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dam-l LS: Gujarat Organizations Condemn Attacks on NBA/NGO Protest Letter
Narmada Bachao Andolan
B-13, Shivam Flats, Ellora Park, Baroda 390 007
Contacts in Mumbai
Pervin Jehangir Ph. 2184779/2185832,
Amrita, Joe - 5574895
PRESS STATEMENT/11.12.99
Eminent Persons and Human rights organisations in Gujarat
Condemn the attack on Narmada Bachao Andolan
Prominent citizens, human rights organisations, people's movements and
others in Gujarat have severely condemned the inhuman attack on the
activist and office of Narmada Bachao Andolan on the 9th early morning.
They include senior High Court Advocate, Mr. Girish Patel (Lok Adhikar
Sangh), Siddharaj Solanki (Adivasi Researcher & Activist), Dinkar Dave
(Samanya Gujarat), Adv.Bhushan Oza (Lawyers Initiative), Prakash N Shah
(Activist, Writer) and many others like Indian National Social Action Forum
(INSAF), Sangath, Vikas Adhyayan Kendra, Campaign Against Child Labour, St.
Xaviers Social Service Society, Naya Marg.
"We are clear that the hysterical atmosphere created in the state by the
Government and other politicians have incited these few to take law into
their hands. Instead of having a meaningful dialogue with NBA with facts
and figures, turning to violence is a cowardly act," the statement said.
The general public in the state, has never been violent towards the
activists of Narmada Bachao Andolan irrespective of their support or
opposition to the dam. They have, over the years have understood the ploy
of the successive governments in making the Narmada issue the sole issue of
the state putting a vale on other burning issues of the people. Now they
know from the Government records that the Sardar Sarovar dam, gluttoning
over 80% of state=EDs irrigation budget, leaving most of the drought prone
area of Gujarat unirrigated; the meagre benefit that Kutch, Saurashtra and
North Gujarat will get, that too not before 2025 AD, will never be a
solution to the water related problems of the state. They have now turned
to the alternative methods to harvest water through a number of ways.
One may remember that in the early hours of 9th December, 6 armed thugs
barged into the office of NBA and attacked the activist Raghu, destroyed
valuable documents, damaged the computer and stolen Rs.20, 000, while
threatening to kill the activists, if they don't heed to their alerts to
quit Gujarat.
Hundreds of eminent persons and other organisations around the country
condemned this barbaric and fascist act. They include Jst.(Rtd) Suresh,
Adv. Mihir Desai, Adv. Collin Gonsalvis Human Right Law Network, National
Alliance of People's Movements, Association for Protection of Democratic
Rights, Calcutta, Indian Centre for Human Rights and Law, Kutch Development
Forum, Indian People's Tribunal on Environment and Human Rights, Soshit Jan
Andolan, Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Kalpavriksha, Pune and others.
Joe Athialy
Nandini Oza
***************************
NGO PROTEST LETTER
10 December 1999
Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee
Prime Minister of India
7, Race Course Road
New Delhi
India
Fax +91 (11) 301 6857
Dear Shri Vajpayee
We have recently learnt that the office of the Narmada Bachao Andolan in
Baroda, Gujarat, was attacked by armed men on the night of 8-9 December
1999. The activist present in the office was injured, documents burned
and stolen, the computer was tampered with and money stolen. This attack
was preceded by threatening phone calls received by the NBA office
around one month ago. This is not the first incident of violence against
the NBA office and we understand that the BJP government of Gujarat has
taken no action against those who carried out previous attacks.
The intolerance of the Gujarat government to any dissent against the
Sardar Sarvovar Project is well known and highly deplorable for what is
known as the world's largest democracy. We, the undersigned, are
extremely concerned about these attacks which have happened even while
the Supreme Court of India is considering the Sardar Sarovar case. We
urge you to take urgent steps to:
1. Institute an independent inquiry into the incident to identify those
responsible.
2. Ensure that those responsible are punished.
3. Ensure that NBA offices and activists are adequately protected.
4. Ensure that other confidence building steps are undertaken, for
example taking action against those responsible for previous attacks
against the NBA.
Yours sincerely
Patrick McCully
International Rivers Network, USA
Goran Ek, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
Antonio Tricarico, Reform the World Bank Campaign, Italy
Liane Greeff, Environmental Monitoring Group, South Africa
Sadi Baron, Dam-Affected People's Movement, Brazil
Naeem Iqbal, Pakistan Network of Rivers, Dams and People
Steve Rothert, International Rivers Network, Botswana
Himanshu Thakker, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People