To

The Chairperson

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi

 Sub: Violations of Human Rights in Jagatsinghpur, Odisha

 Dear Sir,

Kindly refer to our letter dated 6 June 2011 (pasted below) bringing to the NHRC’s notice the gross violation of human rights at the hands of the Odisha state government in Jagatsinghpur district in a bid to forcibly acquire land for POSCO using brutal force. We would further like to bring to your notice – and urge for your immediate intervention – about the imminent attack today by more than  32  platoons of police force at Govindpur village on more than 2000 people, including women and children, who are peacefully protesting against the proposed steel project as their lives and livelihoods will be destroyed by it in violation of law. 

 Senior police officers are terrorizing the people through loud speaker announcements, by asking them to stop their protest, disperse and allow their cultivation to be destroyed.  They are also threatening the use of lathi charges and brute force as well as demanding that the people should produce particular individuals.  We apprehend imminent bloodshed and serious violation of the human rights of these people who are exercising their right to peacefully assemble and protest for their livelihood.  

We, the undersigned, therefore, once again appeal to the NHRC to immediately intervene  to address this gross violation of people’s constitutional rights and their right to express their voices of dissent.

 Looking forward to your urgent action.

 Yours sincerely,

Pushkar Raj, Peoples' Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), New Delhi

D Manjit Peoples' Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), New Delhi

Shankar Gopalkrishnan, Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD), New Delhi

Madhumita Dutta, Corporate Accountability Desk, Chennai

Mamata Dash, National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers (NFFPFW), New Delhi

Subrat Kumar Sahu, Film Maker and Journalist, New Delhi

Madhu Sarin, Researcher and Activist, Chandigarh

Leo Saldana, Environmental Support Group, Bangalore

Asit Das, Researcher & Activist, New Delhi

Kanchi Kohli, Kalpavriksh, New Delhi

Vijayan MJ, Delhi Solidarity Group, New Delhi

Madhuresh Kumar, National Alliance of Peoples' Movements, New Delhi

Satya Sivaraman, Film Maker and Activist, New Delhi

Biju Mathew, Mining Zone Peoples' Solidarity Group, USA

C R Bijoy, Campaign for Survival and Dignity, Coimbatore

Partho Roy, Activist, Kolkata

 [P.S: We would be happy to give you further information. We can be contacted at the following numbers:

Madhumita Dutta – 9444390240 / Mamata Dash – 9868259836 / Partho Roy – 9874703899]