Dear ESCR Net,
First, I wish to apologise profoundly for our inability to join the strategy meeting. Yet we are very much part of the network and wish to convey that we believe in the collective civil society networking that ESCR has initiated. We are keen on continuing to be active members of ESCR net as we find the democratic spaces getting narrower and more stifling.
Our network within India with members fighting the big mining lobbies and the policy changes they are influencing, particularly on indigenous people's lands is finding the situation grim but we are also trying to find ways of fighting these forces. Our inability to participate is also due to these strong forces that are keeping us constantly fighting at different places where communities and local struggles need urgent actions and support. We are fighting the big multinational corporations that are threatening to take away indigenous people's lands for bauxite mining.
We were suddenly confronted with the threat to our Executive Council indigenous women's leader Munni Hansda who along with her comrades was arrested by local police on false cases for resisting the mining company. We are caught up in this urgent issue. But we agree with the discussions taking place there at Nairobi and will be happy to be signatories to the declaration and the nominations that this strategy meeting will come up with at the end of the day.
In solidarity,
Ravi Rebbapragada, Chairperson, National Network-mines, minerals & PEOPLE
Kalluri Bhanumathi, Coordinator, International Women and Mining Network
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