Intercultural Resources
Archive for August 2012
Philippines: MacroAsia And The Plundering Of Protected Areas – Unravelling The Roots Of Illegality
Video on the indigenous people of Palawan, Philippines and fight against mining companies MacroAsia and Lebach
via Philippines: MacroAsia And The Plundering Of Protected Areas – Unravelling The Roots Of Illegality.
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Government, leave these kids alone
The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Government, leave these kids alone.
Hundreds join anti-nuclear rally in Tokyo
Hundreds of anti-nuclear demonstrators marched in Tokyo Sunday, calling for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to abandon the country’s atomic energy programme following last year’s Fukushima accident.
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/world/Antinuclear-protests-signal-new-activism-in-Japan_85041919
250 MEN AND WOMEN CONTINUOUSLY STANDING IN THE RISING WATERS OF OMKARESHWAR DAM
Narmada Bachao Andolan Press note : 26th August 2012
OMKARESHWAR DAM OUSTEES START JAL SATYAGRAH
250 MEN AND WOMEN CONTINUOUSLY STANDING IN THE RISING WATERS OF OMKARESHWAR DAM
Around 250 dam affected people have started their jal satyagraha, in the continuously rising water of the Omkareshwar dam. It may be noted that the water level of the Omkareshwar dam has been kept at 189 meters. In spite of the fact that thousands of the oustees have not been rehabilitated, the government decided to fill the dam upto a level of 193 meters. In protest of this decision the satyagraha in Ghoghalgaon has been going on since 16th July 2012. The people had pledged that they oustees expressed their determination that they would give up their lives if need be, but that they would not move without taking their rights. In spite of this, late yesterday evening when the water level was raised by 1.5 meters, around 250 men and women entered the water and began their jal satyagraha.
Attempt to submerge lands and drive away people without rehabilitation
It may be noted that the High Court and the Supreme Court have both stated in their orders that, the state has not adhered to the rehabilitation policy, for the Omkareshwar dam affected people. On the basis of these orders when people filed their claims to the Grievance Redressal Authority (GRA) the GRA also stated in its recent orders that the rehabilitation policy had not been implemented for the Omkareshwar dam affected people and that affected people should be given land for land. The authorities are yet to give thousands of families land, house plots, rehabilitation grants, hundreds of houses in the submergence are yet to be acquired, thousands of landless families are yet to be given resources whereby they can earn dignified livelihoods.
It is also to be noted that the Supreme Court has held in Omkareshwar judgment that the rehabilitation should have been done before the construction of the dam. As per many other Supreme Court orders the rehabilitation should have been completed 6 months before the submergence. Therefore it is clear that the government is acting in violation to all these orders and it is the government’s intention to drive away people without rehabilitation by submerging their lands and houses. The oustees have resolved that they will not give in to these tactics of the government and would rather drown than be driven away.
Lower the water level and rehabilitate the oustees of the Omkareshwar dam
The thousands of people sitting in dharna with those 250 who have undertaken the jal satyagrah have demanded that the level of the water should be lowered to 189 meter in the Omkareshwar dam and all the affected people should be given land for land and other rehabilitation rights. Neelabai and Suresh Patel of Gogalgaon, Sakubai and Girjabai of Kamankeda, Antar Singh and Santoshbai of Village Toki, Nannibai an Kailashrao of Village Ekhand along with senior Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Chittarupa Palit and 250 men and women continue their Jal Satryagraha while 3000 people are sitting on dharna alongside.
Narmada Bachao Andolan warns the Government that if the water level is not reduced immediately and no immediate steps are taken to rehabilitate the affected people, they will not hesitate to give up their lives and the struggle will be intensified.
Alok Agarwal, Radheshyam Tirole, Mansaram Bhai, Sakubai, Kalabai, Radhabai
Narmada Bachao Andolan
2, Sai Nagar, Mata Chowk,
Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh -450 001
Telefax : 0733 – 2228318
E-mail : nbakhandwa@gmail.com
International: Governments Prioritize Profit Over Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
In the Americas, governments continue to put profits over indigenous peoples’ rights in development projects
via International: Governments Prioritize Profit Over Indigenous Peoples’ Rights.
Philippines: DOLE 1 Empowers Indigenous Peoples Of Bagulin
The Department of Labour and Employment will continue to help indigenous people of Bagulin
via Philippines: DOLE 1 Empowers Indigenous Peoples Of Bagulin.
West Papua: Indigenous Papuans Arrested For The Celebrating The UN International Day Of The World’s Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Papuans were arrested by police on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
Madhya Pradesh: Operation “Guerrilla-Green” Going Into Second Phase
Adivasies of Betul and Harda in action; on the face of all odds continuing with a unique solution to environment degradation and hunger.
Malnutrition and hunger deaths are not new to Adivasies’, they have been struggling with it for many decades now, and none of the government’s welfare schemes could ever solve it. To add to the injury is ever increasing degradation of environment which has direct telling effect on them. Adivasi of Betul & Harda district of MP has found a unique solution to both their problems in an operation “Guerrilla-Green”, a new kind of green revolution. Under the operation, they have resolved to plant a hundred thousand of saplings of fruit bearing trees every year alone in any barren- degraded land be it government, forest or private or Panchayat land.
http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15881:madhya-pradesh-operation-guerrilla-green-going-into-second-phase&catid=33&Itemid=66
ASEAN mulls assistance for Myanmar Rohingya
Southeast Asian nations are considering humanitarian assistance for Muslim-minority Rohingya facing ‘pain and suffering’ in Myanmar, the head of the ASEAN regional bloc said on Wednesday. Association of Southeast Asian Nations secretary general Surin Pitsuwan said the bloc should be “part of solution to the problem” that escalated in June with a bloody clash that displaced around 60,000 people, mostly Rohingya.
http://southasiarevealed.com/2012/08/09/asean-mulls-assistance-myanmar-rohingya/
U.S. social conditions create racist massacre of Sikhs
Kris Hamel analyses the social conditions that create racism and racist violence, racial hatred and white supremacy in the US.
The terror of yet another mass killing struck in the heartland of the United States on Aug. 5, when alleged shooter Wade Michael Page opened fire in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisc. Oak Creek is a suburb of about 35,000, located 12 miles south of Milwaukee. Six people were killed and three were critically injured. According to eyewitnesses, a cop killed Page as he was shooting another police officer.
http://www.workers.org/2012/08/09/u-s-social-conditions-create-racist-massacre-of-sikhs-2/
