[E-rundbrief] Info 1152 - Arrest of Medha Patkar, India, RLA-laureate

[Matthias Reichl]

E-Rundbrief - Info 1152 - Right Livelihood Award Foundation calls for 
immediate release of Medha Patkar (Narmada Bachao Andolan/NBA, India) 
- struggle against the Pench Water Diversion Project and Power Plant, 
Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh.

Bad Ischl, 6.11.2012

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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The Rightlivelihood Award

	Press Release, 6 November 2012 		
	
Right Livelihood Award Foundation calls for immediate release of Medha 
Patkar

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation joins the call by Swami 
Agnivesh, National Alliance for People’s Movements 
(http://napm-india.org/) and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC, 
http://www.humanrights.asia/news/press-releases/AHRC-PRL-048-2012) and 
endorses the below appeal by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties 
(PUCL, http://www.pucl.org/) demanding the immediate release of Right 
Livelihood Award Laureate Medha Patkar 
(http://rightlivelihood.org/narmada.html).

PUCL has lodged this complaint against the arrest and detention of 
Medha Patkar, lawyer Ms. Aradhana Bhargava and 21 others in Chhindwara 
district in Madhya Pradesh state.

Medha Patkar was arrested in the wee hours of Sunday November 4th 
alongside farmers, labourers and adivasis protesting illegal 
commencement of work on the Pench Water Diversion Project.

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation condemns the district 
administration's attempt to silence civil society. It calls on the 
district administration and police to adhere to the rights of 
detainees, including to but not limited to their access to a lawyer.

Background

Medha Patkar received the Right Livelihood Award with Baba Amte in 
1991 “…for their inspired opposition to the disastrous Narmada Valley 
dams project and their promotion of alternatives designed to benefit 
the poor and the environment”.

Founded in 1980, the Right Livelihood Awards are presented annually in 
the Swedish Parliament and are often referred to as ‘Alternative Nobel 
Prizes’. They were introduced “to honour and support those offering 
practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing 
us today”.

PUCL Letter of Complaint

Chairperson,
NHRC, Faridkot House,
N Delhi

Subject: Demanding Immediate Intervention and release of activist 
Medha Patkar, lawyer Aradhana Bhargava and 21 others and who have been 
illegally arrested and confined in Chhindwara, Jail in MP. (All 
arrested under sec 151 CrPC).

Sir,

We are shocked to learn that renowned social activist Ms Medha Patkar 
of the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and the Narmada 
Bachao Andolan (NBA) was arrested yesterday from the house of Ms 
Aradhana Bhargava in Chhindwara, MP. Medha Patkar and others had gone 
to the house of Aradhana Bhargava as the latter had been arrested on 
the 3rd from her house.

It may be known that lawyer Aradhana  Bhargava had gone to Chhindwara 
to participate in the death rituals of her mother. It was the last day 
of her mother's death rites and she was picked up from her house and 
booked under Section 151 CrPC. When Medha and others on Sunday the 4th 
had gone to pay their condolences to the family of Aradhana, they were 
first detained inside the house of Aradhana and later picked up at 
10.30 pm and sent into the Jail of Chhidwara. It is learnt that 
probably they too have been arrested under section 151 of the CrPC.

Sir,

We are shocked at the paranoid manner in which the MP Government 
through its District Collector Mahesh Chaudhary and SP Purshottam are 
behaving. They are not even allowing lawyers to meet their clients. 
This misuse of the law and illegal detention of senior activists is 
completely unacceptable. This action of the Administration and the 
police violates fundamental rights of Indian citizen guaranteed by the 
Article 19 and 21 of the constitution.

Now that Dr Sunilam (ex MLA) and leader of the present struggle 
against the Adani Peench Power Plant coming up in Chhindwara has been 
put behind bars for the 14 year old Multai Firing case, the Government 
of MP, the Administration and the Police want to speed up the process 
of eviction of the people who are living in the area where the 
Government plans to have the Peench Water Diversion Project and Power 
Plant. So anybody even remotely connected going into the area they 
feel will be a morale booster to the farmers who do not wish to be 
evicted and therefore arresting them.

We would like you to immediately intervene and ensure the release of 
Medha the 21 other activists and Aradhana today itself and take action 
against the SP and the Collector against this arbitrary action.

With regards,


Kavita Srivastava
(PUCL, National Secretary)

Contact

Kavita Srivastava (PUCL, National Secretary)

kavisriv(AT)gmail.com
kavita.pucl(AT)gmail.com
puclnat(AT)gmail.com
+91 (0)93 5156 2965
+91 (0)14 1259 4131

PEOPLE'S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES
Phone: +91 (0)11 2275 0014
Fax: +91 (0)11 4215 1459

The Right Livelihood Award Foundation
Birgit Jaeckel, Communications Consultant
press(AT)rightlivelihood.org
Cell phone: +49 170 24 49 348
www.rightlivelihood.org

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Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
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