The National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF), a federation of State-level trade unions in India, has called for a National Day of Protest on 17 September 2012 to focus attention on the State terror that has been unleashed on protestors who have been peacefully campaigning against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, proposed to be built at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu.
In a statement, Pradip Chatterjee, Secretary, NFF, said:
“Terror has been let loose on thousands of peaceful fisher people, farmers, students, teachers and other common
people demonstrating against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. One fisherman has died in police firing; a girl child has been trampled to death under the boots of the police. Hundreds have been injured.
Many protesters men and women, young and old, have been arrested. Fishing villages are under seize. Houses are being ransacked and damaged. Power and water supply have been stopped. There is no food or water.
Yet the valiant protesters are carrying on their satyagraha (campaign of non-violent resistance and struggle developed by Mahatma Gandhi). They are fighting not only for their own villages, their own lives or livelihoods; they are fighting to save the future of all of us from nuclear disaster.
This is a time to act. Rise in solidarity with the soldiers of peace. Register your opposition to State terror. Observe September 17, 2012, as National Day of Protest. Wear black badges, hoist black flags, send protest letters to the governments of India and Tamil Nadu, and organize peaceful rallies, meetings and demonstrations all over the country.”
The statement, made also on behalf of Rambhau Patil, General Secretary, NFF, Vasudev Boloor, Secretary, NFF, and T. Peter, Secretary, NFF, called upon all democratic movements and people to join the protest.