Monday, August 22, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
TAMILNADU: HUGE CHIDAMBARAM RALLY MARKS AIKS 75 YEARS
Dr T Raj Pravin
THE town of Chidambaram witnessed celebratory events on July 31 marking the 75th year of the formation of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS). However, the celebrations had begun a week before, when AIKS flags were hosted in ten thousand villages of Tamilnadu. Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar was the chief speaker at the public meeting organised by Tamilnadu Vivasaigal Sangam, state level affiliate of the AIKS. The meeting began with the welcome address by G R Ravichandran, district secretary of the AIKS.
As a part of the AIKS 75th anniversary celebrations, a sacrifice torch was brought from Thiruvarur; it was here that Tamilnadu Vivasaigal Sangam was started in the past. Also, a Venmani torch toured across the state, highlighting the earlier peasant struggles in the Cauvery delta region. Both these torches were handed over to dignitaries on the dais. The services of senior peasant leaders were appreciated as a part of the function; they were presented mementos and gifts on behalf of the AIKS.
More than ten thousand peasants from across Tamilnadu attended the public meeting and on this occasion the temple city of Chidambaram wore a festive look with Red flags fluttering all around.
Manik Sarkar, addressing this gathering of Tamilnadu peasants, highlighted the corruption charges faced by stalwarts of the Congress as well as the BJP. He emphasised the role played by the AIKS in meeting the basic needs and rights of common peasants from the days of the British rulers. In the best interest of the nation, Left leaders have always been stressing the need of radical land reforms from the days of Jawaharlal Nehru down to the present day of Manmohan Singh dispensation. But not much has come out of it. In spite of repeated representations from Left parties, peasants are neither able to get agricultural inputs at subsidised prices nor remunerative prices for their agricultural produce. Irrigation infrastructure continues to remain in a pathetic stage, he said.
Sarkar pointed out that about 2,13,000 farmers had committed suicides due to farm related problems in the last 12 years, but instead of taking effective steps to arrest this trend, the Congress government has been shedding crocodile tears only, with the aim of reaping votes during the state level and all-India elections. Instead of protecting the peasants, this government is busy protecting the interests of corporate houses like the Tatas, Birlas, Reliance, Dalmias and others. The black money stashed away in Swiss banks can be used to solve many of our present day problems but the Congress and the BJP are in reality interested in saving the culprits. Instead of creating new jobs, false promises are made on employment generation while lakhs of government jobs are lying vacant across various departments.
Sarkar further said the 2G spectrum scam involving A Raja of the DMK, the Commonwealth Games scam involving Suresh Kalmadi and some other scams, with their perpetrators now lodged in Tihar Jail, have brought to light the serious state of corruption growing under the ruling regime today. On the other hand, the BJP is also facing corruption charges in regard to mining in Karnataka, showing the BJP leadership in its true colours. It is only the Left parties that have set an example of probity and integrity in public life. Their record is very much in the knowledge of the common man of this country.
K Varadha Rajan, general secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha, spoke in detail on the need to distribute fallow land among the landless poor and also highlighted the role of AIKS in combating the caste based discrimination at the village level. He dared the DMK leader, M Karunanidhi, to expose the corruption cases involving the BJP and the Congress. Highlighting the success of erstwhile Left Front government of West Bengal in effecting land reforms, he suggested that the peasant leaders of Tamilnadu must identify lands to be distributed among the agrarian community.
In his presidential address, AIKS state president K Balakrishnan highlighted the land grab issue in Cuddalore district where multinational companies and Indian corporate houses have acquired 10,000 acres of land belonging to small and marginal farmers. He focused on how Cuddalore district is likely to become a hub of pollution, how thousands of agricultural labourers are on the verge of losing their jobs here and how marginalised communities are likely to be displaced from their habitats where they have been settled for several generations. He also stressed on the need for organised struggles to safeguard the interest of agrarian community in Tamilnadu.
T Elumalai, general secretary of the Tamilnadu Sugarcane Farmers Association, highlighted the success of the peasant struggles of 2009, including the march to parliament by sugarcane growers for implementation of the state advised prices (SAP) by all sugar mills across the nation. He also highlighted the notable work done by the AIKS in protecting the farmers from the clutches of moneylenders and farm credit institutions.
