Forcible Displacement by POSCO Co. in Orissa
On 12th May 2010 Orissa Police (N.India) killed a tribal leader Sri Laxman Zamuda at Chandia village in Kalinga Nagar, – because villagers opposed forcible displacement by Orissa Administration in support of POSCO Company.
Peacefully, people have been sitting in at Balitutha since midnight on 26th January 2010 and waiting for a positive consideration from the Naveen Administration. But, the police are coming with bullets. We are appealing to all democratic and well-meaning people to please extend your solidarity by joining us in the protest dharana, creating pressure on Orissa government to stop the move.
Ninety-nine percent of people do not want to leave their livelihoods and lands for POSCO – repeatedly they have been telling it to the Naveen Government over the last five years. For POSCO’s profit, you can not kill 22,000 people. You can not destroy their livelihood bases – their fertile paddy fields, betel vines, fish ponds. POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti leaders and people have already announced that before they die, they are not going to allow POSCO to ravish their houses, lands, livelihoods, culture and environment.
Twenty five platoons of heavily armed police force have
arrived yesterday and have already taken position around Balitutha and Dhinkia Charidesh to attack, the unarmed peasants, fisher-folks, landless daily labourers, dalits, other backward classes, women, men, children those who continuing their peaceful resistance movements the to protect their lands and livelihoods. With a well-knit plan, they have also brought 3 Magistrates and 5 ambulances to nearby Kujanga Hospital.
Almost all the schools at nearby villages have been forcibly occupied by the Police force. As per their blue-print to show the farmers, fisher-folks and dalits their ‘way’, the Police will do flag-march on 12th May and start operation next day. How to attack, when to attack and where to attack – all nitty-gritty have been worked out. Anyone can easily imagine what is going to happen within next two-three days.
Prasanta Paikray,
Spokesperson, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Bhubaneswar