Endorsing the petition K M Venugopalan, (Writer) Kerala On Jan 26, 6:35 pm, Rohit Shetti <rohit...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello all, > > TN Activist Piyush Sethia was arrested today in Salem and charged with > sedition against the state before the commencement of a peaceful cycle rally > across Tamil Nadu to bring about awareness of the State and central > Governments war and atrocities against tribals in Chattisgarh. > > The rally in Tamil Nadu was of particular significance since it passed > through Home Minister P. Chidambaram's constituency - Sivangangai. > > However, even before a single pamphlet was distributed, the arrest was made > and charges of sedition under section 124A have been filed. The pamphlet > containing 'seditious' material asks why the State is denying the guarantees > under the Constitution by the Republic of India to adivasis, and why the > State Government has refused to obey the Supreme Court order directing them > to rehabilitate the 644 evicted villages, and their 3 lac residents. The > pamphlet ends by stating that we won't remain silent and will take a cycle > rally through the villages of Tamilnadu to build public opinion (hardly a > non-democratic means). > > Lawyers and friends are helping out, but a condemnation of the State's > high-handedness and the atrocious attempt to curb freedom of speech is > definitely called for. > > *Please endorse the draft statement below in your personal and > organizational capacities, so that the statement along with the names of the > endorsers can be sent to Commissioner of Police, Salem City, Tamilnadu: > Phone/Fax: +91 (0)427 2410217* > > Please also use your channels and contacts to write opinion pieces, articles > in defence of free speech, etc in all forms of print and electronic media, > discussion forums. > > Contact for more information: Campaign for Justice and Peace. 14A, 5th > Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090, Phone: 9443248582 > > *DRAFT STATEMENT FOR ENDORSEMENT:* > ** > *We have a Right to Dissent and We will uphold it > * > ** > *Shame on Tamilnadu Police for Quashing Free Speech > * > > Piyush (Sethia) Manush, a human rights and environmental justice defender > from Salem, was arrested today and charged with Sedition. His “crime”: To > attempt to circulate a pamphlet, in his capacity of a representative of a > much-wider Campaign for Peace and Dignity at a Republic Day function in > Salem. The pamphlet expresses outrage at the Central and State > Government-sponsored atrocities against adivasi people in Dantewada, > Chattisgarh. It questions the State-Corporate collusion to violently evict > adivasis from their homeland, and asks why the state is acting in contempt > of the Supreme Court order directing the Governments to facilitate the > return of more than 300,000 adivasis to their 644 home villages in > Chattisgarh. > > By charging Piyush for sedition under the IPC, the Tamilnadu Police and > Tamilnadu Government has exposed their ignorance of the law, and disrespect > and disregard for the Constitution of India that guarantees to every citizen > the right to free speech and expression. It is an irony and a sign of our > times in that this arbitrary curb on free speech should happen on the 26th > of January, the day our Constitution came into effect. > > Campaign for Justice and Peace's pamphlets announced that people will > undertake a cycle yatra across Tamilnadu to highlight the Indian and > Chattisgarh government’s brutal and inhuman treatment of the adivasis. > Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and other parts of central and east India > have been long subjected to plunder by Indian and International > corporations. The indigenous people have suffered heavily, losing their > lands, livelihoods and lives because they resist this invasion. There is > absolute lawlessness and blatant violations of human rights. Journalist and > common citizens are intimidated and barred from entering these areas lest > the word spreads and the truth be revealed. Even peaceful gatherings are > targeted by State police, para military forces, and state sponsored and > state-armed militia such as the Salwa Judum. Leaders and others are > threatened so that there is no voice of dissent. With Home Minister > P.Chidambaram's Operation “Green Hunt” which is styled along the recent > genocide sponsored by the Sri Lankan Government, the situation in > Chattisgarh has worsened. The present act of Tamilnadu Government shows that > no challenge to the nexus between corporations and the State will be > tolerated, and that the State is prepared to even violate the constitution > to curb any criticism against its actions. It also marks the generalized war > against free speech and dissent launched by the present governing elite in > New Delhi and Chennai. > > We, the people of this country, resolve not be quelled by this intimidation. > We resolve to keep our voices of dissent and resistance loud and clear. We > stand with our comrade Piyush in this struggle for a democratic and free > India where justice and peace can reign. We call upon all the freedom loving > people of this country to join us in this struggle. We condemn the actions > of the Tamilnadu Police in Salem, and demand that the outrageous charges of > sedition against Piyush be revoked. > > Signed > > __._,_.___ > Reply to > sender<rohit...@gmail.com?subject=pls+endorse:+Statement+condemning+TN+Police+for+quashing+free+speech,+%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0+arrest+of+rights'+activist+Piyush+Sethia>| > Reply > to > group<css2...@yahoogroups.com?subject=pls+endorse:+Statement+condemning+TN+Police+for+quashing+free+speech,+%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0+arrest+of+rights'+activist+Piyush+Sethia> > Messages in this > topic<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009/message/949;_ylc=X3oDMTMzcjg0Yj...>( > 1) > Recent Activity: > > Visit Your > Group<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009;_ylc=X3oDMTJmczhrZmRkBF9TAzk3Mz...> > Start > a New > Topic<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/css2009/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmcm9qcHFiBF9TA...> > [image: Yahoo! > Groups]<http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlNHJ1Z2FkBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycEl...> > Switch to: > Text-Only<css2009-traditio...@yahoogroups.com?subject=change+delivery+format:+Traditional>, > Daily Digest <css2009-dig...@yahoogroups.com?subject=email+delivery:+Digest>• > Unsubscribe <css2009-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com?subject=unsubscribe> • Terms > of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> > . > > __,_._,___
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