Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The third of the CPI(M)'s Sandesh Jatha


Northern Jatha Flagged Off  from Jallianwala Bagh
The third of the CPI(M)'s Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha – the Northern Jatha – began its journey from historic city Amritsar today. Earlier, Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) paid tributes to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh before embarking on the Jatha.
The Jatha team was received at Jallianwala Bagh with warmth from hundreds of people assembled there from across the state. Led by Vijay Mishra, the coordinator for the Jatha in Punjab and member of the State secretariat of the CPI (M) Punjab, Brinda Karat laid a wreath at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial.
Davinder Singh Josh, son of Sohan Singh Josh, one of the founders of communist movement in Punjab, handed over the Jatha flag to Brinda Karat.
Addressing the media afterwards, Ms Karat said that the people of India are in search of a better alternative, which is completely different from the Congress and BJP who are representing corporate interests rather those of people. She said that the message of these Jathas is to invite the public to consider the alternatives that are being presented by CPI(M).
Replying to a question on “with whom the CPI(M) will fight the next elections”, she said that the party will be representing the people’s interests and will fight the elections for safeguarding their interests. She dismissed Modi’s claim that BJP is the only alternative to Congress. She termed both the Congress and BJP as two different sides of the same coin and when they are power in Delhi, they will toe the neo-liberal policies in the interest of foreign and national monopoly capitalist.
She expressed anguish about the condition of people living in border districts. She said that their sources of livelihood and opportunities are continuously under threat from the border disputes. She reminded the gathering about the history of Amritsar which was a centre for cross border trade till the border disputes set in and ousted lakhs of people.
Brinda Karat called up on the public to participate in the party’s Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha in big numbers and make success the March 19th public meeting that is going to be held in Delhi marking the culmination of the four nationwide Jathas.
Members of the Central Committee of the party, Hannan Mollah, Inderjeet Singh, Charan Singh Vridhi and Rajender Sharma, participated in this flag handing over ceremony. Memoona Mollah, Vijay Mishra and other leaders too were present.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Eviction of vendors of the Luneta Park

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – HUNGER ALERTS PROGRAMME

Eviction of vendors of the Luneta Park
Hunger Alert Update: AHRC-HAU-001-2013


28 February 2013
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[RE: AHRC-HAC-004-2013: PHILIPPINES: Vendors face forced eviction and food insecurity]
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PHILIPPINES: Vendors of the Luneta Park forcibly evicted
ISSUES: Right to food; inhuman and degrading treatment; hunger, starvation, corruption; impunity; rule of law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information Defend Job Philippines about the eviction of vendors of the Luneta Park. The National Parks Development Committee evicted the vendors from their livelihood places inside Luneta Park on 27 February, 2013 despite the protest of the vendors and some support groups. The NPDC moved in with a huge contingent of police personnel and SWAT team leaving the outnumbered vendors with no choice other than leaving. Faced with the threat of violence and confiscation of their wares, the vendors led by the People’s Democratic Hawkers’ and Vendors’ Alliance (PDHVA) moved out of the park. For now, the vendors have set up their stalls near National Museum in the vicinity of Luneta Park. (Please see the previous hunger alert raising human rights concerns regarding the imminent eviction of the vendors.)
UPDATED INFORMATION:

