[Reader-list] Invite to Action 2007 Launch

Mon Mar 19 14:17:50 IST 2007

Dear All, (especially those in Delhi)

This is in continuation of the earlier announcement of the protest 
against Nandigram and other SEZs later this afternoon. Please see below 
a programme of activities in the coming days in relation to this and 
other issues. This was forwarded to me earlier this morning with a 
request for circulation.

best

Shuddha

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Vijayan MJ <vijayanmj at gmail.com>
Date: 18-Mar-2007 18:45
Subject: Invite to Action 2007 Launch

For mass circulation

*Invite to Launch of Action/Sangharsh 2007 and the Jan Sansad *

*  *

*17th March 2007*

Dear Friends,

Many of us are aware of the people's movements' collective struggle front
named Action 2007. Some of us have been actively part of it with many others
being supporters helping in many ways. But now time has come for all of us,
activists, movement supporters, those from the academia, journalists, NGOs,
students, professionals so on and so forth to come out in the open and
actively support and take part in this indefinite action phase of Sangharsh
2007, in Delhi.

Action 2007's indefinite Delhi phase starts tomorrow, the 19th afternoon at
Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Having decided to keep indefinite struggle in
Delhi, the movements and mass orgnisations have mobilized thousands of
people to come and stay on in Delhi till our demands and aspirations are
negotiated with and agreed upon by the different state agencies. From the
planning stage itself, it was also decided that this struggle is not just a
struggle against the state or its agencies, but a powerful attempt by the
people's movements to challenge the militarized and imperialist state craft
of the ruling classes.

Land acquisitions all over the country, ruined lives and livelihoods of
urban and rural poor, agricultural crisis, demolition of people's shelters
and dignity, issues are manyâ€¦

Action 2007 has no one leader, no one spokesperson, no one demandâ€¦

Yes, this struggle is not about one demand, it is about many demands, many
aspirations and many more issues. They cut across the different sectors of
our lives.

Those friends who have not had time to look at the details like 'Call of
Actions 2007' and the list of mass organizations that are part of the
struggle, kindly have a look at the website; www.action2007.net

Given below are some details about the programmes under the banner,
especially the Lok Haat, the Jan Sansad, etc.

*Kindly look at the details and the programmes planned under Sangharsh and
do make sure that you join us tomorrow (the 19 th March 2007) for the launch
of Action 2007, the inaugural Jan Sansad at Jantar Mantar from 2 pm onwards
and thereafter for all the activitiesâ€¦*

The first Jan Sansad will be on "People's Politics and Democratic
Governance"â€¦

With warm regards and in solidarity,

Arun Khote, Medha Patkar, Saktiman Ghosh, Rajendra Ravi, Ajit Jha, Mukta
Srivastava, Ghanshyam, Geetanjali Chavan, Simpreet Singh, Ashok Chaudhury,
Vijayan MJ and others from the National Coordination Committee

Kindly note the following:

*Registration Desk and Office at Jantar Mantar: **011-64119581** *

Media Coordination: Manshi Asher-9910345405, Joe Athialy-9868114470

Logistics Coordination:

(General) Rajendra Ravi-9868200316, Ashok-9968292301,
Shreeprakash-9871880686

Food & Sanitation team: Dhananjay-9899937487

Volunteers Coordination: Bipin-9999046469, Madhuresh-9818905316

Jan Sansad Coordination: Sridevi-9868099304, Mukta Srivastava-26680914/883

Cultural Activities Coordination: Ramendra-9868815915, Anita-9868204834

Delhi mobilization coordination: Sanjeev-9350183809, Bijulal-9968161012

Lok Haat: Saktiman Ghosh-9212607945, Prabhakar-09226494838

* PROGRAMMES AT A GLANCE*

* Main Venue â€“ Jantar Mantar, New Delhi*

* *

*19th March 2007*

*Launch of Action 2007 and Jan Sansad from 2 pm onwards *

People's movements and mass organisations from across the country reach
Delhi on 19 th March to launch Action 2007**

*19th March till end of indefinite action *

*Lok Haat (Peoples' Market)*

Lok Haat / Peoples' Market has been planned essentially to showcase the
alternatives that have been developed by struggling movements and people at
various levels, also including the handloom, handicraft and khadi sectors.
However it will also be a public space where the vendors, hawkers and small
traders who are being denied their livelihood by the monopoly market and
government, will perform actual trade. The Lok Haat will be set up in the
Central Delhi areas, near Jantar Mantar.

*19th Marâ€”24th Mar (day-long)** *

*Jan Sansad (Peoples' Parliament)** *

Jan Sansad will be held on the streets of Delhi where selected issues from
the "Call for Action 2007" will be raised and debated in presence of senior
politicians, legislatures, representatives of ministries as well as
bureaucrats. People's decisions from these will be taken ahead in to
dialogue and action, the next week.

