MKRhere/blog
Muthu Kumar, Friday. 25th May, 2018.
Thoothukudi and democracy
Update: As of 09:46 PM May 25 (I'm on the bus), after Madras High Court questioned Tamil Nadu government, the ban on internet is raised in two of the three districts, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. Situation in Thoothukudi remains dire, but let's hope for the best.
I may not be available online for (up to) 3 days after this post because my government has decided to pull the plug on democracy.
This is Tamil Nadu, India. Once called "அமைதி பூங்கா" (a peaceful park). We are a people with a very ancient culture, and the oldest known language in usage — தமிழ்.
We had a glorious past, for the most part being independent, and having far reaching influence — extending to the far east. India was conquered several times, but never Tamil Nadu. It was only under the British regime Tamil Nadu was taken apart finally, and on independence became part of the republic of India.
That's the past. This is the present:
Thoothukudi massacre (Wikipedia)The Sterilite Copper plant in Tamil Nadu has always been opposed. As a child growing up in Thoothukudi, I felt the impact first hand (pre 2005 era). Our ground water was polluted, our wind was polluted, and our rains were polluted because Sterilite released poisonous gases during the rains.
In 2010, after a long struggle, Madras High Court decreed Sterilite to be shut down for violating several environmental regulations. But the roots of Vedanta (the parent company of Sterilite, located in London) run deep. The Supreme Court of India struck down the High Court order, and instead let Sterilite go with a fine of ₹100 crore (₹ 1,000,000,000).
On March 2018, the protests were renewed as Sterilite announced plans to expand and double their production by establishing a new plant in Thoothukudi.
For 100 days, tens of thousands of people protested for the right to their homeland, and their children's lives. I can't back this claim, but I've heard that there's not a day go by without losing someone to cancer in Thoothukudi. Elders, children, cancer knows no discrimination. With the amount of pollution that I know from 13 years ago, it would be a trivial achievement.
And on the 100th day something happened. After being denied permission to protest, thousands of people marched to the district collectorate to file a petition to the collector. They were stopped by a police barricade. They broke past the barricade and reached the collector's office, where they were brutally fired upon by automatic guns.
7 were confirmed dead on the spot, and after a few smaller incidents the number has raised 13. A 17 year old girl and a 11 year old girl are included in this number.
Over 70 were heavily injured, and all media, news channels, and even internet is blocked in the three districts of Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari from 23rd May to 27th May.
Varying local sources say between 33 and over 63 have died since, and hidden from official reports. By closing off communication, they've got time to move the dead to different districts. This is a massacre. If this was done in war time, it would be a war crime. If it happened during a civil war, it'd get international condemnation. Alas, it's a people fighting for the right to their homeland.
Original footage from Thoothukudi spread across social media shortly before internet was completely blocked by ISPs. The images are horrible. There was no warning shot, there was no gas bombs, and there were no below-the-knee shots. Strike force have been deployed to aim and shoot for the head.
I'm going to Tirunelveli, south Tamil Nadu, to visit my father after a long time. This weekend is my birthday. I will spend the 27th of May 2018, my 23rd birthday in a war zone. There will be no celebration. There will be mourning. Not only for our dead, but for the death of democracy.
Hopefully I'll see everyone again once ISPs are allowed to release the block on the internet. Until then, if I can ask you for a favour, let the world know.
The Guardian: Police in south India accused of mass murder after shooting dead protesters