________________

[2]

26 May as a DAY OF NATIONAL ACTION

On 15.5.06 12:55 pm, "baroda at narmada.org" <baroda at narmada.org> wrote:

15 May 2006

Dear friend,

You have been with us during this critical stage of our struggle to  
save the Narmada Valley from devastation. We greatly appreciate your  
concern for and solidarity with the Sardar Sarovar dam affected  
adivasis and farmers during their dharna and indefinite fast in  
Delhi. Your support – ideological, strategic and political – has been  
invaluable for us. During the last 20 years of our struggle, your  
participation at various points, including in the last year has  
greatly strengthened the movement. What has been especially  
significant is how you have worked together with us to make this your  
movement as well.

This is indeed a time for us to form one movement against the forces  
that promote centralisation and globalisation, that work against  
democracy, that favour unjust and inhuman development paradigms while  
displacing people from their homes, lands, and livelihoods, and that  
spell destruction. These forces have set forth a great challenge  
before us. In this struggle, it is critical for us to stay together  
and combine our energies to fight against every form of injustice.

The Narmada struggle is a prime example of this, and your  
participation in the movement has been very significant. From diverse  
programmes and events in Delhi to local events around the country,  
such as relay fasts, protests, artistic expressions, writings, and  
films, every action has been important. From adivasis, dalits, slum  
dwellers, and farmers, to eminent persons, students, teachers, and  
politicians, people from across the country have raised their voices  
against this dominant paradigm of unjust development and begun a  
historic mission to fight for the truth.

Despite a tough month-long struggle and despite enough substantial  
field evidence (including from the “pol khol yatra”) in support of  
our claims, we still cannot rest nor can we celebrate. The  
construction of the Sardar Sarovar dam still continues unabated. The  
killer dam, which will destroy and drown thousands of families,  
hundreds of villages, especially adivasi villages, is not just  
illegal but inhuman. Several agencies, including state and central  
government bodies have visited the Valley, and the group of three  
ministers, including the Prime Minister, know that the construction  
of the dam is against the orders of the Supreme Court, yet neither  
the Prime Minister (PM) nor the Central government has intervened or  
taken a firm stand against it.

The new committee constituted by the PM with Mr. V.K. Shunglu and two  
other government bureaucrats has been asked to conduct a survey  
through the NSSO from 19 May to 19 June. The committee has been  
assigned the task of surveying the number of displaced people, the  
land available, and the area to be submerged through a sample survey,  
and has been asked to aim to complete rehabilitation within 3 months.  
Can the rehabilitation of 35,000 families be completed in 3 months?  
When the law and policies clearly call for allocation of land and  
house plots one year before submergence and for rehabilitation to be  
completed 6 months before submergence, why is a central government  
committee that violates these legal provisions being set up?

You must understand the political games involved in this, where the  
BJP government has joined hands with the Congress in Gujarat, and the  
Central government continues to evade all responsibility.

The Supreme Court, after asking for affidavits from all affected  
parties was to make a decision on the dam in February, which it  
delayed. Even after the 8 March decision of the Narmada Control  
Authority to raise the dam height to 121.92 metres, 2 months have  
lapsed without any order to halt the illegal construction of the dam.  
At the 1st May hearing, the Court postponed its judgement to 8th May,  
when again despite glaring evidence of failed rehabilitation, it  
refused to halt construction on the dam and decided to hear the  
matter on 7th July after the report of the Shunglu Committee is  
submitted to the Prime Minister on June 30. This decision reflects a  
complete denial of justice by the country’s highest judicial  
institution. Despite evidence that the Court is violating its own  
orders, the construction on the dam continues incessantly. This will  
result in the evident submergence of adivasi villages, houses and  
fields, especially with the monsoons approaching soon. Given the  
circumstances, the report of the Shunglu Committee seems to have  
little purpose other than to conduct a post-mortem on the matter.

Across the country, the tide is against the rural and urban poor,  
farmers, and labourers. With large-scale infrastructure, development  
and city beautification projects displacing more and more people, the  
challenge before us is enormous. The struggle against the Sardar  
Sarovar dam is one example of this. Neither you nor us can therefore  
sit quiet nor bear silent witness to this injustice.

Please write to, speak with, lobby, the PM, Sonia Gandhi, the  
Congress Party, your local political representatives and others about  
the urgent need to immediately stop this murderous and violent  
development paradigm that is prevalent across the country. Please put  
pressure wherever you can to ensure that construction of the Sardar  
Sarovar dam stops immediately.

