Gangavaram Port - Another Kalinganagar in the fishing town
27 Mar 2006
Fw: samatha
satyam.net.in
Another Kalinganagar* in the fishing town Fishermen fall prey to police firing at proposed Gangavaram Port, Visakhapatnam
The fishing community at the proposed Gangavaram Port at Dibbapalem vilalge of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, which has been agitating for some time now against their eviction for construction of Port and Five-lane road across the coast of Visakhapatnam, came under police firing today, 27th March 2006.
On Sunday police and revenue officials suddenly swooped down on Dibbapalem village to forcibly evict the fishermen and shift their boats from Dibbapalem to Yarada village. The agitated fishermen protested against this brutal eviction without even providing any rehabilitation for their housing or livelihood or even without obtaining clearances for going ahead with the project. The officials simply ignored the protests and continued with their eviction process resulting in tension and violence.
The officials claimed that the fishermen attacked and injured them. With a vengeance, armed policemen returned to the village this morning and indiscriminately opened fire. One fisherman, 37 year old Chodipalli Nookaraju (M), died on the spot and several of them are injured and taken to hospital and their condition is unstable.
We strongly condemn this brutalisation on people and the spread of State violence against communities who demand for their rightful rights. We are disgusted that government orders firing on people and announces ex-gratia to the victims at the same breath! What people want is not ex-gratia over their dead bodies but a development, which allows them the right to live in peace and dignity.
We express our deep condolences to the fishermen of Dibbapalem and extend our solidarity in their struggle.
Samata
Visakhapatnam
(* On 2nd January 06 the police opened fire on a peaceful demonstration and killed several people in Kalinganagar (Orissa). The victims had protested against the construction of a steel plant by the TATA Company on their (traditional) land.)
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