Attack on Dalit colonies pre-planned, says commission

A Dalit woman grieves over the property damage at her house in Natham colony in Naikkankottai on Friday. Photo: E. Lakshmi Narayanan

PTI, November 12, 2012 — Taking a serious view of the recent violence in which 268 huts at three Dalit colonies in the district were set on fire, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, which visited the violence-hit areas, on Monday said the attack was “out and out pre-planned.”

The Commission inferred from the visit that the attack was “out and out pre-planned and organised crime” against the Dalit community, NCSC Chairman P.L. Punia told reporters.

The violence was triggered after a man committed suicide on November 7 over his daughter’s marriage to a Dalit.

Mr. Punia said the mob had attacked a Dalit family in Kondampatti village where an inter-caste marriage had happened, revealing that they were taking revenge.

Petrol bombs were hurled at four-wheelers, two-wheelers, and valuables looted from houses revealing that it was not a sudden attack but a pre-planned one, the NCSC chairman said.

No casualty was reported. But all the houses in the colonies suffered damaged, Mr. Punia said, adding that the villagers were in a state of shock.

Hong Kong student activists support Foxconn workers in China and India

[A few months ago, conditions at the Foxconn factory in China (which produces iPads for Apple) grew so bad that a growing number of workers were driven to suicide.  Student activists in Hong Kong built support for the workers struggle with a series of actions.  Now, word of similarly horrifying conditions in the Foxconn factories in India has  brought the activists into action once again.–Frontlines ed.]

In Support of the Struggle of Foxconn Workers in India

An earlier protest burned iPads

All Imprisoned Strike Participants Should be Freed

26 October 2010

In May this year, a wave of worker suicides shone the spotlight on low wages and harsh working conditions at Chinese factories of the world’s biggest IT manufacturer, Foxconn.

Now the company’s exploitation of workers has also been exposed in Chennai, India, where 319 Foxconn workers have been imprisoned after striking for a wage increase. Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) supports these workers’ demands, and calls for the release of the imprisoned activists.

In China, in the aftermath of the spate of suicides, Foxconn announced a wage increase proposal in June to appease public criticism. It claimed that the monthly basic wage of the production line workers in Shenzhen would be raised to CNY 2000 (USD 300), effective October. The implementation is still in question as most of the workers are not formally informed about the wage increase, as of mid-October.

Meanwhile, in India, the basic salary for Foxconn production line workers is only about USD 106. They share Chinese workers’ aspiration for a wage increase. A strike was launched in mid-September as a result. Outrageously, the strike was suppressed by joint efforts of Foxconn and the local police.

Nokia supplier in Chennai, India terminates 2500 after workers hold sit-in strikes

BYD workers rally outside factory in Chennai

From Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior   www.sacom.hk

BYD Electronics in Chennai resorts to mass dismissals

BYD Electronics, a Nokia supplier-company based in Chennai, India, on November 1 terminated workers en masse, ordered 437 others to sign a letter of apology to keep their jobs and announced an illegal lockout in response to the workers’ demands for union recognition and improved conditions. IMF joins with LabourStart in calling on the Tamil Nadu government to ensure these workers’ rights are respected.

INDIA: BYD Electronics, a Nokia supplier company located in a Special Economic Zone at Orggadam near Chennai, terminated the services of 2,500 contract workers, sacked 37 permanent workers, suspended 23 more and ordered 437 others to sign a letter of apology to keep their jobs and announced an illegal lock out on November 1.

This grossly unjust act by management against workers that are subjected to appalling working conditions is in response to their demands for union recognition and improved working conditions. It comes after an earlier protest when more than 3,000 workers held a three day sit-in strike from October 28 to 30 at the factory in support of their demands.

Solidarity from Hong Kong with Foxconn strikers in India

Foxconn's portrayal of its contented and loyal Indian workers

Students and Scholars against Corporate Misbehavior

Hong Kong, October 26, 2010

In Support of the Struggle of Foxconn Workers in India; All Imprisoned Strike Participants Should Be Freed

In May this year, a wave of worker suicides shone the spotlight on low wages and harsh working conditions at Chinese factories of the world’s biggest IT manufacturer, Foxconn. Now the company’s exploitation of workers has also been exposed in Chennai, India, where 319 Foxconn workers have been imprisoned after striking for a wage increase. Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) supports these workers’ demands, and calls for the release of the imprisoned activists.

In China, in the aftermath of the spate of suicides, Foxconn announced a wage increase proposal in June to appease public criticism. It claimed that the monthly basic wage of the production line workers in Shenzhen would be raised to CNY 2000 (USD 300), effective October. The implementation is still in question as most of the workers are not formally informed about the wage increase, as of mid-October.

Meanwhile, in India, the basic salary for Foxconn production line workers is only about USD 106. They share Chinese workers’ aspiration for a wage increase. A strike was launched in mid-September as a result. Outrageously, the strike was suppressed by joint efforts of Foxconn and the local police.