The vendors of the Luneta Park were forcibly evicted by the National Parks Development Committee on 27 February 2013. The NPDC moved in the park with a huge contingent of police personnel and SWAT teams and ordered the vendors out. Though the vendors and some support groups strived to resist the order but faced with threats of violence and confiscation of their goods they had no choice other than moving out.
The vendors, led by People’s Democratic Hawkers’ and Vendors’ Alliance (PDHVA), moved out of the Park and have been temporarily putting up near National Museum in the close proximity of the Park. The vendors have been living under continuous threat of eviction for more than a week and now, having been finally evicted, face an uncertain future with serious threats to their food security.
Though the NPDC had attributed the eviction to the beautification programme for attracting more tourists, the AHRC has been told that the real reason behind the eviction is NPDC’s plans of binging in big food chains owned by private companies inside the park.
As addressed in the previous hunger alert, the Manila Police has served a notice of eviction on them through the Ermita Police Station. The notice informs them about the imminent eviction of them from all areas of the Luneto Park on 22 February while also telling them that the police would assist the National Parks Development Authority in the endeavour.
Most of the vendors have been living and vending their wares in the park for more than 15 years while some have spent even 30 years in park. Organised under the People’s Democratic Hawkers’ and Vendors’ Alliance (PDHVA), the vendors have approached the authorities innumerable times for getting their legitimate rights. The authorities, however, have been relentless in their persecution especially in the Phase 2, 3 and 4 inside the Park. Many of the vendors even live inside the park and sleep in their carts as their meager incomes do not allow them to afford renting a house and commute to the park daily. Forced eviction will force them into destitution.
The vendors has been hounded and arrested in the past at the behest of the NPDC. The situation remained unchanged even after 2004 when the Department of Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the vendors’ representatives and granted them the rights selling their wares inside the park while continuing with the negotiations. The vendors were also given a moving cart in exchange for them agreeing to keep the Park clean and orderly. The organised livelihood programme would have contributed to maintain the historical and cultural heritage of the Park but it was revoked unilaterally by the new NPDC director Juliet Vegas when she took charge. She ordered eviction of the vendors and demolition of their carts inside the park and led to huge chaos. Many vendors had to flee the Park.
The vendors led by PDHVA successfully resisted the assault and forced the NPDC to revoke a demolition order in first quarter of 2011. Further negotiations between the authorities and the vendors resulted in NPDC promising them better place in exchange for their former vending places while also asserting that it did not want the Park to look like a market. The authorities, however, surprised the vendors by going back on its promise and setting up tents in their former vending places for rent every Friday and Monday.
The director of NPDC issued another verbal order with no statutory backing ordering the vendors to pay a rent of 300 Pesos in phase 4 and 200 Pesos in phase 2. NPDC rationalized its order by arguing that they wanted to recover their expenses in setting up tents which they had rented out to big business including Retail Chains. The coming of these stores in the Park adversely affected the already dwindling income of the vendors who were now also forced to pay the unaffordable rents.
The NPDC delivered another blow to the vendors in Feburary 2012 by going back on its promise of giving them alternative space and asserted that it wanted to turn Luneta Park into a Zero Vending Zone. The vendors then approached the Department of Tourism which asked the NPDC to resolve the problem of the vendors but NPDC Director Juliet Villegas ignored the recommendation.
NPDC, instead of following the recommendation, upped the ante against the vendors and has been harassing and threatening them ever since. It forcibly evicted 15 vendors on February 6, 2012 inside the Halamanang Pilipino followed by another eviction of vendors and confiscation of their goods and personal belongings on February 15, 2012. The authorities launched another attack on the vendors on March 27, 2012 when more than 20 security person confiscated all the goods and personal belongings of the vendors while also physically assaulting them. They reportedly punched a pregnant vendor and brutally attacked the others.
The illegality of the attack is betrayed by the fact that vendors approached city mayor and got their confiscated goods released.
To assuage the vendors, officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development approached them and asked them to fill up forms to work as street sweepers and immediately vacate their vending spaces. The employment offered, however was just for 3 months, leaving the vendors, dependent on daily earnings, with no choice other than refusing to accept it. The current assault continues the cycle of violence and intimidation against them and exposes them to hunger.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please express your concern and anger against the eviction of the vendors despite large-scale resentment against the same.
The AHRC is communicating separately to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the right to adequate food and on the right to health respectively seeking an intervention in the case.
To support this appeal, please click here: 

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,
PHILIPPINES: Vendors of the Luneta Park forcibly evicted

Name of the victims: Vendors of the Luneta Park,
Alleged Perpetrators: Officials of NPDC and Manila Police,
Place of incident: Manila, Philippines

