Wednesday, April 25, 2007

“WB government gives the best possible rate in land acquisition”: The truth behind the myth


There is propaganda that WB government acquires land with a reasonable rate. This becomes the logic to defend the ongoing land acquisition programme in WB. In reality, WB government or other government agencies acquire land and then hand over to different companies. Sometimes they give subsidies, for instance to TATA in Singur and sometimes make huge profit. In Haldia, near Nandigram, East Medinipur, Haldia Development Authority (HDA) acquired land (and it gave the circular for the land acquisition in Nandigram as well). They started land acquisition to ‘develop’ Haldia. Here we will see how HDA made huge profit from the land of poor peasantry.

Couple of days before, Buddha came Haldia to lay the foundation stone of a bio diesel factory of Imamy group. HDA gave 30 acres of land to Imamy with a rate of Rs 7 lakh/acre whereas when it acquired the land from farmers, it spent Rs 75 thousand to 1 lakh/acre. In the same way, HDA gave 25 acres and 3.5 acres to S T V Technologies at Bargashipur for IT park and housing complex respectively. In its 87th board meeting, HDA decided the rate Rs 14 lakh/acre for 25 acres land. The rate for 3.5 acres was Rs 20 lakh/acre. Interestingly when HDA acquired the same land it paid only Rs 1.15 lakh/acre at the most. Similarly, it gave 50 acres of land in Chakdwip and 10 acres more in three other places to R D B Industries for a proposed track terminal. For this land HAD asked the rate of 15 lakh/acre (and additional Rs 1000/acre as annual rent). This land was also acquired with a rate of Rs 1.15 lakh/acre from the farmers.

This is how WB government serves the interest of poor peasants.

On the other hand, in Singur, it continues to subsidize TATA. It decided to spend Rs 18 lakh for the dredging of Julkia canal and overall improvement of the drainage system near the proposed TATA factory in Singur. Interestingly, we have been listening from Buddha and other CPM leaders that TATA will spend money for the infrastructure development in Singur. In reality government is doing that in favour of TATA with our money. Interestingly, people of Singur demanded the dredging so many times in past years; it was turned down because of insufficient funding.

We would like to ask, from where this fund comes now?
Doesn’t it show that the sole job of the government is to lick the boots of big companies?

(Based on two reports in the Bartaman, dated April 24, 2007)

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Friday, April 20, 2007

POLICE FIRING CONTINUING ON 4000 ADIVAIS IN GHATEHA VILLAGE, TEOTHAR TEHSIL, REWA DISTRICT, MADHYA PRADESH

Today, 19 April, 2007 police opened fire on 4000 Adivasis in Ghateha village in Teothar Tehsil in the Rewa District of the State of Madhya Pradesh in India under the supervision of Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), SDOP and Circle Officer.

More than 1500 families have claimed a piece of forest land and are in possession since more than three years in this village. After surrounding the area for more than 5 hours, police fired tear gas shells and started beating the women mercilessly. This was followed by police firing. Till now two people are reported with bullet injuries. All the thatched houses have been burnt and demolished by bulldozers.

Superintendent of police unaware of the DFO's actions.

- It is a complete mayhem out there and NFFPFW calls upon all of you to condemn the action by the police and the administration. Delayed action may cause much more casualties.

- Protest & demand immediate halt to police action to

o the Prime Minister (Fax: 91 11 23019545, 23016857)

o the Minister of Tribal Affairs (Tel No. 91 11 2348 8482, Fax: 23070577, 23381499)

o the Minister of Environment & Forests (Tel No. 91 11 24351727, Fax: 24362222)

o the State and district administration

o Chief Minister (Fax No - 91-755-2540501; +91-755-2551781 )

- send across appeals to various groups and people

- raise your voice against the brutalities meted out to people at various levels

Let us not let another Kalinganagar, Singur and Nandigram happen in Rewa�

Timeline of events to mayhem:

  • 1500 Families comprising 4000 Adivasis with large number of children have been dependent on the forest land in Ghateha village in Teothar Tehsil in Rewa District of Madhya Pradesh. Their living was dependent on the rainfed agriculture from the 1500 bighas land.

  • 15 March, 2007: Around 1500 families dependent on the land in Ghateha village permanently shifted to live on the land which they have been living off since more than three years. The forest department started claiming the land and the harassment started. It is noteworthy here that the land in and around the area was denotified in July 1974.

  • 5 April, 2007: Seventeen people of Ghateha village of Teothar tehsil in Rewa district charge sheeted under Dhara 26,33 & 67 by the Forest Department on their way back from the forest. Nine of them are in jail. Eight of them are missing since then.

  • 17 April, 2007: SDM, SDOP and Forest department official went to Ghateha village and told people that they will be given the Gram Sabha land provided they vacate the land they are in now. Villagers were threatened of dire consequences if not obliged.

  • 18 April, 2007: The District Magistrate Mr. B.C. Ahuja gives assurance to the people to ascertain the status of the land and if it is forest land then people will be given appropriate land.

  • 19 April, 2007: Deployment of police force under the supervision of DFO, SDOP and Circle Officer. Police opens fire after initial tear gas shells. Houses are set on fire. The attack is still on�

Sincerely,

Mata Dayal Ramesh Munni Lal Sanjay Basu Mullick

(on behalf of NFFPFW)

19 April, 2007

Children protest against POSCO


Hundreds of children on Wednesday marched in the streets of Dhinkia, Patna and Govindpur to protest against the $12 billion POSCO steel plant.


People in these areas face eviction if the plant and port projects are built near Paradeep port.


The children aged between 5 to 15 will be part of the Baji Rout Children's Battalion, a new wing of the POSCO-Virodhi Sangram Samiti. Its job is to prevent police from entering the area.


The children who will enjoy the fruits of this movement in future will peacefully and democratically stop the entry of the police forces, says Abhay Sahu, the president of the Samiti.


We want to caution the state government to withdraw the police force or else things will take a different turn and for the catastrophe, the state govt will be held responsible.


The children are stake-holders in a big way and that explains why they are so enthusiastic about their new responsibility.


Each of the children is an earning member of his family and this is an army any government will find very difficult to handle.


We can't survive if the betel vines are taken away from us. We will fight it with the last drop of our blood, says Ashirvad Mohanty, a villager in Dhinkia village.


Mohan Mondal, another resident of the village says, neither the police nor death can scare us. We have chosen to die in this battle against POSCO.


It's been a do-or-die battle for the people who are willing to go for the ultimate sacrifices. That is why chief minister Naveen Patnaik's assurances about a humane and peaceful solution to POSCO's land acquisition problem sounds a little too hollow and imaginary.

Link

PM asks Orissa govt to expedite Posco project

NEW DELHI, APR 19: Eager to expedite the progress of the Posco project in the state, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday urged Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik to remove the hurdles faced by the South Korean steel major in setting up the 12-million-tonne steel plant.

