PAMANGGAS condemns Nandigram massacre, Italian Metal Unions react to Singur

PAMANGGAS condemns Nandigram massacre, Italian Metal Unions react to Singur

Philippines - The PAMANGGAS (Panay Guimaras Peasant Solidarity) strongly condems the massacre of 14 farmers in Nandigram, West Bengal, India by the Indian police force.

The farmers, needs land and food. It is a horrible thing that instead of hearing their just demand the governmnent of India answers it with guns and bullets. This barbaric act of indian military police is not suited in this civilized world. It deserve world-wide condemnation.

It has shown that the government protects not the farmers but the multinational corporations who want to invest in the special economic zones of West Bengal. It is disgusting that while the governmnent is claiming that special economic zone will bring prosperity to the people of West Bengal and india in general farmers of india are massacred to stablish that economic zone.

We, peasants of Panay and Guimaras, Philippines are in one with the call of farmers and people of Nandigram, West Bengal’s call for justice! We must be strong in our struggle.

Let the blood of our peasant martyrs be a fire to lighten our way towards liberation.

Onward peasant struggle for genuine agrarian reform!

Fight for our food sovereignty!
Fight government Fascism!
Fight US imperialism.

Nilo Arado
Pamanggas

Italian Metal Unions Condemn Rights Violations in West Bengal, Call on Carmarkers to Move Plant from Singur
Posted to the IUF website 14-Mar-2007

The three Italian unions representing workers at Fiat, the multinational carmarker involved in joint production with the Indian conglomerate Tata - have called on Fiat management to take action to move the site of the planned small car plant in Singur, West Bengal. The plant would employ 2,000 workers, while up to 30,000 people will lose their land and livelihood, including agricultural labourers, marginal peasants, sharecroppers, cottage industry and other rural workers who would receive no compensation under the procedure. Strong resistance to the plant construction has been mounted by thousands of workers and small peasant farmers, supported by the IUF affiliate PBKMS.

Police repression and violence against the villagers has intensified, with 5,000 additional police recently deployed in the area.

The FIAT unions’ joint statement condemns the repressive measures taken against residents resisting the auto project and calls on both FIAT and TATA to press the West Bengal government to find an alternative site for the project which will not threaten local food production. The full text of the statement is available on the website of the International Metalworkers’ Federation here.

MASUM - partial list of injured persons, evolving list of missing persons - Nandigram

MASUM - partial list of injured persons, evolving list of missing persons - Nandigram

Incomplete List of Injured persons, so far gathered by MASUM -

Mr. Bhabani Giri , aged 45, bullet injury
Mr. Gopal Das, 30, injury right shoulder
Mr. Sk. Mazahar, 40, Injury right leg
Mrs. Bansari Acharya, 35, Injured
Mr. Abhijit Giri, injury in arms
Mrs. Sarnomoyee Das, 40, Injured
Mr. Salil Das Adhikari, 35, Injured
Mrs. Anuvha Kanrar, 30, injured
Mr. Saddam Hussien, 20, Injured
Mr. Parikshit Maity,
Mr. Prithis Das, 35, head injury
Mr. Ratikanta Das, 40, bullet injury
Mr. Sankha Gula, 50, bullet injury
Mrs. Manju Manna, 45, bullet injury in thigh
Mrs. Haimabati Halder, 45, bullet injury in thigh
Mr. Subodh Das, 50, injury
Kanak Das, 40, injured
Tapashi Das, 30, lacerated injury on buttock
Sita Maity, 47,
Gouri Mondal, 45,
Anjali Das, 55, head injury
Sk. Suraras, 30, Injury
Nirmal Mondal, 28, injury skull
Parikshit Dhara, 68,
Kanchan Mal, 50, bullet
Prajapati Hazra, 50,
Asoke Mondal, 50, head injury
Mani Rana, 30, bullet
Sambhu Pal, 25, Sonachura, deceased

List of injured police personnel:-

1.Biswajit Ghosh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Egra.
2.Pranab Chatterjee, Circle Inspector, Bhupatinagar
3.Sitangshu Sinha, 30, constable S.A.P. 12 battalion
4. Pijush Munda, constable, S.A.P. 12 battalion

The above named injured persons were all admitted Tamluk Mahakuma (Sub-Divisional) Hospital, East Midnapur. Many of the injured persons have been referred to Seth Sukhlal Karnani Hospital, Kolkata.

