IN THE COVID CRISIS, SUPPORT INDIAN FARMERS

UNJUST FARM LAWS MUST BE REPEALED

India is in the grip of a Covid catastrophe caused by criminal inaction on the part of the national Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of Prime Minister Modi.  It chose to prioritize its electoral and ideological agenda and disregard assessments and predictions based on Covid mapping scenarios by experts. This is consistent with the BJP’s governance model since 2014 weakening and decimating every countervailing centre of power be it media, judiciary, opposition political parties, trade unions or human rights groups. These divisive governance practices negatively impact the working poor, the marginalized and oppressed sections of society, while providing huge dividends for their crony capitalists friends.

The current situation was not inevitable, proven by the state of Kerala where proactive measures resulted in them having a surplus of medical oxygen, or that the city of Mumbai chose not to dismantle large-scale temporary medical facilities created during the first wave because it foresaw a second coming.

In this context, we note the on-going struggle of millions of farmers demanding that PM Modi’s government repeal the three farm laws passed in September 2020, without consultation or debate in the midst of the first wave of the Covid pandemic.

This farmers’ movement, the largest and longest non-violent peaceful protest in world history, is now entering an unprecedented sixth month. Farmers rightly fear that these laws will empower corporations to seize their land, jeopardize their livelihood and deepen the agrarian crisis facing the country. Since November 2020, hundreds of thousands of farmers have camped at the borders of the capital New Delhi, in the bitter winter cold and now, the searing heat of summer, despite police tear gas, water cannons and barricades. Several hundred of them, young and old, men and women, have perished due to weather, disease, police violence and traffic accidents.  Many have been injured by vigilantes of the ruling party. Yet the struggle endures and grows. But the Modi government continues to turn a deaf ear to their demands. With the current wave of Covid it is feared the government will opportunistically invoke public health and attempt to demolish the camps, just as it did last year, at the onset of the first wave of this virus, with the massive mobilization against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) designed to strip many Indians of citizenship.  While the farmers know the health risks they face by staying encamped at this time, they remain resolute because it’s a devil’s bargain between threat of covid infection or farm laws that spell death for them.

The farmers’ protest has garnered amazing support from all sections of Indian society and outside the country as well. In Canada, city councils such as Vancouver, Victoria, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Surrey, Brampton and others, along with many Canadian labor organizations, including Canadian Labour Congress, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Federations of Labour, and UNIFOR, have passed resolutions or issued statements in support of the demands of the farmers. In the midst of the second wave of the covid pandemic ravaging India, we the undersigned, call on the Indian government to pay heed to the demands of the farmers and to ensure that the poor and the marginalized do not disproportionately bear the burden of the ferocious second wave.  It is important to remember that farmers feed the nation and working people build it.

IMMEDIATELY REPEAL the farm laws passed in September 2020 so the farmers can protect themselves from COVID and return to their homes, secure in the knowledge that the futures for themselves and their families are not jeopardized.

RELEASE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS being held under draconian laws and now also facing COVID infection.

FREE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS for all in India aged 18 and above.

DANS LA CRISE DE LA COVID, SOUTENIR LES AGRICULTEURS INDIENS

LES LOIS AGRICOLES INJUSTES DOIVENT ÊTRE ABROGÉES

 L’Inde est en proie à une catastrophe Covid causé par l’inaction criminelle du gouvernement national Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) du Premier ministre Modi. Il a choisi de donner la priorité à son programme électoral et idéologique, et de ne pas tenir compte des évaluations et des prévisions basées sur les scénarios de cartographie Covid par des experts. Cela est cohérent avec le modèle de gouvernance du BJP depuis 2014 – orienté vers la logique de l’affaiblissement et l’anéantissement de tous les centres de contre-pouvoir, qu’il s’agisse des médias, de la justice, des partis d’opposition, des syndicats ou des groupes de défense des droits humains. La logique du BJP est aussi celle de pratiques de gouvernance divisionnistes ayant un impact négatif sur les pauvres, et sur les secteurs marginalisés et opprimés de la société, tout en procurant d’énormes dividendes à leurs amis et copains capitalistes.