“The Prime Minister wanted to inquire about the progress of all the projects in Orissa. Posco of course was one of them and the Prime minister asked the government to expedite the process of land acquisition for the project. But no time frame has been set yet,” Naveen Patnaik said.

Orissa has its own rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) policy and the state government is likely to abide by it. “We have the our own R&R policy and we would acquire land in a very humane manner,” the chief minister added.

The Orissa government has recommended giving prospecting license of iron-ore to Posco to the central government, soon, Naveen Patnaik informed reporters.

The Posco project is the single-highest foreign direct investment undertaken in India.

Link

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Posco Hatao – Desh Bachao…..(Remove POSCO – Protect the Nation & Sovereignty)


Aamar Gram, Tumar Gram, Shavira Gram: Kalinga Nagar Aur Nandigram
My Village; Your Village; Everybody's Village. Kalinga Nagar Or Nandigram
ACT NOW to prevent a repeat of Kalinga Nagar Or Nandigram in POSCO Projected Area in Orissa.

By the concept of Centralized Development Self Village Autonomy can’t be Sacrificed, Purchased & Pressurized by force; for the sake of the nation to protect the sovereignty

* Around 51,000 crores of rupees of FDI, POSCO to take over 8000 acres of land
* Direct displacement of 30,000 people
* A State Government determined to help the company
* 20 Platoons of Armed paramilitary forces
* Three villages that have barricaded themselves in a bid to protect their land

Ask the State Government to:


1. Immediate removal of paramilitary forces and police from the vicinity of POSCO Project area.

2. Announce that no project will be located against the wishes of the local people

Villagers opposed to POSCO's steel plant in Jagatsinhpur district of Orissa are now at the receiving end of state violence.
Fearful of the consequences of allowing Government surveyors access to their lands, villagers of Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Garakuchang have barricaded themselves inside their villages, thereby restricting public access to the proposed project areas.

The sentiment, very clearly, is against the setting up of the giant steel smelter and captive port with the Special
Economic Zone. However, the State Government egged on by a Prime Minister who has extended his personal blessings to the project is keen to get on with the POSCO project at any cost.

With three days to go before the statutory public hearing – scheduled for 15 April – the Government has deployed twenty
platoons of paramilitary armed to the teeth. On 9 April, paramilitary forces staged a flag-march aimed to intimidate local opposition. The State Administration has chosen to hold the Public Hearing, as a mere formality, at Kujang – the stronghold of the ruling BJD party.

The area is crawling with paid henchmen and cadre of the ruling party. With the multinational POSCO, the State
Government, the paramilitary and the BJD henchmen lined on one side against farmers, fisherfolk and workers opposed to POSCO on the other, the stage is set for a repeat of Nandigram or Kalinga Nagar.

The people have barricaded themselves are prepared to sacrifice themselves to save their lands. By underestimating the
depth of opposition to the POSCO project, the Orissa Government may be committing the same mistake that the CPM did in Nandigram.

As per the reliable information, police may take action from 16th to 25th April at any time. So, we expect your physical
presence in the field.

For details contact:


Akshay kumar,

YUVA BHARAT
Plot no. 849/5051
Patia, Bhubaneswar 31
email:yuva.bharat@rediffmail.com, yuvakshaya@rediffmail.com
Cell: 06743206874
09937427611,9338091099, 9937177794, (Akshaya/ Bichitra/ Ashok)


REPORT


After the W.T.O. agreement in 1994 India lost its political sovereignty as well as the economic freedom. All the ruling political parties as well as the opponents worked as the political agents of the multinationals. The direction of the W.T.O., W.B., I.M.F. decided the policies and development of the nation. In the same process of globalization, liberalization and privatization, on 22nd June 2005, the Govt. of Orissa signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pohang Steel Company (POSCO) of South korea. Since it is a symbol of slavery not only for Orissa but also for the Nation, the tough struggle is continuing against POSCO to wipe it out from our motherland. In the past, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, the East India Company of England came to the soil of India for the purpose of business. But they ruled over us 190 years with the cutthroat loot of our wealth. Many revolutionary youths became the martyrs to liberate mother India from the bondage of slavery. Our mother India got her political independence by the dedication of Baji Rout , Laxman Nayak , Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Uddam Singh, Chandra sekhar Azad,Netaji , Rani Laxmi bai , Tilak , Gopabandhu and GandhiJi etc. But within more than half century of independence passed, again our independence is in danger. The soil of India is under the attack of foreign conspiracy. Again a multinational company named as POSCO (Pohang steel company) is coming to Indian soil in the name of development and LPG (Liberalization, Privatization, Globalization) under the agreement of WTO as the East India company had ruled in the name of civilization. POSCO is the face of destruction, slavery and exploitation. The negative impact of POSCO as follows:-

1. For the first time after the independence of India, POSCO has been given the permission to construct its private port . As in the seventeenth century East India company was given three private villages (Kothi) by Mughal Emporer Aurangjeb and captured and ruled over all the country: again POSCO is coming into India with all the conspiracy and strategic planning to root out our political independence by bringing the army, arms and ammunitions through its private port in the direction of England and America under the umbrella of WTO. (World Trade Organization)

2. The greatest mining resource of Iron, Buxite , Coal etc. of Asia continent lies in three states , Orissa , Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand of India. So if POSCO sets up its plant at Paradeep with the private port, it will exploit &extract all the mineral resources of all these three states in the coming 20/30 years.

3. If POSCO will setup its private port at Paradeep, the recent Paradeep port will face a cutthroat competition and according to the geographical situation, there is possibility of submerging of the recent port into the Bay of Bengal.

4. By setting of the POSCO plant at Paradeep there will be a displacement of 30,000 people directly from three panchayats i.e. Nuagaon, Dhinkia, Gadakujanga of Erasama block and more than 1 lakh people will be displaced indirectly in the slow process.

5. POSCO will extract near about 12 thousand to 15 thousand crores liters of water from zobra and naraj barrage of river Mohanadi, as a result the farmers irrigating the lands by the canals of Taldanda, Machhagaon, Birupa of Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, and Kendrapada district will suffer a great loss.

6. The company will take 8000 acres of land directly and 20,000 acres of cultivated land will be affected indirectly. Side by side, two iron belt mines of Gandhamardhan and Malangtoli hills of the tribal areas will be given as lease to the company.

7. The people of the displaced area of the plant are living a prosperous life with the cultivation of betel vines, rice, fish, cashewnuts, coconuts and earn more than 5 crore rupees per year. They will loss everything and their society will be wiped out. The Govt. is telling to rehabilitate them. But those people had been displaced in the Hirakud, Nalco, Rourkela projects, they have not been rehabilitated till yet.

8. Since Orissa govt. is not selling the iron ore in international rate, it will be the looser of 1,32,000 crores rupees directly.

9. Since POSCO will be provided the Special Economic Zone, Government of India will lose a lot of revenue by subsidizing the taxes.

