Indian Tribals Protest At The Proposed Strerlite-vedanta & Uail Projects In Orissa
Published by MAC on 2004-03-30Source: PRAKRUTIK SAMPAD SURAKSHYA PARISHAD
Indian tribals protest at the proposed Strerlite-Vedanta & UAIL projects in Orissa
PRAKRUTIK SAMPAD SURAKSHYA PARISHAD (PSSD) Press Release
At: Kucheipadar, Via: Kashipur, Dist: Rayagada, Orissa
30th March 2004
Under the banner of Prakrutik Sampad Suraksya Parishad people in thousand came in a rally to Tikiri. The rally was organized mainly to condemn the recent intervention by the government of Orissa and against the Supreme Court order relating to evacuation tribals residing in the reserved forest areas of Kashipur block.
We have been fighting against the Utkal Aluminium international limited (UAIL) a joint venture of Hindalco of India and Alcan of Canada who have come to our land for mining bauxite devastating our land. Protecting the corporate interest the P K Mishra Commission report which was set up for "impartial investigation" of Maikancha firing made in 16th December 2000 gave a clean chit to the UAIL and local police including district administration and political leaders. Subsequently the government of Orissa has started a new method collecting "public opinion in favour of the company" by the southern Revenue Divisional Commission (RDC), an senior IAS officer.
Even after the torrential rain thousand people participated in the rally and shouted slogans against the UAIL, Justice PK Mishra commission and RDC.
The reserved forest areas who are facing the same of threat of displacement came with strong voice against anti-tribal plans of the government at state as well as in the centre.
Several local leaders including tribal leaders from Lanjigada struggle (NSS), Malkangiri Adivasi Sangathan participated in the programme.
Addressing in the occasion Bhagaban Majhi of PSSP announced not to permit any of the leaders of the political parties like Biju Janata Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress to enter into the struggling villages for their coming election campaign.
Later a memorandum was given to the Chief Minister through the local Tahasildar. Main demands were cancellation of UAIL project, non implementation of supreme court order, punishment to guilty in the firing, withdrawal of false cases etc.
At the end, the effigy of Justice PK Mishra and RDC was burnt.
This press release was signed by Bhagaban Majhi, convenor, PSSP