We have decided to declare 26 May as a DAY OF NATIONAL ACTION against  
violence, injustice, displacement and forced evictions in the name of  
development. Wherever you are, please mobilise, strategise,  and  
organise a local action – either outside the court, the Mantralaya,  
local government offices – wherever you feel that pressure is needed.  
Suggested actions include signature campaigns (against the Supreme  
Court decision) outside local courts, demonstrations outside Congress  
party offices, rallies calling for immediate halt of construction of  
the dam and an end to displacement, slum demolitions, and forced  
evictions around the country. We have to speak up against the  
persistent injustice and question the responsible authorities for  
inflicting destruction on the people.

Let us unite and rally together to raise a strong voice on May 26!   
NO MORE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE POOR!  NO MORE DISPLACEMENT! NO MORE  
FORCED EVICTIONS!  NO MORE STATE-SPONSORED MURDER!

We would also like to take this opportunity to invite you to the  
Convention of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) that  
will be held in Bangalore from 30 May to 1 June, 2006. Please attend  
this meeting to discuss the critical issues facing us all across the  
country, to build greater solidarity across movements, and to develop  
more focused and long-term strategies. The need of the hour is for us  
to unite and take our movement to a stronger yet different level. For  
more details on the NAPM Convention, please write to:  
mukta at riseup.net or call
(0) 98694 00508 / (0) 98206 36335.

We look forward to working together and uniting our struggles.

In gratitude, and in solidarity,

Medha Patkar, Dipti Bhatnagar, Kamala Yadav, Pinjaribai, Om Prakash,  
Jankibai, Clifton Rozario, Ashish Mandloi, Yogini Khanolkar, Kailash  
Awasya, Noorjibhai, Banabhai, Chetan, Mohanbhai

____________________________

[3]

ON URJA (UNITED RESIDENTS' JOINT ACTION), in Delhi

Taken from : http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/deduction-of-50- 
from-bijli-bills.html

About Us

URJA (United Residents' Joint Action) brings together RWA's all over  
Delhi - also in NCR - facing common problems of Bijli [electricity],  
Pani [water], Sarak [streets], Traffic, and MCD [Municipal  
Corporation of Delhi].

[Translations added – CACIM]

Takes up common problems, value adds to people's understanding and  
provides a road map for solutions.

Initiates, monitors and participates in direct action towards  
resolution of issues.

Lends a hand to government too in examining and having empathy to  
people's needs.

Coordination Office: B-130 [SFS], Sheikh Sarai-I, New Delhi 110 017.

Tel: 91-11-4145 5551 Fax: 91-11-4145 9244

Previous Posts
             All is not well with water utility. <http:// 
urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/all-is-not-well-with-water-utility.html>
             No power to probe powerless state, says HC order.  
<http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/no-power-to-probe-powerless- 
state-says.html>
             Lease of houses sans garages can be cancelled: HC.  
<http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/lease-of-houses-sans-garages- 
can-be.html>
             Civil disobedience movement starts : Mayur Vihar Phase  
II RWA starts deposition after deducting 50% of power bills - Phase  
II. <http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/civil-disobedience- 
movement-starts_08.html>
             Bijli Samasya now in 2nd Gear. <http:// 
urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/bijli-samasya-now-in-2nd-gear.html>
             Civil disobedience movement starts : Mayur Vihar Phase  
II RWA starts. <http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/civil- 
disobedience-movement-starts.html>
             Landmark day in addressing runaway corruption, we are  
all fed up with. <http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/landmark-day- 
in-addressing-runaway.html>
             Somebody else in Delhi has been stealing power, but You  
must pay for it. <http://urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/somebody-else- 
in-delhi-has-been.html>
             People’s Action & URJA Power Tariff Campaign. <http:// 
urjadelhi.blogspot.com/2006/05/peoples-action-urja-power-tariff_02.html>
            A presentation of the strategy for managing water  
sustainably in the
                         21st century.

Convenor : Promod Chawla <promodchawla at vsnl.net>

E-group : <urjadelhi at googlegroups.com>

____________________________

[4]

On 13.5.06 10:28 pm, "Pradyumna S. Singh" <pradyu at U.Arizona.EDU> wrote:

Narmada Bachao Andolan
Jail Road, Mandleshwar, District Khargone, M.P.
Tel : 07283-233162 , 09425394606
E-mail : nobigdam at sancharnet.in

Press Release : 12th May, 2006
--
MAHESHWAR DAM AFFECTED FARMERS AND FISHERPEOPLE DEMONSTRATE AT POWER  
FINANCE CORPORATION

"We will not let this dam be built, even if we have to give up our  
lives.

