The rights group expresses concern over the recent upsurge of violence in Nandigram that has caused at least nine deaths, several injuries and the displacement of thousands of locals  

The international rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) has strongly condemned the reported complicity of state officials in attacks on farmers belonging to the Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), an organisation formed in late-2006 to protest the possible displacement of farmers due to the planned construction of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the area.

Human rights organisations have reported that violence erupted on November 6 as armed supporters of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) fired at local farmers belonging to the BUPC. The state police reportedly failed to take action against the armed men, and protect the local population. The firing was followed by retaliatory attacks by armed supporters of the BUPC.

In a statement issued recently, AI says this is just the latest issue of concern in the troubled area in West Bengal’s east Midnapore district. The organisation is also concerned that, following the deaths of several people in Nandigram in January and March 2007, the government of West Bengal failed to order an impartial inquiry into the killings.

AI is worried that the state government successfully petitioned the Calcutta High Court to stay an investigation, ordered earlier by the court, to be carried out by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the March violence. The organisation believes that the continuing unrest in Nandigram has been aggravated by the failure to effectively investigate and prosecute those individuals believed to be responsible for violent incidents that resulted in the death of at least 25 people in the last year.

Over 100 people have also been injured, 20 women reportedly sexually assaulted and at least 2,000 people displaced from their homes, say rights groups. A majority of the displaced are living in makeshift camps, unable to return to their homes for fear of being caught up in the violence.

The violence was sparked off in January 2007 after sustained protests by local farming communities that feared displacement due to the industrial project.

In March 2007, 14 people, mostly local residents, were killed when police and armed men opened fire on demonstrators. After the incident, the state government said it would relocate the SEZ project.

AI has urged the West Bengal government to facilitate an impartial and independent inquiry into the Nandigram violence, make the findings public, and bring to justice those believed to be responsible for the violence in proceedings that meet international standards of fair trial and do not impose the death penalty.

It also wants the government to ensure the safe return of all displaced communities to Nandigram and neighbouring areas.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a notice to the chief secretary, West Bengal, directing him to submit a factual report within 10 days on the conditions prevailing in Nandigram and the surrounding areas. The commission, which was acting on a petition filed by Sanjay Parikh, an advocate, has also decided to send a team to visit the disturbed area.

Source: www.amnesty.org, November 13, 2007
              www.nhrc.nic.in, November 12, 2007