Adivasis Commemorate 14 Killed by Orissa Police at Kalinga Nagar

Victims of the police firings at Kalinga Nagar

This article appeared in Kalinga Times on January 2, 2009

Kalinga Nagar relives memories of police firing

Jajpur:  A large number of tribals rallied in Kalinga Nagar, the steel hub of India in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Saturday to mark the fourth anniversary of the killing of 14 tribals including three women in police firing while protesting against Tata’s proposed steel project there.

Four years ago, the police had fired on tribals protesting against forcibly displacement through the construction of a boundary wall by the Tata Steel for its 6 million tonnes steel plant in the steel hub. The anti-industry groups under the banner of Bisthapan Birodhi Janamanch (BBJM) assembled today at Ambagadia, where the tribals killed in the police action were mass cremated in the morning.

The tribals, mostly women and children, brandishing with sword, lathis and their traditional weapons took out a 7 km long rally from Birbhumi, the firing spot to Ambagadia.
 Carrying posters and banners, the tribals marched towards the memorial pillar where the victims were cremated en masse in the Kalinga Nagar industrial complex shouting slogans against the Naveen government and Tatas.

PSL: On the General Strike in Nepal

The following was published by the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Red Side suggested we post this and was curious to know what others thought of the ideological and political line expressed here.

General strike shuts down Nepal

By: Walter Smolarek, Dec. 29, 2009

Communists and masses engaged in struggle with military and country’s elite

On Dec. 22, well over 100 thousand people in Nepal’s capital, Katmandu, attended the closing rally of a three-day general strike called by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). The strike shut down virtually all business, schools and public transportation.

This event was the capstone of the latest round of mass protests called by the communists in their campaign against the attempted seizure of the government in May by the allied forces of the Nepal Army and the country’s elite.

In May, the UCPN-M resigned from the government. It led the government as a result of a landside electoral victory. The walkout came in response to the Nepal Army’s disavowal of peace agreements and illegal defiance of the coalition government led by the UCPN-M.

Nepalese and Indian Armies Develop Closer Ties

Chhatraman Singh Gurung

This article was published on Nepal News on January 1, 2009.

Indian Foreign Minister, Army chief to visit Nepal in Jan

Indian Minister for External Affairs S.M Krishna will be visiting Nepal from January 15-17, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

During his three-day visit, Minister Krishna is scheduled to hold talks with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Deputy-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala including senior government officials and leaders of main political parties.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff of the Indian Army General Deepak Kapoor will be visiting Nepal from January 21-23, the Ministry said. The Indian Army chief is arriving on the official visit of Nepal at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, Gen. Chattraman Singh Gurung.

Reports quoted a top military source as saying that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav will confer the Honorary Rank of General of Nepal Army to the Indian Army chief during the latter’s visit.

Indigenous People Strike to Kick Off the New Year in Nepal

This article was published on Nepal News.

Nepal bandh ends after 4 pm

Nepal stepped into New Year 2010 not with a celebratory bang but with a nationwide general strike (bandh) jointly called by various organisations representing indigenous and ethnic communities on Friday, demanding implementation of Convention 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

The bandh, which affected normal life throughout the country from early morning, ended at 4 pm. Responding to the bandh, marketplaces, private offices, industries and educational institutions across the country remained largely closed. Retail stores and other shops in the interior parts of the capital city were partially open.

A day after thousand of revelers partied all through the night to welcome new year 2010 in party venues across the capital including tourist hub Thamel, Kathmandu streets appeared deserted with very few vehicles plying on the road.  Few private vehicles and taxis are seen plying on the streets of Kathmandu. Long distance buses from Kathmandu have not operated. Many people are seen walking on the road to reach their destination.

Bandh organisers had staged a torch rally in Ratnapark, Kathmandu, Thursday evening demanding the implementation of their demands. Issuing a press release on the eve of the bandh Thursday the bandh organisers said, they would allow essential services including dispensary, and movement of vehicles of media, human rights organisations, Red Cross and diplomatic agencies. They have also said they will not obstruct disposal of garbage during the bandh.