Hundreds of people affected by the Maheshwar Project being built on  
the river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh demonstrated today for several  
hours at the Office of the Power Finance Corporation at Janpath, New  
Delhi. The affected people challenged the Power Finance Corporation  
to demonstrate that the power project is in national interest, has a  
viable tariff, and will produce cheap and affordable power to the  
people of Madhya Pradesh.

The oustees asked the PFC senior management for a meeting with some  
representatives at a later date but were refused. The oustees and the  
NBA activists filed a request for file inspection under the Right to  
Information Act. The women from Maheshwar said that they had not come  
to Delhi to ask for a better rehabilitation or compensation package.  
In fact, they were determined not to let the destructive Maheshwar  
Project be built at any cost, even if it meant that they would have  
to sacrifice their lives in the process.

The oustees had demonstrated on 11th May at the Offices of the  
Ministry of Environment and Forests and at the Rural Electrification  
Corporation in Delhi. They questioned the MOEF about the fudged land  
availability figures on which the Environmental clearance is based,  
and urged the MOEF to immediately revoke the clearance. They also  
questioned the MOEF as to why it excluded Dalits, Kewats and Kahars  
and other landless families who earn by sand quarrying, cultivating  
river-bed draw down, and fishing in the rich river economy in the  
Maheshwar area by arbitrarily changing the definition of Project  
displaced families. When the MOEF was asked to show the files to  
clarify the above questions, the ministry gave a written reply that  
none of the Maheshwar dam main files could be located.

The oustees and NBA activists also met the senior officers of Rural  
Electrification Corporation and HUDCO who have been asked by the PFC  
to put in Rs. 250 crores each into the Project, and apprised them of  
the issues related to the Project regarding financial, social and  
technical issues. The officials assured the oustees and the NBA  
activists that they would look at and respond to all the concerned  
issues. The senior officials of REC, IFCI and HUDCO also asked the  
NBA to contact the Power Finance Corporation since it is the lead  
institution among the lenders to the Maheshwar Project.

However the PFC has refused any meeting with the Maheshwar dam  
oustees and the NBA.

Speaking at the protest, Alok Agarwal, senior activist of the NBA  
said that the secretive behavior of the Power Finance Corporation  
made it clear that there was more to it than meets the eye. He said  
that it was incomprehensible that the Power Finance Corporation that  
has already been censured once by the CAG of India for disbursing Rs.  
100 crores to the Maheshwar Project in violation of the necessary  
conditions, was preparing to put another Rs. 800 crores into the  
Maheshwar Project along with a guarantee to the Project. The PFC and  
the Ministry of Power had also asked the other FI's to put their  
money into the Project. HUDCO had been asked to put Rs. 250 crores  
into the Project and REC had also been asked to lend Rs. 250 crores  
to the Project.

The Maheshwar dam is one of the 30 large dams being built in the  
Narmada valley. It will affect nearly 20,000 families or one lakh  
people. Although the installed capacity of this Project is 400 MW, it  
will produce firm power of only 49 MW. Most of the power will be  
produced in the monsoon months when there is surplus power in the  
state. The power is also likely to be very expensive and the  
Maheshwar dam threatens to be worthless when built because of its  
high cost like the Enron Project. The Project promoters S.Kumars have  
criminal proceedings against them on grounds of criminal conspiracy,  
cheating, fraud, etc. The Project is encumbered by the liability to  
return the loans of two other S.Kumars companies and the equity of  
the Project has been re-pledged to a Govt. financial institution in  
Madhya Pradesh for the deferred pay-back of those loans. By RBI  
rules, no public money may be given to such a company.

Sushila bai, Sarpanch, Village Mardana, said it is clear that the  
Financial institutions must stop putting any further money into this  
disastrous Project and the MOEF must immediately revoke the  
environmental clearance given to the Project.

Chittaroopa Palit      Kalabai   Radheshyam Patidar

____________________________

[5]

On 14.5.06 12:42 pm, "pranjan" <priya at aidindia.org> wrote:

MANDALA IN MUMBAI :
ANOTHER BRUTAL TRUTH:  IMMEDIATE RESPONSE NEEDED

Below is the horror committed by the government in Mandala Basti,  
Mumbai, where we have been struggling for last two years.

Life of marginalised slum dweller in Mandala has been brutalized in  
the recent worst ever demolition drive in Mandala on the 9th without  
any proper notice.  This was not a scene of a democratic country but  
worst than a dictatorship. 5,000 families have been victimized...  
Please go through some details and write to CM, Veranda [sic; Brinda]  
Karat, P.M. etc. against such brutal act.