The information was collected by Mr. Sadhan Roy Chowdhury, Masum on his way to Nandigram in a team from the records of Tamluk Mahakuma (Sub-Divisional) Hospital, East Midnapur.

The injured persons were admitted on 14.3.2007 and 15.3.2007.

Sambhu Pal has been shown dead from the hospital records.

List of some missing persons in Nandigram

Mr. Subrata Patra s/o Lalu Patra of Sonachura
Mrs. Basanti Kar w/o Gora Chand Kar of Sonachura
Mr. Subrata Samanta @ Gura s/o Pranab Samanta of Soanachura
Mr. Musaraf Khan s/o Kaked Khan Nathchirachar
Mr. Badal Mondal s/o Gobardhan Mondal of 7 Jalpai
Mrs. Sabitri Bijoli w/o Sudarshan Bijoli of Sonchura
Mr. Ratikanta Das s/o Surendra Das of 7 Jalpai
Mr. Durga Pada Mondal of Roynagar
Mr. Rabindra Nath Das s/o Bhanu Das of 7 Jalpai
Mr. Subrata Bijoli s/o Late Sudarshan of Sonachura
Mr. Proloy Giri s/o Loba Giri of South khali
Mrs. Kalibala Patra w/o Nishi Patra of Kalicharanpur
Mrs. Swapna Patra w/o Bidhan Patra of Kalicharanpur
Mrs Srimati Das w/o Panchanan Das of Kalicharanpur
Mrs. Kalpana Patra w/o Bibhuti Patra of Kalicharanpur
Mrs. Basanti Bala Kar w/o Gora Chand Kar of Kalicharanpur
Mr. Tapas Kar s/o Gora Chand Kar of Kalicharanpur
Mr. Panchanan Das s/o Gunadhar of Keshabpur
Mr. Imadul @ raja s/o Manirul Islam of Jadubari Chowk

Factual Information

March 14 and onwards

1. Villagers in Nandigram killed in police firing on march 14th, when around 5000 policemen and many CPM cadre moved in to occupy the area.
2. Newspaper reports put the death toll between 6 and 32 (biases and govt censorship) but actual death toll is more than 100. (reference ) Hundreds more have been injured severely. Many women and children are among those killed and injured.
3. Around 600 people are missing according to latest reports on bengali news channels.
4. Contrary to CPI(M)'s claims, Trinamul congress and Maoists are not at the centrestage of the resistance against
   
5. There are reports that the govt is not letting people access to bodies of relatives, in fact bodies are being put in plastic bags and thrown into the sea.
6. Due to bold (and even violent) resistance by the people, some policemen have also been injured (not one has been killed). The govt and sections of the media are trying to exaggerate and shift focus to this.
7. The area had been a no-entry zone for policemen and the state administration for more than two months.
8. Many left-leaning intellectuals and artists have denounced the CPM and have strongly come out in support of the Nandigram villagers.
9. Intellectuals and artists who have protested strongly: Nabaneeta Dev Sen (writer), Romila Thapar (historian), Arundhati Roy (writer), Tanika Sarkar (historian), Sumit Sarkar (historian), Jean Dreze (Economist), Bibhas Chakraborty (theatre), Monoj Mitra (theatre), Ashoke Mukhopadhyay (theatre), Kaushik Sen (theatre), Bratya Basu (theatre), Nabarun Bhattacharya (writer)

Background info

1. 22,500 acres of land to be acquired for chemical hub SEZ by multi-national salim group of indonesia.
2. On 2 January 2007, a notice was officially issued by HDA that initially about 14,500 acres of land in Nandigram.
3. Clashes between people and police and CPM cadre on 3rd Jan.
4. Since then violent incidents have been frequent, and the villagers have put up stiff resistance. (Medha Patkar's report )
   
5. Social activists had already warned of a growing build-up of CPM cadre and policemen around Nandigram.
   
6. Krishi Bhumi Uchched Virodhi Samiti is the organisation of the villagers. The Trinamul Congress, main opposition party, is externally supporting it.
7. Nandigram is a predominantly Muslim area and an erstwhile CPM support zone. Muslim organisations were among the first to get active.