ACTION 2007 Press Release

PRESS RELEASE 31^st March 2007

ACTION 2007

SEZs have to go, people's movements tell UPA Government

Delegation Submits Memorandum on SEZs to Pranab Mukherjee

§Repeal the SEZ Act 2005

§Stop all ongoing lad acquisitions

§Stop political double standards, Congress and UPA Allies warned

A people's delegation from ACTION 2007, a collective of people's organisations from across the country, comprising Meher Engineer, Professor Arun kumar, Medha Patkar, Bhupindra Singh Rawat, Uma Shankari, Prasad Bagve, Simpreet Singh, Mohan Rao, Ashish Mondoloi, Ajit Jha, Baijnath Prasad and Rifat Mumtaz met the Chairman of Empowered Group of Ministers on SEZs Shri Pranab Mukherjee at his residence on 31 ^st March to highlight the impacts of the Special Economic Zone policy and Act on the people. At a special dialogue called by the people's movements, the representatives and minister discussed various aspects of SEZs and their impact.

The delegation pointed out that despite repeated demands made by farmers and local people to stop forced acquisition the government instead of having a dialogue with the people the state governments are using force of the state machinery to subvert and violently suppress people's protests which has resulted in merciless killings of poor people in places like Nandigram and Singur. Meher Engineer, academician from the Intellectual's Forum said that the incident in Nandigram has brought to the fore the growing angst against the democratic rights of the people being jeopardised.

Medha Patkar started by speaking about the Nandigram SEZ, specifically focusing on the process of land acquisition and role of the state. She also submitted a report by an independent fact finding team of eminent and concerned citizens on Nandigram and the recent police action there. "What we have seen in both Maharashtra and West Bengal is that no gram sabha consultation took place before initiating land acqusition for SEZ projects" she said.

The delegation appreciated that Sonia Gandhi and the Empowered Group of Ministers is reviewing the SEZ policy and has even put a halt to the approvals. However, stressed that "so far we do not see any of the concerns being raised by us being taken into account."

Professor Arun Kumar from JNU spoke about the growing disparity between the agriculture and industrial growth rates. "The investment in agriculture, on which 60% of the population depends, is a mere 5% and investment in organised sector is 65% on which only 5% of the population depends. This is also adding to the disparity between urban and rural societies" he said.

Some of the concerns placed before the Chairman included the forced acquisition of land by the use of the LAA 1894 leading to large scale displacement destruction of Agro-based economy, loss of local agriculture, fisheries based and other artisans traditional livelihoods and issues of food security with no guarantees of alternative employment

Prasad Bagve, an affected farmer of the proposed Mahindra SEZ in Pune District pointed out that the land that is being sought for the SEZ is multi cropped land as against what is being reported by the local administration and project proponents of it being wasteland. "In Raigad District Reliance is using force and money power with the poorest to capture their lands. If this does not stop there will be a second Nandigram soon".

The delegation expressed dissatisfaction that the government is now issuing a new notification which gives the responsibility of Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation to the SEZ developers. Uma Shankari from Andhra Pradesh pointed out that deals between paupers and millionaires cannot be in favour of the former. Referring to the Kakinada SEZ she said how the promises of compensation remain unfulfilled to date.

The discussion came back to the fact that even after so many years we still do not have a Rehabilitation Policy. And the Draft National Development, Displacement and Rehabilitation Policy proposed by people's groups and approved by NAC in December 2005 is lying unused by the government. "We are perturbed to see a new draft coming up every time, weaker and without any process to build consensus. The need is to bring in an Act (not just a policy) on Development Planning, Minimum Displacement and Just Rehabilitation, abolishing Land Acquisition Act, 1894." said the members of the delegation

Baijnath from Jharkhand gave the example of the upcoming Adityapur SEZ and said that even in 5 ^th schedule areas where adivasi population is large in numbers the 73 ^rd amendment of the Constitution is being blatantly violated.

The delegation said that all these issues have been raised at meetings with the Union Minister of Commerce, the Special Secretary MoC, Minister of State (MoC) from September 2006 onwards by delegations of civil society members but no attention has been paid. "Instead in the time that has lapsed more that 200 projects have received approvals by the Ministry of Commerce and 63 projects have been notified. More and projects are being pushed for notification on the ground that these projects do not have any "land acquisition issues" and that the land is already available with developers. We would like to point out that this is not true as in many of the projects land has only been acquired in parts and even if land has been acquired the conflict between the state and people is not completely resolved." said the memorandum that was submitted to Pranab Mukherjee by the delegation.