The demolition scene has been worst of its kind. It is a blot on  
democracy. On 10th May 2006 (the next day after the demolition) , we  
entered the area and in fact when I saw about a 1000 armed Police  
with vans, fire brigade etc. in the area which has been so peaceful ,  
reminded me of a dictatorship country. Things have been so brutal and  
beyond comprehension. Most of the women who were strong and were in  
the forefront of agitation on the 9th may when the demolition squad  
entered the area. They were peacefully sitting on the dharna blocking  
the entry area, and when police entered the area they were targeted  
and implicated for nothing. Many of them have been charged with  
attempt to murder under Section 307.

It has been shocking for me to see how police implicated people on  
false charges. One of the case which happened before my eyes was of  
Iyashabi- a- 50 year old women activist , who has been struggling  
along with Medha Patkar and NAPM.

When we (Maju, Krishna, Priyanka, Divya, and many more) reached the  
site on the 10th , the police were not allowing us to enter the area.  
Some how we managed to survey the area which was converted into a  
barren land with fire at different places. In the middle of the land  
were about thousands of armed police. No person from the Basti was seen.

Then I went to one of nearby houses which were not under demolition.  
There I met many of the Basti women and they said Zindabad. Police  
were far away but looking at us. I went inside one of the huts to  
talk to people .

  Meanwhile, first Iysha bi and later Nishrin entered this home they  
are local leaders struggling for justice with Medha Patkar. Nishrin  
started weeping badly while Iysha bi was explaining how the things  
were put o fire by the Police and BMC people and they on the contrary  
blamed the community people.

They described all atrocities by police where about 5-6 police at  
once were beating the women when they entered the area to save their  
belongings from fire. They were pushed, pulled by the hair, abused  
and had to runaway to save themselves. Initially they did fight  
collectively but when the area caught fire they had no option but to  
disburse.

A lady who was 4 month pregnant was brutally kicked at her stomach  
and lost the baby then, and she was profusely bleeding and was rushed  
to the hospital. she is struggling for her life.

Another mother and her daughter jumped in the sea creak when police  
kept beating them and making them run towards the creak.

A women lost her barely a 20 day daughter, Kajal, as she fell down  
when police was chasing every one.

Nishrin Bano another women who had collected through loan etc. 20,000  
rupees for her sisters weding showed us all the burnt notes of rs  
500, 1000 etc. and all her tickets forgoing for the weding, clothes  
and gift is lost. she does not een has chappal in her feet and no  
mony to feed her child. I have just given some support.

Kutubunnisa's husband came from work at 6 Pm on the 10th May from  
Vashi and was arrested by Police in a very humiliating manner. His  
Eyes were closed with black ribbon and the face hidden by cloth and  
he was hand cuffed and was jailed for attempt to murder. He us a 56  
year old man and well respected in the community. POOR WIFE SOLD ALL  
HER jewelry which she was wearing only to be cheated by a middleman.

As if this much of brutality and false cases were as not enough …

While Iysha bi was talking to me three lady police and one male  
police entered the hut forcefully and picked up Ayahs bi thinking she  
as Nishrin , I hid Nishrin away and asked the Police why they are  
taking away Iyasha Bi, meanwhile Krishna from Initiative and Priyanka  
from ICHRL who were outside they also questioned the police but they  
only said that they wanted to talk to her. Krishna asked the Police  
to talk to her there itself but they did not listen and told us in a  
very rude manner not to obstruct their work. They were targeting  
every activist and also hunting for Simpreet. They took away Iyasha  
bi to the Shivaji Police station. They told us go away and if we are  
from the press should get permission from ACP.

In the evening when activist lawyer shakil went to findout about all  
the people who were arrested I came to know that Iasha bi has been  
charged with sttempt to murder and section 307 has been imposed on  
her. Her crime was she ws talking to us the truth.

Like her many women were jailed and 307 has been imposed on them.  
About 50 men has been taken away. Police is on the look out for  
Simpreet and other such activists.

Yesterday, Medha tai was here we had dharana in the area and meeting  
with the SP, Collector and others. Police totally denied any lathi  
charge. people re going to go back and stay there again . they have  
no choice.

This has been blatant human right violation. they have lost all their  
belongings except the cloth which they are wearing. Its VERY  
depressing and at the same time angry atmosphere. Hope you were here.  
But people have neither lost faith nor the fighting spirit...

Please write to Brinda Karat, Sonia Gandhi, PM, CM etc. condemning  
such brutality.

We will need to arrange for some immediate relief to people at they  
are left with Nothing.

