[Reader-list] JOINT RESOLUTION PASSED AT THE CONVENTION- 24 oCTOBER 2008

[Asit asitreds]

  Joint Resolution
>
> *PASSED AT THE JOINT CONVENTION AT GANDHI PEACE FOUNDATION *
>
> *                                                            On **24
> October 2008***
> Demanding Immediate withdrawal of all cases against and immediate release
> of Abhay Sahu and other activists of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, and Condemning
> the increasing state repression in Orissa against peaceful resistance of
> people against anti-people steel project
>
> * *
>
> In exercise of their Constitutional right to dissent, and the right to a
> life with dignity, which includes the right to a livelihood of their choice,
> people of Dhinkia, Gobindpur, and Gadakujang panchayats of Jagatsingpur
> district in Orissa have put up a non-violent resistance for the past three
> years against forcible take-over of their lands and resources by the Korean
> steel giant POSCO. The state government's dubious plans to build a mega
> steel plant on their lands will not only devastate the sustainable
> livelihood systems of thousands of local people, it will also pauperize many
> more lakhs of people, when the port and mining associated with the project
> are considered.
>
>
>
> Using force to repress people's democratic voices is not new to the state,
> though this method of repression has reached another high point with the
> arrest of PPSS president Abhay Sahu, who was arrested on 12 October 2008.
> The police claim to have registered as many as 25 (completely false)
> 'direct' cases against him. In all Abhay Sahu is implicated in over 70
> cases.  The police have also simultaneously launched a malicious campaign
> against him through the already corporatised media.  The sole object of
> employing such tactics is to prolong the process of Abhay Sahu's release,
> and further intimidate people opposed to the project and such projects
> elsewhere in the state including Kashipur, Lanjigarh, and Kalinganagar.
>
>
>
> The state's latest action is also an attempt to hide from the public gaze
> its utter inability, and barefaced unwillingness to contain the communal
> violence in Kandhamal and other parts of Orissa.  In other words, while
> the state is working overtime to squeeze all democratic spaces and deny
> people their rights, it is opening up new areas for communal hatred and
> corporate land-grab.
>
>
>
> Despite the state's increasingly repressive regime, the ongoing struggle by
> the PPSS has been intensified to a new height since Abhay Sahu's malafide
> arrest, with more local residents, especially women, joining in and more
> democratic voices from all over the world condemning the state for acting in
> denigration of Constitutional values and human rights, and in favour of
> corporate interests.
>
>
>
> *We demand:*
>
> ·        *Withdrawal of all cases against Abhay Sahu and other PPSS
> activists *
>
> ·        *Immediate and unconditional release of Abhaya Sahu and other
> PPSS activists*
>
> ·        *Immediate withdrawal of police forces which have surrounded the
> area affecting the day-to-day life of the people*
>
> ·        *Scrapping of the POSCO project, which has been strongly resisted
> by the local people since it displaces people, violates their land rights,
> deprives them of their livelihood and destroys natural resources and the
> ecology of the region*
>
> ·        *Stop repression on people fighting to protect their lands and
> resources throughout the state.
>                                                                   *
> ***Endorsed by:*
>
> * Organizations/Groups*
> All India Youth Federation
>
> All IndiaStudents Federation
>
> Bharat Jan Aandolan
>
> Bonded Labour Liberation Front
>
> CACIM
>
> Centre for Studies on Developing Societies
>
> Communist Party of India
>
> Council for Social Development
>
> Delhi Forum
>
> Critical Quest
>
> Delhi Solidarity Group
>
> Friends of the Earth, Finland
>
> Global Gandhi Forum
>
> Hazards Centre
>
> Himalaya Seva Sangh
>
> INSAF
>
> Jan Sangharsh Vahini
>
> JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA)
>
> Kalpavriksh
>
> Kashipur Solidarity Group
>
> Kriti
>
> Matu Peoples' organisation
>
> Mainstream
>
> National Alliance for Agricultural Worker's Union
>
> National Campaign for Land and Livelihood
>
> National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR)
>
> National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW)
>
> PEACE
>
> POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS)
>
> POSCO Pratirodh Solidarity
>
> Pratidhwani
>
> Peoples' Union for Democratic Rights PWESCR
>
> Saheli
>
> Samajwadi Jan Parishad
>
> Sandharbh Kendra
>
> South Asian Dialogues for Ecological Democracy
>
> Teesra Swadhinta Abhiyan
>
> The Other Media
>
> *Individuals*
> Aanchal Kapur, Activist
>
> Afaq, Researcher
>
> Ambuja Kumar Tripathy, Academic
>
> Anil Chaudhary, Activist
>
> Anita Soni, Activist
>
> Aparna Sarin, CPI–ML (New Democracy)
>
> Asit Das, Researcher and Activist
>
> Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
>
> B D Sharma, Activist and Ex-Bureaucrat
>
> Babulal Sharma, Socialist
>
> Bhupendra Singh Rawat, Activist
>
> Bipin KR, Activist
>
> Biswajit Mohanty, Academic
>
> D Bandopadhya, Academic & Intellecutal
>
> Dhirendra Pratap Singh, Activist
>
> Himanshu Upadhyay, Researcher
>
> Jang Bahadursingh, CPI
>
> Jaya Mehta, Activist
>
> Jibin Robin,
>
> Josna, Researcher
>
> K B Saxena, Intellectual
>
> K Murugan, Youth Activist
>
> Kalyani, Researcher and Trainer
>
> Kamal Kesari, CPI
>
> Kamal Mitra Chenoy, Academic
>
> Kanchi Kohli, Environmental Researcher and Activist
>
> Madhuresh, Researcher and Activist
>
> Mamata Dash, Researcher and Activist
>
> Manju Menon, Researcher
>
> Manoj K Sinal, Researcher
>
> Manoj Pande, Activist
>
> Manoranjan Mohanty, Academic and Intellectual
>
> Manshi Asher, Independent Activist
>
> Marko Ulvila, Researcher
>
> Mousami Basu, PUDR
>
> N Bhattacharya, Academic
>
> P Santosh Kumar, Activist
>
> Poonam
>
> Prashant Paikaray, Activist
>
> Priiti Darooka
>
> Priya Jain, Photojournalist
>
> Rakesh Bhatt, Researcher
>
> Rakesh Raman, Activist
>
> Rakesh Rafiq, Activist
>
> Ravi Hemadri, Activist
>
> S R Hiremath, Activist
> Soumitra Ghosh, Activist
>
> S Sarangi, Journalist
>
> Safiara, Activist
>
> Samar Basu Mullick, Activist
>
> Savyasaachi, Academic
>
> Sayantoni Datta, Researcher
>
> Seela M, Researcher
>
> Shah Alam, Activist
>
> Shaweta Anand, Researcher
>
> Shree Prakash, Activist
>
> Shreya, Researcher
>
> Sridevi Panikkar, Advocate
>
> Sourabh, Cultural Activist
>
> Sreedhar, Environmentalist
>
> Sreerekha, Academic
>
> Subrat Kumar Sahu, Filmmaker
>
> Sudeep K S
>
> Sudhir Pattnaik, Journalist
>
> Sumit Chakravorty, Journalist
>
> Surya Shankar Dash, Filmmaker
>
> Udayan Roy, Activist
>
> Usha Ramanathan, Independent Law Researcher
>
> Vijendra Kesari, Student Activist
>
> Vimalbhai, Activist
>
> Vineet Tiwari, Researcher
>
>
>