CALCUTTA
EVICTIONS
Stop
the forced evictions of thousands of poor families by the West Bengal
Government in violation of international laws
Your
Excellency,
Our
organization has received urgent appeals for help from urban poor
families and NGOs about the continuing violations of the
housing rights of the poor families by the West Bengal government and
the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. On 15 December 2003 some 1,500
poor families were evicted violently, were not given prior notice, and
did not receive rehabilitation.
The
West Bengal government and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation have made a
name for themselves in international civil society circles as a
gross violator of the housing rights of its poor citizens.
On 22 September 2001 it evicted some 20,000 people from Tolly
Nullah; 10th December 2002 another 40,000 people; 2
Feb 2003 some 7,000 Dalits ; and on 15 December 2003, 75,000 people
along the canal side settlements at Bagbazar and Cossipore area.
In
the latest evictions, the West Bengal Government and the Kolkata
Municipal Corporation did not notify the residents about the eviction,
neither were they provided with rehabilitation. As in the past,
both governments employed heavily armed policemen and paramilitary
forces. The operations were conducted while the men were out of
the community working and only the women and children were left to face
the brunt of the violent evictions.
As
if to show its low regard for the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights and the United Nations, the West Bengal government conducted the
evictions on 15 December 2003 a few days from Human Rights
Day while last year it did
this during Human Rights Day itself.
Excellency,
may we remind the government of India that it has signed and ratified
binding international treaties on human rights, such as, International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, International Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Convention on the
Rights of the Child, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women. These international agreements clearly
recognize the right to adequate housing. On the other hand, the UN
Commission on Human Rights and the Committee on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights have declared forced evictions as prima facie
violations of human rights, in particular the right to adequate housing.
Consequently,
as a State Party to such treaties, the government of India has the
responsibility of calling to account the West Bengal government and the
Kolkata Municipal Corporation for their violations of the human
rights of Indian citizens.Their record of violating human rights,
namely, forced evictions, with impunity has become a source of
international embarrassment for the government of India.
a)
stop immediately all forced evictions that are done without
notification, consultation and rehabilitation/resettlement
b)
rehabilitate all the evictees, including those from 2001 and compensate
them for their losses
c)
hold a dialogue to be participated in by the government, affected
families and the civil society organizations to find solutions
acceptable to the affected families and the government.
With
hope that your Government will act promptly,
Sincerely
yours,
Rajeev
John George
Convenor
National Forum on Housing Rights - India
Deenbandhu, 3,
Usha Nagar
Main,
Annapurna Road,
Indore-452009, India.