Regards and Love

Mukta

To register your protest :

Mr. R.R. Patil, Home Minister of Maharashtra
Telephone: +91-22-2202 2401, 2202 5014
Fax: +91-22-2202 4873
Email: DeputyChiefMinister at maharashtra.gov.in
?
____________________________

[6]

On 15.5.06 12:39 pm, "Fleachta Phelan" <fleachta at gmail.com> sent in :

BHOPAL GAS VICTIMS DEMAND BALANCED COMMITTEE
[Saturday, May 13, 2006 04:56:49 pm IANS]
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1528373.cms

BHOPAL: The victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, on Saturday,  
condemned the composition of a coordination committee on Bhopal,  
which they say is dominated by government officials and a former  
medical advisor to the Union Carbide Corporation.

The committee had been constituted by the Central government after  
several organisations of the tragedy's survivors set off on a 900 km  
march in early April from the now-defunct Union Carbide pesticide  
plant here to Delhi, demanding the prime minister's intervention in  
ensuring "justice and a life of dignity for themselves and their ilk".

The prime minister conceded to their demands, including the formation  
of the committee, on April 17 after he met the representatives of  
these organisations.

The committee is to plan and implement schemes for medical, economic  
and social rehabilitation of the people poisoned by the toxic gas  
that spewed out of the plant on the morning of December 3, 1984,  
killing 3,000 people instantly and maiming several thousands for life.

A total of 15,000 people have died so far.

Leaders of the organisations, including Rachna Dhingra and Satinath  
Shadangi, condemned the failure of the government to include their  
representatives in the committee.

"It is a travesty that none of their representatives have yet been  
incorporated into the coordination committee," Rachna said at a press  
conference.

She added that they have written to the prime minister requesting his  
personal intervention to ensure a more balanced committee that  
includes their representatives.

They also protested against the inclusion of N.P. Mishra, former  
medical advisor to Union Carbide, in the committee.

"Dr. Mishra is responsible for thousands of preventable deaths  
because of his opposition to the administration of sodium  
thiosulphate to the survivors in the aftermath of the disaster,"  
Rachna stated.

According to Shadangi, many lives could have been saved if gas- 
affected people had received this injection in time. Administration  
of sodium thiosulphate is considered helpful in detoxifying the body.

He also pointed out that contrary to Union Carbide's position that  
the toxic gases damaged only lungs and eyes, the poison had actually  
entered the blood stream and caused damage to almost every organ in  
the body.

"One of the nine members of the committee, Madhumita Dutta from New  
Delhi, has already tendered her resignation to protest against the  
imbalance in the committee, the inclusion of Dr. Mishra and the  
exclusion of survivors' representatives," he said.

____________________________

[7]

On 13.5.06 6:54 pm, "pranjan" <priya at aidindia.org> wrote:

[Photo removed]
<http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/Assets/Images/AGM2006.2-1.jpg>
See http://www.studentsforbhopal.org/MSU.htm for pictures!

DOW SHAREHOLDER MEETING PROTEST, MAY 11, 2006

Today, May 11, 2006, we pissed all over Dow on their special, special  
day: the Dow Shareholder’s Meeting. About 20 protestors from Michigan  
State University and the University of Michigan made the journey to  
Midland, representing chapters of Amnesty International, the  
Association for India’s Development, Physicians for Human Rights, and  
Students for Bhopal. We were met there with a cold, driving rain:  
lashing us, drenching our skin, and making our signs bleed. Despite  
the nasty weather we put up a strong presence, screaming out our  
chants with a single voice:

What do we want? JUSTICE!!
When do we want it? NOW!!
Mommy always said! …CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!!!
DOW SHALT NOT KILL!! DOW SHALT NOT KILL!!
What do we want? CLEAN WATER!! When do we want it? NOW!!
Justice for Bhopal! JUSTICE FOR ALL!!!

Our chants reverberated against the building and across the broad  
parking lot, where well-dressed Dow Shareholders – mostly former or  
current Dow employees – cast furtive glances at us as they slinked  
into the meeting. However some of them were bold enough to approach  
the grassy knoll (where we encamped) and pass along the line of  
signs, reading them carefully before entering the meeting. The media  
was there too, and both Neil Sardana (a former Michigan State student  
and Corporate Action Network coordinator for Amnesty in Michigan) and  
I spoke with a reporter from the Midland Daily News and a television  
crew from WJRT Channel 12 (ABC affiliate). Their questions (at least  
of me) were strangely synchronic: “You’ve been coming here for  
several years,” they said. “Do you really feel like you’re making any  
progress? Why do you continue to come?” “It’s very simple,” I  
answered: “because people continue to die.” And I courteously went on  
to explain that tens of thousands are still wallowing in toxic filth  
– still today – and drinking poisoned water because Dow refuses to  
accept their legal and moral responsibilities.

