had extended military assistance to Sri Lankan govt. to crush a rebellion. Again, in the same year, India waged a full-fledged War in East Pakistan which culminated in the division of Pakistan and creation of Bangla Desh. India had sent the IPKF to Sri Lanka to crush Tamil militancy in 1980s on the invitation of Sri Lankan govt. In 1988, India launched a military operation called cactus to thwart a coup d’ etat against the Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’ s regime in Male. These are only a few instances. II) Presently, the Indian rulers are in a strategic alliance with US – Japan and Australia led by US imperialism. It claims the protection of sea and free and safe passage in the Indian Ocean as its aim. But, in reality, it is directed against China as US views China as a potential hurdle in the way of US drive to establish its hegemony in Asia and Asia-Pacific region. US is using various strings to push India into hostility and clash with China. Male’ s opposition leader Nasheed is only trying to play this anti – China card when he is stressing the need to curb the Chinese influence in Male. These factors point out to the possibility of India resorting to intervention in the internal affairs of Male.
However, the Indian rulers have to weigh all pros and cons before venturing into a military intervention. The ruling classes know that it earned only a bad name and image by their earlier interventions. India’ s military intervention in Male only means attempting to remove the present Male govt. and install another section of ruling classes in power. No people with a sense of patriotism and independence will accept this act. It is a shame on them. A regime installed in power on the might of a foreign power cannot claim to be sovereign and
Mar- Apr- 2018 independent. It cannot defend the rights and interests of his Country and people. The interventions of this kind will boomerang. They would invite oppositions and reactions of various types and dimensions from other Countries. There is every possibility that the concerned Country and people would be pushed into more serious and unending crisis. The masses of Indian people and democratic forces would never accept the Indian ruling classes resorting to unjust, adventurous and disastrous interventions by the Indian rulers into the internal affairs of other Countries, including the Male.
For the last 7 years, the coastal people of Puri district of Odisha are in possession of over 3000 acres of land asserting their right over the land. From the beginning, the people, under the banner of Upakuliya Jami-o-Jangal Suraksha Samithi, are opposing the Govt’ s proposed move to give away this land to a tourism project called‘ the Shamuka Hotel Project’. All these years, the Govt. has tried every possible method to disposes the people from the land, deny their just right over the land and push through their designated dream project. Even now, the project got no CRZ clearance and other environmental clearances. Yet, the Govt. is going for a global tender to invite a consortium of Hotels from abroad. The people continue to oppose these attempts and struggle to defend their right over the land.
On Sept 6 th 2017, the people gheraoed the Sub Collector’ s Office in Puri opposing the govt’ s call for tenders for cashew crop
The Indian people and democratic forces vehemently condemn the acts and policies of the Male govt. to brutally suppress the democratic rights and freedoms of people and dissenting voices. They oppose the attempts of ruling classes to use the masses of working and toiling people of Maldives as cannon fodder in the struggle for power. They oppose the selling away of the interests of Male to the foreign powers for the sake of power. The people of Male must be free to solve their own problems with no foreign intervention and build a democratic, independent and prosperous Maldives. �
Report from Odisha
People continue the Struggle in Sipasarubali area
in the area under the possession of people. More than 1000 people have taken part in this mass protest. The Puri District administration has finally withdrew the tender notice.
On Jan 6 th, 2018, the people took out a big rally and held a mass dharna in front of the Brahmagiri Tahsil Office demanding the cancellation of permission given to a local sand mafia for sand mining in the land in the possession of people. The dharna ended only after the Tahsildar has declared the cancellation of permission with a letter of promise to the people not to give any permission for similar mining in private as well as govt. land in future.
On Feb 17 th, 2018, more than 1000 men and women took out a rally in Puri and protest meeting in front of the District Collector’ s Office demanding the legal right over land and the withdrawal of the proposed disastrous Hotel project. The people also demanded the protection of forest and sand domes in this coastal area. �
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