CONDEMN KILLINGS!! CONDEMN COMMUNALISATION OF SETHUSAMUDRAM PROJECT!!

We, the undersigned civil society groups, people's movements, humanrights organisations and concerned individuals condemn the killings ofinnocent people and destruction of public property by Hindutva-inspiredcommunal forces recently. A mob, now identified as members of SanghParivar organizations, attacked a Tamil Nadu public transport bus inBangalore recently and burned down the vehicle that was carrying 26passengers. Two passengers were killed and their bodies were charredbeyond recognition. This attack was a part of conscious and systematicefforts of the religious fundamentalist forces to undermine the realissues concerning Sethusamudram Project and to make political capital byflaring up the emotions of the people and dividing them on religious andprovincial lines.The Sethusamudram Project was introduced by the BJP while they were inpower at the centre without considering the ecological and human problems.The Sethusamudram Project will endanger a rich biosphere reserve with400 endangered species, including sea turtles, dolphins, dugongs andwhales. The project will destroy the livelihood of 15 Lakh people whodepend on fishing and allied areas in the waters where the canal will bedug. Several fisher people's organisations and human rights groups hadprotested against the project for a long time without getting anyrecognition from the mainstream political parties. Today the effort bythe communal-fundamentalist forces is to divert the real issuesconcerning the project and generate political gain in view of theforthcoming elections.We feel that there is an immediate need to stop any further violence &communalisation of this issue. Hence we call upon all secular forces andsocial movements to take a strong stand to condemn these efforts ofcommunal forces and recognise the real struggles of fisher people. Wecall upon the civil society to support the fisher people's struggles toprotect the coast from all destructive developmental projects includingSethusamudram project

The Undersigned
1.Just. H. Suresh, Formal Judge, High court Mumbai 2.Praful Bidwai, Journalist & Writer 3.Arundhati Roy, Activist, Writer 4.Vinod Raina, BGVS, New Delhi 5.Gabriele Dietrich, NAPM 6.Prasad Chacko, Action Aid 7.Shripad Dharamadhikary, Mandhan 8.Bruce Rich, Environmental Defense 9.Dunu Roy , Hazards Centre 10.Kamala Bhasin, SANGAT, New Delhi 11.T.Peter, President KSMTF & Secretary, NFF 12.Gilbert, Tamil Nadu - Pondicherry Fisher people's Forum 13.Anton Gomus, National Union of Fisherpeople 14.Madhumitha Dutta, Corporate Accountability Desk 15.Nityanand Jayaraman, Corporate Accountability desk 16.R. Mangaiyarselvam, Founder, Meenavar Viduthalai Vengaigal(Fisherpeople Liberation Tigers)17.V. Gowrilingam, President, Kancheepuram District Fisher peopleFederation, 18.Dr. M. E. Raja, Ph D, General Secretary, National Union of Fishermen, 19. J. Kosumani, President, Tamilnadu Fisherpeople Progressive Assoociation, 20. K. Bharathi, President, South Indian Fishermen's Welfare Association, 21. B. Maran, President, Tamilnadu Fisher People Movement. 22. Anivar Aravind, moving Republic, Kerala 23. Wilfred D'Costa, INSAF 24. Benny Kuruvia, FOCUS on Global South Mumbai 25. Mohaji BHAP, Chandigad 26. Jacob Nellithanam, Richaria Campaign 27. Mahendra Kumar Rauson, NCDHR, Bihar 28. K.P. Sasi, Visual Search 29. Jai Prakash, PEACE 30. Himanshu Upadhyaya, Intercultural Resources 31. P.T. George, Intercultural Resources 32. Abhishek Srivastava, Freelance Journalist 33. Navin Kumar, Star News 34. Lalit Batra, researcher 35. Hitendra, Human Rights Law Network 36. Amarjit Singh, 37. S. Majumdar, HRLN 38. Nandini Oza , Manthan, Badwani 39. Praveen, Delhi University 40. Anja K , Researcher 41. Geetanjali, NBA 42. Supriya , DU 43. Ankitha, DU student 44. Amit , JNU student 45. Harsh Dobhal , Combat law 46. Renu Khanna , PUCL, Baroda 47. Debaranjan, PSSP, Kashipur 48. J.John, Centre for Education & Communication, New Delhi 49. Badar, PEACE, Delhi 50. Surekha, HRLN 51. Andrea Wright, TISS.MADS 52. Lalhlieupuii , JNU student 53. Lalrindiki , Student, Mizoram 54. Nima Lamu Yolmo, JNU student, Darjeling 55. Preeti, Activist 56. Rajesh rangarajan, Activist 57. Vidya Rangan, Activist 58. Sunayana JNU student 59. Simpreet Singh, NAPM 60. Sheena kanwar, Activist 61. Swastika Sanghmithra, Activist62.Subir Dey , JNU Student63.Kasturi Sharma, JNU Student64.Shrikanth , HRLN65.S. Hussaini, IT consultant66.Sanja Sharma, HRLN67.Sarojini, Samad68.Ritwik69.Anshu Malviya, poet, Activist, UP70.Grace Pelly, HRLN71.HR Hiramat, NCPNR, Karnataka72.Smriti, HRLN73.E.P Menon, IDF , Bangalore74.Pradeep Kumar, SVP, UP75.Jharna Jhavera, Janmadhyam76.Aruna roy77.Mihir Engineer , BOSS institute Kolkotta,78.Sulak Sivaraksa, SEM, Tailand79.Irfan Ahmed, Lokmach, Insaf80.Kousal K, Activist Bihar,81.Binod Tyagi, Lok Manch, Bihar82.Rakesh, PEACE83.Jitendra C, PEACE84.Anant Deo N, INSAF Bihar85.Ganesh Prasad, INSAF, UP86.Ranjeet Kumar Singh, PUCE, INSAF, UP87.Chittaranjan Singh, PUCL, INSAF, UP88.Raghavendra kumar Advocate MP89.Jithendra Kumar, Journalist90.Umpiliha DSW91.Mohan Rao, JNU92.Beena, SAMA93.Sarojini, SAMA94.Riwik, SAMA95.Pakhi, SAMA96.Jacqulin J, NAPM97.Deepa Naveen, Activist98.Swathi Mukharji, JMIICR99.Mallika Virdi MAATI, Utharghand100.Jasamia Sarma, Student