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| Indian Blogger Sued for Defamation |
| An interview with Sebastian Rodrigues, who blogs on mining issues |
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Armstrong Vaz (armie)  |
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Published 2009-11-26 11:24 (KST) |
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| This article is only lightly edited. <Editor's Note> |
Researcher Sebastian Rodrigues from the Indian state of Goa does not call himself an environmentalist; instead he says he is a scholar concerned with society.
Mining is his favorite subject. The former Portuguese colony is in the midst of an iron, manganese and bauxite rush. Issues related to mining have been given a back burner by the local and national press.
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| So Rodrigues stepped in to fill void of information through his blog. But in response, the thirty-something blogger has been hit with a 500 billion Rupee defamation suit, brought by a mining company at the Calcutta High Court.
He decided not to spend any of his own money to fight the case and appealed for public contributions. He has been encouraged by the way people from near and far responded to the call.
Besides taking up professional short research assignments on tribal and land issues in Goa, he has completed one study 'Land, Mining and Adivasis in Goa' which was funded by 'The Other Media' and is being published in Delhi.
Below is my interview with Rodrigues.
When you started the blog and the reasons for starting it and the issues which you seek to highlight besides mining?
The Blog www.mandgoa.blogspot.com was started sometime in August 2007. It was started because Gawda, Kunbi, Velip and Dhangar Federation (GAKUVED) wanted it to express its point of view and let the world know about the plight of the indigenous people in Goa.
Besides mining, the blog has highlighted land issues including documentation of police violence of people fighting for their rights, history of tribal movements in Goa, real estate and struggle against it in villages like Bambolim and Cacra in Tiswadi Taluka, industry takeover of tribal lands particularly by syngenta in Dhulapi and Mangado villages in Tiwwadi taluka, and cultural aspects of tribal communities in Goa such as Ambaulim Intruzz and Shigmo. Prior to that I had my own personal blog since 2005, when I learned to blog while working with CACIM -- India institute for Critical Action Centre in Movements in Delhi.
You have been sued for 500 billion rupees in the Calcutta High Court. How are you fighting the defamation suit, and who is supporting you with legal aid?
The defamation suit was filed against me at the Calcutta High court on 24 December 2008 for my writing at www.mandgoa.blogspot.com. The Fomento mining company wants to scare those who dare to speak out against the disaster in Goa for past 60 years called open cast iron ore and magnesium.
It is important to recognize this.
I am getting increasing public support both psychologically and financially to fight the case. The first decision I took was not to spend any of my personal money to fight this case and appealed for public contributions for this. I am encouraged by the way people from near and far responded to the call.
There are too many people involved in supporting me and I would not venture to name any of them. So many have signed online in my support, so may have written in newspapers in Goa. I am overwhelmed with the support.
The movement has only intensified further after the defamation suit. There are lawyers from across the country who have supported me and even offered to take my case.
Fometos mining company is not solely responsible for Goa's great mining plunder. Other mining companies -- Dempos, Chowgules, Bandekars, Sesa Goa, Damodar Mangalji, Salgaoncars etc. -- operating in Goa are equally responsible for this. People are getting increasingly vigilant about mining now and losing fear about taking cudgels against this rogue industry.
How is mining affecting Goa now and what are the consequences Goa will face in the coming years?
Mining is leading Goa towards desertification by drying up the major source of water. Mining companies are operating inside the catchments areas of our major dams -- Selaulim, Opa and Assanora. Besides villages in mining belt in Sattari, Bicholim and Sanguem have become dependent upon mining companies for the supply of water. The conflicts are sharper day by day. A few years ago, one man from Pissurlem village Pandurang Parab was even attacked because he wanted one extra bucket of water! If mining is stopped immediately then Goa will face very acute water shortages. Coastal Goa, cities of Margao, Panaji, Vasco, Ponda and Mapusa all depend upon Goa's hinterlands for their water supplies. Goa's industry -- as well as tourism -- will be badly hit due to continuous expansion of mining leases.
All nine rivers in Goa are affected by mining. So are the 42 tributaries that connect Western Ghats to the these rivers. All these waterways, along with Arabian Sea, are becoming silted. One only has to look at the plight of Kushavati river in order to understand the situation. This river, a couple of years back, went dry for the first time.
We have heard about California Gold rush. Presently we are in the era of Goa's iron, manganese and bauxite rush with all the accompanying features in social, cultural and economic terms.
