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dam-l LS: Narmada Sahayog Yatra starts from Kerala



NARMADA SAHAYOG YATRA TAKES OFF FROM KANYAKUMARI; HUNDREDS PLEDGE TO
PROTECT THE WATERS, FORESTS, AND NATURAL RESOURCES

13 September 1999

Hundreds of farmers, fishworkers, teachers, writers, and others gathered
in
Kanyakumari on 12 September in solidarity with the satyagraha in the
Narmada Valley, calling for an end to destructive development.  Thomas
Kocherry of World Forum of Fishworkers, D. Gabriele of National Alliance
of
People's Movements, and Jacob Vadakancherry of Swashraya Vypeen were
among
those who highlighted the issues raised by the Narmada Struggle.
Standing
in the waters of the Indian Ocean the people collectively pledged to
protect the waters, forests, and natural resources of the country.  Some
of
these people will travel to Delhi in a week long "Narmada Solidarity
March," halting in numerous towns to hold public meetings and address
the
press and culminating in a meeting with President K.R. Narayanan.  They
will ask the President to intervene in the present crisis to safeguard
the
rights and lives of the adivasis and peasants.

        The organisations have also decided to reassert the rights of
the
downtrodden people for the life and resources which are endangered by
the
vested interests in the name of Development and 'new' economic policy.
In
Kerala, a number of local organisations and movements will march to the
office of the Governor, who will meet thier delegation.  They will
request
the Governor, as the representative of the president at the state level,
to
recognize the dangerous signals coming from the government's callous
treatment towards the people's concerns inthe Narmada Valley.

        On 13 September a rally in Trivandrum, Kerala drew considerable
participation from numerous local groups.  Eminent poet and Women's
Rights
activist Sugadha Kumari and several others read their poetry.  Vishnu
Narayanan Nambodri, K.V. Surendranath, M.P. Matthai were among those
present.

        From Kerala 40 people will continue travelling northward, joined
by others
along the route and meeting those from the other 3 routes as they
converge
in Delhi on 20th Sept.

Aravinda Pillalamarri