Children’s participation in protest is due to their higher consciousness: Abhaya Sahoo

The interview came in Orissa Diary on 24th June 2011.

Web Link: http://orissadiary.com/inerview/abhaysahoo.asp


Children’s participation in protest is due to their higher consciousness: Abhaya Sahoo

Amidst controversial but successful method of taking help of children to stage Dharana in Govindur village under Kujang Tehsil to prevent the entry of the administration to acquire land in the area, POSCO Pratirodha Sangram Samiti (PPSS) observed ‘Black Day’ on 22nd June to protest the day on which MoU was signed by the Orissa government with the south Korean Steel Giant: POSCO. Its leader Abhaya Sahoo terms the decision of administration for temporary suspension of land acquisition as a victory of people, though temporary, which PPSS promises to convert into a permanent victory. In an exclusive interview he speaks to Pradeep Baisakh, Senior Editor, OrissaDiary and clears air over controversies surrounding their struggle.

Photo: Abhaya Sahoo

Orissa Diary: The government has announced for a temporary suspension of land acquisition in Govindpur/Dhinkia area? Do you consider it as your victory?

Abhaya Sahoo: Temporarily suspended. So it’s also a temporary victory. But we want to convert it to a permanent victory. We have miles to go. We have to strengthen our organisation so also our movement to achieve the permanent goal.

OD: Who this victory is attributed to?

AS: The democratic movement has forced the state government to withdraw the land acquisition process for a temporary period. It also needs to be noted that by the political atmosphere, which was created on the ground, the Naveen government was sidelined. All political partied except the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) came and extended their support to the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram despite the difference amongst themselves. Several social and political activists of national stature and reputation also visited and extended support.

OD: Has the visit of many national level activists like Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh, Gurudas Dasgupta, Rajgopal and others and the visit of representatives (from within Orissa) of political parties like CPI, CPI (M), Congress and others boosted the morale of the protesting people?

AS: Naturally several national social and political activists came here and the way they addressed the protesting people, it mounted pressure on the government on one hand and encouraged the people on the other. The leaders now keep coming. Their solidarity keeps the morale of people high and strengthens the movement.

OD: A new aspect of the movement added this time where you have preferred children to form the frontal barricade of the human chain formed that literally stopped the police to enter into the village. Do not you think the issue of child rights is involved here?

AS: Basic responsibility lies with the government to make congenial atmosphere for the children to go to school. I think that aspect is avoided deliberately by the state government. Since the parents are being beaten up by the police and the armed police are confronting the democratically protesting People, so the children are compelled to participate in the protest Dharanas. I will say it’s the higher consciousness of the children that they have come forward to rescue of their parents and to safeguard their livelihood.

OD: Do you see the temporary suspension of land acquisition by the government as a trick to befool people and make some new strategy to enter the area by taking people by surprise?

AS: I see this retreat of the government as a tactic to buy time and come again in a big way. This is one thing. We however are all for strengthening our movement and mobilize people in and around so that the pitch of democratic protest goes up which the government will find hard to ignore. It may then budge to the wishes of people.

OD: The government seems to be firm in establishing the POSCO project in this area since it has started construction work in the Polang and other villages where it has already acquired land. How do you respond to that?

AS: If you take law into consideration, since there is no MoU (MoU has expired and yet to be renewed) with POSCO, the government should have not taken any construction work for POSCO now. But they have done it which is beyond law. They are violating the law. We are also organising people from the side where construction work is going on so that they oppose the construction work. Some individuals have taken the shelter of the High Court against the illegal order of the Environment Ministry of GoI and illegal land acquisition. The court will be hearing the case soon.

OD: Visiting personalities like Swami Agnivesh, Medha Patkar urged the government to hold talks with the protesting people. Shall you be willing to talk to the government?

AS: Democratic dialogue has a good space in a democratic movement that we cannot avoid. Last year we had a direct dialogue with the Chief Minister also. But he did not keep up to his promise to visit our area. If the state government wants to start a negotiation with PPSS it should create a congenial atmosphere. For that it has to stop land acquisition, withdraw armed police from the area and withdraw false cases clamped on innocent people, and then PPSS will consider any offer of dialogue with the government.

OD: But you are firm on your position for the relocation of the POSCO project from this location. This does not leave any room for negotiation. On what subject then the government holds dialogue on?

AS: This is our basic demand that the government must withdraw the POSCO project from here. If the government is not keen in withdrawing project from our area, they may not come for any dialogue. The movement has come to the stage where the government cannot resort to use of force to establish the project as ours is a democratic movement and this is also a democratically elected government. Dialogue is of course a preferred way for working out solutions.

OD: What is your impression on United Action Committee (UAC), a pro-POSCO outfit? Does it represent the people’s will or it’s a creation of the government to confuse the media and public?

AS: It’s a creation of the government and the company. They have lost their entity. Their chairman has resigned. They are also divided with respect of who would get the contract for undertaking construction work in the area. They are now afraid of people and they are going to be more divided.

OD: Veteran BJD leader Damodar Rout alleges that since you do not belonging to this area, so you do not have any locus standi to lead the movement?

AS: The person who has made such complaints against me himself does not belong to this area. So he and I fit into the same category. If he has the right to make complaints I have the right to fight for protecting the interest of people.

OD: If everyone starts opposing the industrial projects like this then what will be the future of industrial of the state?

AS: It’s not good to oppose industrialisation for the sake of opposition. We are of very scientific view that the industrialisation should not come at the cost of vibrant agrarian economy. That’s our objective and stand. It can be take in some barren land where there is no or faltering agriculture. We are not opposed to industrialisation.

OD: If in place of POSCO, which is a foreign company, an India company like TATA proposes to build steel plant in the area, would you also oppose the same way?

AS: It’s not a question of domestic or foreign capital. At no cost a rich agrarian economy can be sacrificed for such industries.

OD: Police has been camping in the area for some months now. Are people in the village facing any difficulty due to this?

AS: People are facing different types of socio-economic difficulties due to the police presence. At one point the police was camping in the schools inside the village, which was hampering the education of the children. This is however not possible for them due to the movement of the people. The police presence at the entry point to the area, namely Balitutha prevents the activist to go out of our area. Ceremonies could not be held in villages. People cannot go out to meet relatives, cannot go out for undertaking economic activities etc. So a lot of social and economic hardships people have to face.

OD: Are people facing any health related hardships?

AS: On occasions the health of the people has been complicated due to improper access to hospitals. But PPSS has arranged heath camps for the needy people and we have asked solidarity organisations to provide doctors to look the ailing people.

OD: At this testing moment what is your appeal for the public who are sympathisers of the anti-POSCO movement?

AS: To express solidarity to this anti-POSCO movement has been a key contribution of our friends and well wishers outside. It has helped us a lot in keeping our momentum. It has also kept building pressure on the state and central government in many ways. We urge the public at large to oppose any forceful attempt of land acquisition and help us visiting us, by writing to the government to withdraw force, by simultaneously undertake protest march or Dharanas in other areas.