10. POSCO will disturb the ecological balance of Paradeep, Kujanga and Erasama area of Jagatsinghpur district. The temperature of that area will increase and that may welcome the cyclone into this area.(as you know a super cyclone of 1999 had devastated this district earlier and more than 10,000 people died directly here at Erasama block at oceanic cyclone)

11. As per a survey done by Navnirman Samiti Research unit that the total national loss will be 2,94,135 crores rupees.

12. POSCO will invite all kind of immoral activities i.e. the drugs, liquors and all criminal elements as these are the side effects of the heavy industrialization.

So POSCO will welcome another slavery of the Indian Soil. But since our govt. has signed the MoU of POSCO that is anti-development and anti-people; so we have started fighting against POSCO by organizing the public opinion to protect our soil and mother India.

PROGRAMMES:

Programmes Taken :

1. Padayatra from POSCO Projected area to Bhubaneswar POSCO Office Fortune Tower since 18th Oct. to 29th Oct. 2005 & demonstration in front of Fortune Tower.

2. The local R.I. Office was locked on 22nd Feb.2006 after the 52 days demonstration & 7 days fasting for resisting the land acquiring process of POSCO through revenue department.

3. 22nd June 2006 was observed as the Endangered Day of Indian Independence.

4. 21 days fasting & demonstration in Bhubaneswar for challenging the Chief Minister for open debate on POSCO & Gherao of the Chief Ministers residence (Navin Niwas) on 15th Oct.2006. Since, it’s a national struggle against the wrong system and a big challenge, we need the following co-operation as follows :

1. You are requested to come to join in this movement to give your moral and physical support.

2. You can do the conference, demonstration in your own area for the withdrawal of POSCO from India.

3. You can send literatures, Books, Documents, Video Cassettes etc. regarding POSCO or any other movement or Govt. documents that will help us to strengthen the movement.

4. You may write the collective Letter/ E-mail/ Fax to C.M. of Orissa or Prime Minister of India by pressurizing them morally to cancel the MoU of POSCO.

5. We need the financial support for this movement. If you are going to send your financial support, please make the draft by the name of “AKSHAYA KUMAR” or “YUVA BHARAT”, payable at Bhubaneswar and send it in the following address (Akshaya Kumar, YUVA BHARAT, Plot No 849/5051, Soumya Bhawan, Talabhisahi, Patia, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar – 751031)

Hope, you might be co-operative in the above ways. Remain here waiting your reply.

Yours sincerely,
AKSHAY KUMAR
Convenor
YUVA BHARAT


Friday, April 13, 2007

Work suspended at HM Hooghly factory

HOOGHLY (Apr 11,2007): Suspension of work has been declared at the troubled Hindustan Motors factory at Uttarpara in the district.

The management declared the suspension of work at the factory through a notice hung at the gate on Tuesday night.

Workers at the factory affiliated to the Sangrami Shramik Yukta Manch had been holding sitting demonstrations at the factory gate since March 13 in support of various demands including regularisation of salary and resumption of payment of dearness allowance which had remained frozen since 2001.

Link

Posco's Orissa land acquisition evokes local ire

Almost two years after South Korean steel giant Posco signed an MoU with the Orissa Govt, battle lines to acquire land for the proposed steel plant have been drawn. The steel plant will displace 450 families in eight villages with highly fertile agricultural lands, many of them dependent on betel plantations for a livelihood now fear their loss.

At least 12 platoons of police have been deployed near the Posco's proposed steel plant site worth 51,000 crore in Jagatsinghpur. Police stations have been piled with stocks of arms and ammunition.

"These people are breaking the law, we have made them understand through dialogues - and if they still do not listen we are ready to take strong action against them," states YK Jethwa, SP, Jagatsinghpur.


At Posco's proposed site, villagers are preparing strategies to protest the acquisition of their land. Bamboo fences have been erected at village entry points and farmers are gearing up for a confrontation with the government. Abhaya Sahoo, Chairman, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti says, "We are ready to fight till the last drop of our blood and for any situation like this, the Orissa government will be fully responsible."

The chief minister of Orissa has always maintained that he would deal with the rehabilitation and the resettlement issues in the most humane manner, but the heavy deployment of police forces at Posco's site suggest that he too is running out of patience. It now seems the battle lines have clearly been drawn there.


Link

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

State prepares for terror in Jagatsinhpur, Orissa

Sign online petition : http://www.petitiononline.com/Orissa/petition.html

* A multi-billion dollar steel MNC to take over 4500 acres of land
* A State Government determined to help the company
* 15 Platoons of Armed paramilitary forces
* Three villages that have barricaded themselves in a bid to protect their land

Villagers opposed to POSCO’s steel plant in Jagatsinhpur district of Orissa are now at the receiving end of state violence. Fearful of the consequences of allowing Government surveyors access to their lands, villagers of Dhinkia, Nuagaon and Garakuchang have barricaded themselves inside their villages, thereby restricting public access to the proposed project areas.

The sentiment, very clearly, is against the setting up of the giant steel smelter and captive port. However, the State Government egged on by a Prime Minister who has extended his personal blessings to the project is keen to get on with the POSCO project at any cost.

With five days to go before the statutory public hearing – scheduled for 15 April – the Government has deployed fifteen platoons of paramilitary armed to the teeth. On 9 April, paramilitary forces staged a flag-march aimed to intimidate local opposition. The State Administration has chosen to hold the Public Hearing, as a mere formality, at Kuchang – the stronghold of the ruling BJD party.

According to local reports, the area is crawling with paid henchmen and cadre of the ruling party. With the multinational POSCO, the State Government, the paramilitary and the BJD henchmen lined on one side against farmers, fisherfolk and workers opposed to POSCO on the other, the stage is set for a repeat of Nandigram.

Local reports confirm that villagers that have barricaded themselves are prepared to sacrifice themselves to save their lands. By underestimating the
depth of opposition to the POSCO project, the Orissa Government may be committing the same mistake that the CPM did in Nandigram.

We ask the State Government to:

1. Create conditions favourable for hearing the villagers’ concerns by removing paramilitary forces and police from the vicinity of project area.
2. Announce that no project will be located against the wishes of the local people

For details contact:

Akshay Kumar
Yuva Bharat
Plot no. 849/5051
Patia, Bhuvaneshwar 31

email: yuva.bharat@rediffmail.com

Cell: 09937177794 (Ashok/Akshay- speak in hindi)

Source: http://sanhati.com/front-page/192/

APDR report on Nandigram Carnage

Download APDR report on Nandigram in Bengali.

English version was given before.

Sunday, April 8, 2007

Medical Team Report from Nandigram with names, locations, and injuries - April 5

After the incident of firing by the police at Nandigram on 14.3.2007, report of large-scale injuries and ailments arising out of and as a consequence of the said incident had reached the media. Some doctors and health workers decided to visit the affected area to render the very urgent medical help to the people affected by the incident.

