Paradeep to Puri : The Padayatra Against Predatory Corporations
Pictures from the padayatra
AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY
PARADEEP TO PURI: THE PADYATRA AGAINST PREDATORY CORPORATIONS
Kolkata Public Meeting on 27 November, 5:30pm, Calcutta University Institute Annexe Hall
Orissa, the ancient land of Kalinga, has been under attack in recent years in a way not seen since over two thousand years ago when King Ashoka’s army laid waste to the region. This time the marauders are large corporations, both domestic and foreign, preying upon the province’s vast natural resources, among them - iron ore, bauxite, plentiful water, fertile agriculture lands and marine wealth.
The net impact of this capitalist assault, promoted in the name of ‘development’ by both the Central and Orissa governments, is obvious. Investments in the mining industry, steel plants, captive power stations and ports are meant to give huge profits to corporations and some corrupt politicians/parties while displacing thousands and thousands of people from their land, houses, livelihoods and destroying their culture and environment.
The resistance to all this planned plunder has also been very strong be it the anti-POSCO movement in Erasama, anti-Vedanta movement in Puri and Lanjigarh, the anti-Tata movement in Kalinganagar and Naraj, the farmers’ movement in Hirakud , anti- UAIL movement in Kashipur, anti-Mittal movement in Keonjhar, anti-Bhusan, anti-Sterlite, anti-Reliance or anti-dam movement in Lower Sutkel area - everywhere people are in struggles.
In response to all these protests the UPA government in New Delhi and the Orissa Government have renewed their campaign to use brutal force to compel people to vacate their ancestral lands in the proposed POSCO and Vedanta project areas. The Indian government has invited the South Korean President as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebration on 26 January 2010 and planned his visit to the proposed POSCO plant area.
This is like an open challenge to the people in POSCO site area struggling to save their ancestral lands. With a purpose to create awareness among the people, to involve them and to unite all the movements along the Orissa coastline from Paradip to Puri, a Mass Rally or Padyatra has been planned by the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS) along with various movements and people.
The Mass Rally, of over 2000 people will walk through 120 villages of seven blocks namely Erasama, Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur District and Astaranga, Kaktpur, Gop, Puri Sadar, Puri covering 150 kilometres. The Rally will start from Dhinkia village on 29th November 2009 and culminate at Puri on 5th December 2009 with a massive protest meeting.
Along the Padyatra’s route, public meetings will be organized as follows:-
1. 29th November at 4 PM at Erasama
2. 30th November at 4 PM at naharana
3. 1st December at 4 PM at Kakatpur
4. 2nd December at 4 PM at Astaranga
5. 3rd December at 4 PM at Gop
6. 4th December at 4 PM at Puri Sadar
7. 5th December at 2 PM at Puri
==Demands==
1. Scrap all plans and projects meant for capitalistic investments in coastal zones
2. Stop anti-people and involuntary displacements
3. Stop industrialization at the cost of agriculture and food security of millions of people
4. Promote people-centered and agro-based industries in place of corporate friendly mining and other industries
5. Make necessary regulations to protect and preserve the water, forests, lands, ecology and livelihoods of local people and empower them to own and manage their resources and livelihoods
6. Scrap the Special Economic Zones and withdraw the corresponding Acts and Orders
7. Stop all kinds of violence committed directly or indirectly by corporations against people
8. Refrain from all kinds of repression against democratic people’s movements and human rights activists
9. Protect the coast upto 1 kilometre from the sea to prevent any ecologically harmful activities
10. Desist from handing over natural resources into the hands of private companies
11. Promote people-centered developmental models
==Participants:==
The participants in the Padyatra will include villagers from Paradip to Puri, representatives of various people’s movements, Left and democratic parties, supporters from various parts of the country, cultural troupes, intellectuals, writers, artists and activists.
==How to Get There:==
Interested participants should arrive at Dhinkia village by 28th evening. One can travel by Train from Cuttack or Bhubaneswar via Trains running to Paradip and get down at Badabandha Station. From here Dhinkia is 6 kilometres. Auto rickshaws are available here.
By bus one can come from Bhubaneswar/Cuttack running towards Paradip and get down at Balitutha.