According to the International Metalworkers’ Federation about 1500 workers affiliated to Foxconn India Thozhilalar Sangam (FITS) near the southern city of Chennai have been on strike since 21 September, calling for wage increases. On 23 September, Foxconn announced that there would be 8-day salary deduction imposed on workers who participated in strike. Foxconn further issued letters of suspension to 23 trade union activists on the consecutive day.

Chennai, India: Union officers and workers remain in jail in strike at Foxcomm plant

Foxcomm's Chennai plant has 7,800 workers, 6,000 of which are contract workers

International Metals Federation, October 18, 2010

Twelve Foxconn workers and union leaders remain in prison on October 13 in Chennai, India after hundreds of workers striking the plant were arrested on October 9.

More than 1,200 permanent workers belonging to the Foxconn India Thozhilalar Sangam (FITS) union, which is affiliated to Center For Indian Trade Unions (CITU), at the plant have been involved in weeks of struggle to have their union recognized by management so as to negotiate wage rises and other demands.

On October 9 police arrested hundreds of workers who had been picketing and striking the plant for several days. Around 319 workers including the trade union leaders were remanded into judicial custody and transferred to Vellore central jail. Remaining workers were let off and around 200 women workers were taken to a bus stop and asked to leave. When the women refused and demanded to be arrested also, they were abused and forced off the police vehicle.

On October 13, the court granted bail to 307 workers. The remaining 12 workers and union leaders remain in jail, including A. Soundhirarajan, CITU State General Secretary and E. Muthu Kumar, CITU District Secretary, Kanchipuram and FITS President.

Tamils Protest Killings In Kashmir, 100 arrested

Those arrested include PDK president, Kolathur Mani, who was leading the protest demonstration

Kashmir Ho Ya Kanyakumari; Hum Kya Chahte? Bharat Se Azadi!

Chennai, Aug 13: Over 100 activists from Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) and other like minded political parties were arrested Friday for holding a protest demonstration against the atrocities on the people of Kashmir and in support of the Kashmiri struggle for Azadi.

Those arrested include, PDK president, Kolathur Mani, who was leading the protest demonstration,Those arrested include, PDK president, Kolathur Mani, who was leading the protest demonstration, a statement from the Delhi Tamil Students Union said today.

All the detainees have been put under remand for 15 days, the statement said.

According to the statement the demonstrators placed the following four demands to the Indian govt:

1) India should stop its war on the Kashmiri people

2) AFSPA should be scrapped immediately

3) The Indian army should be withdrawn from Kashmir

4) Talks should be initiated on the rights of the Kashmiris to self-determination.

Indian Tamils protest ahead of Sri Lanka leader’s visit

Protesters burn effigy of Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa, who is responsible, they say, for genocide of innocent Tamils in the civil war.

BBC News

8 June 2010

Police in southern India have detained hundreds of Tamil demonstrators ahead of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s three-day visit.

Protesters alleging mistreatment of Sri Lankan Tamils were stopped from marching to the country’s mission in the city of Madras (Chennai).

Mr Rajapaksa is making his first visit to India, a year after Sri Lankan troops defeated Tamil Tiger rebels. India gave Colombo military support and did not question its tactics. But reports say the Indian government wants President Rajapaksa to show that he plans to give Tamils some measure of self-governance.

Tens of millions of ethnic Tamils live in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are concerned with how the Sinhalese-dominated Sri Lankan state treats its own Tamil minority, the issue that led to decades of ethnic war.

May Day in India: 2,000 March in Tamil Nadu Industrial Area

Posted on Spring Thunder

May Day 2010: A Slap on the Face of Police Raj!

The New Democratic Labour Front (NDLF), an associate of PALA, functions in Tamil Nadu, primarily in the industrial areas in Coimbatore, Hosur, Chennai, Cuddalore and Pondicherry. Usually, capitalists don’t allow NDLF to set up the trade union, whereas they prefer other trade unions. Therefore, the NDLF comrades face termination and other oppressions even to start the trade union. This was the case in Pondicherry also.

Therefore, NDLF, PALA, PLF and RSYF decided to host the May day parade and public meeting in Pondicherry this year to mark their solidarity with struggling workers and also present a warning to the capitalists, besides exposing the state, which acts as the henchman of the capitalists.

Initially, the Pondicherry police department gave permission for the event, but later it refused the permission and conveyed the same in writing. It stated that it arrived at this decision on the basis of the report from the Intelligence Bureau (IB). The IB report stated that if PALA and its associate organizations were allowed to hold events in Pondicherry, Pondicherry will become a Chattisgarh. Hence, the Naxalites shouldn’t be allowed to hold the event.

In the following days, comrades who were engaged in the propaganda work were arrested. News papers reported ‘intelligent’ news items, which talked of the ‘infiltration’ of Naxalites in Pondicherry. PALA moved to the Chennai high court against these developments. The High court issued a half-baked judgement, asking PALA to reappeal to the police authorities.

Chennai: Successful Public Meeting Condemns Operation Green Hunt

This article appeared on Spring Thunder.