A team of doctors (Medical Service Centre, Kolkata) visited several affected areas of Nandigram on 17.3.2007 and came out with a report, which was reported in the press.

OUR FIRST VISIT (18.03.2007)

On 18.3.2007, a team comprising of six physicians (including 2 female physicians), three junior doctors, sisters, medical students and health-workers, organised by public-spirited organizations working on health, i.e., SRAMAJIBI SWASTHA UDYOG, PEOPLES’ HEALTH and JANASWASTHA SWADIKAR MANCHA, visited some of the affected areas of Nandigram to render medical help to the affected people.

The Medical Team found that more severely injured patients had mostly been taken to the hospital and persons who were critically injured had been transferred to Tomluk Hospital (District Hospital) and SSKM Hospital / RGKar MCH of Kolkata. But they found that a very large population, predominantly women, were suffering from blunt trauma injuries, very often multiple, and had not received any medical help. The same is true also for a very large number of people, suffering from eye-problems ( headache, watering, photophobia, burning sensation, dimness of vision etc.) even 4 days after the tear-gas exposure on 14.3.2007. People were also suffering from mental trauma, though unfortunately the medical team did not have a psychiatrist or a psychologist who could have professionally assessed the actual extent of the trauma. The medical team treated 129 patients and had the opportunity to talk to about 300 victims, who described the unprovoked and brutal attack on unarmed assembly of villagers, including a large number of women and children, which continued even after people had dispersed and was trying to flee from the scene. The women also described with horrid details of sexual assaults on them. Attackers, they said, included a large number of persons in police uniform but with chappals on.

The Medical Team had also found that many could not return to their home and resume their normal activities. Camps were organized by the local people to provide food for these affected people. These camps were found to be suffering from an acute shortage of provisions required to run the kitchen (the medical team bought a day’s provision to one camp).

2ND VISIT (21.03.2007)

The next visit took place on 21.3.2007. It was a general relief cum medical relief team, consisting of two physicians and four health workers. There was plan for documenting the trauma of the victims, though due to shortage of time, addition burden of general relief work, the number of patients treated and documented was limited to only 30 in three different places. General relief and provisions worth Rs 15, 790 were provided to four different relief camps in the affected areas.

3RD VISIT (24-24 March, 2007)

The third visit was on 24-25th March, 2007. From the experience of two previous visits by the medical team, it was decided that the team should stay overnight in the affected area to render more intensive and extensive medical assistance, and that it would concentrate on medical relief only.
This time the team comprised of eight doctors, including two female doctors and one orthopaedic surgeon, one sister and seven health workers. They organized 4 medical camps, in Southkhali (24.3.2007), Sonachura High School (25.3.2007), Kalicharanpur Primary School ( 25.3.2007) and
Dakshin Jalpai, Bhangabera (25.3.2007). It may be mentioned here that one eye relief camp was organized concurrently in Sonachura High School on 25.3.2007 by ARGUS COMMUNITY EYE SERVICES.

A brief description of various types of patients seen on 24/25.3.2007 is as follows:

Camps: Soudkhali, Kalicharanpur, Dakshin Jalpai, Sonachura

Date: 24.3.2007 and 25.3.2007

Total cases seen: 261
Cases directly related to the incident of 14.3.2007 230
Male 83 (36%)
Female 147 (64%)
Child 9 (4%)
Hindu (mostly SC) 222
Muslim 8

Eye problems 135 (58.6%)
Direct hit by the police 54 (23.4%)
Other musculo-skeletal injury 41 (17.8%)
Multiple Injury 27 (11.7%)
Bullet Injury 4
Ear injury 2 (children)
Fracture 1
Spinal Injury 1
Mental trauma 28 (12.1%)

· 70% to 80% of the patients of all camps had eye problems since 14.3.2007, but in Sonachura camp these patients attended cocurrently running eye camp, hence the average shows a lower figure
· The details of different camps has been shown in Annexure I.
· The doctors in the team (except those at Sonachura camp) had no training in properly assessing post traumatic stress, hence this condition may be found to be under reported particularly in the three other camps.

Eye Camp: Sonachura

Date: 25.3.2007
Organised by: ARGUS COMMUNITY EYE SERVICES

Total cases seen: 155
Cases directly related to the incident of 14.3.2007 114
Male 55 (48.2%)
Female 55 (48.2%)
Child 4
Hindu (mostly SC) ALL
Muslim Nil

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS:

1. It was seen from the TV clips that many persons were shot at the chest, abdomen and even in their heads, though when dispersing a mob, the police is to “use as little force and do as little injury to person and property as may be consistent with dispersing the assembly, arresting and detaining such persons”. ( Section 130, CrPc).

2. The medical team also saw other cases of bullet injuries at face level in the village.

3. The number of victims was found to be very large and included a large number of women and children also.

4. The lathi charge was extensive, it was inflicted even on women who had already fled from the place of assembly and was hiding in nearby houses and bushes in and around the place. This lathi charge was severe, producing multiple blunt injuries with bruises which was evident on medical examination even on 4/7/11/12 days after the event. These injuries included fracture, spine injury, chest injury etc. Injury marks were mostly found on the upper part of the boby upwards. It may be mentioned here that when the medical team had reached the scene, the people with major injuries had already been taken to various hospitals.

5. Many people suffered from the musculo-skeletal injuries including fall etc., as they were trying to escape the scene and police was persistently chasing them.

6. Many persons were injured due to beating by the police while they were trying to rescue the injured persons and the children.

7. Many women complained of sexual assault. They were also found to bear injury marks on their breasts, abdomen and private part. However, lack of privacy and other infrastructure prevented the medical team from proper physical examination and even thorough history taking.

8. A very large number of affected people, predominantly women, were found to be suffering from eye problems (burning sensation, watering, phototophobia, headache, dimness of vision etc), persisting even 11 days after exposure to tear gas. So much so that every camp attended to 70-80 percent of patient suffering from eye problems related to tear gas exposure. It may be noted that the people were aware that there may be tear gas attack, they knew that in case of tear gas attack they were to wash the eyes with copious amount of water, and they followed this instruction. Some persons also had injury in eye and other parts of the body from tear gas shell explosion, burn injury from contact of tear gas shell, history of breathlessness from close exposure to tear gas.

9. Thus it appears to the medical team that the gas used against the people may not be the usual tear gas ordinarily used to disperse the mob, but something unusual having more permanent and serious effects. The medical team urges a serious investigation into this matter.

10. It was found that although most of the severely wounded people were transferred to hospitals, a few seriously wounded persons, including a nine year old boy suffering from supracondylar fracture of arm, a spinal injury patient etc., practically received no medical attention. Also, many people, who attended Nandigram Hospital, did not receive medicines due to shortage of required medicine and many patients could not be examined and investigated properly due to lack of infrastructure there. Patients suffering from eye problems received almost no medical treatment. It may be noted here that Nadigram Hospital (BPHC) may be called a glorified primary health center and is not equipped to deal with so many serious injury and other cases. It was learnt that this Hospital did not receive much additional support even after the incident.

