kbkonline: Fwd: [focusorissa] Murdering tribals in Narayanpatna: A challenge for the Human Rights Defenders

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: achyutdas <achyutdas@agragamee.org>
Date: Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 8:48 AM
Subject: [focusorissa] Murdering tribals in Narayanpatna: A challenge for the Human Rights Defenders
To: focusorissa@gmail.com, focusorissa@yahoogroups.com

Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I have been going through all the Reports and Press
Statements of various Fact Finding Missions. One thing that has come out
clearly is that it is a cold-blooded murder of the tribals. It seems apart
from the two who were killed by the police on the spot, three more have died
of bullet injuries. More may die soon.

A few questions that are coming up need answers. They are as follows:

1.. Is the Police Version published in the Media true? Were the tribals
planning to attack the Narayanpatna Police Station? Has there been any real
Gun-snatching? Has there been any administrative inquiry? What is the Post
Mortem Report indicating?
2.. Was the firing avoidable? Why didn't police fire in the air to scare
away the mob? Why so many rounds of firing? Has there been any conspiracy to
kill the tribal leaders like Singanna?
3.. Is the Report published by Media manipulated? How far is the media
report INDEPENDENT AND UNBIASED?
4.. Why isn't this Police Firing creating a storm in the state? This is
in comparison to the Police Firing at Maikanch and Kalinganagar?
5.. Why are the mainstream political parties silent?
6.. Who is behind this killing? The local moneylenders and liquor brewers?
The local Mining companies? The local Politicians? The police bosses? How
much money has been raised to execute this killing?
7.. Why is the protest by Human Rights Organisations so feeble?
I remember very much the case of Police Firing at Maikanch, Kashipur on Dec
16, 2000 in which the Police, the Politicians and the Media were blaming
everything on the tribals and Agragamee and how much pressure was on the
Navin Patnaik Govt. to arrest me as the main instigator. As it was evident,
in the Justice PK Mishra Commission Report, the firing was avoidable. More
to it, there were evidence that the then Collector and SP had got telephonic
instruction from one Cabinet Minister to go for the Police Firing. The local
doctor who had conducted the Post Mortem had confessed that one Police
Inspector had requested him to make a thin cut in his neck and then stitched
up to create an impression that he had been injured by the tribal arrows.
Under pressure the local doctor has conducted such a false operation and
the Inspector was with the bandage to show to the public that he was truly
injured! It was also stated by the then the Norwegian CEO of Utkal Alumina
that he knew who were behind this killing but later on backtracked from his
statement.This corporate must have spent huge money to organise this
killing. If you remember, there was so much protest in Norway on this
killing and involvement of Utkal Alumina that the Norwegian Partner Norsk
Hydro was forced to withdraw.

There were so much outcry over Maikanch Police Firing that the Chief
Minister Mr. Navin Patnaik was forced to institute a commission of inquiry.
It was initially to be conducted by a senior official of the Government who
was found to be a sympathiser of the Mining Companies and was instrumental
in banning Agragamee. When the Chief Minister came to know about this, the
Govt. had appointed Justice PK Mishra to undertake the Commission of
Inquiry. Even though the Commission of Inquiry Report had indicted the
police and especially the OIC of Kashipur, this officer was allowed to
continue for more than 3 years even after the firing and the report was
published. Those who were responsible for police firing got their promotion.
The ultimate result is that people of Kashipur were traumatised by the
firing. Hunderds of people were booked ion false cases and many of them were
in jail. All these harassments led to reopening of Utkal Alumina. From all
these one can imagine what was the real intention of Maikanch Police Firing!

Nevertheless, now the Chief Minister should have the basic respect for the
lives of the innocent citizens and should take steps to institute a
commission of inquiry. All Human Rights Defenders must admits that there has
been a severe violation of fundamental rights of the tribals and a process
should begin to go to the heart of the matter and demand justice.Let the
mobilisation begin!

With best wishes,

Achyut Das

------------------------------------
Achyut Das
Director
Agragamee
Kashipur -765015
Rayagada Orissa
India
Phone: 06865 285149/0674 2551123
Fax: 0674 2551130
e-mail: achyutdas@agragamee.org /agragamee@satyam.net.in
Blog: http://friendsofkashipur.blogspot.com
website:www.agragamee.org