FYI - developments in areas where movements against displacement and industrialisation are ongoing in Orissa
Regards Nachiketa * * *Disturbing Developments in Orissa: Government Deceiving People Everywhere* *Dhinkia*: Though the district administration had categorically denied that it would not cover Dhinkia in its forcible survey campaign as Dhinkia would not figure in the POSCO project, the controversial district collector and the SP of Police together led a huge contingent of armed police to invade Dhinkia around 11am yesterday. Calling it a grand betrayal about 3000 villagers armed with kitchen utensils and knife confronted them under the leadership of Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti President Abhay Sahu. It appeared for a few moments as if a terrible bloodshed was imminent. The collector has earned a bad reputation in his previous tenure as collector Rayagada, where he crushed a people's movement by using force and other means. The present SP also served a term in Rayagada during which many innocent people were arrested and sent to jail by calling them naxl or naxl sympathizers. Thus people had genuine fear about them and doubted their intention which was proved true when the combined force moved towards Dhinkia village. People have put up barricades on the 1225 acres of land in Dhinkia after the earlier declaration of the administration that they would not cover Dhinkia. Now when the force reached the spot for removing the barricade situation got worsened. Even Abhay Sahu came out of the crowd and asked the Collector to arrest him. For a few minutes no one knew what was going to happen. The protesters were angry and upset. They remained calm though there was enough provocation from the collector's side. They seemed to have decided to resist only if the survey was done by using force. They made it clear to the Collector and SP. Better sense prevailed on the collector at least for a few minutes. Realizing that bloodshed was imminent, the force was asked to return. But the people of Dhinkia lived another sleepless night anticipating an attack from the police anytime in the night. Only one daily Dharitri has reported fairly on the incidence. The Samaj has been reduced to bulletin of police and corporations in Orissa. Their local reporter is an absentee land lord from Dhinkia who sees a good fortune in POSCO which will enable him to dispose off his land at a good price. Most of the local reporters are not paid well by Oriya dailies. These projects give them some regular earnings. Therefore, most of then quote the police or the corporate communication office of a project and publish the story supplied to them. The administration has abdicated its primary responsibility towards the democratic citizens. They feel more accountable to an invading company. It may be noted here that in Orissa today the district collectors are behaving like Amins ( A fourth grade employee who does survey work) and the SPs are going to displace Hawildars ( the lowest rank supervisor in a police station). In an important district like Jagatsingpur the single most obsession of the duo has been POSCO and POSCO only-as if the districts and district administration had been created to facilitate corporate estates. *Kalinganagar: *A similar trick has been planned for Kalinganagr. An exemplary tribal woman who led the women from front in Kalinganagar successfully and quite peacefully - Nani Jarika - has been presented in the media as a prostitute, a kept and as some one working for the Maoists. The women leaders and activists of the movement have been also presented in a bad light. The unity of Kalinganagar tribals and their determination to continue their brave fight against forced displacement has upset the Tatas and the state. They are planting the Maoist story to mislead the public opinion and find a pretext to enter in to the area. Now, the agitators have put barricades at the entry of every village to prevent mischievous action by the police. Thus, it will not be easy for the state to implement its agenda for handing over all places, people and resources to corporate houses without further bloodshed. But for a State which has tasted people's blood so many times over the past few years even that is not a worrying factor. * * *Lanjigarh : * Even In lanjigarh where Vedanta has been allowed to run an alumina plant by violating all democratic norms and established acts and provisions in the constitution going against it, people are not happy. Independent film maker and Chief of Samadrusti Televisions has got the following words to offer. "*Hundreds of local youth have brought work at Vedanta's illegal refinery to a standstill as they have locked all gates. Unlike others they were not opposed to the factory's presence and had been promised jobs after their Vedanta sponsored ITI training. Now the company refuses to offer them permanent jobs and this has infuriated the youth. They are demanding that they either be given permanent jobs or be compensated with an amount of around Rs 5 lakh in lieu of salary of Rs 10,000 for the next five years. By doing so they have joined another 500 villagers demanding Rs 5 lakh compensation for damages to their land, livelihood and for the pollution. These villagers are mostly from Lanjigarh which was till now understood to be a pro Vedanta village. Pintu Das, the most highly educated youth from Lanjigarh told us over the phone that they would continue with their agitation till their demands were fulfilled. He said that it was an irony that despite being a highly educated person the company had not shown any interest in employing him. He also informed us that yesterday night the police threatened them with dire consequences but the people were brave and did not budge. A large number of police personnel have been deployed*." Independent Media --