11. Many patients were found to be suffering from mental trauma with symptoms of sleeplessness, anorexia, anxiety and fear. Many women saw people, even children being killed, wounded people snatched. They were in fear of repeat of attack, anxiety for the safety of near and dear ones, and particularly about sexual assault of young daughters. But unfortunately the medical team did have trained human resource to properly assess situation, so the number of patients suffering from mental trauma mentioned here would be an understatement of the actual state of affairs. However, a team of psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health workers has already organized a camp in Sonachura on 31.3.2007. Their reports will be published soon.

12. An interesting observation was that very few patients came to the medical camp for ailments unrelated to the incidence of 14.3.2007 and those who came for injuries etc also mainly reported the injuries only and generally had no other medical complain.

13. The team of doctors also conducted a training camp for local volunteers so that if any untoward incident takes place again, these volunteers would be in a position to render rudimentary patient care (containment of bleeding, removing the patients observing proper protocol, wound dressing and things like that). 22 volunteers from different parts of the area covering almost the entire affected area were trained and 10 emergency kit with a couple of manuals in Bengali language were distributed among them.

14. On the two previous visits the Team attended to 169 patients. Though those two visits were not very well documented, it can be said that the general observation was basically the same.

15. Members of the Team also visited Nandigram Hospital, Tamluk Hospital

(Annexure II) and SSKM Hospital (Annexure III).

Dated 3.4.2007

ANNEXURE –I

Camp: Southkhali

Date: 24.3.2007

Total cases seen: 80
Cases directly related to the incident of 14.3.2007 72
Male 16 (22%)
Female 56 (78%)
Child 1
Hindu (mostly SC) 64
Muslim 8

Eye problems 55 (76.4%)
Direct hit by the police 13 (18%)
Other Musculo-skeletal injury 7
Multiple Injury 10 (13.9%)
Fracture 1
Bleeding P/V since 14.3.2007 1
Injury to private parts (female) 1
Mental Trauma 6 (8.3%)

Camp: Dakshin Jalpai, bhangabera

Date: 25.3.2007

Total cases seen: 54
Cases directly related to the incident of 14.3.2007 46
Male 24 (52.2%)
Female 22 (47.8%)
Child 1
Hindu (mostly SC) ALL
Muslim Nil

Eye problems 33 (71.7%)
Direct hit by the police 8 (17.4%)
Other musculo-skeletal injury 17 (37%)
Multiple Injury 1
Spinal Injury 1
Sexual assault on 14.3.2007 1
Mental Trauma 6 (8.3%)

Camp: Kalicharanpur

Date: 25.3.2007

Total cases seen: 56
Cases directly related to the incident of 14.3.2007 53
Male 8 (15%)
Female 45 (85%)
Hindu (mostly SC) ALL
Muslim Nil

Eye problems 43 (81.7%)
Direct hit by the police 13 (24%)
Other musculo-skeletal injury 7 (13%)
Multiple Injury 4
Bullet Injury 2
Sexual assault on 14.3.2007 3
Mental Trauma 4 (7.5%)

Camp: Sonachura

Date: 25.3.2007

Total cases seen: 82
Cases directly related to the incident of 14.3.2007 59
Male 39 (59.3%)
Female 24 (40.7%)
Child 7 (11.8%)
Hindu (mostly SC) ALL
Muslim Nil

Eye problems 4*
Direct hit by the police 20 (34%)
Other musculo-skeletal injury 10 (17%)
Multiple Injury 12 (20.3%)
Bullet Injury 2
Ear injury 2 (children)
Mental Trauma 12 (20.3%)

· A concurrent eye clinic was running at the same place

ANNEXURE- II

Patients In Tamluk Hospital

Some of the members of the team paid a visit to the Tamluk State Hospital on 1.4.2007, where a large number of injured patients of the said incident
(on 14.3.2007) were admitted. Most of the patients were admitted in this Hospital on or after 16.3.2007; some of them had been referred to by the
Nandigram Hospital, either due to lack of infrastructure, or because of the seriousness of injury. The team talked with the patients, had discussion with the attending physicians. Some of the salient features that the members of the medical team came to know may be summarised as follows:

1. The patients admitted in Tamluk Hospital Hospital had major trauma. They has bullet injury, fracture, multiple fractures, Head Injury, amputation, eye injury, chest injury, breathing problems, history of sexual assault etc. Some are immobilised in POP casing and castings, many had operations, one was on Intravenous drip even 17 days after the incidence.

2. Almost all of those who had been admitted to this Hospital (Tamluk State Hospital) on or after 16.3.2007, complained of various degrees of eye problems ranging from watering, burning sensation, headache, photophobia and dimness of vision. As on 31.3.2007, only about half of the patients have more or less recovered from the problems on treatment with antibiotic and steroid eye drops along with lubricating and analgesic eye drops, but in the other half the problem is still persisting.

3. On 16th March 37 patients were admitted from various parts of the affected area, who had major injuries and injuries inflicted by bullets, tear gas shells, police lathi charge, rubber bullets etc. These patients were initially treated for these grave conditions, but when they recovered a little, they also complained of similar eye problems.

4. 18 patients were transferred from Tamluk Hospital to SSKM Hospital, Kolkata between 17th and 31st March, 2007. 15 of them had bullet injury
and one had Head injury from lathi charge. 7 of bullet injury patient were female and 8 male.

5. Between 16.03.2007 to 1.04 2007 seventy-four patients have been treated for severe injury and conditions in Tamluk Hospital. Of them, 28 were
male and 46 female.

Patients admitted in ‘Nandigram Ward’ of Tamluk Hospital (Female)