*23rd Mar *

*(evening) *

*Sankalp Divas*

23rd of March is Shahadat Divas (day of martyrdom) of Shaheed Bhagat Singh
and comrades. Action 2007 will mark this day as Sankalp Divas by taking a
pledge for social change and by celebrating it by various means of cultural
protest.

*25th March *

*1st & 8th April*

*Days of Cultural resistance*

Theatre and cultural activities are not only tools for struggle but part of
the struggle itself. To affirm this, Action 2007 will celebrate these days
as days of cultural resistance various cultural activities that have been
used by groups across the country as a means of struggle* *

*26th Marâ€”1st Apr *

*Dialogue with Ministries and Authorities *

During these days, organizations belonging to different Sectors will take
actions pressurizing Ministries concerned, holding dialogues, submitting
demands etc.

*2nd Aprâ€”8th Apr** *

*Dialogue with various Commissions *

2nd April onwards till 8th April* * organizations belonging to different
Sectors will take actions pressurizing various Constitutional Authorities,
mainly Planning Commission and other Commissions on Human Rights, Women,
ST/SC, and Minorities etc to assert our demands and rights.

*14th Apr*

*Constitutional Rights Day and Dalit Rights Day*

Action 2007 will mark 14th April, the birth anniversary of Dr. Bhim Rao
Ambedkar by celebrating it as the Constitutional Rights Day as well as Dalit
Rights Day.

* *

*Free Zone Days*

Spaces for democratic dissent have been shrinking in the national capital
city of Delhi, as well as in different states. In the midst of all sorts of
'zones' being created by the government to cater to industry and
corporations, these days will be celebrated as Peoples' Zone days, where
Action 2007 will organise programmes to free different zones for peoples'
action and demonstration of dissent

*The Jan Sansad (People's Parliament) * in

*ACTION 2007 / SANGHARSH 2007** *

19th March'07                                   3pm-6.30pm

* *

*Assertion of people's politics and democratic governance: inauguration of
Jan Sansad *

* *

*Day 1:*

20th March '07                                  10 am â€“ 1 pm

*Unorganized sector workers and labour issues *

             20th   March '07                     2 pm â€“ 6.30 pm

*Development, Displacement & Right to Natural Resources (Jal, Jameen) *

* *

*Day 2: *

              21st March '07                       10 am â€“ 1 pm

*Special Economic Zones â€“ Agrarian Crisis *

* *

*            *21st March '07                                   2 pm â€“ 
6.30pm

*Right to; Information, Work, Education, Health & Food *

* *

*Day 3:*

*            *22th March '07                                  10 am â€“ 1 pm

*Dalits and Minorities: right to life with dignity ** *

* *

22th March '07                                 2 pm â€“ 5 pm

*Adivasis,* *Forests & Forest Rights*

* *

*Day 4:*

23nd March '07                      10 am â€“ 1 pm

*Urban Development and Dispossession *

* *

23nd March '07                      1.30 pm â€“ 4 pm

*WTO & IFIs: Issues of sovereignty*

*Day 5:*

24th March '07                                   10am-1pm      * *

*Women's Rights and issues *

* *

24th March '07                       1pm-5pm

*State repression and Militarisation *

*Participants at the * Jan Sansad:

             i) Mass movements and representatives participating in 
Sangharsh
2007

ii) Ministers in charge of relevant Ministries

             iii) Bureaucrats from relevant departments

             iv) Independent experts on the respective issue

             v) Journalists who have worked on the respective issue

- --
Regards,

Vijayan MJ

Delhi Forum
F-10/12 (GF), Malviya Nagar,
New Delhi INDIA - 110017
Phones: 91-11-26671556 (Direct),
26680914/883 Fax:26687724
Emails: dforum at bol.net.in, delforum at vsnl.net

"We hear that governance now will have a different cadence
Tyranny will now be the protector; cities will be without walls or doors
Innocence will now be a punishable crime
Judges will profess ignorance of criminal deedsâ€¦
Executioners will be in charge of funerals, killers will organize 
mourningâ€¦
If this be the realization of India's ancient dreams
Then soon, there will neither be India, nor any of its connoisseursâ€¦"
(By Ali Sardar Jafri)

- --
Lesley A. Esteves
Associate Editor

Outlook Traveller Getaways
Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt Ltd
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New Delhi-110029
Tel: 01141650184 (direct)
        01126191421, ext 317
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Email: lesley at outlookindia.com

I blog at www.mumbaikarindelhi.blogspot.com