Inside the meeting, out of the rain and away from our chants, Neil  
Sardana formally presented the Bhopal resolution before the CEO  
Andrew Liveris and the assembled body of Dow Board members. The  
resolution, which calls on Dow to write a report for the benefit of  
their shareholders, explaining their initiatives to address the  
concerns of Bhopal survivors (given the reputational damage the  
ongoing campaign presents to the company, and shareholder value) was  
sponsored this year by New York City Fire Department (NYCFD) Pension  
Fund, the New York State Common Retirement Fund (NYSCRF) and Amnesty  
International USA along with Boston Common Asset Management and  
Sisters of Mercy Regional Community of Detroit Charitable Trust.  
Shareholder proponents hold over 4.5 million shares worth over $190  
million.

This was the second year the resolution was voted on by shareholders,  
and it garnered 6.3% of the vote. That may not sound like much at  
first, but it’s worth keeping two things in mind:

The Securities and Exchange Commission rules allow for resolutions to  
be reintroduced if they attain at least 3% of the vote the first  
year; 6% the second, and 10% the third. So we’ve passed the threshold  
for re-introduction next year: an important milestone.
Six percent is a very respectable showing for resolutions that, like  
ours, make mostly moral arguments concerning the responsibilities of  
the company. Given that the number of shares you own is the number of  
votes you can cast, major institutional (often conservative)  
shareholders (such as banks, mutual funds, and the like) have a huge  
voice on resolutions such as this. Many institutions also often cast  
their vote as the company management recommends (guess what Dow  
recommended) and votes that are not cast are automatically counted in  
favor of the company. So the process is stacked against us.

While it obviously would have been nicer if the vote tally was still  
higher, the vote we received is still an embarrassing slap in the  
face of the company. Major institutional shareholders backed us, and  
that’s a humiliating rebuke. Our task is to ensure the humiliation  
grows next year by pushing the vote tally above the 10% threshold set  
by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Both prior to Neil’s introduction of the resolution, and in direct  
response to it, Dow CEO Liveris reiterated the same tired trash they  
trot out every year: ‘We don’t feel this is our responsibility, which  
properly belongs to the Indian Government;’ ‘Dow is not liable;’  
‘This is not an issue of concern for Dow Shareholders;’ ‘Any cleanup  
is the responsibility of the Indian Government;’ etc. Listen: we’ve  
heard it all before, and sheer repetition cannot turn dirty lies into  
gleaming truth.

But Dow’s very insistence upon these long-overused public relations  
lines – their feverish, sweaty, desperate insistence upon them – is  
one of the reasons why they find these protests and visits of ours so  
nettlesome. During the question and answer session, Neil offered Dow  
CEO Liveris a sample of poisoned drinking water. ‘This is offered to  
you from the citizens of Bhopal, who are forced to drink and live  
with this water everyday,’ he said. Liveris brusquely refused to  
accept it: ‘I reject your sample of water,’ Neil quoted him as  
saying. Clearly, the gesture had him rankled.

All in all, we did what we came to do. In the face of nasty weather  
and soulless people, we told the truth, told it loudly, and told it  
to those who wanted to hear it least: Dow’s CEO and Board of  
Directors. The fact is, as much as it may confuse the local media  
reporters, we won’t give up and we won’t give in. We will continue to  
insist, louder and stronger, that Dow do what it must in Bhopal. Why?  
It’s very simple: because people continue to die. Dow may not care,  
but those of us with souls do.

DOW ANNUAL MEETING A CELEBRATION OF SUCCESS
Kathie Marchlewski <mailto:kathie at mdn.net> , Midland Daily News  
05/12/2006
http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm? 
newsid=16628986&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6

    Andrew N. Liveris' vision is to make Dow the biggest and best --  
the largest, the most profitable and the most respected chemical  
company in the world. At Thursday's 109th annual meeting, he told  
shareholders that the company is getting there.

     "We are already close to being the largest, if not there  
already," he said. "And we are working hard to drive profitability  
higher."

     Coming off a record year of sales -- more than $46 billion --  
and earnings that skyrocketed 61 percent over the year before,  
Liveris laid out plans for future growth and future profitability,  
including strategic expansion in areas such as China, Russia and  
India, and partnerships in the Middle East that allow access to low- 
cost feedstocks.

     Liveris said the company's global reach, the low-cost advantages  
of integration and a balanced mix of business specialties are strong  
points that are unmatched by competitors.

     Along with continued financial success, Liveris talked about  
good corporate citizenship. "Being the most respected means being the  
best investment, the best at innovation, the best place to work and  
the best corporate citizen," he said. He said the company plans to  
broaden its scope of corporate citizenship on a global basis.

