Immediately stop the brutal police assault on peaceful protesters opposing POSCO project in Odisha
Feb 01, 2013Tags: POSCO Protest Odisha, Police Brutality, Forcible Land Acquisition, Human Rights Violations, POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti Protest
Related Issue: Right to Protest, Right to Peaceful Assembly, Right to Environmental Safety, Right to Dignity, Right to Safety from Forced Displacement
Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti about brutal police assault on villagers who were peacefully protesting against forcible acquisition of their lands. The 12 platoon strong mobilisation that culminated in the assault started around midnight and the police finally entered the village around 4 in the morning and assaulted everyone, not sparing even the small children. The action, apart from being brutal, is also inexplicable, as the state has no reason to hurriedly acquire the lands when the National Green Tribunal has already suspended the environment clearance to the proposed POSCO project. This was one protest amongst many that have been occurring against the POSCO project in Orissa, which will gravely affect people’s livelihood, food security and the environment.
Case narrative:
A 12 platoon strong police force forcibly entered the Govindpur and Dhinkia villages of Jagatsingpur district in Odihsa and brutally assaulted the peaceful protesters who are opposing POSCO project in their area by making a human chain. The police did not spare even the elderly and the women and reportedly swung small children into air.
The police started entering the area around midnight and the massive swelling in their ranks was noticed by the villagers at around 2 am early in the morning of today, 03 February 2013. The villagers then alerted others and rushed to the dharna (sit in) and human chain site. The police started their attack at around 4 am targeting the women and children who were standing in the frontlines of the human chain, thinking that their presence would make the police act a little humanely at least.
This, however, did not deter the police force, an all male one, and attacked the women injuring many of them. The numbers are yet to be known. Even more brutally, they reportedly swung little children accompanying their mothers in air. They then arrested several villagers and whisked then away to some unknown location. The assault, however, did not deter the villagers and many more of them have reached the protest site amidst growing tension. The situation has turned almost into a warlike one. The police have started breaking down the betel vines and cutting trees. The unarmed villagers are presently facing a 12 platoon strong police force armed to teeth.
The assault is completely inexplicable as the state should be in no hurry to acquire the land when the National Green Tribunal has already suspended the environment clearance to the proposed POSCO project in our area.
The attack is just another addition to many such attacks on the protesters including the ones carried out by the hired goons of the private company. The state government has consistently failed to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of those affected by the POSCO project. Instead, it has continuously sided with those violating the rights. It is our firm belief that no development project should be launched without respecting human rights. This is one of the basic principles and duties of a state party to various international human rights laws, which India is.