Report from Odisha
Solidarity gathers Momentum for People’s Struggle
The peoples struggle for land
and safe environment in Sipasarubali
area in Puri district, Odisha is
continuing in the face of repression.
The leaders as well as activists
who were arrested in July 2015 on
several false charges have finally
come out on bail. Their absence in
the field for some months, no doubt,
created a difficult situation for the
people. But they did not lose
confidence. They continued the
struggle with the help of remaining
leadership; solidarity extended by
different political parties, mass
organisations, democratic fora and
intellectuals. The people’s struggle
has been on two fronts. One: the
people continued to repeatedly
place their demands before the
govt. They included: according the
right over the land in possession
of poor; abandoning of setting up
of so called Samuka Hotel Project
in the coastal area; ensuring the
safe guarding of natural
environment protections in the area
and the withdrawal of all false cases
foisted on the leaders and activists
of the movement. Two: The people
are demanding the prevention and
stoppage of illegal and forcible
cutting and smuggling of wood in
the area by the wood mafia. This
has been going on unabatedly
ignoring the people’s protest and
intervention. This is also continuing
owing to the failure of govt to
effectively intervene and act in
spite of repeated appeals and
complaints from people.
On Oct 26 th night, Com.
Srikanta Mohanty , the leader of
Chasi Muliya Sangha, Odisha was
arrested by the police on false
charges in an attempt to deprive
the Sipasarubali Peoples movement
from the leadership. The people of
the area, the political and democratic
forces swiftly reacted against this
December 2015
move. Next day, the protesting
people, the members of “sipasarubali
Andolan Samanvaya Samithi”
(SAS) presented a Memorandum
to the District Magistrate, Puri
demanding the unconditional
release of Com. Srikanta Mohnaty,
withdrawal of all cases and action
against the police officials who
foisted the false cases against him.
On Novermber 17, 2015 the
Sipasarubali Andolan Samnavaya
Samithi organised a GANA
SAMAVESHA before the office of
district Collector, Puri. Com. Srikant
Mohanty was released on bail by
this time. More than 1000 peoplemostly landless poor women from
Sipasarubali area and several
other pockets of Puri district have
taken part in the meeting. A team
of delegation from SASS has
presented a Momorandum to the
district collector. T