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dam-l (Fwd) LS: Police Arrest Hunger Strikers, Senior NBA Workers: D
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 09:23:03 -0800
From: Eklavya <eklavya@bom3.vsnl.net.in> (by way of patrick@irn.org (Patrick
McCully))
Subject: LS: Police Arrest Hunger Strikers, Senior NBA Workers: Dharna, Fast Continue
To: irn-narmada@igc.apc.org
Update on Bhopal Dharna and Fast 23.4.99
Day of Action As Police Sweep Down and Arrest Hunger Strikers, Senior
Workers of the NBA : Dharna Continues as New People Replace Those on
Fast : Baba Amte, Medha Patkar, Others Comdemn this Inhuman Action
Yesterday (22.4.99) was a day of major action at the ongoing sit in and
indefinite hunger fast going on in Bhopal by the people affected by
various dams on the Narmada.
On the earlier evening, noted social worker Baba Amte had joined the
agitation, arriving there from Delhi. His coming to the dharna gave a
further boost to the enthusiasm on the struggling poeple. Baba Amte, it
may be recollected, has been residing on the banks of Narmada at
Kasrawad village in the submegence of the SSP since last 9 years,
pledging that he would drown with the waters of the dam if it is built.
On the morning of 22.4.99, the Chief Minister of MP Shri Digvijay Singh
visited Baba at the Government circiut house where he was staying and
had an hour long discussion with Baba. Though the discusion was billed
as a courtsey visit, the CM did discuss the agitation. Baba told the
Chief Minister that the demands of the people were very reasonable and
the Government should immedaitely accpet these. Baba then came to the
dharna site. Meanwhile, senior NBA leader Medha Patkar as also people
from the viallges affected by the SSP reached the dharna on the same
mornign.
The fast had entered the 11th day. In the morning, the doctors declared
that the health of two of the people on the fast had deteriorated. The
District Collector and Superintendent of Police came and asked the
agitationists to hospitalise the two. They refused, saying that there
aim in sitting on the indefinite fast was not to fast upto falling ill,
but they were ready even to fast to death if their demands were not met.
The police went away but after about an hour or so, suddenly returned
with a large contingement of about 200 police and swooped down on the
dharna. What followed was an inhuman demonstration of state power. The
police tried to forcibly lift the poeple on the indefinite fast. The
rest of the people threw a cordon around them and offered peaceful
resistence. The police tore at the clothes of the women, beat up and
abused the people and even snatched away gold chains and other small
ornaments in breaking the cordon. Ultimately, six of those fasting were
taken away to the hospital. The treatment meted to them was totally
shabby. They were not even given water till about half an hour after
their arrest, even though is was their 11th day of fast. One of them,
Gitabai's saree was comletely pulled away and she was taken to the
hopital without her saree.
The police also picked up selctively 15 of the senior activists of the
Andolan in a bid to break the morale of hte people. These included Alok
Agarwaal, NBA activist, Rakesh Diwan, jouranlist, Bablu Patwa, activist
of Bargi area and others. They have been charged with Sec. 353 and 186
of the Indian Penal Code. Having refused bail, they were remanded to
judicial custody and are in Bhopal Central jail.
Importantly, in spite of all this, police could not get their hands on
the Chittaroopa Palit, senior NBA activist and one of the persons on
indefinite fast. The people on the fast were put on intravenous drip in
the hospital, but they have announced that they will not take anything
by mouth at all. Later on in the day, one of fasters "walked out" of the
hopital and came back to the dharna. Both she and Chittaroopa have
continued their fast - it is the 12th day today - and four more people
have started an indefinte fast to replace those hopitalised.
Baba Amte was so distressed by the beheviour of the police that he
immediately vacated the Government guest house and refused Government
hospitality. Medha Patkar condemned the inhuman beheviour of the police.
The National Commission for Women has written to the MP Government
asking it to immediately constitute an enquiry into the event.
The news of the arrest has resulted in a wave of anger in the poeple are
they are now even more determined to carry on their struggle. This
determination seems to have put pressure on the Government and in the
late evening the Chairperson of the Task Force on Narmada Dams, Shri
Behar came to the dharna site to discuss the demands of the poeple. The
people told him firmly that their demands remain the same - essentially,
implement the Task Force Report, stop work on the dams, review the
projects, and implement the alternatives. He has promised to get back to
NBA today.
Meanwhile, more people from the Valley are preparing to join the dharna
at Bhopal, even as people are determined and planning to intensify the
struggle, in Bhopal and in the Valley.
Shripad Dharmadhikary, NBA
23.4.99
Dianne Murray, Coordinator/Webmistress
Dam-Reservoir Working Group; Ottawa, Canada
Dam-Reservoir Impacts and Information Archive
http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/dams