G Veeriyan, former general secretary of the Tamilnadu state unit of the AIKS, mentioned the sacrifices made by the AIKS in upholding the rights of the peasantry. Now that the fourth generation of kisan leaders is in the fray, the AIKS must chart out new paths for the upcoming kisan leaders about organising peasant movements in the best interests of the agrarian community.
AIKS state secretary Professor R Chandra, in her address, made a mention of the two centuries of the British rule in India and the struggles that led to achievement of independence in 1947. Today we are on the verge of losing our hard won independence and that Indian farming is becoming a prey to multinational corporations. Our agriculture minister is busy talking to cricketers rather than to the farmer representatives, she said, adding that instead of protecting the agrarian community, the present generations of the Congress and DMK leadership are busy protecting the interests of multinationals like Cargill and Monsanto.
AIKS state general secretary Shanmugam spoke in detail on the occasion, explaining the corruption charges labelled against some DMK leaders, which have landed them in Tihar Jail in Delhi. He also emphasised the role played by Tamilnadu Vivasaiyal Sangam in bringing the Karnataka High Court chief justice Dinakaran to book in the land grabbing case and later his resignation.
The organising committee, headed by Moosa, had made elaborate arrangements for this mass gathering. Zakier Hussain, treasurer of the Tamilnadu Vivasigal Sangam, proposed the vote of thanks before the meeting concluded on a positive note regarding the continuation and intensification of peasant struggles and movements in the days to come.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy
TAMILNADU CPI (M) HOLDS SPECIAL CONVENTION ON SRI LANKAN TAMILS ISSUE
R Chandra
THE CPI(M) Tamilnadu state committee organised a special convention on 'Equal Rights and Political Solution to the Issue of Sri Lankan Tamils ' on July 30, at Periyar Thidal, Chennai. The convention was to highlight the need for an urgent political solution to the issue of the right of Sri Lankan Tamils to live in Sri Lanka with dignity and equality of rights.
Inaugurating the convention, Prakash Karat, CPI{M} general secretary pointed out that though the armed conflict was over two years ago, the Sri Lankan government has failed to solve the problems of the Tamils.The SriLankan president Rajapakse promised to take up the issue of Tamils after the parliament elections, but did not fulfil the promise. Instead, he has strengthened the process of militarisation and resorts to delay tactics. Provision of autonomy and devolution of powers are necessary for the Sri Lankan State to remain united. This has not been done. Prakash Karat referred to the atrocities committed on civilians and innocent people during the last phase of the armed conflict and demanded a high level and credible enquiry into the atrocities so as to nail the responsibility of the authorities concerned and make them accountable. The Sri Lankan government is in a denial mode. The UN panel report has brought out the atrocities committed by both sides. Hence, the human rights violations must be thoroughly enquired into. The Sri Lankan government should constitute an independent enquiry commission to enquire into the human rights violations.
Prakash Karat pointed out that, at this juncture, the important question concerns the rehabilitation and resettlement of the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Even though the armed conflict is over, they are unable to return to their homes. The help extended by India for such activities as construction of houses has not reached the people in distress. He reiterated that the major barrier to go forward towards settlement is the failure to dismantle the military regime in the affected areas. There is emergency rule and the army plays an important role in the administration. It has become a concern for all democratic forces in India and Sri Lanka. He also stressed the need for a fresh approach. Genuine autonomy is the only way to solve this problem. Karat stated that the government of India should use its diplomacy to urge the Sri Lankan government to fulfil its commitment to go for a political solution. Prakash Karat urged the Sri Lankan government to immediately take up measures for rehabilitation and resettlement , restoration of normalcy, setting up a high level enquiry to make all those accountable for the human rights violations in order to win the trust of the Tamil people, demilitarisation, end of emergency rule and working out a political settlement without any further delay.