APPEAL: We appeal you to participate in the Rally and contribute
whatever you can against the requirements mentioned below:
* 10000 Posters
* 20000 Leaflets
* 500 Banners/Festoons
* 500 Placards
* 8 Vehicles
* 5 mikes with generators
* Medical Team with First Aid requisites
* Water Tank
* Tents
* Lunch, dinner and Breakfast for 2000 people for 8 days
* 250 Uniforms/T-Shirts/ Caps/badges for front-line youth volunteers
* Video documentation
* Film shows – equipment and videos
* Accompanying cultural troupes
Contact
Abhay Sahau ( Chairperson, Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti) 09861501265
Prasanth Paikare (Spokesperson Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti) 09437571547
*************************
Dhinkia To Beladal : An Appeal to join this Pada yatra
Dear Comrades/Friends,
Coastal Orissa and hundreds of thousands of its inhabitants who have been living for generations on its precious resources such as agriculture, beetle-vines, fisheries and village art and craft industry are facing today a great crisis of existence imposed on them all over the coast by capitalist investors with the active patronage of the state at the centre and in Orissa. Be it POSCO or Vedanta or any other name, the most favourite investment destination for everyone is our natural resources and our rich coast line. No iron and steel factory can manufacture sustainable livelihood systems and life centric ecology. No word class university can take care of education of economically deprived who cannot even afford minimum primary education. The Nabin Pattnaik government knows this truth. But they also know another truth-the amount of black money these corporations can pump in for the benefit of the ruling elites no other work in the state can ensure that much for them. The farmers, the peasants, the workers protest and they take the shape of powerful people’s movements in the form of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti or Vedanta Viswavidyalaya Virodhi Sangharash Samiti. The people threatened by a project resolve not to give in, but they take the pledge to fight back even if they have to pay a price. Many fighters have been killed but the fight continues in Kalinganagar, Kashipur, Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Lanjigarh, Hirakud, Dhinkia and Beladal. Hundreds of false cases have been filed against the people resisting destruction. But it has only added their resolve to fight with determination. In order to spread the messages of continuing the fight against unjust capitalist aggression on our resources the PPSS has initiated along with the help of Vedanta Viswavidyalaya Virodhi Sanghrash Samiti and several other mass movements, a Pad Yatra which will start on 29th November 2009 from Dhinkia and culminate on the 5th of December 2009 at Beladala.
We request you to please join this Pad Yatra to raise your voice against the powerful corporations who are eying shamelessly on our resources. The coast is to protect our livelihood and also to protect the environment. Let us not allow any private investment in the coast of Orissa. Let us make Pad Yatra a great success. We meet at Dhinkia in the evening of 28 November 2009. The Dhinkia villagers have arranged for food and stay for every pad Yatri. On 29th, the Yatra starts from Dhinkia (Centre of anti POSCO struggle) which ultimately will end on the 5 December 2009 at Beladal ( Centre of anti Vedanta University struggle) where everything will be taken care of by the Beladal villagers.
Yours Sincerely
Abhaya Sahu, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, Dhinkia, Jagasingpur (Mobile 9437571547)
Pitambar Das, Jatadhar Bacao Andolan, Ersema
Babuli Behera, Devi Muhan Surakhya Samiti
Benudhara Pradhan, Vedanta Viswavidyalaya Virodhi Sangharsa Samiti,
Bhagaban Majhi, Prakrutika Sampada Surakhya Parishad, Kucheipadar
Lingaraj Azad, Niyamgiri Surakhya Samiti
Rabindra Jarika, Vistapan Virodhi Janmanch, Sukinda
Ashok Pradhan, Paschima Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti
Muralidhar Sardar, Mittal Virodhi Manch
Khirod Singh Deo, Hirakud-Rengali Budi Anchal Sangram Samiti
Akhaya Das, Jala Surakhya Jan Manch
Prafulla Samantra, Lok Shakti Abhiyan
Budha Gamango, Lok Sangram Manch
Sibaram, Jiban Jibika Surakhya Samiti
Natabar Sarangi, Prachi Chasi Meli
Narayan Redy, Gana Sangram Samiti, Ganjam
Jogendra Gadanayak, Sidheswar Anchalika Surakhya Committee, Naraj
Nikunja Bhutia, Odisha Jana Adhikar Mancha
Dandapani Mohanty, Odisha Forest Majdoor Union
Jayadeb Nayak, Basi Surakhya Manch
Nitu Chakhia, Rajdhani Basti Unayan Parishad
