(i had to make this post since i took my cycle and went to my school nearby to see hundreds of people lying on my school-playground completly ignorant that Old-Bhopal has been eaten up buy DOW.i am also a Bhopal Gas Victim as one can make out from my Blog ;-))
For 40 days the people of Shinde Vasuli village have peacefully blockaded Dow's proposed R&D centre near Pune, refusing to allow work until they're assured that Dow's centre is not another Bhopal in the making.
Today, nearly 250 armed police entered the village and began making arrests. 150 villagers have been arrested. But the other villagers, and more support from newer villages have amassed. The road blockade continues, and no trucks are being allowed in or out.
Starting today, the villagers have resolved to stop hospitality for the Dow employees and workers. Until now, despite the blockade, Dow staff and watchmen etc were given food and water from the village. Starting today, they will not and will have to leave the village in search of food. will not be allowed to return to the site .
The situation is tense and getting worse.
Please take action now. Call:
District Collector. Mr. Deshmukh: 011 91 988-122-1144
Rural Superintendent of Police. Mr. Nangre Patil: 011 91 992-308-8887
Police Commissioner, Pune. Mr. Umrikar
Phone: 011 91 -20-261-25-396/261-26-962, 011 91 -982- 222-1007
If you do not have your own calling card you may use this one:
Toll-Free Access # (800) 469-9479 Pin Number 1686512357
India is 9.5 hrs ahead of East Coast Time, 10.5 hrs ahead of Central time and 12.5 hours ahead of Pacific Time.
Talking Points:
a) The Collector had assured that no work will begin until until a committee set up to evaluate Dow's proposal presented its report and the villagers are convinced about the nature of work. Why has he gone back on his word? Newspapers have reported this.
b) Any violence against villagers and on behalf of Dow will be viewed very negatively by the world. Release the arrested villagers, and withdraw the police force, and talk to the villagers to find out what their concerns are.
What matters most is that you call. A few times if necessary - if you still don't get through try again later, but also know you added pressure simply by registering your missed call and your protest by joining the others who are also calling.
- Once you get a live person make sure they hear cleary that you want all villagers blockading the Dow plant released immediately and that all arrests and brutality against the villagers be stopped immediately.
- Even if they hang up on you, say the Committee is taking care of it, or whatever garbage they might feed you - if you get that information accross you have been 100% successful.
- Remember what will make them release the villagers is a feeling of overwhelming public pressure and condemnation . You personally are not going to convince the district Collector to negotiate with the villagers by reasoning with him. He is acting in response to Dow's power to agitate for what it wants - to stop the blockade, we must create a countervailing force to get the villagers released.
Email Aquene at afreechild@environmentalhealthfund.org to let us know you called and share any relevant information. Please share any numbers obtained of other individuals to call or interesting exchanges.
read more
Today, nearly 250 armed police entered the village and began making arrests. 150 villagers have been arrested. But the other villagers, and more support from newer villages have amassed. The road blockade continues, and no trucks are being allowed in or out.
Starting today, the villagers have resolved to stop hospitality for the Dow employees and workers. Until now, despite the blockade, Dow staff and watchmen etc were given food and water from the village. Starting today, they will not and will have to leave the village in search of food. will not be allowed to return to the site .
The situation is tense and getting worse.
Please take action now. Call:
District Collector. Mr. Deshmukh: 011 91 988-122-1144
Rural Superintendent of Police. Mr. Nangre Patil: 011 91 992-308-8887
Police Commissioner, Pune. Mr. Umrikar
Phone: 011 91 -20-261-25-396/261-26-962, 011 91 -982- 222-1007
If you do not have your own calling card you may use this one:
Toll-Free Access # (800) 469-9479 Pin Number 1686512357
India is 9.5 hrs ahead of East Coast Time, 10.5 hrs ahead of Central time and 12.5 hours ahead of Pacific Time.
Talking Points:
a) The Collector had assured that no work will begin until until a committee set up to evaluate Dow's proposal presented its report and the villagers are convinced about the nature of work. Why has he gone back on his word? Newspapers have reported this.
b) Any violence against villagers and on behalf of Dow will be viewed very negatively by the world. Release the arrested villagers, and withdraw the police force, and talk to the villagers to find out what their concerns are.
What matters most is that you call. A few times if necessary - if you still don't get through try again later, but also know you added pressure simply by registering your missed call and your protest by joining the others who are also calling.
- Once you get a live person make sure they hear cleary that you want all villagers blockading the Dow plant released immediately and that all arrests and brutality against the villagers be stopped immediately.
- Even if they hang up on you, say the Committee is taking care of it, or whatever garbage they might feed you - if you get that information accross you have been 100% successful.
- Remember what will make them release the villagers is a feeling of overwhelming public pressure and condemnation . You personally are not going to convince the district Collector to negotiate with the villagers by reasoning with him. He is acting in response to Dow's power to agitate for what it wants - to stop the blockade, we must create a countervailing force to get the villagers released.
Email Aquene at afreechild@environmentalhealthfund.org to let us know you called and share any relevant information. Please share any numbers obtained of other individuals to call or interesting exchanges.
read more
2 comments:
Dear Bhumkal,
I hope you are well in spite of being a Bhopal survivor.
Thank you for your blog. I am reading it with interest.
This is just to let you know that I tried to call, but all the numbers but one seem to be "busied out". The one that isn't seems to be a wrong number, poor fellow.
The fact that they've busied out all their lines is, I guess, good, because it means that many have called.
Take care,
Ellen
Dear Ellen,
I am fine now..
Thanks for your effort to call the concern authorities and also for your encouraging words...
mail me at bhumkal@gmail.com
Koya
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