[Reader-list] Urgent Appeal: Call/Fax/email to Kerala ministers to stop assault on the peaceful protesters

[Anivar Aravind]

Dear friends

Call/fax ministers, District Collector and The Supdt of Police of
Pathanamthitta and raise the concerns

Pathanamthitta Collector
Phone : 0468- 2222515, 2222507
Fax: 0468-2222505
mobile no: 09447029008

Pathanamthitta SP
phone: 0468- 2222636
Fax: 0468-2222927

Chief Minister
Fax: 0471-2333489
home Minister
Fax: 0471--2327016

Please flood the ministers inbox with this appeal drafted below. Its
high time we do it.

chiefminister at kerala.gov.in
minister-education at kerala.gov.in
minister-home at kerala.gov.in
minister-scst at kerala.gov.in
minister-forest at kerala.gov.in
minister-food at kerala.gov.in
minister-transport at kerala.gov.in
minister-revenue at kerala.gov.in
minister-health at kerala.gov.in
minister-finance at kerala.gov.in
minister-law at kerala.gov.in


Dear Sir/ Madam

The lives and livelihoods of over 20,000 Dalits, Adivasis and others,
peacefully protesting for land at the Harrison Malayam Private Ltd
plantation in Chengara, Pathanthimthatta are in danger. A group of
trade unions claiming to represent the plantation's retrenched rubber
workers have announced plans to march and reclaim the land from the
peaceful protesters on Wednesday, September 3rd.

The trade unions, including CITU, INTUC, AITUC, UTUC, HMS and others,
in collusion with company goons, have already succeeded in
manufacturing a human rights crisis in the area.  Together, they have
been blocking food, medicines and other essential materials from
entering the plantation for the past one month, terrorizing the
peaceful protesters and their children.  Women have been the targets
of brutal attacks by the workers of the trade unions and other hired
henchmen of Harrison Malayalam Ltd.

Many women have testified that the attacks happened in the presence of
the police, who remained mute spectators and whose inaction encouraged
the perpetuators further. The police have also colluded in preventing
civil society groups from entering the site.

The proposed March could potentially deteriorate the law and order
situation in the already fragile areas of Chengara further. In the
light of past actions, which were used as a cover up to inflict
physical harm and to denigrate the dignity of the protesting Dalits
and Adivasis, we urge you to take immediate actions to thwart attempts
of a March on September 3rd.

We strongly feel that government can no longer sit idly and allow the
rights and lives of marginalized peoples' to be violated in this
manner. Under no circumstances should union activists and company
goons be allowed to march on the plantation this Wednesday.


We demand:

1.  Immediately intervene to stop the September 3rd planned assault on
the peaceful protesters by trade unions and company goons.

2.  Take immediate action against those responsible for the blockade,
ensuring the immediate lifting of the blockade, and restore normalcy
to people's lives.

3.  Immediately initiate criminal proceedings against the perpetrators
of the sexual assault of the four women at the struggle site on August
7th 2008.

4. Enter into a dialogue with the protestors and take measures to
distribute land to the landless.