1. Satyabala Mondal w/o Anadi Vill.Soudkhali Headache

2. Arati Maity w/o Tapan Vill. Kalicharanpur Headache, Eye complains

3. Kabita Das Adhikari w/o Subal Vill.Gokulnagar # Rt patella, Lt wrist

4. Renuka Kar w/o Shyamapada Vill. Kalicharanpur pain all over due to lathi charge

5. Bidyut Basanta 48/F w/o Mahadev # Lt forearm, Rt finger, eye complaints

6. Radharani Pakhira 45/Fw/o Kishan Vill 7 no Jalpai eye complains

7. Salma Bibi w/o Fakrul Vill.Garchakraberi Bleeding p/v

8. Anima Jana 32/F w/o Prasanta Vill.Soudkhali Eye pain, dimness of vision

9. Sovarani Singh w/o Gorachand Vill.Soudkhali Blunt Injury waist, thigh

10. Paribala dhapar w/o Ranjit Vill.Soudkhali Eye pain, Headache

11. Sandhyarani Sinha 25/Fw/o Ramkrishna Vill.Soudkhali Eye complains, Headache

12. Chhabirani Dhapar w/o Badal Vill.Soudkhali Eye complains, Headache

13. Angurbala Dolui w/o (late) Makhan Vill.Soudkhali Eye complains, dimness of vision

14. Sandhya Dhapar w/o Paresh Vill.Soudkhali Eye complains, Headache

15. Sulekha Das w/o Pravanjan Vill. Kalicharanpur # Lt leg

16. Sailabala Das 48/F w/o Nandalal Vill.Gokulnagar Chest pain, Breathlessness, eye complains

17. Shyamali Mahato45/F w/o (late)Gobinda Vill. Sonachura Head Injury, Bullet injury

18. Radharani Ari 45/F w/o Pratap Vill.Gokulnagar Headache, Eye complains

19. Anubha Khanda 48/F w/o Rasbehari Vill. Sonachura Bullet Injury knee, Eye Complains

20. Kalpana Jana 40/F w/o Nandalal Vill. Kalicharanpur Eye complains

21. Sankari Gol 47/F w/o Manoranjan Vill. Sonachura # tibia, multiple injury head, eye complains

22. Shyamali Mahato w/o (late) Gobinda Vill. Sonachura Bullet injury head

II. Patients admitted in ‘Nandigram Ward’ of Tamluk Hospital (male)

1 Gopal Das s/o Mrityunjoy Vill. Sonachura bullet injury, shoulder

2 Niranjan Das 38/M s/o (late) Radhakrishna Vill. Sonachura Chest Pain

3 Lakshmikanta Gayen s/o Ramhari Vill. Sonachura subconj Hmge, # finger, loss of teeth

4 Subodh Das 45/M s/o Gangadhar vill.Gangra Bullet injury finger

5 Asok Mondal s/o Jagadish Vill. Sonachura Bullet injury, finger amputed,

6 Srimanta Mondal s/o Joydev vill. Gokulnagar Bullet injury, thigh

7 Gopal Majhi s/o Santosh vill. Gokulnagar Bullet injury, arm

8 Sk.Fasi Alam s/o Abdul Vill 7 no Jalpai Bullet injury, finger

9 Abinash Mondal s/o Gorachand vill.Gangra Pain Back, eye problems

10.Madan Mondal s/o Ramhari Vill.Soudkhali Headache, Eye complains

11. Ramkrishna Maiti 33/Ms/o Chintamani Vill 7 no Jalpai Shoulder Dislocation, Head injury

III. Cases transferred to SSKM Hospital,Kolkata (female)

1. Haimabati Halder Vill. Gangra Bullet injury

2. Kanchan Mal w/o Sripati Vill. Gokulnagar Bullet injury

3. Tapasi Das w/o Sambhu Vill. Gokulnagar Bullet injury

4. Banasri Acharya w/o Chandan vill. Badkeshabpur Bullet injury

5. Swarnamoyee Das w/o Gopal Vill. Berachak Bullet injury

6. Bhabani Giri w/o Hitendralal Vill. Kalicharanpur Bullet injury

7. Anjali Das w/o Mrityunjoy Vill. Sonachura Bullet injury

8. Gourirani Das w/o Chittaranjan Vill. Kalicharanpur Bullet injury

9. Purnima Mondal w/o Gobardhan Vill. Gokulnagar blunt Injury

IV. Cases transferred to SSKM Hospital,Kolkata (male)

1. Rasbehari Khanda s/o (late) Kumar Vill. Sonachura Bullet injury

2. Abhijit Samanta Vill. Sonachura Bullet injury

3. Swapan Giri Vill. Sonachura Bullet injury

4. Salil Das Adhikari s/o Bhupati Vill. Gokulnagar Bullet injury

5. Prithwish Das s/o Purnachandra Vill. Gangra Bullet injury

6. Abhijit Giri s/o Pratap Vill. Kalicharanpur Bullet injury

7. Parikshit Maiti s/o Abinash Vill. Kalicharanpur Bullet injury

8. Mani Rana Vill. Gokulnagar Bullet injury

9. Saddam Hossain Vill 7 no Jalpai Bullet injury

Some Highlights

1. Radharani Ari. Found unconscious (and without clothes) in a bush 2 days after the incidence. Complained of pain in whole body and particularly in
private parts after regaining consciousness. According to her, 3 male police took her to a bush and were beating her, when she lost consciousness.

2. Kabita Adhikari. Fracture Rt patella and Lt wrist. According to her, she was in Anadi Mal’s home on 14th March, when male police dragged her out and beaten her severly.

3. Sankari Gol. Severely beaten by male police, admitted with Rt leg fracture and multiple injury with stitches on head.

4. Sovarani Sinha. According to her, a child was snatched away and killed before her eyes.

5..Anubha Khanda. Admitted with bubber bullet in knee, admitted and operated on 14th March. Her husband Rasbehari Khanda has been transferred
to SSKM Hospital, Kolkata in very serious condition, now in intensive care unit.

ANNEXURE III

List of Patients Injured in Nandigram, now Admitted in SSKM Hospital :

Sl no. Name Age/sex Village Injury Remarks
1 Parikshit MaityS/o (Late) Abinash 55/M Kalicharanpur Bullet Injury abdomen

2 Avijit SamsntaS/o Subimal 33/M Sonachura Bullet Injury Chest, Opeation done on 28.03.2007

3 Avijit GiriS/o Pratap Chandra 22/M Kalicharanpur Bullet Injury Rt hand, Charra Injury Abdomen

4 Pritish DasS/o (Late) Purnachandra 29/M Gangra Bullet Injury Head, Back

5 Swapan GiriS/o Gobinda 21/M Sonachura Bullet Injury Rt Hand

6 Mani RanaS/o (Late) Beni 18/M Gokulnagar Bullet Injury Rt Thigh, Operation done on 27.03.2007

7 Salil Das AdhikariS/o (Late) Bhupaticharan 35/M Gokulnagar Bullet Injury between Lt eye and nose

8 Anjali DasW/o Mrityunjoy 50/F Sonachura Injury, beaten by police and CPI(M) cadres

9 Swarnamoyee DasW/o Gopal Das 32/F Gokulnagar Bullet Injury Lt Elbow

10 Kanchan MalW/o Swapan 45/F Gokulnagar 4 Bullet injuries in Breasts and 3 in Lt Hand, Operated twice.Injured while trying to rescue an injured person

11 Purnima MondalW/o Pipu /F Gokulnagar Heavily beaten up by CPI(M) cadres on 24.3.07 at Tekhali. Admitted on 25.3.07 via Tamluk Sadar Hospital

12 Gouri Rani DasW/o Chittaranjan 40/F Kalicharanpur Injury from Tear Gas Shell, Transferred to ICU

13 Bhawani GiriW/o Jiten 40/F Kalicharanpur Bullet Injury Lt Chest

14 Rasbehari KharaS/o(Late) Kumar 45/M Sonachura Bullet Injury Abdomen

15 Saddam HossainS/o Serajul Islam 18/M Barjamtala7 no Jalpai Bullet Injury Rt Eyebrow. A student of class IX. Now almost blind

16 Tapasi DasW/o Sambhu 32/F Gokulnagar Bullet Injury Hip

17 Manju Mal Discharged on 29.3.07

18 Banashree Acharya Discharged on 26.3.07

19 Haimabati Halder

ANNEXURE- IV

Photographic evidences of some of the persons injured in the incidence of 14.3.2007

1. Minhazur s/o Noorjahan Age 8 years, Villege Soudhkhali. Was with his mother in the Namaz ceremony that was held at Bhangabera. When police
resorted to lathicharge, he received 4 blows in left elbow, resulting in a supracondylar fracture. These two photographs show the extent and seriousness of the injury before (1A) the team had rendered medical care and after (1B).