The roots of all the destruction of Goa due to mining lies in the increase demand for iron ore, Manganese and Bauxite. The question however is that to what extent are we going to sell ourselves, our Goa, our people, our fields, our rivers, our springs, our waterfalls, our forest, our mountains, our soil.
In short mining is rapidly transforming Goa into a beggar State with complete destruction of its sustenance capability.
Should mining be stopped completely in Goa, or there is way to mine in areas where there is no environmental damage? Are there any areas where such thing can happen?
Mining must be stopped completely and immediately. Goa losses several times more than what it gains as annual royalty of about 20 billion rupees. And profits from mining is entirely pocketed by private families and one British company -- Vedanta that owns Sesa Goa mining company that has mining operations in Goa. Mining is completely against Public Interest of Goa and its people.
Are there other dangers of mining?
Open cast Iron ore and Manganese mining in Goa has been one of the main reasons for disruption of several villages in Goa.
Ambaulim in Quepem, for example, faced police repression for protesting against dust pollution to their village and making road travel risky, especially for children, due to marauding mining trucks transporting iron ore.
Goa police are routinely used against people protesting mining as well as labor unions in the mines.
Tell us something about your academic qualifications, how you came to be a social activist, and your role models?
My B.A is in Economics and Sociology from St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, and my M.A in Sociology is from Goa University. I completed my M.Phil at the Centre for Latin American Studies of Goa University as well. My M. Phil dissertation was on 'Origin and Consolidation of Landless Worker's Movement in Brazil'. It is a about one of the biggest social movements of the World -- MST -- wherein historically marginalized Brazilians are organizing themselves to capture large landholdings known as 'Latifundious'.
I have no role model to my life. In my childhood I admired Helen Keller. What she achieved in spite of being blind. But family and relatives transformed me me into what I have become today. I do not refer myself as environmentalist but as scholar concerned about affairs in the society.
In college got involved with students movements and was active in tri-semester agitation. At this stage also got involved with the All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) and was inspired by its Poonamalee declaration: 'We are born in an unjust society and we will not leave it as we found it.' It is here that I met Roland Martins in 1991 and was active with number of initiatives like Jagrut Goenkaranchi Fauz (JGF) campaigning around tourism issues in Goa. The JGFs two week long padayatras (foot marches) -- one at Pernem coast and another on Canacona coast -- gave me rich exposure to Goa and its varied discourses in the early and mid 1990s. Roland guided me in those crucial years when I was looking for direction for future.
You spend a day in prison recently for your stance against mining. What were your experiences?
I have already blogged my experiences. It was fortunate that I was with a team of brave people who faced beatings, and then got arrested with the group and even went to prison. The experience exposed, once again, the well known nexus of the Police force with mining companies.
How you support yourself financially?
My financial needs are taken care of by Prof. Peter Ronald de Souza, former Head of Political Science department, Goa University. He encouraged me to return to Goa and work with GAKUVED in Goa. Through his networks he involved various agencies such as Vikas Adhayan Kendra, Mumbai, to support my initiatives. I get a monthly honorarium of 12,000 rupees.
In addition, I also take on short research assignments on tribal and land aspects in Goa. I have completed one study 'Land, Mining and Adivasis in Goa' and it is gone for publication in Delhi. It was funded by 'The Other Media' in Delhi.
What is your take on the threatened global sea level rise in Goa and solutions to it?
Global warming and rising sea level is threatening Goa's coast. We need to keep our hills safe for the future so that, in the worst case, we can relocate coastal population to the mountains in the hinterlands. Most of our politicians have vested interest in mining industry. They have business ties and they are not willing look at the interest of Goa beyond their nose.
Any thing else you like to say?
Global consuming classes are responsible for increase in demand for metals due to their irresponsible over consumption patterns. Disintegration of Goa due to mining can be thwarted if the burgeoning global middle class realizes that their consumerist behavior and appetite for cars is finishing off one of the world's most sought after tourism destinations. Several middle class families from India and abroad have visited Goa for share their precious moments together. But, as Ramesh Gauns puts it:
"World is risking one of the best honeymoon destinations in Goa due to mining. If these middle classes do not speak up for Goa then middle classes are equally responsible for it."
So stand up to defend Goa, defend our homeland and global middle class's favorite honeymoon destination from cancerous spread of mining. Speak up for Goa now, before it is too late.
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©2009 OhmyNews
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