Attacks by Orissa Govt., local police and Admn. as well TATA’s goons against the tribals of Kalinganagar continue with increased intensity. A team of intellectuals recently visited the area and met the tribals opposing their displacement to give land for TATA’s proposed steel plant. The team also met ADM. The team comprised of Prof. Ish Mishra (Delhi University), Dr. N. Bhattacharyya, (Retd. Prof. Delhi University) of Janhastakshep of Delhi and Prof. (Retd.) Neelmani Sahu (Berhampur University). A team of Janhastakshep, a civil rights and intellectuals’ organization of Delhi that had visited the area in 2006 after the killing of 14 tribal peasants revisited the area on 17^th March 2010 after the news of harassment of the people at the hands of police and TATA’s hired goons.

In a statement issued by the team on March 18, 2010 after their visit to the area day earlier, said that in the name of the project, the govt. is enforcing an undeclared blockade of the area. The schools and anganbadi centres and public distribution shops in the area are closed. There are no health care facilities and people do not venture out under the fear of arrest. Many people who did go out for some urgent work were picked up by the police and detained under various charges including murder and rape. Not only this relatives have stopped visiting them as the police catches them also and harasses them for couple of days. The elected sarpanches of the area told us that they are not allowed to function by the administration.

The team found that the local youth, working in different establishments in the area as daily wage earners under various contractors were dismissed from their jobs for not accepting the govt. orders of the displacement. We were told by the local leaders of BBJM that the police oppression is gradually increasing. Before 2006 firing there was one police station in the area, now there are four police stations. There are cases of armed police raids in the dead of the night arresting some activists of the area without any legal document. There is an undeclared emergency in the area.

The team found the people firm on their resolve of No Displacement despite ongoing repression and harassment.

In 2006, the ADM of Kalinganagar had categorically told the team that 75% of the tribals in the area were encroachers in the forest land that belonged to the govt. This time when the team met the ADM of the same govt., he informed us that under 2006 Forest Rights Act the state govt. has started a survey in the area and that the pattas will be issued to the tribals families under this Act. The team wants a public announcement by the state govt. that the land rights of the tribals will be protected under the 2006 Forest Rights Act.

The team, was of the opinion that there is a well thought out plan by the vested interest to acquire land and other natural resources of the area ignoring laws of this country and unleashing all the fascist forces of the state and the corporate world. It is clear that the govt. has learned nothing from 2006 mass killing and is threatening people with severe consequences.

The team demanded:

1. A judicial enquiry by a sitting High Court Judge on the infringement of the fundamental rights of Adivasi people under the Constitution of India and the role of the local administration. We are surprised to learn that the judicial enquiry instituted by the Govt. after 2006 mass killing is yet to submit its report.
2. The rights of the tribals given under the 2006 Forest Rights Act have to be implemented in letter and spirit.
3. All the arrested people must be released immediately and the fake cases leveled against them are to be withdrawn with immediate effect.
4. All the infrastructural facilities, namely the drinking water, health care, education, PDS should be restored without any loss of time. The free movement of people can not be restrained by any authority under Indian constitution; the local administration should implement it.