International Peoples Tribunal On Eviction Of Peasants And Violation Of Human Rights In Singur, Nandigram And Other Areas In West Bengal, India

11 January 2007

Dear Friend,

The land grabbing of the West Bengal government in the name of industrialization and Special Economic Zones is becoming violent day by day. The government is trying its best to curb the human rights of its own citizens. The people are protesting, utilizing all peaceful means but the death toll is rising. Casualty in Singur was two. Threats of eviction and violations of human rights in Nandigram have already taken at least six lives.

To pursue democratic ways, the aggrieved peasants and people moved all forums including the High Court and the Apex Court. The petitions of the people are languishing in the courts of law for positive redressal.

The human rights abuses in the country in general and in West Bengal in particular are yet to be addressed properly. Despite the fact that India is a state party to International Covenants on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights and International Covenants on Civil Political Rights, translation of human rights Covenants have not taken its effect in reality in the country. The Directive Principles of State policy, the guiding ethics of legality, has been overlooked by the federal states while imposing their own agenda of industrialization and such development initiatives which exclude poor from the very process. The implementation of progressive people’s friendly acts is often constrained by the inaction of the state authorities. Moreover, victims of human rights violations often fail to get justice due to unwillingness of the government to acknowledge a complaint and also due to complex and time consuming judicial procedures.

In such a situation, for the sake of wider justice and realization of rights, we have strongly felt the need to organize an International People’s Tribunal to adjudicate the wider issues relating to the eviction of peasants and their livelihood losses in Singur, Nandigram and other areas in West Bengal.

This People’s Tribunals would be quasi-legal and could be best described as "Tribunal of Conscience" which would seek to highlight the need for public accountability. Eminent public figures from various backgrounds including retired Supreme Court and High Court judges of India, social activists, human rights activists and other prominent personalities from India and abroad, who are associated with the solidarity movements against eviction of peasants, would be present in this tribunal. State representatives and representatives of corporate houses have also been invited in this event.

The People’s tribunal will be organized by several civil society organizations at the auditorium of the Calcutta University Institute on 31.1.2007 between 11 am to 4 pm.

We cordially invite your participation.

Regards

Biplab Halim
(On behalf of the Organisers)

IMSE
CECODECON
Socio Legal Aid Research & Training Centre
FTN Coalition Forum of Voluntary Organisations, West Bengal
Indian Federation of Toiling Peasants
East Coast Fish Workers Union
West Bengal Gandhi Peace Foundation
Peoples Action Network for National Integration and Communal Harmony
RTI Network West Bengal
People's Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS)
Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP)
West Bengal (south) Wood Works Workers Union
South Asian Peasants Coalition
FIAN West Bengal
Rural Exploitation and Atrocities Prevention Forum
Asian Peasant Coalition
Earth Care,International Planning Committee ( South Asia )
Save River Save Villages Committee,Ekok Matra
Committee to Assist the Struggle of Singur Peasants against Eviction