The leader of the Tamil National Alliance (which recently won a massive mandate in the local body elections in the Northern and Eastern regions of Sri Lanka) and a member of the Sri Lankan parliament Suresh Premachandran, in his powerful and moving address, pleaded that the Sri Lankan Tamil issue should not be looked at as the problem of Tamils and Tamilnadu alone, but as a problem faced by India. The Rajapakse led ruling alliance tried to hoodwink the Tamil voters by giving freebies during election to win the elections somehow and to prove to the international community that Tamils where with them. But the Tamils are not fools and they voted for the victory of the Tamil National Alliance. He gave a chilling account of the atrocities committed by the Lankan armed forces especially in the last phase of the armed conflict. There were no witnesses to these atrocities since the media was not permitted in the war zone. Though the armed conflict is over, the armed forces have started encroaching the land. Not a single event can be conducted without the knowledge of the army. That is the power of the army. Agricultural lands have been grabbed by the army and the people have lost all sources of livelihood. More than one lakh families are to be resettled. A number of Tamils were abducted during the armed conflict and there is no information about them. Though this issue was raised in the Sri Lankan parliament, the government did not respond. The current status of Tamils in Sri Lanka is worse than what it was during the armed conflict. He appealed to the CPI (M), to take up the cause of the Tamils and expressed his gratitude for holding a special convention on the equal rights and political solution to the Sri Lankan Tamil Problem.
G Ramakrishnan, Central Committee member and secretary of the Tamilnadu state committee of the CPI (M), moved a resolution demanding equal rights for the Tamils and a political solution to this prolonged problem. He criticised the attitude of the Sri Lankan government in delaying the rehabilitation and resettlement of the Tamils. The Sri Lankan army does not permit the aid given to the refugees by supporters of Tamils. He pointed out that as a member country of the UN, Sri Lankan government should constitute an independent and credible enquiry commission to go into the human right violations and war crimes during the last phase of the war with the LTTE.
A Soundararajan, a member of the state secretariat of the CPI (M) and the leader of the CPI (M) in the state legislature, sharply criticised the attitude of the Sri Lankan government which was not taking up the rehabilitation work. Without the pressure from the Indian government, it will not be possible for the Sri Lankan Tamils to lead a normal, decent life. He appealed to the international community to take efforts to restore the livelihood of the affected people and ensure equal rights through political solution to the ethnic problem. S Tamilselvan, general secretary of the Progressive Writers and Artistes Association of Tamilnadu and a member of the state committee of the CPI (M), narrated the woes of the displaced Tamils and the atrocities of the armed forces. He said that the Sri Lankan writers have started writing about the war and the atrocities commited during the war. The people in the war torn regions have been psychologically affected and all these matters have been written about by the Sri Lankan writers. R Chandra, state committee member of the CPI (M) and a leader of the AIKS Tamilnadu unit, moved a resolution on the plight of the refugees in the camps and the welfare programmes of the Tamilandu government for the refugees. The resolution pointed out that, though a few steps have been taken by the state government, the allocation is inadequate and the basic amenities should be provided to the refugees.
The special convention also adopted a resolution asking the central and the state governments to safeguard the Tamil fisherfolk from attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy, and to ensure their right to earn a livelihood through fishing in the high seas.
Responding to the plea by the Sri Lankan member of parliament, Premachandran, Prakash Karat announced that on August 9, besides massive demonstrations in Tamilnadu on the problems of Sri Lankan Tamils and for a democratic political solution to the issue, there will also be demonstrations outside the parliament during the winter session in New Delhi by the CPI(M). The Party will also discuss in its forthcoming Central Committee meeting in Kolkata on how to take up this issue at the national level.
Hundreds of comrades and well-wishers of SriLankan Tamils from Chennai and neighbouring districts participated in this very well attended and successful convention. T K Shanmugam, secretary of the CPI (M) North Chennai district committee, welcomed the gathering and Bheemarao, CPI (M) MLA from Madhuravoyal constituency in South Chennai proposed the vote of thanks.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy
ROAD TRANSPORT WORKERS OBSERVE BENGAL SOLIDARITY DAY
AFTER the declaration of West Bengal assembly election results, attacks are being launched against the trade unions in general and on the CITU offices in particular, with active support from the Trinamul Congress (TMC) led state government. The targets of attacks include, among others, the offices and activists of the road transport unions in the state. There were instances in which TMC supporters, waving their party flags, captured private as well as public passenger transport vehicles, minibuses, autos, taxis etc. forcefully. These untoward happenings have adversely affected the democratic and trade union rights of the people, making it virtually impossible to run the normal trade union activities in many areas of the state.
