India: Victims of the POSCO Mining Project harassed
Event- Country
- India
- Initial Date
- Nov 25, 2011
- Event Description
As per the information received, the government made a plan to build a coastal road along the beach from the Indian Oil Refinery complex to the port near to Govindpur village for POSCO mining project and the villagers have prevented the entry of the police by peacefully sitting in Dharna. The government was considering this as an alternative road to make entry from the sea side. The construction has been contracted to Paradeep Paribahan, a private company led by Bapi Circle. On 19th of August 2011, the government has laid the foundation for road construction. On 20th of August, around 400 people including the contractor and workers were proceeding to the site during the day and the villagers strongly protested the move and chased them away. On November 2nd 2011, the police visited the villagers from Govindpur and Dhinikia, Odisha and told them that 400 - 500 strongmen would enter into their villages for the construction of a coastal road. Although this did not happen, the local people were prepared to strongly oppose any such invasion by these persons and the armed police. On 25 November 2011, Mr. Abhay Sahu, the top leader of the anti-POSCO agitation in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district, was arrested. His arrest was widely condemned by many civil societies and organisations. On 30 November 2011, a statement was passed on condemning the growing brutality of the state repression against the peaceful, democratic protesters of the POSCO project area who are only fighting for their legal and fundamental rights. This is a very planned and calculated move to crush the peaceful democratic movement against the forceful displacement. The malicious plan of the government to project this entire situation as a law and order problem in the media and accordingly police will enter into the area. This is nothing but a very shameful act of POSCO to terrorize the villagers.
- Impact of Event
- 2000
- Violation
- Intimidation and Threats
- Violence (physical)
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Right to property
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 20.23756
Longitude: 84.27002
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 2 November 2011, the police visited the villagers from Govindpur and Dhinikia, Odisha and told them that 400 - 500 strongmen would enter into their villages for the construction of a coastal road. Although this did not happen, the local people were prepared to strongly oppose any such invasion by these persons and the armed police. The government had made a plan to build a coastal road along the beach from the Indian Oil Refinery complex to the port near to Govindpur village for POSCO mining project and the villagers have prevented the entry of the police by peacefully sitting in Dharna. On 19 August 2011, the foundation for road construction was lais. On 20 August 2011, around 400 people including the contractor and workers were proceeding to the site during the day and the villagers strongly protested the move and chased them away. On 25 November 2011, Mr. Abhay Sahu, the top leader of the anti-POSCO agitation in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district, was arrested. His arrest was widely condemned.