Committee for the Assistance of Tribals

Affected by Salwa Judum (CATAS)

Invitation for Press Conference

4^th November 2006.

To

The Chief Editor/ Correspondent/ Bureau Chief,

……………

Dear Chief Editor/ Correspondent/ Bureau Chief,

Salwa Judum has been now established as the notorious design of the state machinery to terrorise indigenous people of Bastar. It is unfortunate that in the misguided mission of the State against the people struggling for their right to life with dignity, the very essence of a democratic polity, hundreds of villages have been literally burnt down, thousands of tribal have been uprooted and huddled together in camps reminiscent of the war-time concentration camps and notorious regrouping exercise in Mizoram that has left a permanent anti-Indian mark on the suffering people of that area. A 7-member team of adivasi young cultural artistes has taken a long tour of all the States to arouse the conscience of the people of this country with an appeal for standing by the suffering humanity and help in ending this darkest chapter in the history of our country that is known for the vivacious diversity enriched by hundreds of tribal communities.

This team of Artistes’ is concluding its humane sojourn on the 8^th of November at Delhi with a grand public performance at Ambedkar Bhawan, Pahargunj and organizing a protest rally on 9^th November from Mandi House to Parliament Street. In this context, we hold this Press Conference seeking to provide an opportunity for the young adivasi cultural artistes, coming from the Dantewara area where Salwa Judum atrocities have been taking place, to speak to the press with a view to air their feelings and emotions.

The Press Conference is scheduled on 7^th November, 2006 at 3 P.M. at Press Club of India, New Delhi. Along with the adivasi team, Dr B D Sharma, Hari Singh Tarq, N D Pancholi, Varavara Rao, Rajkishor, Vinayak Sen, G N Saibaba, and Kumar Sanjay Singh will address the Press Conference.

We request you to depute a senior reporter and a photographer/ cameraperson to cover the press conference and the performance of the adivasi young cultural artistes and cover the same in your esteemed newspaper/ television channel.

Thank you very much.

Dr. B D Sharma I.A.S. (Retd)
Former Vice-Chancellor of North Eastern University, Shillong and Former Commissioner for Schedule Castes and Tribes, Government of India Contact Address: 11-A, Nangli Rajapur, Nizamuddin (East), New Delhi 110013

Phone Number: 011-24353997. 09868140997 (Anjani)