At present, even where there are no followers of the INTTUC, which is the trade union wing of the TMC, trade union offices are being forcibly occupied by TMC activists, evicting the legal occupants who had set up those offices for smooth functioning of their trade unions. Goons are illegally taking in their possession valuable documents relating to trade union activities, overpowering the office bearers of these unions. They are also compelling the workers who were hitherto members of the trade unions opposed to the INTTUC, to switch their loyalties over to the latter. Coercion, including physical attacks, against members of these non-INTTUC unions is frequently being resorted to in order to create an atmosphere of terror. On the other hand, there are many cases in which the attacked and injured persons went to the police station of the concerned area to lodge an FIR, but the local police refused to accept the FIR about these attacks by TMC goons. In most of the cases, victims required hospitalisation and first aid treatment, while in some cases they succumbed to injuries.
There are also cases in which the goons failed to forcibly occupy an office because of resistance, and then they damaged the office itself. Though in the main the Left-wing trade unions are being subjected to such atrocities, even the pro-Congress INTUC offices and their members are not being spared.
Recently, on May 29, 2011, the INTUC president Sanjeeva Reddy addressed a letter to the chief minister of West Bengal inviting her attention to the inhuman atrocities being perpetrated against the trade unions activists in the state and demanded her immediate intervention to stop this trend. But no serious action has been taken so far.
Quite a huge number of bona fide workmen are being prevented from going on duty to their workplace, only because of their union affiliations.
In this regard, the All India Road Transport Workers Federation (AIRTWF) has released the following facts and figures to draw attention to the situation and to underline its gravity ---
Private buses, minibuses and autos routes forcibly occupied by TMC supporters through the state --- 73.
Number of trade union activists murdered --- 4.
Number of trade union activists injured due to physical attacks --- 21.
Number of workers driven out from their places of residence --- 190.
Number of workers arrested on false charges --- 04.
Number of workers who have been prevented from joining duty --- 57.
Number of union offices ransacked or captured by TMC --- 196. (These include 34 transport union offices and one office of the STU.)
In West Bengal, the AIRTWF, other Left-wing trade unions and also the INTUC are putting up a determined fight against this kind of terror regime, but the police and the administration are, at the behest of the TMC activists, trying to foil such resistance by all means. Even though several letters have been despatched to the chief minister of West Bengal, no action has been taken so far. On July 7, 13 leaders of the Left-wing unions and the INTUC state secretary met the labour minister of West Bengal. But no response has so far come from the state government.
It was in such a scenario that the All India Road Transport Workers Federation observed a day of solidarity with the West Bengal Left Front leaders and workers on July 25 across the country, and is collecting relief for those who are attacked and killed by the TMC-Maoist combine. After Lok Sabha election in 2009, 388 Left Front leaders and workers were killed in West Bengal, including 29 who have been killed after the assembly elections came out in May this year. Through a statement issued by its president Mohd Amin and general secretary K K Divakaran, the federation has appealed to the people to contribute generously to the fund for helping the West Bengal victims.
A stop to atrocities against the Left Front leaders and workers by TMC goons with support from the TMC led West Bengal government; a stop to the spree of murder of trade union activists, a stop to the TMC patronised drive of capturing union offices, and punishment to the guilty of these crimes were the main demands the federation raised while observing the West Bengal Solidarity Day on July 25.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy
RESOLUTION URGING A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO SRI LANKAN TAMIL PROBLEMS
THE unending travails of the Sri Lankan Tamils are a matter of deep anguish. Right from 1948, Sri Lankan governments have practiced a discriminatory approach against the Tamils. Former president of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Kumaratunge herself admitted recently that the thirty years of crisis was due to the failure of the various governments in Sri Lanka in fulfilling the needs of the Tamils.
