Children protest against POSCO

Sampad Mahapatra

Thursday, April 19, 2007 (Bubaneshwar)

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.

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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

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.

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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/

Indian villagers protest site of Arcelor Mittal plant

Hundreds of villagers, who fear losing their land, have filed petitions protesting the site of a 8.7-billion dollar Arcelor Mittal steel project in eastern India, officials said.

The world's largest steelmaker, Arcelor Mittal, on Thursday signed an agreement with the Orissa government to build its first Indian steel plant in the eastern state.

The plant will be located on a 8,000 hectare (19,768 acre) site in mineral-rich Keonjhar district, 300 kilometres (238 kilometres) northwest of capital Bhubaneshwar.

But residents of 27 farming villages who fear displacement have petitioned district authorities against the project, a local official confirmed.

"The villagers are scared of an impending land takeover with meager compensation. They fear that as has been happening elsewhere, their lands will be snatched away from them cheaply," said a district official, asking not to be named.

Some 500 villagers demonstrated against the Arcelor Mittal project on Friday, one day after the agreement was signed.

"Why is the state government always keen to establish factories in agricultural lands? There's no dearth of barren patches in Orissa," said Bijoy Mohapatra, leader of the Orissa Peoples' Forum, a provincial political party backing the protests.

"The people are not against industries. But they oppose it due to an irrational and unjust rehabilitation initiative followed by the Orissa government."

Orissa, which has a quarter of India's iron ore reserves, has witnessed a rush by both Indian and international companies to invest in large steel plants there. India currently produces about 35 million tonnes of steel annually.

But the road for some has been bumpy with South Korean steel giant POSCO, which signed an agreement in June last year to build a 12-million-tonne steel plant in the state, yet to be allotted land because of farmer protests.

An Arcelor Mittal executive said after the signing that his group will try to address local concerns as it sets up the project, which the company says will create 5,500 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs.

"We are aware of protests against mega-industries in Orissa but our approach is different and we will certainly satisfy the society and take all possible measures to involve the local population," said Malay Mukherjee, who signed the memorandum of understanding with the state government.

The plant, which is expected to take almost five years to be fully operational, is slated to eventually produce 12 million tonnes of steel a year.

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