     Liveris also introduced a new set of 10-year sustainability  
goals. The 2015 program is "nothing less than improving quality of  
life for people the world over, even as we improve our company's  
bottom line," he said.

     The goals include cutting energy use by 25 percent in the next  
decade, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2.5 percent per year,  
and using science and technology to reduce, as Liveris said, "the  
unsustainable global appetite for fossil fuels." Additionally, the  
company has set a goal of developing at least three product or  
technology breakthroughs that will significantly improve quality of  
life.

     The bar is set higher than the previous 10-year goals, which  
ended in 2005, and will not be easy, Liveris said. "I know that,  
based on past performance, Dow people can and will rise to this  
challenge, just as they always have," he added.

     Shareholders who attended the meeting -- attendance was down  
about 100 with the time changed to 10 a.m. from the traditional  
afternoon schedule -- were greeted by a group of protesters demanding  
Dow take responsibility for cleaning up the Bhopal, India, site of  
the 1980s chemical disaster that killed thousands. The site at that  
time was under partial ownership of Union Carbide, which Dow acquired  
in 2001.

     "Clean up your mess," chanted representatives from Students for  
Bhopal, many of them students from Michigan State University.

    "We keep coming because people keep dying," said Ryan Bodanyi,  
group coordinator, who made his fourth trip to Midland Thursday for  
the annual meeting. "If it was your family, wouldn't you keep coming?"

    They brought water samples from Bhopal, one of which was offered  
to Liveris, who rejected it.

     Liveris also rejected protesters' suggestion that Dow inherited  
legal and financial liabilities for the disaster when it acquired  
Union Carbide.

     Union Carbide paid $470 million to the Indian government and the  
people of Bhopal in a settlement reached more than a decade ago.

     Also at the meeting, shareholders voted against four proposals,  
one on the topic of Bhopal:

     * The New York State Common Retirement Fund (NYSCRF) and the New  
York City Fire Department (NYCFD) Pension Fund co-filed resolutions  
in November in partnership with Amnesty International USA, Boston  
Common Asset Management and Sisters of Mercy Regional Community of  
Detroit Charitable Trust, asking Dow to report new initiatives to  
address health, environmental and social concerns in Bhopal.

     Dow's board of directors recommended shareholders vote against  
the proposal; the company long has held the position that it  
inherited no responsibility for the tragedy when it acquired Union  
Carbide.

     * Trillium Asset Management requested that Dow compile a report  
on products that might cause asthma and phase out those products.

     Dow's board of directors replied there is no scientific  
consensus supporting Trillium's claims, and added dust mites, molds  
and cockroaches are known links to asthma, but pesticides are not a  
trigger.

     * The Adrian Dominican Sisters requested that the company  
disclose information about genetically engineered seed.

     As a producer of transgenic corn, soybean alfalfa and cotton  
seed products, Dow believes its extensively regulated biotech  
products are providing positive benefits to society and the environment.

     * Green Century Capital Management Inc. asked that shareholders  
require Dow officials to report on the security of the company's  
chemical sites.

     Dow's board of directors replied in the proxy that while the  
company agrees it is important to share detailed information about  
security and operations with local law enforcement and emergency  
responder teams, the information is sensitive. For the public's  
safety, it is allowed by law to keep safety assessments private.
©Midland Daily News 2006


Dow sales rise
Friday, May 12, 2006
PAUL WYCHE
THE SAGINAW NEWS

MIDLAND -- Inside: Dow dignitaries and happy shareholders.

Outside: Protesters and malcontents.

So went the lineup during Dow Chemical Co.'s annual meeting Thursday  
at the Midland Center for the Arts, as about 600 people gathered to  
cheer and boo the industry giant.

Coming off a record-setting year for sales and profits, company  
executives exuded the kind of confidence that is rare in these parts  
as the Delphi Corp. bankruptcy looms large.

President and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Liveris beamed over  
Dow's $46 billion annual sales mark -- a 15 percent increase from  
2004. "We a-chieved these results despite the economic turmoil caused  
by the natural disasters and despite an increase in hydrocarbon and  
energy costs of a staggering $4 billion," he said.

Even so, last month Dow posted a 10 percent drop in first-quarter  
earnings as the rising cost of raw materials offset a modest uptick  
in sales.

Net income fell to $1.21 billion, or $1.24 per share, from $1.35  
billion, or $1.39 per share, in the previous-year period.

Dow officials blamed the showing on an $800 million increase in  
chemical ingredients and energy costs.

