Terror Continues in Ghateha village, Rewa district, MP– Seeking Urgent Support
According to Shanti, a woman from Ghateha village one got to talk on the phone on 25 April, "…police wala aur zamindar log hamare gaon mein aatank phaila rahe hein. Hum sab ko dara dhamka rahe hein aur kah rahe hein ham sabko mar dalenge… hum apna jaan bachate phir rahe hein" [" …Police & the mafia are spreading terror in the village and threatening us to kill…we are desperately trying to hide ourselves from falling into their hands…"]. There was absolute terror in her voice as she narrated the incident of 19th and post that.
The village still remains out of bound for many with the armed police deployed in the village. The injured are yet to get the medical assistance and many people are still scattered. Complaints are yet to be lodged by the people as nobody is able to come out. The magnitude of the police action is yet to be ascertained with the kind of terror prevailing in the village.
The immediate steps need to be taken include:
- - Ensure the injured get appropriate medical assistance immediately
- - Get the complaints of the people registered in the police station
- - Start the legal processes for those against whom FIRs have been filed by the police. Ensure protection for them.
- - Ensure moral support to the people who have put up a brave fight against all odds all by themselves so far
- - Locate all the people who were victims of the shootout and collect them at one place.
- - Immediately file complaint petitions in High Court and Supreme Court against the State Government agents like IG, PCCF, dist collector and whoever else is responsible.
- - Working up a political atmosphere that will discredit the administration's moral and legal stand.
Fact finding teams are starting to visit the village with one comprising of representatives from Nadi Ghati Morcha, Adivasi Dalit Morcha and Peoples Alliance from Chhattisgarh is visiting the village today i.e., 28 April 2007. Representatives of NFFPFW, NCDHR, Delhi Forum and other solidarity organizations will be going on the fact finding mission on 29-30 April 2007. There is an urgent need to pressurize the government to withdraw the police force from the village and bring the normalcy.
We are overwhelmed with the support and cooperation shown by all of you. And we would urge to keep up this support and solidarity between the struggling forest dwellers and the movements and groups to defend the rights of the forest people as well as to thwart the heinous efforts of the forest department to destroy the growing trust between the elected representatives in our Parliament and the forest people as reflected in the JPC report and the passing of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
The forum has created a pool to receive contributions from friends and groups to address the immediate needs in the village. We urge upon you to pitch in and help us generate a corpus fund. We request you to send your contributions to Manohar Kotekar C/O Mr. B. K Aglave, 74 Kanphade Nagar, Wardha Road, Nagpur- 25. PLEASE MAKE THE CHEQUE / DD IN FAVOR OF 'NFFPFW, NAGPUR ', SYNDICATE BANK. Your contribution is precious.
NFFPFW
28 April 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment