Head Office: 20/4 Sil Lane Kolkata – 700015, Tele+Fax: 033-23283989
Email: nffcal3@vsnl.com, nffindia@gmail.com
Delhi Office: C/O Delhi Forum, F10/12 Malviyanagar, New Delhi-110017
Tel: 011-2668 -0883/-0914
Urgent Appeal
Dear Friends,
Our representation, appeal and protest have fallen to the deaf ears of the power that be. The pompous messiahs of ‘growth and development’ continue to push our coast and the sea towards devastation. Special Economic Zones (SEZ), Special Tourism Zone (STZ), hazardous polluting industries, and private ports are thronging along the coast in an unprecedented pace. Suffocating insecurity is looming large over every part of the coast, from Kutch to Kanyakumari to Kakdwip. Fisher people and coastal communities are fighting to hold grounds at many places. The horrendous CZM Notification is still gearing up to ring the death knell of the coast. To add fuel to fire, foreign fishing vessels are being brought into our waters once again. In these strangulating circumstances National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) has given a clarion call:
SAVE THE COAST - SAVE THE FISHERS.
Fisher people, under severe duress, decide to launch this national campaign to conserve the coastal and marine resources and to protect their lives and livelihood. The campaign begins on 1st May 2008. A central contingent of agitating fish workers and eminent leaders of people’s movements and civil society organizations starts Machhimar Adhikar Rashtriya Abhiyan (National Campaign for fisherpeople’s rights) from Jakho, Kutch, Gujarat on 1st May and proceeds all along our coastline to reach Kolkata, West Bengal on 27th June 2008. This will be precursor to Fisherpeoples’ Parliament March in July 2008.
NFF called upon the fishing community, other coastal communities, students and youths, peoples’ movements, trade unions, the civil society, the media and people from all walks of life to participate, support and spread the campaign far and wide in every possible manner. NFF appreciates the support offered by National Coastal Protection Campaign (NCPC) and Trade Unions to Machhimar Adhikar Rashtriya Abhiyan.
I request all member organisations of National Coastal Protection Campaign (NCPC), other fraternal organizations and each one of you to take active part in Machhimar Adhikar Rashtriya Abhiyan at local, regional, state and national level in collaboration with the NFF and its affiliates to pitch up the campaign for a grand build up for Fisherpeoples’ Parliament March in July 2008, during the monsoon session. Let us all stand together and put up a concerted historic fight against destruction of our coast and our livelihood. Plunderers shall bow down before the collective resistance of resolute people and victory will be ours.
Please take initiative to workout details of the campaign (in your area or state) according to the campaign itinerary. NFF and NCPC leaders kindly complement each other’s efforts in this matter. This is a very challenging task ahead; let us face it with all our might.
We appeal to all fraternal movements, institutions, organizations and the people of India to make generous contribution for this historic campaign. Contributions may be made through Cheques or Bank Drafts in favour of National Fishworkers’ Forum and payable in Kolkata.
Let us all plunge into action. Let us all join hands and say in one voice: SAVE THE COAST- SAVE THE FISHERS.
Harekrishna Debnath
Chairperson, NFF
Convener, NCPC
25.04.2008