The company still managed to declare a 37.5 cents per share dividend  
for shareholders in the first quarter of 2006, which Liveris proudly  
said is the business' 379th consecutive cash dividend.

Development of technology that uses soybeans to create polyurethane  
is at least one investment Dow executives hope will continue the  
company's growth.

During the meeting, shareholders also considered resolutions related  
to Dow studying the 1984 toxic gas leak in Bhopal, India, and the  
potential for adverse impacts from its products.

Stockholders overwhelmingly voted against the measures.

Lauren Compere, director of shareholder advocacy for Boston Common  
Asset Management, said it is a "good business decision" for Dow to  
undertake new initiatives to address the needs of Bhopal survivors.

"Boston Common Asset Management has been pushing Dow Chemical for  
more than three years to address the cleanup and medical concerns of  
the Bhopal survivors, and Dow has still not stepped up to the plate  
while the risks to the company's reputation and to its ability to do  
business in India may be increasing," she said before the meeting.

Alan G. Hevesi, sole trustee of the New York State Common Retirement  
Fund, said the same.

"As a fiduciary, I am concerned that if Dow does not put this problem  
to rest, it could hurt the company's current and future business  
relationships in India's huge and rapidly expanding market and around  
the world."

Liveris disagreed and said Dow, like the rest of the world, is  
saddened that thousands lost their lives in the Bhopal incident. But  
he said Dow is in no way responsible because it didn't own the plant  
at the time.

The gas leak that killed at least 10,000 people happened under Union  
Carbide Corp.'s watch. Liveris also noted that Union Carbide reached  
a $470 million settlement with the Indian government to resolve its  
liability.

His denial, however, didn't stop one critic from offering Liveris a  
literal glass of water from Bhopal.

"We reject the water," as well as repeated attempts to link Dow with  
the tragedy, Liveris said.

Paul Wyche covers business for The Saginaw News. You may reach him at  
1-776-9674.

________________________________________________
CACIM – India Institute for Critical Action : Centre in Movement
A-3 Defence Colony, New Delhi 110 024, India
Ph            91-11-4155 1521, 2433 2451
Eml               cacim at cacim.net
Web            www.cacim.net <http://www.cacim.net>


.....................................................................
THINGS TO CHECK OUT :
FORTHCOMING in 2006 :
Nayi Rajniti (‘New Politics’), Hindi edition of Talking New Politics,  
Sen and Saini, eds 2005
Nayi Subah Ki Or (‘Towards A New Dawn’), volume 1 of Hindi edition of  
World Social Forum : Challenging Empires
Are Other Worlds Possible ? Books 2 & 3 - ‘Interrogating Empires’ &  
‘Imagining Alternatives’
Open Space Webspace : www.openspaceforum.net
WSFDiscuss – an open discussion listserve on the World Social Forum  
and cultures of politics in movements : Send an empty email to  
worldsocialforum-discuss-subscribe at openspaceforum.net
Out in 2005-6 : World Social Forum : Challenging Empires - in German,  
Japanese, Spanish, and now in Hindi and Urdu !
........................................................................ 
...
January 2005 : 'Are Other Worlds Possible ?  Talking NEW Politics'
Preview : http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/2487.html
Publishers : Zubaan / zubaanwbooks at vsnl.net
Tel: +91-11-2652 1008, 2686 4497, and 2651 4772
........................................................................ 
....
In late 2004 :’Explorations in Open Space : The World Social Forum  
and Cultures of Politics’
Issue 182 of the  International Social Science Journal
Editorial advisers : Chloé Keraghel & Jai Sen
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/servlet/useragent? 
func=showIssues&code=issj&open=2004#C2004
.......................................................................
......................................................................
2004 Book : 'World Social Forum : Challenging Empires'
Edited by Jai Sen, Anita Anand, Arturo Escobar, and Peter Waterman
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1557.html
India / South Asia distribution : Viveka Foundation,
info at vivekafoundation.org, viveka4 at vsnl.com
2005 : NOW OUT also in German, Japanese, Spanish, and forthcoming in  
Hindi and Urdu
.....................................................................
Jai Sen
CACIM – India Institute for Critical Action : Centre in Movement
A-3 Defence Colony, New Delhi 110 024, India
www.cacim.net
Em jai.sen at cacim.net   - PLEASE NOTE MY NEW EDDRESS !
[+ while travelling, ALSO jai_sen2000 at yahoo.com]
M 91-98189 11325
T 91-11-4155 1521 and 2433 2451 – Please note change in one phone no
+
Italitar, Hattigauda
Kathmandu
Nepal
T 977-1-437 0019 and 437 0112

caravan99 at lists.riseup.net
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