[sustran] Re: Appeal re Violent Arrests at expressway protest in Bangalore

[Rajendra Aryal]

Dear Paul,

Thanks a lot for the message. It was indeed a crime done against the people living in a
democratic society. I strongly feel that every sensible citizen should condemn such a
violent act. I would also urge the sustran discussers to support the Environment Support
Group in this regard.

Rajendra Aryal
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)

SUSTRAN Resource Centre wrote:

> Dear sustran-discussers
>
> Last week several activists were arrested violently (including an assault
> on sustran-discuss member, Leo Saldanha!!) as they protested at the lack of
> public information on a major proposed expressway project in Karnataka
> State in southern India (the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor). At
> a similar hearing at Mysore on 30 June a pro-project crowd mobilised by the
> investor prevented any discussion on the merits and demerits of the project
> - anyone raising questions was shouted down by the rowdy crowd.
>
> The Environment Support Group is asking for letters of support - see below.
> They have also sent a long attachment with more background information
> including press coverage of the incident and background on the problematic
> project. If anyone needs more information I can forward the attachment to
> you. There may now also be more information at the ESG's web site:
> http://www.altindia.net/esg/index.htm
>
> Paul
> SUSTRAN Resource Centre
>
> >Date: Sat, 08 Jul 2000 10:30:25 +0500
> >To: SUSTRAN Resource Centre <sustran at po.jaring.my>
> >From: Environment Support Group <esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in>
> >Subject: BRUTE POLICE ACTION EMPLOYED TO DENY PEOPLE INFORMATION
> >
> >                                                                       06 July 2000
> >
> >BRUTE POLICE ACTION EMPLOYED TO DENY PEOPLE INFORMATION ON RS. 2,000 CRORE
> >(US$ 500 MILLION) BANGALORE-MYSORE INFRASTRUCTURE CORRIDOR PROMOTED BY
> >INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIA
> >
> >In a most shocking and condemnable act, the District Commissioner (DC)
> >Sanaulla of Bangalore (Urban) ordered the arrests of over 30 citizens who
> >were peacefully demanding access to public domain information on the
> >Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor during a statutory "Environmental
> >Public Hearing" held on 05 July 2000 at Yavanika, Bangalore. The project is
> >being promoted by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise of the
> >Indian Kalyani group with support from Vanabe Hangen Brusten Inc., and SAB
> >international Ltd. of USA (see note on project attached). The Citizens
> >Panel on the Public Hearing, including former Karnataka Environment
> >Secretary A. N. Yellappa Reddy, chose to remain mute witnesses to this
> >brutal attack on human rights.
> >
> >First to be arrested was senior citizen and eminent Gandhian H. S.
> >Doreswamy, for inquiring why the Government was proceeding with the Hearing
> >when the environmental impact, social impact and techno-economic
> >information on the project was not being provided as assured by the DC in
> >the first round of hearings held during March 2000.  What, then, was the
> >logic of conducting these "hearings"? he demanded.
> >
> >Next round of arrests included Siremane Nagaraj and Vasu along with over 30
> >fellow activists of the Karnataka Vimochana Ranga (KVR), a grassroots group
> >which has been championing the cause of consultation with project affected
> >farming communities.  Their crime? Insisting strongly, but only vocally,
> >that the Hearing can be meaningful if and only if the due information that
> >is public domain is shared with the public, particularly in their local
> >language.   Considering that over 20,000 acres of land was proposed to be
> >acquired, over 13,000 acres of which was fertile agricultural land
> >involving the displacement of 168 villages, on what basis was the
> >Government justifying this project to be in the public interest, they
> >enquired.  This especially when all that the project envisaged was
> >developing high speed expressways which only the rich could afford to use,
> >and recreational and living facilities for the wealthy by acquiring lands
> >from toiling farmers at throwaway rates.
> >
> >The arrests of KVR activists was rather brutal.  Squads of baton wielding
> >Special Striking Forces swarmed around the activists who were siting along
> >the corridors in the overcrowded Yavanika, and physically dragged and
> >lifted them out.  Several women activists were dragged and lifted out, not
> >by women police, but the terrorising men of the Striking Forces.
> >
> >At this stage, the DC should have been prevailed upon by the Panel to stop
> >the Hearings.  Instead, encouraged by the silence of the Panel, the DC
> >signaled that Leo Saldanha, Coordinator of Environment Support Group, be
> >"removed" as well. His crime?  Contending that a Hearing could not be held
> >under such a Climate of Terror.  He had in the first hour of the "hearings"
> >stood up several times urging the DC to respond to Doreswamy's queries on
> >why project information was not being shared.  He also informed the DC that
> >this is exactly what citizens had been urged to do by the High Court of
> >Karnataka when Doreswamy had filed a Public Interest Litigation the
> >previous week seeking public domain information on the project.  He had not
> >raised any slogans, and thus his actions could in no way have been
> >construed to be "obstructionist".
> >
> >Whilst he waited for his turn to speak, a posse of the Striking Forces
> >surrounded him and dragged him out of the auditorium, one policeman urging
> >his colleagues to "Kick Him.  Throw him down".  Such action was most
> >effectively taken on him in full view of over 400 citizens, and the Press.
> >Leo was not even informed that he was being arrested.  As he lay in pain
