March 23, 2012

India Rises up in Protest against Police Repression in Koodankulam

Call for Participation: A joint march from Nagarcoil to Koodankulam on March 26th

We must STOP commissioning of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant!

Dear Friends,

Situation in Koodankulam has precipitated to an unthinkable repression. More than 6000 police personnel and paramilitary forces have been deployed around Idinthakarai village where about 20,000 people from surrounding villages have gathered to protest. While 16 people have started a fast unto death at Idinthakarai, the police have cut down all essential supplies including food, water and electricity. They are demanding surrender of leading activists like S P Udayakumar, Pushparayan and others. Section 144 has been imposed on the majority of coastal villages in Radhapuram block. Media entry has also been denied in Idinthakarai.

The Central and State govermnments claim that the Koodankulam nuclear reactor is safe and they have ‘overdone’ the dialogue with people. The misplaced notions of developments and myths about nuclear power being safe and a solution to India’s energy needs also helps them. But the truth is, the authorities have shown brazen contempt for democratic procedures of dialogue with people and have offered no credible response to the serious objections raised by the independent team of experts regarding safety, environmental impacts and economic viability of nuclear plant.

While the Tamil media is abuzz with how start-up of Koodankulam has actually eased the power shortage in Tamil Nadu, the reactor has definitely not been commissioned and started commercial operation. They need AERB clearance before the start-up. After the delay in last 3-4 months, they do require a through check-up and drill. Here is a news about Croation experts being invited to recheck equipments. For actual commercial operation, it would take several months, so this entire urgency of helping Tamil Nadu’s power supply in these summers was nothing more than a PR exercise. We need to expose them

A major intervention from the democratic sections of Indian society is required at this juncture. We have planned a joint march from Nagarcoil to Koodankulam on March 26^th (Monday). Different activists groups and organizations in Kerala are supporting this initiative and we hope to ensure participation of around 500 people here. Kerala groups have always participated in the Koodankulam struggle in large numbers. However, without participation of some eminent people, this march would just not create that impact that is required this time.

We are writing to you with a sense of desperation and hope. It is important that you make some extra effort and join us. We will start from Nagarcoil and peacefully begin hunger-strike/sit-in protest where we are stopped by the forces.

We sincerely hope you would be able to join us and support the Koodankulam movement at this crucial hour.

Looking forward to your positive response,

With best regards,
In Solidarity

N Subrahmanyan,
K Ramachandran
P KSundaram
Sajeer.A.R (91-9447218282)
Fr.Augustin Vattoli
K.Sahadevan

March 23, 3012

Countrywide Day Long Solidarity Hunger Strike and other protest actions in Solidarity with People of Koodankulam

The state government of Tamil Nadu has finally succumbed to pressure by the Central government and decided to commission the operation of the two Russian built nuclear reactors in Koodankulam, in south Tamil Nadu. In protest against this government decision, S. P. Udayakumar, Pushparayan and 13 others are sitting on an indefinite hunger strike in Idinthikarai, a village near Koodankulam. They are surrounded by more than 10,000 people from the villages around the nuclear plant.

The government has attempted to crush this mass movement by sending in thousands of armed police who have surrounded the protestors, and has cut off even essential amenities like water, food and electricity to them. More than 300 people have been arrested, and slapped with sedition charges — no less.

Over the last six months in what has been the latest phase of a more than decade long struggle, tens of thousands of residents in and around Koodankulam have peacefully and non-violently demonstrated against the government’s nuclear power plans. They have demanded that the plant be scrapped, especially in the light of the devastating Fukushima nuclear accident which has starkly brought out to the world the dangers of nuclear energy. They are demanding that the government take recourse to more environmentally friendly ways like solar and wind energy to meet the energy crisis. Instead of addressing their livelihood and life concerns, the government has resorted to making all kinds of wild allegations like claiming that it is foreign funded, is funded by foreign NGOs, etc.

We strongly condemn the repression launched against the people of Koodankulam and southern Tamil Nadu and demand that those arrested be immediately released. If a willingness to exercise one’s democratic right of protest in peaceful and non-violent ways, or to criticize the pursuit of nuclear energy, or even to oppose government plans in this regard is to be deemed seditious and warrants being arrested, then we also declare ourselves to be as guilty as our fellow citizens in Tamil Nadu. We stand in solidarity with them.

In expression of our solidarity with the heroic people of south Tamil Nadu, activist groups and intellectuals across the country are organising solidarity actions tomorrow, March 23, on the occasion of Bhagat Singh Martyrdom Day. Solidarity hunger strikes are being organised in more than 22 cities, including Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Panjim, Kochhi, Allahabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Hisar, Sonipat, Sohana, Fatehabad, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Jadugoda and Almora. An indefinite relay fast has started in Chennai. Some more cities will see solidarity actions on the following days. More than 500 people are going to begin a PEACE MARCH from Nagercoil to Idinthikarai on March 26.

Pune: Opposite Collector’s Office, Near Sasoon Hospital, Pune (Rishikesh – 9423507864)
Delhi: Jantar Mantar (Madhuresh – 9818905316)
Allahabad: (Prof. Banwarilal Sharma – 5322466798)
Kolkata: (Santanu Chakravarty – 9831034089)
Mumbai/Konkan: (Vaishali Patil – 9422696976)
Chennai: (Nityanand Jayaraman – 9444082401)t

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Human Right Activist Dr. Binayak Sen inaugurated the Anti Nuclear Protest on March 20th, 5.30PM at Kerala Sahithya Akadami, Thrissur. Please do join with us for the protest against koodamkulam nuclear power plant today 5.30PM at Kerala Sahithya Akadami premises. We are planning to conduct a rally and a public event at Thekke Gopuranada, Thrissur after the Rally. Please do join with us with your friends and colleague

Trivandrum PROTEST on koodamkulam issue, at Secretariat State Legislative Assembly @ 10.00 am March 21 Wednesday. bring friends and come. think about future plans. Contact 9847439290, 9447429243

Calicut PROTEST on koodamkulam issue, at Mananchira Central Library @ 5.00 pm tomorrow. bring friends and come. think about future plans. 9446068843

THRISSUR PROTEST on koodamkulam issue, at thekke gopuranada @ 5.30 pm tomorrow. bring friends and come. think about future plans. 9496523851

Kerala Koodankulam Anti Nuclear Support Group

Regards
Sajeer A R +91-9447218282