September 17, 2007
Adivasis of Gujarat brutally
attacked by forest and police officials
Crops destroyed and tribal leaders indulged in criminal offences
Protest Rally on 17th
September, at Surat
Friends, more than
250 forest officials and local police along with talluka magistrate
(Mamledar) armed with weapons have entered into the cultivated
forest land and destroyed about 200 acres out of three thousand
acres of their standing crops in Ummarpada talluka of district
Surat, on 5th September. Forrest officials have
started their operation at 7am in the morning without informing the
villagers. When the local leaders of Lok Sangharsh Morcha have tried
to intervene and making dialogue with the officers they have opened
fire and used tear gas, too. About 3 thousand villagers of nearest
villages, who have quickly reached over there for saving their
crops, protested this unlawful act of forest department. The
estimate of damaged crops is being evaluated about 25-30 lakhs
rupees. The police action was led by Mr. S. N. Patel; DFO of
Ummarpada & Sagabara rang. Police has lodged the criminal case
against 58 tribal leaders under section 307, 395, 397, 398, 186,
332, 333, 435, 427, 353, BP act 135.
The victims are
displaced of Ukai Dam project belonging to the 16 villages of
Talluka. They are residing in this area since 1971 after their
displacement and continuously cultivating land since then. They have
submitted their claim to the district magistrate of Surat and forest
officials several times demanding their legal rights over the
possessive land. But nobody has taken response for resolving the
issue. Tribal of this area were never objected or served any notice/
warning by forest department against their longstanding cultivation
ever before. The tribal of this area who had earlier fought for the
enactment of forest law, 2006, demanded for legal right over their
land, forest department has started the move to dispossess them from
their land.
Significantly, the
tribal of this area are having no access for any means of livelihood
except the small holding of land which is in possession since long
without the legal right. Due to the lack of recourses lakhs of
unemployed youth are forced to migrate from this area for their
livelihood every year. Surat district is among those which are
uncovered by NREGA despite of having the huge number of laborers in
rural areas. People of this area are deprived from educational
rights and health facilities, too.
While, the forest
department and local administration have initiated the move for
dispossessing tribals from their own land at huge level, the Chief
Minister of Gujarat is making announcement for tribal welfare under
his "Ban Bandhu Yojana" and declaring for development packages
looking at coming assembly elections have been proved futile after
Umarpada incident and exposed the attitude of state government.
Protest Rally on
17th September at Surat
Lok Sangharsh Morcha
is holding a massive tribal rally on 17th September, 2007
protesting the brutal attack on tribal by forest department and
local police in Ummarpada, talluka, district Surat. About 20
thousand tribal are expected to join the rally demanding immediate
expulsion of DFO Mr. S. N. Patel, action against other responsible
officials, withdrawal of false criminal cases lodged on tribal
leaders, compensation for damaged crops, legal rights of tribal over
the land, free from police terror in the effected area etc. Rally
will also raise the issue of abdication done by central government
denying the enforcement of 'forest act, 2006' enacted by Parliament.
It is requested to
all of you kindly send the fax massage to Chief Minister of Gujarat
protesting dispossession of tribal from their land . Fax no. is
079-23222101, 23222020
We feel highly
obliged if you pl. ensure your participation in SURAT RALLY
on 17th, September, 2007.
Thanking you,
With regards,
Ambarish Rai/
Pratibha Shinde
Lok Sangharsh
Morcha