December 22, 2008(Monday), Ranchi, Jharkhand:

The state-repression culminating in police firing on people protesting
peacefully on 6th December 2008 at Kathikund, Dumka District, Jharkhand
was "un-called for, un-justified and, from all accounts, pre-meditated.
The well-planned and systematic repressive measures adopted by the State
Government appear to be part of a strategy to peddle development via
state terror without any regard to Constitutional provisions and/or
people's democratic rights to life, livelihood and determination". A
Fact-Finding Team of the Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) has thus
drawn the conclusion after visiting the affected region on 20th & 21st
December 2008, meeting various segments of society, and analyzing the
data and documents.

The pre-announced people's programme to protest by courting arrest after
paying homage to Shaheed Sidhu Kanu on 6th December 2008 did not warrant
such a heavy police presence and excessive use of force resulting in
killing of one Lukhiram Tudu, and injuries to about 15 others. The
district administration did not follow the procedures laid down in the
police manual and opened fired indiscriminately on the protesting people
without any warning. The use of tear-gas and lathi charge was resorted
only to fulfil the regulatory demands. Even those village folks helping
the seriously wounded in police firing were fired upon. Due to this
Lukhiram Tudu was not provided timely medical aid and, thus, died of
excessive bleeding. Police brutally beat up, abused and took into
custody those who were taking the wounded to the hospital. The wounded
were treated with contempt and inhumanly, even their bodies were dragged
like dead dogs.

The stray incidents of people giving vent to their anger and frustration
by responding to the police firing by resorting to use of bow and arrow
prima facie appears to be a result of extreme provocation by the police
on an otherwise peaceful protest.

Varying figures are being given for those seriously injured or wounded.
Not less than 15 persons may have sustained bullet injuries. The INSAF
Team found and met one person with bullet piercing his right shoulder
and coming out from the back. He told the team that he was helping Shiv
Lal, another wounded in police firing, and was bent upon him, when he
got hit by the bullet. Terrorized, he is getting local treatment in the
village itself, but his spirits are high.

The people's peaceful protest against their land acquisition for
building dam for power plant is two-and-a-half years old, but took
definite shape after notices were published in early May this year for
acquiring about 264 acres of land in two villages of Aamgachi and
Pokhariya. The INSAF Team visited five such villages and found all
inhabitants united in their resolve to protect their land -- only means
of life and livelihood – in the absence of any development. Neither any
political ideology nor any political organisation was responsible for
people's determination, except the issue of their survival and
sustenance. INSAF Team came across a unique example of co-operative
farming in Jangla Village by people's own initiative without any
government assistance, where 60 to 70 families had pooled some 50 acres
of land. The field was green and yellow with blooming Sarson plants and
vegetables. The village Manjhiram named Lal Kisku was responsible for
motivating them, who have developed such a sustainable agricultural
farming that it could provide deep insights to the Agricultural
Scientists. Unfortunately, such creative intervention and indigenous
initiative of the people have gone un-noticed by the local MLA, Sri
Nalin Soren, who happens to be the Agriculture Minister in the State
Government.

While people are firm in their resolve not to leave their land for the
so-called development, the politicians and bureaucrats have utterly
failed to protect the right to Life, Liberty & Livelihood of the people.
On the contrary, the people of the region believe that there is a clash
between the Constitutional Obligations and private vested interests of
the politicians and bureaucrats. Not only the people's consent has not
been obtained for the so-called development by the State which is
mandatory under the law of the land, but the statutory institutions like
Gram Sabha and procedures for Scheduled areas under PESA are being
flouted in letter and spirit. The formation of the Tribals Advisory
Council under the Vth Schedule in 9 states has been criminally and
deliberately delayed as no rules and regulations have been formed, as yet.

The deliberate falsehood about "Maoist's linkage" is mischievously and
systematically spread by the official machinery which appears to be
serving the commercial interests over against the people's welfare. This
seams to be the tirade and new found mantra of the State subservient to
the national and international capital for defaming and repressing the
people's initiative and movements in protecting their fundamental rights
guaranteed under the Constitution of India, especially the right to
life, liberty and livelihood. The people's upsurge in the region is also
linked to the historical and cultural roots in collectively protecting
and using the land, water and forest (jal, jangal aur jameen).

The arrest and harassment of Woman Social Activist, Munni Hansda and her
co-activists and continued incarceration is part and parcel of their
larger strategy of the State machinery to silence the voices of dissent
and protest against usurping of people's resources for survival and
sustenance under the globalization agenda. INSAF Team found out that
five criminal cases have been already filed against Munni Hansda and
others prior to her illegal detention on 26th November, 2008, but no
arrest was made, although she was freely available in the region. The
present case related to a motor/cycle warrants only action under The
Motor Vehicles Act, but the authorities seem to have even invoked action
u/s 392 i.e. dacoity. Therefore, the detention of Munni Hansda appears
to be a deliberate act of provocation and prejudice by the police
administration.

INSAF demands that normalcy be restored in the region, proper
independent and high level enquiry be instituted in the incident of 6th
December, 2008, and appropriate action be taken against officials found
guilty of indiscriminate police firing. Immediate medical aid should be
provided to the injured/wounded. Adequate compensation should be given
to all affected people. Land acquisition process should be withheld and
statutory provisions under laws of the land like PESA should be strictly
applied and followed. Criminal cases instituted against the social
activists, people's leaders and people should be reviewed by officials
and agencies with credibility. Till such time, all detained be released
on bail. Further harassment and repression be immediately brought to an end.

Chittaranjan Singh, Dayamani Barla, Com. Sheikh Ansar, Rajendra K. Sail

On Behalf Of

INSAF FACT-FINDING TEAM (INDIAN SOCIAL ACTION FORUM)
(124-A/FF, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110 016: E-mail: insaf@vsnl.com)

INSAF is a forum of about 750 social action groups, social movements,
NGOs and intellectuals drawn from all over the country committed to
resisting globalization, combating communalism and defending democracy.

--
INSAF national secretariat
124-A/6, First Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016
Ph: +91-11-65663958, Telefax:+91-11-26517814
URL-www.insafindia.org

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