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NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS
National Office : 29-30, A Wing First Floor, Haji Habib Building, Naigaon Cross Road, Dadar (E), Mumbai – 400 014. Phone – 022 2415 0529 | 9969363065;
Delhi Office : 6/6 Jangpura B, New Delhi – 110 014 . Phone : 011 2437 4535 | 9818905316
New Delhi, 10th September, 2012
To
Hon’ble Justice Sh. K G Balkrishnan,
Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission,
New Delhi
Sub: Urgent Intervention Needed With Regard To Brutal Police Action Against Protesters At Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Tamilnadu
Dear Sh. K G Balkrishnan Ji,
Namaskar !
We want to draw your attention to the ongoing brutal police action against the people of Idinthkarai and other villages protesting against the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant. The present situation in Idintakarai and surrounding villages is heart rending, as thousands of people are compelled to lock their houses and move closer to the nuclear plant to express their resolve to obstruct the loading of fuel. There are large numbers of women and children of all ages in the crowd, braving the sun, sand and sea and thousands of police force. People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) and others are fighting in the area for a nuclear free environment.
We would like to tell you, people are determined to avoid violence. They are not afraid of the police, because their pre-occupation is with the impending nuclear radiation and the protection of their livelihood, including their sorrow regarding future generations. They are true guardians of Life! We condemn the lathi charge, lobbing of tear gas shells and illegal arrests of the protesters and slapping of various charges including that of Sedition.
Here are the updates we have received from the ground :
September 10, 2012
2:20 Pm : Sahaya Initha, councilor got severely injured. Shelson was injured in the throat and got admitted along with Antony in the Idinthakarai hospital. Kennedy had his hand broken. Several children faint due to the tear gas used by the police. Children who took shelter in the school are surrounded by the police. 50 people stranded in a single house fearing the police. Police threw the water cans near the church and urinated in the church.
11:41 am : Lathi charge and tear gas shells being lobbed. People running towards sea. Hemmed in between armed police and the sea.
September 9, 2012
5:43 pm : Villagers in Koodankulam have shut their shops in support of the protesting villagers in Idinthakarai. Approximately 4000 of them have assembled in the RC church campus in Koodankulam.
12.15pm: KNPP east compound wall: Marched stopped, people are just 100 feet way from police, people wait for SPU’s command. People are asked to sit in seashore. People still joining. Weather make it hard, hope Govt , political and religious leaders respond soon
11.50am: KNPP east compound wall: Marched stopped for a while to gather/accumulate all the people walking, police also reaching the site.
11.40am: March reaching few feets away from KNPP east side wall, huge crowd follows S P Udayakumar, people very well received the idea of the location, very hot weather, sea breeze give little comfort.
11.20am : Around 30,000 people started marching, on the way many people expected to join the way. Udayakumar, Pushparayan, MAIPA and Milton leading the march, followed by children, women, then followed up people. Another prayer expected in St. Xavier’s church in west, then head towards KNPP.
The situation is indeed very much terrifying. We are concerned that some people may loose their life in this action. Already a large number of people have been falsely implicated under various charges and also under the charges of Sedition.
We urge you to immediately intervene in this matter and protect the constitutional and human rights of the people. The struggle has been completely peaceful and non violent even though it has been met with violence from police on many occasions.
Your immediate intervention is the ONLY WAY OUT. We would like to request suo-moto intervention from your side as the chairperson of NHRC.
Yours’ Sincerely,
Medha Patkar, Gabriele Dietrich, Geetha Pamakrishnan, Prafulla Samantara, Sandeep Pandey, Arundhati Dhuru, Roma, Gautam bandopadhyay, Sister Celia, Maj Gen (Retd.) S G Vombatkere, Vimal Bhai, Dr. Sunilam, Suniti S R, Akhil Gogoi, Sarasvathy Kavula, Ramakrishnan Raju, Bhupinder Singh Rawat, Anand mazgaonkar, Geo Jose, Rajendra Ravi, Madhuresh Kumar
For details : Madhuresh Kumar 9818905316 |
