Bhubaneswar (India):
The Indian police detained Mr. David Pugh, a teacher from the USA on 12th August along with advocate Miss Protima Das and an anti-displacement activist Mr. Devendra Das who accompanied him assisting in translation and showing the area in Kalinganagar and Sukinda on their way back to Orissa state Capital Bhubaneswar.
The US national who had a tourist visa claimed to be a researcher on displacement related issues. He told the police that he had visited Navi Mumbai, Singur, the proposed Posco steel plant area of Jagatsinghpur before reaching Kalinga Nagar. He also stated that he had attended a ‘public hearing’ on displacement held recently at Bhubaneswar.
They were taken to the Badchan Police station near Chandikhol. Mr. David Pugh was kept for 5 hours in the police custody from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. He was mentally tortured illegally. After that they released him and asked to stay back for interrogation again on 13th August in the afternoon. Miss Pratima and Mr. Devendra are being kept under detention and arrested later. Police claim that they have link with banned maoist rebel.
Jagatsinghpur District Police Superintendent Mr RK Sharma said: “Pratima Das alias Mala and one Debendra Das were arrested for the Maoist activities. Das was suspected to be involved in a Maoist arms loot case in Sambalpur district. Protima was working for a outfit named Nari Mukti Sangh. She was instrumental in distributing Maoist posters and handbills at Cuttack.
Mr. David Pugh visited Kaliganagar and Sukinda to see Industrialization and its effects on the people and the movement against industrialization and mining by south Korian company POSCO. Miss. Protima Das was requested to help Mr. David Pugh as translator and Mr. Devenra as guide as he belongs to the Sukinda. They all went to Kalinganagar after attending a People’s Tribunal on Displacement, SEZ, and Corporate Violence in Orissa organized in Bhubaneswar by Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan, an anti-displacement front of movements from various parts of India including that of Orissa. Activists from all areas in Orissa had come to explain their conditions of destitution and destruction at the People’s Tribunal.
Amin Maharana, a Central Council member of Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan, is also detained by the police from Bhubaneswar. He is an environmental and anti-displacement activist working in Sukinda area for many years now. He is a cultural performer. He has written many songs about people’s devastation due to displacement and also released an audio CD on the issue.
The Government of Orissa has been unleashing brutal repression on the anti-displacement movement for the last two years. The detentions are part of the larger plans of the government to coerce the people to accept the displacement and give up their lands.
Peoples organisation have to all democrats to immediately intervene and put pressure on the Govermenent of Orissa to release Miss. Pratima and all other activist without subjecting them to any kind of harassment.
Release demanded
Anti-displacement movement supporters here have demanded the unconditional release of advocate Ms Pratima Das and all others who were arrested and further warned the government not to implicate them in false cases.
Agriculture economist Prof KR Chowdry, civil liberty activist Mr M Ratnamala, PUCL president Mr Prasant Jena, Jibika Bachao Andolan president Mr Kedar Ray and Mr Tapan Mishra among others, condemned the arrests and described the same as ‘illegal, repressive and undemocratic’ action of the state government. The advocate had been to Posco project area and Kalinga Nagar to accompany Mr David Pugh as a translator and guide. Mr Pugh, a representative of an international origination, had been to there to interact with the project affected people.