2. Saraswati Das, w/o late Kalipada Das, Villege Gangra F 40. Was in the puja ceremony at Bhangabera. When the tear gas shelling started, she
started running for shelter. A shell exploded close to her. She had a burning sensation. The police chased her out and she received two mighty blows in her right leg. The police had beaten her up when she fell down in the ground. The photograph ( 2) shows the wound because of the blows that she received from the police. It may be mentioned here that even after a week of the said incident, she did not receive any medical attention.

3. Tapasi Das, w/o of Late Ratan Das, who was killed during the firing on 14.3.2007, Villege Gangra, Sonachura, F 24. Widowed with two small kids.
Lost all tranquility, stopped speaking. Accute Stress-induced trauma.

4. Sonali Das, W/o Pabitra Das, F 26, Villege Sonachura. Was near to the puja ceremony site. When firing started she started running and was
engulfed by the tear gas fumes. She lost direction and was beaten up by the police at the left elbow. Did not receive any medical help even after a week.

Previous Report

On 18th March 2007, 4 days after the massacre at Nandigram a medical team comprising of six doctors ( including two female doctors ),three junior doctors ( house staff of Medical College, Kolkata ),3 sisters and two health workers went to the affected areas to provide medical service to the victims of police atrocities. Three voluntary organizations (working in the field of health), namely Shramajibi Swasthya Udyog, Peoples’ Health & Janaswasthya Swadhikar Manch organized the medical camp.

The members first went to Nandigram Hospital (actually a glorified health center, with minimum infrastructural facilities), talked to four women (one of them accompanied by a very young child), who were admitted in the wards. Then the team went to Sonachura and Adhikaripara (Gokulnagar Area) and gave treatment to 129 affected persons. They also talked to above 300 villagers. Locals like Sri Prodyot Maity, Sri Buddhadeb Mondal, Sri Subhendu Karan; Sri Nishikanto Mondal (a leader of the committee for prevention of land acquisition) helped the team much and guided it to the worst affected areas.

From the dialogue with the villagers that included many eye- witnesses of the ghastly incident, a horrifying story of torture, murder, molestation, rape and killing of children gradually unfolded—which in our view is a planned genocide and barbaric large scale sexual crimes committed upon innocent people. The description, appear to us nightmarish and in spite of our long standing association with medical profession ranging from some years to few decades—some of us felt mentally sick.

Ours was not a fact finding team. These are collateral information that we have gathered. But we feel that it is our duty to communicate this monstrous and sinister incidence that stands singular and in isolation (the comment made by Winston Churchill in the British Parliament after Jalianwala Bag massacre) to the world outside Nandigram. Rest is up to the readers to believe or to reject.

We took some photographs also, which are in our custody and may be circulated in future. With the prelude, let us divulge what the locals said on that day to us.

The local people irrespective of their villages, ages and sex told us the incidences as summarized below—

A.

A lot of people (ranging up to few hundreds) are still missing. It is not that all of them are killed. Some have fled away but the number of casualties are many fold of the officially declared number of 14.In Sonachura alone 50-60 people are untraceable.

No comprehensive list of the missing person is available till date. Firstly, because they are still shell socked and dumb in horror and pain. There is no one to take such initiative for door to door survey (like a census) in the vast stretch of area. Secondly, due to absolute lack of faith in administration/ police and to avoid harassment (including arrest), no one has formally lodged a missing diary either.

B.

The locals say that many families have been torn apart as occurred after Tsunami. One house has got only two children with the father battling for life at hospital and in the other missing. Many have lost their parents, children or beloved who are not included in the lists stain and hospitalized persons. The villagers say that some of them, who ran away, may come back after some time and a proper account of the loss can be taken only after that.

C.

Many small children of the K.G. school are missing in Bhangabera (another badly hit village). The villagers say that during the commotion they were released from the school. Many of them had been butchered by the attackers. Their throats were slit or heads chopped off, put in gunny bags, loaded in trucks and transported to unknown destinations. The locals feel that either the bodies had been burnt in brick-kilns, thrown to Haldi River / Bay of Bengal (not very far off) by tying with stones in fishing nets or dumped in marshy land or jungles. It may so happen that the bodies to the ditches and the overlying roads repaired. Some people said that they have either witnessed themselves or heard from other that the legs of a small child were torn apart. A breast-fed baby was reportedly thrown to a pond.

D.

It is the general perception that the trucks carrying the materials for road repair were extensively used to transport dead bodies during 48 hours subsequent to the attack, when neither the media nor the ‘opponents’ from outside the ‘action area’ were allowed to infiltrate.

It may be mentioned here that news was published in the Bengali Daily Statesman on March 19 that a truck loaded with bullet-ridden bodies covered with tarpaulin was taken to the Haldia State General Hospital at Durgachak past midnight. The hospital superintendent was asked to keep the bodies of the victims of a so called road traffic accident in the hospital morgue ‘temporarily’. The superintendent refused to oblige and was threatened with dire consequences. By refusing to oblige he drew the wrath of almighty Sri Laxman Seth, the M.P. of Haldia.

E.

Many persons were chased and hacked or smashed to death by sharp or blunt weapons. Their bodies were carried away to abolish evidence as it occurred in Chhoto Angaria of West Midnapur, where bodies of eleven murdered persons could never be traced. The local wanted to show us a portion of a road at Bhangabera which was still thickly smeared with blood and even with soft brain matter. They said that the CPI (M) goons tried to wash away the blood stains throughout the night by lighting halogen lamps with generators but failed. The site has been visited by the CBI officials.

F.