I am writing to voice my deep anguish against forcible eviction of the vendors of the Luneta Park by the National Parks Development Committee on 27 February 2013. The NPDC moved in the park with a huge contingent of police personnel and SWAT teams and ordered the vendors out. Though the vendors and some support groups strived to resist the order but faced with threats of violence and confiscation of their goods they had no choice other than moving out.
The vendors, led by People’s Democratic Hawkers’ and Vendors’ Alliance (PDHVA), moved out of the Park and have been temporarily putting up near National Museum in the close proximity of the Park. The vendors have been living under continuous threat of eviction for more than a week and now, having been finally evicted, face an uncertain future with serious threats to their food security.
Though the NPDC had attributed the eviction to the beautification programme for attracting more tourists, the AHRC has been told that the real reason behind the eviction is NPDC’s plans of binging in big food chains owned by private companies inside the park.
As addressed in the previous hunger alert, the Manila Police has served a notice of eviction on them through the Ermita Police Station. The notice informs them about the imminent eviction of them from all areas of the Luneto Park on 22 February while also telling them that the police would assist the National Parks Development Authority in the endeavour.
Most of the vendors have been living and vending their wares in the park for more than 15 years while some have spent even 30 years in park. Organised under the People’s Democratic Hawkers’ and Vendors’ Alliance (PDHVA), the vendors have approached the authorities innumerable times for getting their legitimate rights. The authorities, however, have been relentless in their persecution especially in the Phase 2, 3 and 4 inside the Park. Many of the vendors even live inside the park and sleep in their carts as their meager incomes do not allow them to afford renting a house and commute to the park daily. Forced eviction will force them into destitution.
The vendors has been hounded and arrested in the past at the behest of the NPDC. The situation remained unchanged even after 2004 when the Department of Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the vendors’ representatives and granted them the rights selling their wares inside the park while continuing with the negotiations. The vendors were also given a moving cart in exchange for them agreeing to keep the Park clean and orderly. The organised livelihood programme would have contributed to maintain the historical and cultural heritage of the Park but it was revoked unilaterally by the new NPDC director Juliet Vegas when she took charge. She ordered eviction of the vendors and demolition of their carts inside the park and led to huge chaos. Many vendors had to flee the Park.
The vendors led by PDHVA successfully resisted the assault and forced the NPDC to revoke a demolition order in first quarter of 2011. Further negotiations between the authorities and the vendors resulted in NPDC promising them better place in exchange for their former vending places while also asserting that it did not want the Park to look like a market. The authorities, however, surprised the vendors by going back on its promise and setting up tents in their former vending places for rent every Friday and Monday.
The director of NPDC issued another verbal order with no statutory backing ordering the vendors to pay a rent of 300 Pesos in phase 4 and 200 Pesos in phase 2. NPDC rationalized its order by arguing that they wanted to recover their expenses in setting up tents which they had rented out to big business including Retail Chains. The coming of these stores in the Park adversely affected the already dwindling income of the vendors who were now also forced to pay the unaffordable rents.
The NPDC delivered another blow to the vendors in Feburary 2012 by going back on its promise of giving them alternative space and asserted that it wanted to turn Luneta Park into a Zero Vending Zone. The vendors then approached the Department of Tourism which asked the NPDC to resolve the problem of the vendors but NPDC Director Juliet Villegas ignored the recommendation.
NPDC, instead of following the recommendation, upped the ante against the vendors and has been harassing and threatening them ever since. It forcibly evicted 15 vendors on February 6, 2012 inside the Halamanang Pilipino followed by another eviction of vendors and confiscation of their goods and personal belongings on February 15, 2012. The authorities launched another attack on the vendors on March 27, 2012 when more than 20 security person confiscated all the goods and personal belongings of the vendors while also physically assaulting them. They reportedly punched a pregnant vendor and brutally attacked the others.
The illegality of the attack is betrayed by the fact that vendors approached city mayor and got their confiscated goods released.
To assuage the vendors, officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development approached them and asked them to fill up forms to work as street sweepers and immediately vacate their vending spaces. The employment offered, however was just for 3 months, leaving the vendors, dependent on daily earnings, with no choice other than refusing to accept it. The current assault continues the cycle of violence and intimidation against them and exposes them to hunger.
I, therefore urge you to,
1. Immediately reinstate the vendors in the Luneta Park,
2. Ensure that zero vending policy and the continued harassment of vendors under the same is stooped,
3. Ensure than genuine livelihood project for the vendors and their families is devised in consultation with their representatives,
4. Prosecute those guilty of the violations of the human rights of the vendors.

Yours sincerely,
----------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Benigno Aquino III
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
2. Ms. Loretta Ann Rosales
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
E-mail: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com
3. Corazon Juliano-Soliman
Secretary, Department of Social, Welfare and Development
Constitution Hills, Batasan Pambansa Complex,
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Tel/Fax: +63 (2) 931-81-91
4. Sec. Joel Rocamora
Lead Convener
National Anti-Poverty Commission
3rd Floor, Agricultural Training Institute Building
Elliptical Road, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 927 9796 / 426 5249
Email: napc.gov@gmail.com
5. Director
National Parks Development Committee
NPDC Compound
T. M Kalaw St, Rizal Park, Ermita
Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +633027119
Email: info@nationalparks.ph
6. Secretary,
Department of Tourism
T.F. Valencia Circle
T.M. Kalaw St., Rizal Park
Manila.
PHILIPPINES
Email: webmaster@tourism.gov.ph
7. Mr. Jean Zeigler
UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Attn: Mr. Carlos Villan Duran
C/o OHCHR-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10,
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9300
Fax: +41 22 9179010
Email: sect.hchr@unog.ch
8. Ms. Raquel ROLNIK
UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing
Attn: Ms. Cecilia Moller
Room 4-066/010
C/o UNOG-OHCHR
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9265
Fax: +41 22 917 9010 (ATTENTION: SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ADEQUATE HOUSING)
Email: urgent-action@ohchr.org
Thank you
Right to Food Programme (foodjustice@ahrc.asia)
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