On Feb 20, 2010, in MGR Nagar, Chennai a huge public meeting was organized by PALA and its revolutionary organizations. The meeting was successful in exposing the actual objective of the Operation Green Hunt; that it is not just a state-declared war against the Maoists, but that it is war by the state and the ruling classes against the common people.

PALA and its revolutionary organizations had campaigned about Operation Green Hunt among a large number of people in street corner meetings, factory meetings, and in buses and trains across Tamilnadu. Comrades met hundreds of people and distributed about 1.5 lakh pamphlets; 10,000 booklets of the essay, The Heart of India is Under Attack by Arundathi Roy; a collection of English essays (published in various magazines and newspapers) exposing the Operation Green Hunt; Hall Meetings in various district headquarters; and Hindi and English pamphlets. Evidence of such a concentrated campaign for over 50 days was seen in thousands of people who had come to attend the public meeting.

Com. Mukundan, President, New Democratic Labour Front, Tamilnadu, presided over the meeting, which started off with the revolutionary salute to the martyrs. Com. Balan, advocate at the Bangalore High Court, addressed the meeting first. He listed in detail the various minerals available in the states of Orissa and Jharkhand. He also discussed how if all this mineral wealth were to be mined and taken away by the multinational corporations in the next 50 years, we will be forced to beg them for our needs in the future.

He stressed on the fact that recolonization was not something that was happening only in Orissa and Jharkhand, but very much in Tamil Nadu as well. To illustrate his point, he talked about the Goundi-Vediappan hill in Thiruvanamalai, TN, which the government had sold out to Jindal, a multinational corporation. According to the deal, the government will receive only 0.02% of the total profit as royalty!

Com. Varavara Roa of Revolutionary Writer’s Association, Andhra Pradesh, exposed the imperialist gains behind this state-sponsored war against the Maoists. He reminded of how adivasi leaders from Birsa Munda to Alluri Sita Rama Raju had organized valiant and revolutionary struggles against colonial powers. He also added that after the birth of the Naxalbari movement, the adivasis led by the Maxist-Leninist ideology, are fighting not only to stop the plunder of their resources, but also to capture the state power.

Organizing against Operation Green Hunt in Tamil Nadu

This was received from springthundertn@gmail.com on February 8, 2010.

Massive campaign across Tamil Nadu by Revolutionary Organisations!

Carrying forward the slogan, “War Against Naxals: The War Against Adivasis, Fishermen, and Peasants,” PALA and its revolutionary organisations have been intensely involved in the campaign against the state-declared civil war, Operation Green Hunt. Using pamphlets, booklets and posters that expose the ulterior motives of the Indian state behind this blood-thirsty war, comrades have been campaigning across the state in buses, trains, factories, and street corners. These organisations have also been organizing hall meetings, seminars, and cultural programmes as part of their campaign against the Operation Green Hunt. Democratic forces and working classes have been supporting this venture and generously contributing to this effort, understanding the importance of resisting this Naxal witch hunt and the need to take forward the struggle against recolonisation.

These organisations, along with several other democratic forces and organizations, arranged hall meetings in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Salem in the month of January. T. Vellaiyan, president of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sanga Peravai (Forum of Tamilnadu Traders’ Union); C. C. Rajagopalan, a senior educationalist; Com. Thirumalairasan, senior advocate; Com. Balan, advocate, Karnataka High Court; and Aranga. Sampath Kumar, advocate, Chennai High Court stressed the need and importance of organising against this blood-thirsty war.

These seminars and hall meetings were attended by several hundreds of people, and comrades, in their campaigns on trains and buses, have taken this issue to several lakhs of people. The campaign to resist the Naxal witch hunt and to fight against recolonisation is being taken forward with great support from the people of Tamil Nadu.

Anti-Green Hunt Campaign Launched in Tamil Nadu

This article was published in Spring Thunder, December 28, 2009

War Against Naxals: The War Against Adivasis, Fishermen and Peasants!

Resist the Naxal Witch Hunt!
Organise Under the Naxal Leadership to Fight Recolonization!

Campaign Across Tamilnadu

Public Meeting, Chennai, January 30, 2010

Dear working people,

The Indian State has declared a civil war called ‘Operation Green Hunt’ to crush the Maoists and the Naxalbari movement. P. Chidambaram, the Indian home minister, has declared that the primary objective of the offensive is to decimate Maoist Guerillas, who are functioning in Chattisgarh, Jharkand, Orissa and in the vast jungles of Dandakaranya, along the borders of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Army headquarters and air bases are being constructed inside the dense jungles. Army men are being trained in anti-guerilla warfare. Over 1 lakh army personnel, such as CRPF, Cobra, C-60, Grey Hounds, Indo-Tibet Border Force, Anti-Naxal Striking force, etc., are being stationed in these areas. American satellites and Indian choppers are used to spy these jungles. Indian army officials are guiding the war, and the central government has allocated Rs.7,300 crores to the fund this war against its own people, the real, ancient inhabitants of the country.