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(1) Protestors Murdered at Chilika Lake, Orissa, India - Thur, 1 July 1999
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Date: Thur, 1 July 1999
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From: Patrick McCully
Paula Palmer
Global Response
URGENT ACTION * URGENT ACTION * URGENT ACTION * URGENT ACTION * URGENT ACTION
Chilika Lake Erupts in Violence
The following report is quite disturbing because it sadly reveals just how
short-lived our environmental and social justice victories can be, and how
soon injustice can re-enter the picture threatening everything. Almost
seven years ago, Banka Behary Das, the President of the Indian NGO, Orissa
Krushak Mahasangh, had contacted Mangrove Action Project to help in the
struggle of the local communities surrounding Chilika Lake. Our netwok's
resulting involvement and support helped halt a large prawn farm venture
there.
Background:
Chilika Lake is one of the largest inland brackish water bodies in Asia, of
immense ecological importance for its unique and varied biodiversity,
including dolphins and habitat for myriad of migratory birds. Though
Chilika was declared by the Ramsar Convention to be a wetland of
international importance, the shrimp aquaculture industry at that time
threatened to establish itself there via the ambitious aims of the powerful
Tata House which planned several industrial scale semi-intensive shrimp
farms on the shores of Lake Chilika. Via a hard fought court injunction,
Tata House was stopped, and its pond construction halted mid-course. This
was hailed an important victory, but in reality the victory was
short-lived, as smaller scale shrimp farms operated by less noteworthy
investors were later quietly and illegally constructed. Over the years, the
operation of these smaller shrimp farms has caused many problems for the
local residents and environmental degradation for all of Chilika.
The following report from India reveals the seriousness of the situation
which has again reached a boiling point.
Urgent action is needed by network members in response to a terrible
tragedy at Chilika Lake. According to a report by the National Fishworkers
Forum (India) and the World Forum of Fish-harvesters and Fishworkers four
protestors have been killed and
thirteen other people injured by rampaging police in Orissa State.
The victims were part of a group of residents of fishing villages
protesting against continued shrimp farming in the Chilika Lake region.
Indian NGO leaders have called for an international response in protest to
the Prime Minister of India, and to the State authorities in Orissa where
the violence occurred.
From: "World Forum of Fish-harvesters and Fishworkers WFF]"
Protest Against the killing of fishworkers in Orissa, India.
Four fishworkers, including a women, were killed and 13 injured some of
them seriously as police opened fire late at night against the fishworkers
who were in their villages after participating in an anti
prawn culture agitation organised by Chilika Matsyajibi Mahasangh.
The problem in Chilika is going on for some time. There was a strong
movement in Chilika which was supported by the National Fishworkers Forum
which had earlier resisted the industrial group of TATAS from conducting
aquaculture there which destroys both the livelihood of fishworkers and the
environment.
The Chilika lake (which is the largest Brackish water lake in India) has
been occupied by mafias for aquaculture with the support of local
politicians and beaurocrats. The Supreme Court of India by their
historical judgement against aquaculture has said that there should be no
shrimp farms within 1000 meters of the lake.
The fishworker organisation had given a 24 hour ultimatum to demolish all
prawn gheries which lapsed on May 29. Fishworkers then destroyed about 11
illegal prawn farms.
Police raided the village on midnight after 10,000 villagers led by
Chilika Matsyajibi Mahasangh destroyed the prawn farms. Police then began
to beat villagers mercilessly, threw tear gas shells and began shooting
without provocation. Banchhanidhi Behera died on the spot; Digambar
Behrera and Prema Behra on the way to hospital (and another victim died
later at the hospital.).
The National Fishworkers Forum Chairperson Mr.Harekrishna Debnath has
condemned the incident and strongly protested against the police action.
He said that National Fishworkers Forum uphold the right of the fishermen
to freely fish in the lake and asked the administration to evict all
outsiders from the lake. NFF is supporting the strike call of June 5th.
NFF vows to intensify the struggle against
industrial aquaculture and demands the withdrawal of the Aquaculture
Authority Bill.
Thomas Kocherry Co-ordinator of World Forum Of FishHarvesters and
Fishworkers has also condemned the police firing and asked the
guilty to be punished immediately.
ORISSA BANDH OF 5TH JUNE.
The police violence has resulted in a massive popular strike held on June
5th called by the fishermen's union.
On 5th June, due to the 12 hours Bandh called by Chilika
MatsyajibiMahasangh, the railway and road connection with Easten coast of
the country came into a standstill. This bandh was supported by two left
groups and Janata Dal. Fishworkers have blocked the railroad in many
stations as a result of which trains were stranded in different stations.
From the morning fishworkers started sitting on the railway lines of
Rambha, Khallikote, Bhusandapur and other stations.In Bhubaneswar station
600 women carrying their children stopped the Chennai-Howrah Koromandal
Express. Eight trains including Puri-Talcher Passenger, Puri-Katak
Passenger were
cancelled.
Apart from the communication system, in rest of the state the impact of the
Bandh was partial. In capital Bhubaneswar it was totally successful, shops
were closed. Thousands of fishworkers from Chilika and adjacent area have
made human wall in the city and vehicles were totally stopped. Attendance
in offices was very poor. Police arrested 2000 people including fishworkers
and workers of different political groups.
For more information, contact:
Thomas Xavier Kocherry
Phone & Fax: +91 - 471 - 50 1376;
P.O. Box 7490
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