We are deeply concerned about the escalating levels of violence being reported from Nandigramin West Bengal, as a consequence of the State Government's policy of land acquisition forindustrial use. TV reports from Calcutta indicate growing levels of tension and violence in thevillages. This situation is likely to be repeated across the State if the policy continues to beexecuted as it has, without consideration for human rights, democratic procedures, andlivelihoods.
We deplore the recent attack on the CPM office at Nandigram, but deplore even more strongly thepolicy of retaliation advocated by some constituents of the Left Front Government, andthe use of armed elements against the villagers, already at the cost of several lives.
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We urge the formation of an all-Party Peace Committee in West Bengal to ensure the cessationof hostilities against the villagers, and an immediate end to the forcible acquisition ofland. While industrial development is necessary in many parts of the country, detailed,democratically accountable and transparent discussions about the categories of land to beallocated for acquisition are equally necessary prior to making a decision. The InternationalEconomic Covenant, which India has ratified,
makes prior consultation and resettlement mandatory in all cases of displacement. Theviolation of human rights in the process of land acquisition that we have recently seen in WestBengal (and a number of other states) is completely unacceptable.
Romila Thapar,
Justice Rajinder Sachar
Jean Dreze
Arundhati Roy
Sumit Sarkar
Praful Bidwai
Kavita Srivastava (PUCL),
Yogendra Yadav
Tanika Sarkar,
Anil Chaudhary (PEACE)
Achin Vanaik,
Pradip Kumar Datta
Dilip Simeon
Colin Gonzalves.