Friday, February 22, 2013

Forum against EWS Land Grab


Fri, Feb 22, 2013 at 9:09 AM
A Protest Demonstration on 4th March 
Dear Friends !
Greetings !

We are sending you our appeal for your solidarity and support on behalf of National Movement For Land, Labor and Justice- NMLLJ and Forum against EWS Land Grab, Bangalore Karnataka.

Hope you are already aware of the illegal-demolition and  eviction of 1200 families from a slum  in Bangalore,  where they were living for more than 20 years .

This brutal action was enacted by the combined violence of police, pvt goons, and government officials.The whole purpose is to grab the 15.64 acres of prime land on which they were living.  it is between Jan 18--20. but even today the evicted people are living on footpath. this is the first where a `corporate land sharing project ` under PPP is being introduced in entire south India, in Urban poor Housing. If this move is not resisted , it only pave way to more and more land grab from slum people all over. What we are experiencing in the country is  the diminishing Democracy and flourishing Corporatocracy.

At this Juncture we request all democratic organization at Delhi to extend support and solidarity in resisting, exposing and get back the land grabbed from the social groups -historically marginalized.

.We seek your support and solidarity in organizing a protest Demonstration on 4th March at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and a CSO consultation on 6th at Delhi. A strong struggle  group  from Forum against EWS Land Grab, Bangalore Karnataka.

We request you to play a prominent / leading role in actualizing  organized mass protest at Delhi on 4th march. Around 20 people from Bangalore forum that led the struggle so far, will be joining the protest.
Please see these attachments & Photos for more details.

M.R.Prabhakar
Convener,  Forum against EWS Land Grab, Bangalore
09449820566.

ARUN KHOTE
राष्ट्रीय भूमि, श्रम  एवं न्याय आन्दोलन
National Movement For Land, Labor and Justice-NMLLJ
222,Vidhayak Niwas, Aishbagh Road, Rajendra Nagar
Lucknow -226004 Utter Pradesh (INDIA)
Mob: 91#9451872099


At Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

Thursday, February 21, 2013

The protestors included large number of women


Workers jammed the railway track and held a rally
The nationwide strike call given by the 11 Central Trade Unions and various independent federations, unions and associations had an effective participation on the second day today. The workers affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), INTUC, BMS, CTU, TUCC and CITU observed strike today in their respective industries and other institutions and thereafter they gathered at Bus stand from where they marched to the Provident Fund Office in Sham Nagar. After that workers in Thousands went to the Loco Diesel Shed and jammed the railway track and held a rally. Today’s protest rally  was presided over by Com Om Parkash Mehta - AITUC, Com Jatinder Pal Singh of CITU and  Shri Swaran Singh of INTUC, Com Paramjeet Singh of CTU, Sh Nageshwar Singh of BMS, Shri Sham Narain Yadav of TUCC. Speaking on the occasion state leaders Com Raghunath Singh, General Secretary of CITU Punjab,  Com. Inderjeet Singh- President CTU Punjab, Com Paramjeet Singh of CTU, Sh. Swaran Singh- President INTUC Punjab, Hari Singh Sahni-TUCC and Com D P Maur member state working committee AITUC.
The speakers said that yesterday’s strike was a complete success and it reflected the growing resentment among the working class against the anti people policies of the government.  They demanded minimum wages to be fixed by the Punjab Govt. @ for unskilled workers Rs 10,000, Semi Skilled 15,000, Skilled workers 20,000 per month, end to contractual and outsourcing and filling up of all govt. and semi govt. posts on regular basis, to disband the new pension policy effective from 1.1.2004 and implement the same old pension scheme on all employees. They also demanded creation of social security fund for the workers of the unorganized sector.   They cited low wages in the state as major reason for the shortage of labour in the state. They demanded all anti worker acts recently promulgated by the Punjab government to be withdrawn with immediate effect. The speakers said that the labour laws in the state are being flouted by both public and private sector with impunity. The contractual workers in both the sectors be regularized hence forth.  These must be implemented in letter and spirit. They deplored that under the process of so called globalization and privatization at the diktat of the world bank and International Monetary Fund ,  the economic policies of both central and state governments there has been accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few, while vast majority is suffering under acute poverty and unemployment. Latest reports have indicated that 100 top rich families in India own assets to the tune of 16 lakh crores of rupees where as 70% are forced to live on meager spending of Rs. 16.60  per day.  Speaking on the occasion Com. Tarsem Jodhan, Com D P Maur, Com Ram Lal, Jagdish Chand and Gurjeet Singh Jagpal, Gulzar Singh Gorea opposed FDI in banks, LIC and retail as this will hit the job situation hard for the employees and also the production in the small scale sector. They also demanded  regular jobs and equal wages for ASHA, Aanganwadi and mid day meal workers. They warned that if the govt. does not change its economic policies benefitting the rich and the corporate sector, then more militant agitations   are on the anvil. Others who addressed include Com Bhagirath Paliwal, Suresh Sood, Gurnam Gill, Laddoo shah, Haniuman Prasad Dubey, Samar Bahadur, Gurnam Sidhu, Kameshwar Yadav, Sarbjit Singh Sarhali, Manjeet Singh Buta, Charan Dass, Amarnath Kumkalan, S K Tiwari and Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Com Naresh Gaur, Dr Arun Mitra and Shri Gurbaksh Rai.
The protestors included large number of women, construction workers, industrial workers, Public health workers,  contractual workers, Corporation workers, roadways  and others sections of workers and employees.  