> >outside the building, loud protests were raised by several citizens against
> >such brutal attack on a person's Right to Express and against a most
> >arbitrary, irrational and draconian act of the Government.  Only on
> >insisting that he should be medically examined was he taken by the police
> >to the Victoria Hospital and thankfully there were no serious injuries.  He
> >was then taken to the Viveknagar Police Station where the others arrested
> >were kept in detention.  It was only in the late hours of the evening that
> >they were all released.
> >
> >Despite such abuse of the human rights, the DC proceeded with his
> >"peaceful" Hearings.  What he chose not to do was to arrest about 15-20
> >drunk rabble rousers raising slogans in favour of the project, rather more
> >vociferously than the KVR activists and who even chose to use the most
> >obscene language against those demanding project information.
> >
> >This most abhorrent act of repression is a big blot on the much hyped
> >claims of the Karnataka Government being a transparent and progressive
> >administration; a claim that Chief Minister S. M. Krishna has been
> >championing widely.  Yesterday's "hearings" demonstrated the Government's
> >determination to push ahead with one of its several "progressive" schemes
> >aimed at drawing foreign attention and investment to the State, what
> >Krishna prefers to address as "making Bangalore a Singapore".  The question
> >is for whose benefit and what cost: environmental, social and economic.
> >Not forgetting the most important cost of all: the denial of fundamental
> >democratic rights.
> >
> >Such arrogant attitude of the Government ensured that the Hearings in
> >Mysore and Mandya held on 30 June and 3 July 2000 as well, were similarly
> >"peaceful".  Only there, most who demanded project information boycotted
> >the hearings as they were denied the same.  Leading amongst them were M. D.
> >Nanjundaswamy of the Karnataka Rajya Ryatha Sangha (Karnataka State Farmers
> >Association), Maj. General Vombatkere (Retd.) of the Mysore Consumer Action
> >Forum, and hundreds of other citizens.
> >
> >We believe that this should be the last time that such brute action is
> >initiated against citizens in any Public Hearing.  To ensure which we must
> >first address and set right the grave wrongs committed yesterday.
> >Therefore, we request you to endorse the letters to the Chief Minister of
> >Karnataka, urging him not to proceed with the project clearances under the
> >circumstances, demand an immediate enquiry into yesterday's events and
> >direct the concerned agencies to treat yesterday's "hearings" as null and
> >void.
> >
> >It would be best if you choose to send your letters of protest direct to
> >the Chief Minister by post/fax/email (contact details in the letter).  But
> >do mark a copy to us for reference.  You could also send your endorsements
> >to us, and we could forward them to the CM.
> >
> >Thank you in anticipation for your solidarity and support.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >
> >
> >Ranjini Thomas, Bhargavi S. Rao, Manu Mathai, K. R. Mallesh and H. C.
> >Ravindranath
> >Environment Support Group ®
> >
> >PS:  The attached note is in Word 6 format.  We have scanned it in the
> >latest updates of Norton AntiVirus programme
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >                                       (Preferably on your letterhead)
> >
> >Mr. S. M. Krishna
> >Chief Minister of Karnataka
> >Vidhana Soudha
> >Bangalore 560 001. INDIA
> >Fax: 91-80-2253660
> >Tel: 91-80-2253444/2253424
> >Email: smkrishna at bangaloreit.com or cmkrishna at bangaloreit.com
> >
> >                                                                       Date:
> >
> >Dear Sir,
> >
> >I/We condemn the most atrocious conduct of Mr. Sanaulla, District
> >Commissioner of Bangalore, in ordering the arrests of citizens who were
> >demanding access to public domain information on the Bangalore Mysore
> >Infrastructure Corridor in the Environmental Public Hearing held on 05 July
> >2000 at Bangalore.  It would have been most appropriate if the Hearings
> >were held after the documents were provided to the public as assured in the
> >previous Hearings held during March 2000.  To have denied these documents,
> >and what's worse, arrest those who were exercising their rights to demand
> >the information, is a most condemnable act of an officer of your
> Government.
> >
> >I/we demand that you should suspend Mr. Sanaulla forthwith for this most
> >irrational, arbitrary and reprehensible act of ordering brute police action
> >and immediately order an enquiry into the incident.
> >
> >It would consequently be most appropriate on your part to withhold any
> >clearance to the project, and further direct the concerned agencies to hold
> >Hearings in a just, responsible and peaceful manner but only after the
> >requested public domain information is made available at local Taluk
> >Panchayat offices for inspection by the public, especially in the local
> >language.
> >
> >Given the widespread abuse of human rights during yesterday's July 5th
> >"hearings", the same must be declared null and void.
> >
> >I/We hope that you will take immediate action in this regard as a true sign
> >of progress in a democratic society.
> >
> >Yours truly,
> >
> >
> >Sd/-
> >Name
> >Position/Organisation
> >Address
> >
> >
> >PS: Please mark a copy of your letter to us at our address below
> >
> >Attachment Converted: "C:\My Documents\SUSTRAN Attachments\BMIC Public
> Hearing Fallout in Word 61.doc"
> >
> >
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >WE HAVE MOVED : OUR NEW ADDRESS
> >
> >Environment Support Group (R)
> >S-3, Rajashree Apartments
> >18/57, 1st Main Road
> >S. R. K. Gardens
> >Jayanagar
> >Bannerghatta Road
> >Bangalore 560 041. INDIA
> >Telefax: 91-80-6341977
> >Fax: 91-80-6723926 (PP)
> >Email: esg at bgl.vsnl.net.in
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~