UNI / 01.05.2012

Federation Secretary G Sugumaran in a statement here today said that the explanation by the police into the incident of firing at Sakthivel who had allegedly hurled country made bombs and killed Jagadeesan of Karikkalampakkam, was not enough and was suspicions.

Hence, to enquire into the incident and bring out the truth the federation had constituted a fact finding committee headed by A Marx, Mr Sugumaran said. The committee will visit the place of incident on April 30 and enquire the people there, police officials concerned, Sakthivel, who was receiving treatment at the Government Hospital, and the doctors who were treating Sakthivel, among others, and prepare a report.

The report would be forwarded to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for action, Mr Sugumaran said.

UNI / 27.04.2012

Talking to newspersons here today, Mr A Marx President, PUHR and Mr G Sugumaran, Secrertary, FPR, who visited Yanam and surrounding areas of Andhra Pradesh as part of a fact finding visit, demanded that if the management refused to reopen the factory, the government take over it to give a new lease of life to the families of 3,000 workers. They said the death of trade union leader Murali was a clear custodial death and this triggered the industrial violence in the region. The investigation was not on the right track because of the intervention of legislator Malladi Krishna Rao and all his political enemies were enrolled as accused in the violence case, they alleged. Stating that it was a welcoming sign that the Chief Minister had agreed to refer the case to the CBI, they said the custodial death of Murali, the murder of factory manager Chandrasekeran, industrial violence and the subsequent police firing in which nine sustained bullet injures should be included in the CBI probe. Murder case be registered against police personnel Periyasamy, Veerabhadrasamy and Senthamiz Selvan, they demanded.

UNI / 09.04.2012

UNI / 17.03.2012

Addressing a press conference, A. Marx of the People’s Union for Human Rights accused the special team involved in the firing of making no attempt to apprehend the suspects alive. Dismissing the ‘exchange of fire’ theory of the Chennai Police, he said there was every reason to believe that the incident was a “fake encounter”.

Since the Crime Branch CID was part of the State police, it would only be appropriate to transfer the case to the CBI. “We also demand constitution of a judicial commission headed by a sitting judge of a high court to enquire into the encounter.

Going by the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Marx said, a murder case should be registered against the police personnel and higher officials involved in the operation. “They should be treated as murder case accused till such time it is proved beyond reasonable doubt that the firing was only in self-defence. The deaths were preventable…the police went with a sole intention to kill the suspects,” he alleged.

Mr. Marx said some persons prevented human rights activists from visiting the scene of firing and interacting with the local people in the Velachery area. “Posters were pasted against us…this is a bad precedent. When we were physically prevented and verbally abused, the police deployed there remained mute spectators. People living in the vicinity of the encounter scene were threatened not to speak to the media or fact-finding teams,” he added.

Among others who were present in the press conference were advocate Rajini and K.Sugumaran of the Federation for People’s Rights.

The Hindu /28.02.2012

About half an hour later, he said the team members called the CoP and JCP (south), saying they wanted to visit the firing spot. “The police officials told us that we had to get the permission of the judicial magistrate investigating the incident.”

Meanwhile, some three or four persons arrived on the scene and began “shouting at the team members, which included five women”, Prof Marx said. “They asked the women activists whether they had come to conduct a fashion parade. We told them that we had come to investigate the incident and that we were ready to register their truths also.”

The argument went on for about 30 minutes and, as things turned ugly, the team was finally forced to leave, the activist said. “We again called the CoP to submit a complaint and he gave us an appointment for 1.30 pm.”

The 10-member team went to the commissioner’s office in Egmore and submitted a complaint, alleging that they had been prevented from conducting an investigation because of the action of some persons, who acted at the instigation of the police. Prof Marx said the CoP refuted the allegation, but promised to look into the incident.

Citing an order passed by Judge Ramasubramaniam of the Madurai bench of Madras High Court on a petition from a police inspector not to allow public hearing on the Paramakudi firing incident, the activist said the judge had rejected the plea, saying that it was due to the work of human rights groups that many truths had come out. “So, we have every right to conduct an investigation,” he said.

Indian Express / 27.02.2012

UNI / 16.02.2012

In a statement here today, Federation Secretary G Sugumaran regretted that even after demands from different political parties for a judicial probe,the government was yet to initiate any action in the issue. In the wage hike issue in a private factory at Yanam, a trade union leader was killed allegedly in police custody which triggered the violence in which an executive of the company was killed by the workers and police opened fire injuring nine workers.

Mr Sugumaran charged the Puducherry Administration, instead of initiating action against the culprits,was trying to hide the facts of police atrocities and the Chief Minister’s continued silence on the issue needed to be condemned. He also said the federation had constituted a fact-finding committee comprising human rights activists of southern region which would visit Yanam in the first week of February .

UNI / 31.01.2012

In a release here today, Federation Secretary G Sugumaran pointed out that scientists and social activists had expressed apprehension of health hazards to the people once, the nuclear plant started functioning. Mr Sugumaran said he along with peoples union for human rights, Tamil Nadu Chapter, President Prof A Max and Madurai advocates Rajani and Palanisamy would visit the village tomorrow to express their solidarity with the struggling people.

The team would interact with the people there and submitt a report to the Centre conveying the apprehension of the struggling people.

UNI /21.10.2011

Federation for People’s Rights express its solidarity to the people’s struggle at Idinthakarai village against the Koodankulam Nuclear Plant.

The Central Government is constructing a Nuclear Plant in Koodankulam at Tirunelveli District, which is aided by the Russian Government. The Scientists and Social Activists are categorically saying that the Nuclear Plant is dangerous and if it starts its work, the rays will create a great hazardous to the people.

The people of Koodankulam and surrounding village are opposing the Nuclear plant and struggling continuously and they started the third phase of indefinite fast from 18^th October 2011.

Meanwhile, the Central Government has constituted a 15 member expert panel to study the issue and submit a report to the Government. The Struggle Committee rejected the expert committee stating that there was no representation on their side.

In this situation, Federation for People’s Rights Secretary G. Sugumaran, People’s Union for Human Rights (PUHR), Tamilnadu Chapter, President Prof. A. Marx, Madurai Advocate Rajini and K. Palanisamy are visiting the Idinthakarai village tomorrow (22.10.2011) to express their solidarity to the struggle. The Team will interact with people and submit a brief report to the center, conveying the aspiration the struggling people.