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Comrade Dipankar passed away

His loss would be sorely felt in the movemental 
In the photo above - Dipankar Chakrabarty (seated on the right) at a peoples’ hearing in Singur
Dipankar Chakraborty (1941-2013)//From Sanhati
January 29, 2013
Dipankar Chakraborty, leftist author and activist, and editor of the Bengali political magazine ‘Aneek’, passed away at 10.05 PM on 27th January, at his Teghoria residence in Kolkata following a cardiac arrest. He was one of the founder members of APDR (Association for Protection of Democratic Rights). At the time of death he was one of the Vice Presidents of APDR. Aneek was launched in 1964 and has been published uninterruptedly since; except for the 19 months when Chakraborty was in jail during the Emergency. He had been a dedicated supporter of and participant in peoples’ movements in West Bengal, while not holding back from criticizing what he felt were failings of these movements. His loss would be sorely felt in the movemental and intellectual space in Bengal.
Press Release from Aneek
Dipankar Chakroborty (71), the founder-editor of the independent Left journal, ANEEK, passed away on Sunday night. A cardiac patient, he had suffered respiratory problem last evening and died on the way to hospital. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter and grandchildren.
He was born in Dhaka in 1941 and grew up in Murshidabad after the partition. Educated in Baharampur and Kolkata, Chakroborty taught economics at Krishnanath college at Baharampur. he later settled in Kolkata.
A veteran of the Left movement since the sixties, he began publishing and editing ANEEK since 1964 when ruptures in the CPI on ideo-political issues led to first split and birth of the CPI(M).
In the wake of the Naxalbari uprising three years later that had triggered the second split and birth of the CPI(ML), Chakroborty did not join the new party. But he made ANEEK an independent forum for debates on contemporary communist movement, both national and international.
Under his stewardship, ANEEK has become one of the leading left periodical in Bengal and among the few ‘little magazines’ which have survived five decades against all odds. He himself was an accomplished political commentator and had several books to his credit. Chakroborty was jailed by the S.S Roy government during the Emergency. A life-long defender of human rights, he was also one of the founders of Association for Protection of Democratic Rights and its vice-president.
He was always active in the campaigns of release of political prisoners irrespective of the creed of the ruling parties and governments since the seventies. He stood by peoples’ movements and joined protests in their support despite his failng health– from Maruti to Nonadanga.
He was also one of the founders of Peoples’ Books Society, a major publication house and a enthusiast of Little Magazine movement in Bengal.
Noted novelist and activist Mahasveta Devi who knew Chakroborty closely expressed her ‘profound shock’. ” I am deeply grieved. It’s an irreplaceable loss for the human rights movement as well as for me,” the octogenarian writer said. Poet Sankhaya Ghosh, also mourned Chakroborty’s death. ” I feel like losing a near and dear one,” he said. (Courtesy:Sanhati)