The committee appointed by the UN secretary-general had submitted a report on the shocking human rights violations during the last phase of the armed conflict. More than 40,000 innocent Tamils have been killed by the Lankan army in Vanni region during the last phase. The Lankan army bombed hospitals. Media was also attacked. Even Red Cross vehicles were not spared. The video footages showing the brutal torture and killing of LTTE militants are horrifying. Even now more than 5000 youth are being held by the army. The UN report has also pointed out human right violations by the LTTE such as the use of innocent people as human shields. More than 60,000 persons are still in relief camps. There is an indirect military rule in the areas inhabited by the Tamils. The Emergency Laws are still in force.
SOME IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUIRED
An independent and honest inquiry of international standard should be conducted into the human rights violations and war crimes.
All Tamil youth being illegally held should be released.
All initiatives should be taken immediately for a permanent political solution. The Northern and Eastern provinces should be merged and granted greater autonomy with administrative powers in respect of police, land and so on.
Tamil people and Tamil language should be treated with equality at all levels. All their rights including religious rights should be ensured.
A genuine federal system of government replacing the present presidential form of government ensuring representation for Tamils in the government should be implemented.
The government of India should urge the Sri Lankan government to find a political solution to the problem of Sri Lankan Tamils. It has the responsibility to monitor and ensure that its assistance is being properly utilised and is reaching the affected Tamils.
The CPI (M) has consistently emphasized the merger of areas where the Tamils live into one region and the grant of state autonomy to the region.
R Sambandam, the leader of the Tamil National Alliance which won a massive victory has rightly stated,
“The message of these electoral results is that there should be devolution and sharing of powers and that the economic and cultural activities of the Tamil people must be protected.’
The special convention resolved to hold massive demonstrations all over Tamilnadu on August 9 demanding permanent political solutions to the Tamil issue and demanding that government of India must urge this with the Sri Lankan government.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy
PEASANTS OF KAMARKATI FIGHT AND REGAIN THEIR LAND
From Our Special
Correspondent in Kolkata
PEASANTS in West Bengal have intensified their resistance against land grabbing. Thousands of acres of land have been forcefully grabbed and peasants evicted by older landowning classes with direct connivance of Trinamool Congress. In many places, police actively helped the armed land grabbers. As this was a complete new experience for the peasantry after three decades of unquestioned land rights, initially they were forced to step back. But the situation has began to turn now, and more and more villages have witnessed resistance and strong fight back by the evicted peasants.
The latest event has taken place in Kamarkati in Burdwan district. The old landlord family, suddenly reactivated by change of guard in Writers’ Building, demanded that their land would have to be returned back. Eighteen acres of land were distributed among the peasants during the early period of Left Front government. It was not merely a verbal threat. The paddy seeds were destroyed by tractor in one night. The peasants, shocked and traumatised, sought the help of police. The local police officers replied that the regime has changed and now the landlord would be landlord again. There was frustration among 435 families who had legal rights over these lands. They felt that they have lost everything. It is rainy season now in West Bengal and the best period of sowing. It was the worst of nightmares.
But, the situation changed within few days. The villagers, even those who have voted for Trinamool Congress, realised the nature of catastrophe and decided to fight back. Once again they mobilised with Red flags on their shoulders and recaptured a section of the land grabbed by the landlord. Immediately, the peasants started sowing again. The peasants were in good numbers and that forced the landlords to stay back. Later, Trinamool Congress leaders came and threatened the peasants with dire consequences. The peasants defied the threats and hundreds more gathered to fetch the rest of the lands. On August 1, the poor peasants of Kamarkati won back the whole land. They were joined by youths from agricultural workers’ families. The women played a leading role in this courageous assertion of democratic rights. The collective force of the peasants proved mightier than the armed gangs of the landlords.
Kamarkati is an example. In last two months, 1200 bighas of land were forcefully grabbed from 2200 peasants. The peasants have won back more than 700 bighas through spirited struggle. The anti-land grabbing resistance has spread in Mateswar, Memari, Galsi, Bhatar, Mangalkot, Ketugram and other areas of Burdwan district. One of the fiercest attacks that have come with the new government in the state was on the gains of land reforms. It is not merely individual or sporadic incidents, but a systematic attack on land rights of the poor, marginal peasantry and share croppers. The peasants are now fighting back this assault with determination.
Courtesy: People’s Democracy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)