The delegation demanded

§ Repeal of the SEZ Act and enactment of a National policy on Development Planning and Just rehabilitation of the displaced

§ that the process of approvals and notification of SEZs be put on hold

§ an immediate dialogue or consultation be initiated with people's groups and communities to seek opinion on whether SEZs will help in strengthening the development of local economies and what could be the options suitable opportunities for them

Coordination Committee

(Contact – 9910345405)

No Displacement; No Rehabilitation; Only People's Development

The following is a press Note released in a Press Conference on 21^st Jan 2007 soon after the Anti- Displacement Conclave in Ranchi, Jharkhand attended by scores of organisations from several states.

No Displacement; No Rehabilitation; Only People's Development

Today the vast sections of the people have been subjected to the worst kind of socio-economic crisis in the name of development. Today more and more tribals, dalits, minorities and the poorest of the poor are brutally removed from their forests, fields, lands, homes and cultures. They are being evicted in thousands from their lives and livelihoods. The powerful imperialist forces and their lackeys in the sub-continent are on their bid to capture the natural resources and perpetrate ruthless exploitation of labour. The people are rendered defenceless in the process of the dreaded Ds--Displacement, Disorganisation, Destitution and Decimation.

It is at a time that the need to unite and bring together all the fighting forces at the ground level against all forms of displacement under a single platform was mooted. And hence this preparatory meeting being held in Ranchi on the 20, 2tst of January, 2007. In this meeting, representatives of organizations and individuals from various states such as Jharkhand, Bengal, Haryana, Orissa, Delhi, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh deliberated on the strategies to carry forward the movement against displacement at the sub-continent level. �No to Displacement in any form�, was the firm resolve of the Meet.

The loot of the Indian people started after the advent of British rule with the super-imposition of the principle of Eminent Domain that virtually extinguished the natural right of the communities over their habitat and livelihood. This imperialist paradigm continued even post-1947 and despite the adoption of a new constitution. The special provisions for recognition and honouring the tribal people's right under the constitution has been blatantly ignored that has sharpened the resentment of the people against the exploitative state.

After the creation of the new states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand at the instance of the imperialists this loot of the resources of the people has been facilitated under the new regime of globalization and liberalization. The surfeit of MOUs running over millions and millions of dollars has been executed without taking the people into confidence. The Anti-displacement meet rejected this development with disdain it deserves in the spirit of Tana Bhagat's Resolve against the British authority "Land is created by God, We are God's children, Pray, from where has the state appeared". The Anti- Displacement Meet in Ranchi called on the people to defend their habitat and their livelihood resources against the imperialists and the servile state.

While farmers who are committing suicide with agriculture being rendered increasingly non-viable, Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are being set up throughout the country as 'deemed foreign territories.' These are devices to divert people's attention as the logic of a more brutalized expropriation of the rural economy is ruthlessly unfolding. The Anti-Displacement Meet called for the rejection of the National Agricultural Policy 2000 that has once again ignored the land reforms agenda and unabashedly embraced the corporatisation of agriculture.

The Anti-Displacement Meet rejected the entire scheme of Displacement-Rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is an illusion that is used to co-opt the top-ten by the imperialists. Even the affected people of Bhakhra, the 'first temple of modern India' still awaits for their much-promised rehabilitation.

Extensive lands in Hatia and Rourkela had already been acquired that are without use. Let the State first place before the people the status of the already affected whose number runs into crores. Hisab Do (Give Account) is the call to the state before it decides to take even an inch of land that is the inheritance of the people. Let the state prepare 'Rehabilitation Plans' for these people and come clean with concrete results. For the people of India, the story Post-1947 can be summed up as 'an unbroken history of broken promises, dysfunctional programmes and blatant violation of laws, constitution and human rights.'

Dr. BD Sharma (Bharat Jan Andolan, KN Pandit (Trade union leader), B P Kesari (Jharkhand Vistapan Virodhi Samanwyaya Samiti Co-ordinator), Shashi Bhushan Pathak (Civil Rights Activist), D Barla (Journalist & Anti-displacement Activist), Rashmi Kathyayan (Advocate), Tridib Ghosh, and several others from various orgnisations participated in the discussion of the draft note on displacement. Earlier GN Saibaba (Revolutionary Democratic Front) presented the concept note on displacement that was to set the debate regarding the strategies to be undertaken in fighting the complex and challenging question of displacement that is affecting various sections and peoples of the sub-continent.

Around 100 organisations from different parts of the country and various intellectuals have expressed their consent to actively be part of the Movement against Displacement. These include organizations from Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, the North East, Haryana, Kerala and Delhi.

The Anti-Displacement Meet while stressing the need to bring all the struggling organizations and the people under a single platform have given a RANCHI CHALO call towards convening the First Conference and Massive Rally on the 22, 23 March 2007. Towards this, a preparatory committee of all the participating organizations and a working committee to convene the conference and rally was also formed in the Anti-Displacement Meet.

Singed by (B.D. SHARMA) & (G.N. SAIBABA)

And attended by representatives of anti-displacement organisations from several part of India.