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dam-l LS: TAKE ACTION ON SSP: Please Fax President Narayan on July12
(appologies for cross-postings)
PEOPLE'S ACTION FOR NARMADA
============================
EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE VALLEY
============================
PLEASE FAX PRESIDENT NARAYAN ON MONDAY, JULY 12
Dear Friends,
As you may be aware, the Supreme Court of India on Feb 18, 1999, lifted its
four-year long stay on construction of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Since
February the height of the dam has been raised from 81.5 m to 88 m.
Twelve thousand people in 60 villages are at risk of losing their homes and
land during the current monsoon to the resulting submergence. With no plans
for their rehabilitation, the adivasis [tribals] and peasants of the
Narmada Valley have decided to stay on and face the rising water rather
than let their lands, rivers, culture and lives be destroyed in the name of
development. The people have been on a "do or die" Monsoon Satyagraha
[Struggle for Truth] since June 20 1999.
On the basis of the false reports given by the governments of Gujarat,
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, the Supreme Court was misled into believing
that the people displaced so far have been satisfactorily rehabilitated. As
a result the height of the dam was permitted to be increased. The falsity
of their claims was revealed by thousands of people who visited the
resettlement camps as part of the Manavadhikar Yatra [Human Rights March ]
in April this year. Questioning of officials proved that the land the
governments claimed was available at resettlement camps did not exist.
You can make a tremendous difference in the following ways:
1. Write letters and send faxes to the President of India urging him to
exercise his powers to protect the rights of the people of the Narmada
Valley. The Indian Constitution gives special powers to the President
whenever the lives and livelihood of adivasis are endangered. You could use
the sample letter below or send your own. If you are writing from abroad
please copy your letter to the Indian Ambassador/High Commissioner in your
country.
On July 12, supporters of the struggle from all over India will be
participating in a one-day token fast to show solidarity with the people of
the valley. On the same day, there will be an important announcement from
the NBA on the next step in the Satyagraha.
IT WOULD BE VERY USEFUL IF ALL OF US CAN FAX THE PRESIDENT ON JULY 12 TO
EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE SATAYAGRAH.
2. Write to editors of newspapers and magazines. Influencing public opinion
on this issue is essential and writing to the media is a vital part of such
a campaign.
3. Write to the Prime Minister and the Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra and Gujarat. You can also send to the PM and the Chief
Ministers copies of your letter to the President. See below for fax and
address details.
4. Spread the word, hold public meetings, organize petitions. If you are
interested in pursuing this further and need assistance, please contact
Venu Govindu <venu@cfar.umd.edu> or Patrick McCully <patrick@irn.org>.
5. Visit the valley and see the plight of the people. Many people are
travelling to the valley from July 29 to August 4. You can learn more about
the "Rally For The Valley" at www.narmada.org.
6. Make financial contributions to the struggle. Since the Narmada Bachao
Andolan does not accept foreign contributions, donations will only be
possible from within India. If you have friends and family in India you can
encourage them to make such contributions.
These are a few ideas that we would like to suggest. However, every gesture
on your part counts. We cannot emphasize enough that it is only through
mass awareness can we make the powers that be aware of this shocking
violation of the fundamental right to life, livelihood and dignity of the
tribal people of the Narmada valley. It is also essential to make people
aware that a number of people of Indian origin and citizens of the world
are concerned about the issue and are against a mindless, unjust and
inherently immoral project.
In solidarity
Friends Of The Narmada
For more information:
Venu Govindu <venu@cfar.umd.edu>
Phone : 609-951-2823
Patrick McCully <patrick@irn.org>
Phone : 510-848-1155
Website : www.narmada.org
+++++++
Suggested letter to the President of India:
July 12, 1999
Dr. K. R. Narayanan,
The Honorable President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi
India
Fax +91 (011) 3014570, +91 (011) 3017290
Dear Honorable President Narayanan,
I am writing to express shock and anguish over the impending submergence of
villages in the Narmada Valley this monsoon, as a result of further
construction on the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat.
The Supreme Court order on the 18th February 1999 lifted the four year old
stay on the construction of the dam, allowing the Gujarat Government to
raise the effective height of the dam from 81.5 to 88 metres. This monsoon
the rising water due to the dam could affect 60 tribal villages in
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, forcibly uprooting hundreds of
innocent people. No land is available on which to rehabilitate these
people.
While thousands of people now stand to be displaced - or drowned - due to
the construction on the dam since February, people who have supposedly been
rehabilitated in the past are facing countless severe problems.
Resettlement in fragmented units has forced village families, communities
and culture to disintegrate. In rehabilitation sites there are many who
have uncultivable land or no land at all, and many suffering from a lack of
drinking water, fuelwood, fodder, health, education and sanitation. Do
these suffering millions have no say in the world's largest democracy?
Will we, can we and should we permit such a violation of the fundamental
and inalienable right to life, livelihood and dignity of the tribal people
guaranteed to them by the Indian Constitution?
We implore you to look into the matter and to exercise your powers to stop
further work on the project immediately and initiate an inquiry into the
project and the plight of those it is driving into destitution.
Yours sincerely,
+++++++
Other Addresses:
Mr A.B. Vajpayee
Prime Minister of India
South Block,
New Delhi 110 004
Fax: +91 (11) 301 6857 / 301 9545
+++++++
Ms Maneka Gandhi
(Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment - also called
Minister of Welfare)
A4, Maharani Bagh
New Delhi 110 065
Fax: +91 (11) 682-3144
+++++++
Mr Keshubhai Patel,
Chief Minister of Gujarat,
Nava Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar,
Gujarat, 382 010, India
Fax: +91 (2712) 22101
+++++++
Mr. Digvijay Singh
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Office of the Chief Minister
Vallabh Bhavan
Bhopal
Madhya Pradesh, India
Fax: +91 (755) 540 501