[Reader-list] Fwd: Invitation for public meeting on "Anti-displacement struggles in Orissa"

[atreyee majumder]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shomona Khanna <shomona at gmail.com>
Date: Feb 12, 2008 12:26 PM
Subject: Fwd: Invitation for public meeting on "Anti-displacement struggles
in Orissa"

*JANHASTAKSHEP; A CAMPAIGN AGAINST FASCIST DESIGNS*

* *

*Invitation for a public meeting on*

* *

*"Challenges before Anti-Displacement Struggles In Orissa"*

* *

Period of last two decades has seen intensification of the pro-imperialist
economic policies of the Indian ruling classes. The new 'SEZ Policy' policy
is a particularly rabid manifestation of the servility of the comprador
Indian rulers to their imperialist masters. Though SEZs are being touted as
the fast track to country's industrial development and employment
generation, in effect they are part of the well laid out strategy of the
imperialist powers to destroy the backbone of our agricultural economy, on
which overwhelming section of India's people survive and to hasten the
exploitation of our vast natural resources. The widespread agricultural
distress being deepened due to acquisition of vast tracts of agricultural
land for so called development projects, has spelled doom for our food
security besides destroying livelihood of millions of poor Indians.



SEZs are 'special exploitation zones' where cheap labor is being lent for
rapacious exploitation by industrial corporations in absence of any labor
laws. Exceptional tax exemptions are being offered to the companies for
setting up their shop in SEZs, in return for the kickbacks for the friendly
politicians and bureaucrats. As regards compensation, let alone any
compensation for the lands being acquired now, even the oustees of the
development projects of the fifties and sixties have not been properly
rehabilitated. People have learnt from their experience.



No wonder then that SEZs have met with stiff resistance from the people,
specially the peasantry in all corners of the country. Orissa has been
witness to some of the most heroic of these struggles. 13 tribal peasants
were martyred at Kalinganagar in their struggle against forcible acquisition
of land for setting up of steel plant by Tata Steel. Villagers at
Jagatsinghpur have stood up bravely against the setting up of the POSCO's
steel plant. These humble sons and daughters of Orissa have thus far
succeeded in foiling the designs of the industrial corporations backed by
the coercive machinery of the state. However the unabashed use of muscle
power by the CPM in Nandigram to crush the opposition of the peasantry to
setting up of a SEZ there, seems to have emboldened the governments
elsewhere to resort to open use of police and goonda force for suppressing
anti-displacement movements. This poses new challenges before these
movements and underlines the need for broader democratic support to these
struggles.



It is a welcome sign that people in different parts of the country;
specially the peasantry has not succumbed to this onslaught as a fiat
accompli and has posed a formidable challenge even by sacrificing of their
lives. As concerned citizens of the country we can hardly afford the 'know
all' arrogance of the elite. It is our patriotic duty to stand in support of
the anti-displacement struggles of the peasantry, against the
pro-imperialist development model being pushed by our rulers.



* *

*Panelists:*

·        *Representative of Bisthapan Birodhi Manch, Sukinda*

·        *Prafulla Das:               POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti*

·        *Rajendra Sarangi:      Convener, Lokpakhya*


*              Date: 13th February, 2008 at 5.00 pm. Venue: Gandhi Peace
Foundation, ITO*