Stories of rape and molestation are widespread. The locals say in the aftermath of the attack, the hard core criminals hired by the CPI (M) took advantage of the situation in a full swing. The male members of the families ran away. The criminals attacked, molested and even gang raped the hapless farmers’ wives and daughters even in the broad daylight. They did not spare the aged also. One lady in her fifteen bears deep cut marks on chest by sharp weapons and other marks of molestation. Villagers tell that a number of teenage girls or young unmarried women have been abducted without trace. The locals believe that were taken to the house of Naba Samanta ( a CPI(M) party member cum muscleman and brother of the local tyrant Sankar Samanta who was burnt to death after the fired on the mob from his house ),gang raped and slaughtered. Villagers insisted us to visit the place to see blood stained female undergarments, sarees,broken bangles etc.still lying there. But we could not go, partly due to the shortage of time and partly due to the fear. We saw a young girl (14 to 16 years) is moving all along the team with a small packet in her hand. On enquiry, it was known that many young girls are afraid of staying back home alone lest they are attacked and tortured by police or cadres of CPI(M).They were loitering in public places in the village. At night, many women are hiding in the bushes and not staying at the thatched houses which can be attacked any time. Men are also sitting or lying sleeplessly on the paddy field for last 3-4days (since the attack).The apprehension of quick and organized removal of dead bodies is overwhelming. At Sonachur, an eyewitness lady told that after the firing a number of persons (including children) were jolting in pain and screaming for help on the bank of the pond of Naba Samanta .They were wanting water. The pond turned red. The assistance could reach them on the face of attack. The attackers killed some by them by stones or by bamboo sticks. After two hours, when the villagers could approach the spot, no one was left out. This is a big puzzle. The villagers believe that the bodies and half dead are carried away.

Who fired on them?

Men in uniform, but some of them with ‘chappals’ on their feet. It was revealed subsequently that the CPI (M) procured some 250-300 sets of police uniform from the local ‘Sunny Tailors’ a month back. The villagers concluded that the uniform clad goons accompanied the police force on that day.

The injury marks:

There were all sorts of injuries e.g.

1. Bullet injuries—most of the injured either died or were transferred to hospitals.
2. Injuries on heads caused by blunt weapons.
3. Injury on the forehead of a woman in her seventies caused by some sharp weapon.
4. Extensive and barbaric lathi-charge marks on the whole bodies of women and men. Even after 4 days the parts were red, hot, swollen and very painful. Some of them may have fractures but x-rays could not be done. Some of them were still unable to move from beds.

About three-fourth of the victims are children and women. Interestingly the preferred part of the woman body for such attack was below the umbilicus and above the knees. A rod was forcefully driven to the private part of a lady.

When some persons attacked a lady, her husband resisted. The attackers threatened to kill their small child. The husband ran away with the small child and the lady was molested.

We met two victims who requested to remain anonymous lest they were not accepted by the society. One of them came to her father’s house and was molested on the black day. Villagers said that there were more victims who were too shy to depose before us.

5. Many patients (including children) complained of eye problems—blurring of vision, eye pain and burning sensation in eyes following exposure to tear gas. A number of elderly patients complained of loss of vision.

Name of the attackers

Police and CPI (M) henchmen like Naba Samanta, Jaidev Paik, Anup Mondal, Badal Mondal etc. allegedly led the attack.

Current situation

Still there is tension in the locality and enough provocation by the CPI (M) men from the other side of the canal (Khejuri side), they bring out armed processions with slogans like ‘Those who want to destabilize industrialization will not be spared’. We saw such a long procession ourselves.
There are spates of bombing across the canal throughout the night. People spend sleepless nights. The assurance of peace appears hollow to them and they believe that CPI (M) is taking a breathing time only to bounce back with more force after a month or two.

There is no faith in police as the criminals are hiding in the police camps at times. The police camps are the source of constant fear to the villagers and they want removal of the camps. They are not even ready to allow any government medical team to enter the villages. A fear psychosis looms large in the whole area.

Since agriculture and other economic activities are at stake, there is crisis of food in many houses. Moreover the villagers can not go freely to the market places as police and CPI (M) musclemen often abduct persons moving alone or in small groups.

What we felt
The loss of life is huge, the physical injuries widespread, the psychological trauma unthinkable. The women and the children are the worst affected. In the days to come, many of them are likely to suffer from various psychiatric disorders.

But the morale is still high. Still they are not ready to part with even an inch of their ancestral land, which they consider like their mother. They declare that even further blood shed will not be able crush their movement.

Many people spontaneously came out and spoke to us. They said repeatedly that since they were almost living in ghettos, they were unaware of the impact of their movement on the outer society. There are needs of medicines, food and clothes. But most badly needed is the healing touch of the civil society.

Another team visited Nandigram on March 24-25. They have examined 240 vicitms, treated them and documented their injuries. They also trained activists in First Aid. Their report will be sent to you soon.

Source: http://sanhati.com/front-page/180/



Saturday, April 7, 2007

Lessons of Nandigram

After the carnage in Nandigram, a descent fraction of intellectuals have joined in the protest. Middle class is also criticizing. It is important to note the reaction of students and youth. All the signs are really good although we see couple of shortcomings.

Firstly, we have seen the notion that this carnage shouldn’t have taken place.
Secondly, there is a tendency of developing a view that it is primarily a brutality done by CPM, which is dangerous, we believe.

In this context we think we should express our view.

No doubt, we hate the Nandigram carnage. But, we don’t consider it as something totally unexpected in West Bengal or any part of India. This is nothing but an expression of severe oppression of state to protect the interest of MNCs-big comprador capitalist and feudalism at its highest scale. People of India have been observing carnages for the last couple of decades. Therefore, we consider it as the most expected return from the state.

We like to point out that the carnage has its root in the ongoing severe imperialist loot over the Indian people. We should not disintegrate the relation between the SEZ and the carnage. This carnage was not done by a bunch of psychopaths accidentally, but by an organized force to secure the interest of Salim group.

It is pity that most of us who protest against the carnage don’t consider it as a state repression.

There is a belief that CPM goons were the main culprits. There couldn’t be any doubt that CPM goons participated in the carnage. But, if we consider them just as CPM goons, then we will make blunder, we think. Who organized these goons? Did they come by themselves? No. They were organized by the armed forces of state; police officials were involved to invite them. These goons then participated in the carnage along with the armed forces, which are sponsored by the state with our money. Therefore, it will be oversimplification, if we consider the carnage just as an incident by CPM goons.

In this context it is really important to understand the social character of these goons. In West Bengal nowadays the goons are mostly organized under different mainstream parties. But, their party colour cannot hide their social role. Their main job is to control the masses of different area and run oppression. But, for whom they work? They work for contractors, promoters or others who actually run semi-feudal exploitation (in most of the cases) over the people. The local mainstream party leaders actually protect semi-feudal lords (sometimes the leader himself is the lord) with the help of this bunch of goons. In true sense, their party colour doesn’t mean anything---they are nothing but the feudal forces sponsored by semi-feudal lords.

And in Nandigram carnage, we saw how the feudal forces, the CPM goons strengthened the state sponsored armed forces to protect the interest of Salim group. Essentially it shows how semi-feudalism serves as the social support of imperialist plunder over our country.

If we see the carnage as the brutality of CPM alone then it will be a mistake. We will fail to understand its real lessons.