However, after repeated assurances from the Government that these demands would be addressed there has been no indication of moves by the state government to this end. Thus the Sadhujana Vimochana Samyuktha Vedi (SJVSV) has moved to expand the land takeover, with each family occupying one acre of land. These new areas in addition bear non-yielding rubber trees and therefore the presence of these people in no way interferes with plantation related work either. It is not easy for 5000 odd families (which keeps on increasing by a minimum of 20 families a day) to come away to an area surrounded by political parties against the movement and to stay on for weeks and months fighting the most horrid situations of rain, epidemics and hunger. In spite of these odds thousands of Dalits and Adivasis apart from the protestors organized together at Pathanamthitta on the 11th of November to raise their demands in the public arena by holding a massive rally followed by speeches under the banner of Chengara Land Struggle Solidarity Samiti.
 
The Government is trying to kill the movement by remaining silent on it. In this particular situation people are also facing acute shortage of food, medicine. Various unofficial information reports that the government is preparing ground for a police attack against the people by evicting them out of the land in the model of Muthanga.
 
In this context we demand
 
1. The Chief Minister of Kerala and the State and district administrations to take steps to ensure that there would not be any bloodshed or highhandedness against the agitating adivasis.
2. The State Government to solve the Chengara land issue by distributing enough cultivable land to all dalit- Adivasi and other landless families.
3. To take immediate initiative in confiscating the land of which the lease period is over and distribute it to the landless people.
4. To take necessary steps to ensure that there will be no deaths due to the lack of food and medicine.
 
We request to kindly circulate this action alert to all concerned groups and individuals. A draft letter is attached as Annex 1 and for those who would like to know the background of the struggle Annexure 2 is attached. We appeal to you to join hands in this struggle and appeal the Government of Kerala to take the appropriate measures.
 
In Solidarity
 
Amitabh Behar
Rifat Mumtaz
Anil Tharayath Varghese
(FOR NCAS)
DATE: 14th November 2007
 
SEND YOUR APPEALS TO:
 
GOVERNOR OF KERALA
Mr. R L Bhatia
Governor's Office
EPABX No: 2721100
Fax: 0471-2720266
 
CHIEF MINISTER OF KERALA
Mr. V Achuthananthan
Room No.141, Third Floor, North Block,
Govt. Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram - 1
Ph.0471- 2333812, 2333682, 2332148, 2332184, 2333591, 2333610
Fax. 0471-2333489
Email: www. This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
 
MINISTER OF REVENUE AND LAND REFORMS OF KERALA
Mr. K. P. Rajendran
Room No. 358 - B, First Floor, Main Block,
Govt. Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram - 1
Ph. 0471-2333176, 2332021, 2335366
Fax. 0471 - 2326677
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
 
MINISTER OF WELFARE OF SCHEDULED CASTES/SCHEDULED TRIBES AND
BACKWARD CLASSES,
Mr. A. K. Balan
Minister
Room No. 731, Ground Floor. Speakers Old Chamber
Govt. Secretariate, Thiruvananthapuram - 1
Tel: 0471-2335766; Fax: 2328440
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
 
HOME MINISTER
Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan
Minister
Room No. 216, Third Floor, North Sandwich Block,
Govt. Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram 1.
Tel: 0471- 2327976, 2327876
Fax: 0471 2327016
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
 
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION,
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg,
New Delhi, Pin code: 110001
Tel: 23384012
Fax: 23384863
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it , This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

 
ANNEXURE: 1
 
Letter to the Chief Minister, Kerala
 
Honourable Chief Minister, Mr. V Achuthananthan
Room No.141, Third Floor, North Block,
Govt. Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram 1

Sub: Immediate action to solve the issue of Land Struggle in Chengara
 
Dear Chief Minister
 
This is to draw your urgent attention to the ongoing land struggle in Kerala. The struggle by landless Dalits and Adviasis to gain ownership of land, which began on 4th August 2007, has completed 100 days in the southern plantation belt of Pathanamthitta. The struggle, which began on 4th August 2007, is an assertion to re-claim ownership of land that has been part of a long standing promise by the Government. The Chengara Land struggle therefore is about affirming the prior claim of these Dalits and Adivasis to land and hence to transfer legal ownership from the Harrison Malayalam Private Ltd estate to the landless agitators. To this end about 5000 families totaling around 24,000 people from different parts of the region have moved on to the Harrison Malayalam Private Ltd estate, building tents with poles and plastic sheets to establish at the struggle front. And hence the present agitation is an indication of the intense nature of the struggle.
 
However, after repeated assurances from the Government that these demands would be addressed there has been no indication of moves by the state government to this end. Thus the Sadhujana Vimochana Samyuktha Vedi (SJVSV) has moved to expand the land takeover, with each family occupying one acre of land. These new areas in addition bear non-yielding rubber trees and therefore the presence of these people in no way interferes with plantation related work either. It is not easy for 5000 odd families (which keeps on increasing by a minimum of 20 families a day) to come away to an area to stay on for weeks and months fighting the most horrid situations of rain, epidemics and hunger and political parties apathy to the whole issue. In spite of these odds thousands of Dalits and Adivasis apart from the protestors organized together at Pathanamthitta on the 11th of November to raise their demands in the public arena by holding a massive rally followed by speeches under the banner of Chengara Land Struggle Solidarity Samiti.
 
The Government position of maintaining silence at this hour is not a healthy sign towards the struggles of the people right to livelihood. Various unofficial information reports that the government is preparing ground for a police attack against the people by evicting them out of the land in the model of Muthanga.
 
In this context we demand
 
1. The Chief Minister of Kerala and the State and district administrations to take steps to ensure that there would not be any bloodshed or highhandedness against the agitating adivasis.
2. The State Government to solve the Chengara land issue by distributing enough cultivable land to all dalit- Adivasi and other landless families.
3. To take immediate initiative in confiscating the land of which the lease period is over and distribute it to the landless people.
4. To take necessary steps to ensure that there will be no deaths due to the lack of food and medicine.
 
Anticipating necessary and early action.
 
Thanking you,
 
Name:
Institution:
Date:
 
Please contact the following persons for further information relating to this -

Thattayil Saraswathy,
General Secretary,
Sadhu Jana Vimochana Samyutha
Vedi., Shreenilayam , Parakkara - PO,
Thattayil, Pathanamthitta-691525
 
Laha Gopalan,
State President, SVSV,
Pathanamthita-PO,
Pathanamthita, Kerala
Phone: +919249101709
 
Sunny M Kapikkadu
Phone: +919847036356

M D Thomas
Phone: +919495520232

Source:
http://socialjustice.ekduniya.net/ThematicArea/Dalits/news_item.2007-09-14.7