April 19 – 20, 2013

State repression by suppression of civil liberties has become an increasingly serious problem in India. Tens of thousands of people are languishing in jails in different parts of the country, particularly in states like Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, North-east, Maharashtra, Andhra etc., on completely false charges fabricated against them by the state. Some like the Kudandkulam protestors, while out on bail are facing absurd charges like Sedition and are being forced to repeatedly run to Courts. Many are routinely killed in fake encounters and thousands have disappeared in Kashmir after being picked by the police and security forces. Hundreds are officially killed in police custody every year. All this goes on with impunity because of no accountability in the system encouraged by the climate of impunity. Peaceful protestors are frequently brutalized by lathi charges, tear gasing, water cannons etc. Even private militias like Salwa Judum, armed and financed by the state, have been unleashed upon tribal people of Chhattisgarh. It is a wonder therefore that India is still regarded as a democratic state.

All these methods of repression used by the state have become tools of crushing nonviolent democratic resistance movements, whether they are against forceful displacement, crimes like rape, corruption, or even demands of removal of draconian laws like the AFSPA. The protesters and movements have been left to fight a totally unequal and usually losing battle with the state in this culture of impunity that exists. The time has therefore come for organizations and movements who have been working on issues of civil liberties and democratic rights and those who bearing the brunt of this repression by the state, to come together, to exchange information and discuss strategies to deal with menace. Sambhaavna Institute of Public Policy and Politics at Palampur has therefore decided to organize a four day workshop of activists from civil liberties organizations as well as movements who are bearing the brunt of this repression, to discuss this issue.

PUCL- Kavitha Srivastav

Violation of rights in Chattisgarh – Sudha Bhardwaj

Dr.Binayak Sen

PUDR- Gautam Navlaka, Harish Dhavan

Manisha Sethi

HRF – Murali Karanam

Kashmir – Sanjay Kak

Jharkhand – Samantha and Suresh

HRLN – Colin Gonsalves

Kudankulam – Uday Kumar