[Reader-list] PRESS RELEASE : Tsunami used as the Opportunity for Vested Interests : Justice H Suresh

[Anivar Aravind]

PRESS RELEASE
Tsunami used as an opportunity by vested interests– Justice H. Suresh

22/12/2007CHENNAI:
In the concluding session of the two day people’s tribunal on the status 
of rehabilitation of tsunami, Justice H.Suresh stated that the tsunami 
relief work is used as an opportunity to exploit people. The tribunal 
organised by the Voices from the margins, a broad platform of 
organization of marginalized communities and support groups exposed many 
discrepancies and shortcomings in the tsunami rehabilitation after three 
years of the tsunami.

Jury panel consisted of  Justice Mr. H. Suresh (retired judge, Mumbai 
High Court) , Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer (eminent social activist and 
winner of Right to Livelihood award), Dr. K.N.Panikkar (historian and 
former vice Chancellor, Sankaracharya University) and Dr.Yasodha 
Shanmugasundaram (former vice Chancellor, Mother Teresa Women’s 
University).The tribunal pointed out that the disaster can be natural 
but the crisis followed by disaster is definitely man made and it is the 
failure of the government to meet its obligation as per the constitution 
of our country.

The Jury panel observed that the ocean belongs to the communities who 
are living on the coast and they have a fundamental right to live there. 
Building any type of walls on the coast is the denial of fisher people’s 
right to livelihood. Justice Suresh was astonished to the fact that the 
survivors of tsunami are still living under pathetic conditions in what 
is known as ‘temporary shelters’ after three years of tsunami.

The present condition of tsunami survivors is a clear violation of 
article 21 of the Indian constitution that is right to live, jury panel 
added. The Jury strongly felt the urgent need to protect the fishing 
community and their customary right to coast and sea.

More than 50 tsunami survivors from the coast of Tamil Nadu and 
Pondicherry presented their testimonies and case studies which 
highlighted the issues of displacement and denial of rights, livelihood, 
gender, Coastal Zone Regulation, tourism issues and resource utalisation 
and accountability.

Dr.Yasodha highlighted the gender discrimination and exclusion of women 
in the compensation and rehabilitation process of tsunami. She pointed 
out that women should part of the decision making process in order to 
eliminate discrimination.

Ossie Fernandes of Human Right Foundation and member of expert panel of 
the people’s tribunal stated that the proposed Coastal Zone Management 
Plan concept note is not in favour of the fisher folk and the original 
1991 Coastal Regulation Zone notification has to be reinforced.

Sumesh Mangalassery an expert panel member questioned the agenda and the 
role of International Financial Institutions like World Bank and Asian 
Development Bank in the context of tsunami to develop tourism 
infrastructure in the coast. The increasing sex tourism and rampant 
child sexual abuse became a matter of concern during the tribunal

Conveners of the tribunal Mr. S.M.Prithiviraj and Poet Malathy Maitri 
stated that the tribunal report will be used to pressurize the 
government to initiate meaningful remedial action and utilize the 
tsunami relief fund for the welfare of fisher people.

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