SEBASTIAN REPRESENTS INDIA AT PEOPLE'S S A A R C IN COLOMBO
Gomantak Times
August 18, 2008
Panjim:
Sebastian Rodrigues, co-ordinator of MAND, an Adivasi-rights Resource
Centre, an initiative of Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation
(GAKUVED) represented India at South Asian People's Assembly (People's
SAARC - 2008) at Colombo, Sri Lanka recently. The three day programme was
attended by around 3000 cultural and social activists from various South
Asian and South East Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan,
Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Burma, Afghanistan, India and Philippines.
Sebastian participated in workshop titled "Democracy and Governance/People's
participation" where in he made presentation of the Indian situation with
special reference to tagging of various activists by the state agencies as
terrorists, smugglers, and Naxalites.
He narrated his personal experience after being tagged as 'Naxalite' by the
Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar from Goa on June 19 at the ad-hoc
committee meeting of the Home Department.
Large number of international delegates expressed solidarity with Sebastian
and various movements in Goa opposing Open Cast Mining, Real Estates, and
Special Economic Zones (SEZ). Sebastian in turn expressed support to
various democratic movements taking place in Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan,
Bangladesh, Nepal, Burma and Pakistan.
He also expressed solidarity with tagged activists of India particularly Dr.
Binayak Sen of Rupantar, Chattisgargh that has been tagged as terrorist and
put behind bar, Leo Saldanha of Environment Support Group (ESG), Bangalore,
Karnataka that has been branded as sandalwood smuggler, and Roma Chawdury of
National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW) in Uttar
Pradesh booked, arrested and released under National Security Act (NSA).
Further Sebastian participated in workshops dealing with 'Democracy Movement
in Burma' and 'Disability Rights in South Asia.
COMMENTS
Sebastian, you have made us Goans who want to put 'Democracy on the Wheels'
in India and throughout the world, PROUD.
Thank you for exposing the party that you truly belong to, to the whole
world.
Viva Goa Su-Raj Party - 'The Truly 'Good Governance Party'
floriano lobo
General Secretary/Spokesman
GSRP
