Invitation to National Convention / Demonstration on Displacement
and Development in the context of proposed Land Acquisition
(Amendment) and Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bills
November 18th – 21st, New Delhi
November 12 2009
Friends,
Since March 2007, NAPM, NFFPFW, National Hawkers Federation, Nadi
Ghati Morcha, Him Niti Abhiyan and many other mass organisations of
the country came together under the banner of Sangharsh, and resisted
the government’s machinations of enacting a faulty Resettlement and
Rehabilitation Act and introducing amendments to the Land Acquisition
Act, promoting private and corporate interests over public good. We
gathered recently in Delhi in July 2009 and our struggle gained a
significant boost when the Acts could not be passed in the Budget
session of the Parliament.
The land related conflicts and ensuing violence and divide across the
country today have brought the issue of displacement and resettlement
onto the front pages of news papers once again. There have been
numerous demonstrations against displacement in Orissa, Chattisgarh,
Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh in recent months. All across, there is a
simmering discontent in the country side and unrest in the urban areas
as well. Continuing with our past efforts and series of ongoing
actions across the country and our resolve to struggle for a
people-friendly, democratic Act on R&R and least displacing
development model, we invite you all to a four day programme in Delhi
from November 18th -21st . (Please see details below.)
democratic space in this charged times of undeclared emergency, when
the government is planning major offensive apparantly against armed
resistance by Maoists, but in the process is also clamping down on
peaceful mass struggles that are challenging dispossession and
inequity. In such difficult times of state-sponsored militarisation,
it is important to remind the government and the society at large that
there is a large mass of people in the country who have been
struggling democratically, for decades, to retain community control
over natural resources and resist any attempt at displacing them from
their land and livelihood. We wish to make it clear to the government
and send out a loud message that these Bills, in their current form,
far from providing justice to the millions of displaced people across
the country, will only accentuate their misery and anger.
We demand that UPA government MUST :
1. NOT pass the proposed Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill and
Resettlement and Rehabilitation Bill in their current form in the
Parliament. UPA attempted this towards the end of the 14th Lok Sabha
and also on the last day of the Monsoon Session in extremely secretive
manner without any debate and adequate prior information.
2. ENACT a National Development, Displacement and Rehabilitation Act
based on the Draft National Development, Displacement, and
Rehabilitation Policy passed by the National Advisory council in 2006
enunciating the principle of least displacement, just rehabilitation
and a decentralized development planning based on Article 243 of the
Constitution, PESA 1996 and Forest Rights Act, 2006.
3. ISSUE a White Paper on all the land acquisitions, displacement
caused and rehabilitation completed since independence. The White
Paper must also make public the extent of land utilized, unutilized
and land acquired for public purpose but remains occupied by sick and
non-functional industries and other infrastructure projects.
4. and all the state Governments should come out publicly with the
MoUs signed with different corporations, companies and others, which
have land acquisition requirements and hold public dialogue -
especially with affected people.
We do hope that you will be able to join all of us in this national
endeavour to bring out long-lasting legal and political change in
favour of the struggling millions.
Important dates are :
November 18 – Convention at Kanjhawala, (Venue near the Kanjhawla main
bus stand) Rohini, Delhi. Get off at the Pritampura Metro Station and
take a local RTV, mini bus to Kanjahwala to reach to the dharna site.
Call Rawat : 011 20506929.
November 18th - Remembering Prabhash Joshi, Gandhi Peace Foundation,
5:00 pm onwards
November 19 – 20 – Massive demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi
November 21 – “Development, Displacement and Land Conflicts Today”
Public meeting at Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi. (3-6 pm)
Please do try and join us in large numbers and join us in the struggle
of the masses of the country in securing just livelihood and dignity.
In Solidarity,
For any further queries or Delhi contact:
Rajendra Ravi – 9868200316 Madhuresh – 9818905316
Or write to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
