Indigenous Community Peaceful Protest

Goa

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on January 8, 2021, regarding the forced construction of IIT Goa in the ecologically sensitive area of Melauli without consulting the local communities and lathi charge by the Goa police on the indigenous community for peacefully protesting against the project. 

Melauli village is part of the Western Ghats, an ecologically sensitive area, as per the notification of the Ministry of Environment as it shares borders with multiple wildlife sanctuaries in the state and has a unique and exceptional importance in the wildlife of Goa. An IIT complex is proposed in the village and is being pushed by the authorities without informing the local communities. 

On January 5, 2021, locals of Melauli village, mostly women, gathered to protest peacefully against the forced demarcation of land. About  500 policemen deployed in the area that day returned back after the protest from villagers. However, on 6th January police came in larger numbers and lathi-charged and used tear gas on the people protesting peacefully against the proposed project. Many protestors including large numbers of women suffered injuries in the police action. 

The forcible and hasty construction of the IIT complex in the ecologically sensitive area without even informing the local community and lathi-charge and use of tear gas against peaceful protestors is a violation of Indian laws as well as International Human Rights Laws. All Indians have a right to peaceful Protest as a fundamental right enshrined under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution. Also, Melauli is mostly inhabited by the indigenous population, and attempt to dispossess them is a violation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.