CURCHOREM: Quepem police arrested 40 villagers, beat up and manhandled more tribals from Cavrem-Pirla on Wednesday even as the uproar over the recent assault on Cavrem panch Ravindra Velip is yet to subside.
Incidentally, the Human Rights Commission had recently issued a notice regarding the assault on Velip in Sada jail. Some of the 40 locals who were arrested and taken to Quepem police station have now alleged that they were manhandled.
The Cavrem drama continued late Wednesday night as the locals were granted bail by the Margao Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC).
Those arrested had to pay a surety and have been asked to report to the magistrate on Thursday morning.
Nilesh Gaonkar, who was infamously assaulted five years ago and had broken his hand, was standing outside the police station along with Tulsidas Velip, and they too were taken inside the police station. Nilesh was allegedly beaten up again and has suffered injuries to the same hand he fractured while fighting for his village.
According to police, 38 females and two males were arrested under Sections 143, 147, 506, 332 r/w 149 of IPC, for obstructing the transportation of e-auctioned ore from the Cavrem mines.
However, the locals contend that no mining work was to take place that day and their biggest grouse is that the transportation of e-auctioned ore was being done without following the rules.
They claim that as per Supreme Court guidelines, an inventory of the ore stacked at the mine should have been done, which has not taken place. They further alleged that fresh ore was being illegally mined and that the same ore has been mixed with the e-auctioned ore that is being transported – an allegation that has been strongly refuted by the Mines Department and State government.
When the transportation of e-auctioned ore began in the morning, the residents came onto the roads and stopped the same.
Abhijit Prabhudesai of the Federation of Rainbow Warriors said that some of the victims had suffered from cuts, swelling and other injuries, and only after they insisted that a medical check-up be done were the victims sent for the same.
He criticised the police over the medical check-up, where some victims were sent to the Quepem health centre, some to Curchorem hospital and some to Hospicio Hospital, Margao. He stated that the entire process had left the victims and their families traumatised and in agony.
Abhijit, who was with the victims along with other members of the NGO when the locals got bail, also pointed out that the police seem to have taken advantage of the fact that tribal leader Ravindra Velip was not present. Ravindra had undergone a surgery at a private hospital and is receiving treatment.
“The aspirations of the Goan tribals are being crushed blatantly,” said Abhijit while observing that in Cavrem especially the government force has been brutal.
“Here are people standing up to form a cooperative society to follow the economic model and yet the government is crushing them,” said Abhijit.
Given that this has happened before where the National Human Rights Commission had asked the police to pay compensation to the Cavrem locals in the past for similar police brutality, Abhijit said the government’s attitude stinks of arrogance.
“It stinks of arrogance with corruption that comes with power. They don’t seem to understand that you can’t keep exploiting the people,” added Abhijit.
Curtorim MLA and Congress spokesperson Aleixo Reginald Lourenco, who was present the at Quepem police station and who had spoken to Quepem Dy SP Sammy Tavares and PI Pravin Gauns, told Herald that the issues of the Cavrem locals had to be addressed.
“The people from the vicinity should be given a share of the mining revenue. People are complaining that they are not getting a share; they have lost their fields and they have to eat the dust,” said Lourenco.
He continued, “I think the government should address the issue and there should be an amicable solution, not putting pressure and getting them arrested. I am not against mining; I am for starting mining, but the people’s issues should be addressed.”
Stating that cooperation from both sides was the need of the hour, former Quepem MLA Prakash Velip said that peace should be maintained and justice be given to the people.
On March 21, eight people were arrested and later released on personal bonds for obstructing ore transportation, which was started under police protection. Again, on March 22, five people were arrested for the same offence and given 12-day remand, and were later released on bail.
On two occasions, the residents and Velip informed that the villagers would not allow the private contractor to transport ore through their village and that they were firm on their demand to carry out all mining activities through their proposed multipurpose co-operative society.
Meanwhile, Fr Eremito Rebello of Goans for Sustainable Development has demanded that the government come clean on the allegations made by the locals and the brutality of police against locals who are fighting for the survival of their village.
“It reflects very badly on the government. It appears as if the government is hiding something. Could it be that some people from the government are involved in this assault? People need to know the truth and an inquiry must be made,” said Fr Eremito.
“These are simple village people who are fighting for their rights. This is their village and it is their duty to protect the future of the village and nobody has the right to kill their fight for survival,” quipped Fr Eremito.
“Whoever is doing this is violating their human rights and I condemn the brutality of the police force in the strongest terms. Instead of protecting the simple humble people, they are protecting the big shots,” said Fr Eremito.
