Stop Posco Now!
The state of Orissa that has seen absolute neglect both under colonialism and after independence, is today one of the most sought after destinations of global capitalism. The so-called “investors” that include national and multinational companies, are not here for any humanitarian reasons but only for profit and to loot and plunder the region’s rich natural resources. Which would cause irreparable damage by destroying livelihoods, displace people, wreck the environment, create joblessness and most importantly destroy the time tested sustainable and self sufficient form of agriculture, Pisciculture and allied industrial activities that is unique to this coastal region made possible by the availability of sweet sand (non-saline) and pure water.
The corrupt ruling classes, whether of the Congress and BJP varieties at the Centre or the Naveen Patnaik’s BJD state government in Orissa, these avowed social democrats who hide behind the mask of “Socialism and Swadeshi”, are hell bent upon putting everything up for sale – land, natural resources, environment, human lives to the highest bidder.
But what these vulture capitalists did not expect is the heroic resistance being put up by the people of Orissa, be it the anti-POSCO struggle in Erasama (near Paradip), anti- Vedanta movement in Puri and Lanjigarh, the anti-Tata movement in Kalinganagar and Naraj, the peasants movement of Hirakud, anti-UAIL movement in Kashipur, anti-Bhusan movement, anti-sterlite, anti-Reliance or the anti-dam movement in lower Suktel, people are in revolt not only against Corporate and multinationals but also against the existing system of extreme poverty and misery perpetuated by decades of misrule under capitalism & landlordism.
The four and half year long saga of the struggle against the South Korean steel giant POSCO by the people of Erasama is a living testimony of the people’s willingness to fight at any cost to save their precious land & livelihoods of 22,000 families, despite terrible human suffering that people undergo daily. People have braved bombs, guns and lethal weapons, unleashed by the state and POSCO goons. The ongoing police repression on the resisting villagers make British colonialists doves of peace! State and non state brutality has already claimed the life of Tapan Mondal an activist against POSCO and has caused serious and permanent injuries to many activists. The struggle against POSCO is led and conducted by Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) a democratic formation which has permanently barricaded the area so that no government, police or POSCO official can enter the area.
The anti-POSCO struggle is a battle for livelihoods and against land displacement, a struggle for water rights, a protest against indiscriminate mining and also a movement to save unique environment of Paradip. The anti-POSCO struggle is a mass democratic movement involving peasants, fish workers, youth and women and is the focal point of struggle against capitalist globalization in the country. A victory against POSCO will have repercussions not only in Orissa but will also herald a new dawn against the aggressively perused capitalist offensive throughout India. It will herald a new brand of radical mass struggle and train a generation of youth to defeat capitalism.
- Stop the sale of Orissa. Put People before profit.
- Say no to indiscriminate, capitalist industrialization no to destruction of environment– for a sustainable, people & environmentally friendly industry democratically planned and controlled by workers, Peasants & the poor through the elected committees.
- No to displacement from land & livelihood, land to the landless not to the landlords & capitalist land grabbers.
- Democratic control & management of all resources and productive forces by the working poor. End capitalism and landlordism and establish democratic socialism.
<a href=”http://thehelpinghand.co.in/”>Environment Resource Management</a>, Odisha
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