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

[SUSTRAN Resource Centre]

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
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~