In the month of December, the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and the Maharashtra State Government have carried out widespread forced eviction of people dwelling in settlements which were erected after 1995 in Mumbai. This action was carried out with the help of Mumbai Police force. Till date more than 52,000 hutment have been razed to the ground by use of bulldozer. No legal intimation or notice was given to the communities residing in these settlements.
Millions of people have been thrown out of their houses at the peak of the winter season. They are living around the demolished site under the open roof without shelter, food, livelihood and basic amenities. There is no medical facility provided either and their ration cards are confiscated and water services have been stopped. The children are out of school, women unsafe, thousands of people living in a state of complete insecurity; utterly defenseless against the elements of nature.
According to a survey conducted by the BMC, the population in the unprotected settlements is around 22,00,000 of which around 2,50,000 are already rendered homeless. And those who are not are in constant state of fear in face of these rampant demolitions. Any attempt at the local level to resist such act has been addressed as violation of law and order and people are put behind the bars with the help of the police force. Most of these people belong to the Schedule Caste, Schedule Tribes, Nomadic Tribes and other backward classes and minorities.
The worst effect of this brutal act is on women and children. On one hand the Indian Government has rectified the International UN Convention on rights of children ensuring every child the rights to survival, protection, development, and participation in 1992. On the other hand more than 1,00,000 children have been rendered homeless, out of school, insecure and vulnerable. In such a case the question that arises is on the possibility for these children to realise all the above rights in absence of a roof on their head. It is the same in the case of women who are in the state of insecurity and are most vulnerably unsafe.
The intention to make this city of Mumbai into a world class city is the main agenda of the State and other beneficiaries behind these rampant forced evictions. The main argument provided by the state for all these processes is that the people who came to Mumbai after 1995 should not stay back in Mumbai. But on repeated thoughts on this, it is revealed that this applies only to the poor; because those who have power in terms of money, political pressure, resources, etc. are welcomed to the city with garlands and bouquet of flowers. So once again we get to see an act of discrimination between the Haves and Have-nots!
During the last elections, slum and pavement dwellers residing before 2002 were promised security of tenement. However once the Government has been re-elected into power, they seem to have forgotten the promises made, the hopes built. Also the ongoing process of inhuman eviction and demolition has disillusioned, acutely saddened and angered the homeless slum and pavement dwellers. Such actions are utter violation of human rights, are impinging upon the rights of people to live with self-respect and are measures towards depriving them of basic amenities, livelihood and shelter.
Every state has ensured the constitutional rights to survival and mobility to all its citizens. The process of forced eviction is utter violation of these rights of the marginalized people by the state of Maharashtra and Mumbai Municipal Corporation.
It has come out clearly from various consultations with these marginalized groups and also during Istanbul Habitat Resolution, that right to housing is a central right and a secured and adequate house provides a sense of security. But in Mumbai, blatant violation of the most fundamental human rights is going on unabated by none other than the state itself, which, in fact, is supposed to protect, and not destroy, the rights of its people.
If these demolitions are in the light of the development plan of Mumbai city along International standards, in that case where do the homeless, pavement and slum dwellers figure in that entire plan? We are not against the developmental plans or making the city world class, but we should strongly demand that this world class city be based on respect, protection and promotions of all human rights of all the citizens and more specifically the marginalized. Human development should be the main indicators to the formation of World Class City. Also this demand needs to be sharper in the national Constitutional and International Human Rights obligations.
In keeping with our policy of responsiveness, YUVA has, over the last twenty years, intervened and built considerable organizational experience, in working towards empowerment of the oppressed and the marginalized, by facilitating their organizations and institutions towards building equal partnerships in the development process; and ensuring the fulfillment of the human right to live in security, dignity and peace. (Further details of our work can be viewed at our website: www.yuvaindia.org)
In the light of the present situation, we invite you to join us in solidarity to highlight the atrocities and demand that the demolitions be stopped immediately, addressing the question of identity and survival faced by the victims.
This could be done through local level demonstrations, writing to newspapers and to the National Human Rights Commission (Sardar Patel Marg, Sansad Marg, New Delhi) Women Commission, the Urban Development Department, GOI (Sansad Bhavan, New Delhi), Shrimati. Sonia Gandhi - the President of UPA Government (10,janpath, New Delhi), Hon.Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - the President of India, Hon.Dr.Manmohan Singh - the Prime Minister of India (Sansad Bhavan, New Delhi), Hon. S.M.Krishna - Governor of Maharashtra state (Raj Bhavan, Mumbai, State of Maharashtra), Hon. Mr. Vilasraoji Deshmukh - Chief Minister of Maharashtra State (Mantralaya, Mumbai), Hon. Mr. R.R.Patil - Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, (Mantralaya, Mumbai), Hon. Mr. Johnny Joseph - Commissioner of Mumbai Municipal Corporation, (CST, Mumbai.)
In Solidarity,
YUVA (Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action).
