On 20th September 2014, villagers of Dhinkia made unanimous resolution in their local council not to use their forested lands for non-forest purposes. In a press release from the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS), they denounce that “When we are facing untold sufferings because of pro-POSCO attitude of the administration and police… even the supporters and sympathizers of our struggle have been targeted”. They add that this move is aiming “to keep these people and groups away from us so that they make unleash more repression and atrocities on us.” Peasants of six blocks of the Jagatsinghpur district demonstrated before the district collector office against the diversion of water from agriculture from Hansua River to POSCO. Moreover, villagers that reoccupied their lands were forcefully occupied in 2011 by the Government of Odisha and handed over to the South Korean POSCO. Recently, POSCO filed cases against 32 persons. Despite increasing violence and repression, in a recent public meeting, thousands of tribal communities “vowed, taking water in their hands, to protect Khandadhar and the bounty of nature it endures from all kind of corporate invasion till their last breath.” The press release appealed to all civil society to extend support to their long struggle.
See full press release here: http://odishasuntimes.com/89640/fight-says-odisha-anti-posco-outfit/