La situation actuelle n’était pas inévitable. L’État du Kerala l’a prouvé avec des mesures proactives qui ont produit un surplus d’oxygène médical. Idem la ville de Mumbai, qui a choisi de ne pas démanteler les installations médicales temporaires à grande échelle créées lors de la première vague car elle prévoyait la seconde vague.

Dans ce contexte, nous notons la lutte continue des millions d’agriculteurs exigeant que le gouvernement du PM Modi abroge les trois lois agricoles adoptées en septembre 2020 sans consultation ni débat au milieu de la première vague de la pandémie.

Ce mouvement paysan, la plus grande et la plus longue manifestation pacifique et non violente de l’histoire mondiale, entre maintenant dans un sixième mois sans précédent. Les agriculteurs craignent à juste titre que ces lois autorisent les entreprises à saisir leurs terres, à mettre en péril leurs moyens de subsistance et à aggraver la crise agraire à laquelle le pays est confronté.

Depuis novembre 2020, des centaines de milliers d’agriculteurs campent aux limites de la capitale, New Delhi, dans le froid glacial de l’hiver, et maintenant dans la chaleur torride de l’été, malgré les gaz lacrymogènes, les canons à eau et les barricades de la police. Plusieurs centaines d’entre eux, jeunes et vieux, hommes et femmes, ont péri à cause des intempéries, de la maladie, de la violence policière et des accidents de la circulation. Beaucoup ont été blessés par des miliciens RSS du parti au pouvoir. Pourtant, la lutte continue et se développe malgré le fait que gouvernement Modi fait toujours la sourde oreille à leurs demandes. Avec la nouvelle vague de la Covid, il est à craindre que le gouvernement invoque de manière opportuniste la santé publique et tente de démolir les camps, comme il l’a fait l’année dernière, au début de la première vague de ce virus, avec la mobilisation massive contre la loi d’amendement de la citoyenneté (CAA) conçue pour priver de nombreux Indiens de leur nationalité. Les agriculteurs connaissent les risques de santé qui les menacent en restant dans leurs camps de protestation. Mais ils demeurent résolus et déterminés car ils savent qu’ils sont coincés entre deux menaces diaboliques et mortelles : le virus létal de la Covid-19 et les lois agricoles qui signifient leur mort socio-économique.

La protestation des agriculteurs indiens a reçu un soutien étonnant de toutes les sections de la société indienne, et également à l’extérieur du pays. Au Canada, des conseils municipaux tels que Vancouver, Victoria, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Surrey, Brampton et d’autres, ainsi que de nombreuses organisations syndicales, y compris le Congrès du travail du Canada, le Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique, les fédérations du travail et l’UNIFOR, qui ont adopté des résolutions ou publié des déclarations à l’appui de leurs demandes. Au milieu de la 2è vague de la pandémie qui ravage l’Inde, nous, soussigné.e.s, appelons le gouvernement indien à tenir compte des demandes des agriculteurs et à faire en sorte que les pauvres et les marginalisés ne supportent pas de manière disproportionnée l’impact mortel de cette nouvelle agression covidienne. Il est important aussi de se rappeler que les agriculteurs nourrissent la nation et que les travailleurs la construisent.

ABROGEZ IMMÉDIATEMENT les lois agricoles adoptées en septembre 2020 afin que les agriculteurs puissent se protéger du COVID et rentrer chez eux, en sachant que leur avenir et celui de leurs familles ne sont pas menacés.

LIBÉREZ TOUS LES PRISONNIERS POLITIQUES détenus en vertu de lois draconiennes et maintenant également confrontés à une infection au COVID.

VACCINATIONS COVID-19 GRATUITES pour tous et toutes en Inde âg.e.és de 18 ans et

Signatories

1. Feroz Mehdi, Alternatives International, Montreal
2. Catherine Pappas, Alternatives, Montréal
3. Mohammad Imran, Retired, NJ, USA
4. Patrick Farbiaz, PEPS-Pour une Ecologie Populaire et Sociale, Paris
5. Dolores Chew, Marianopolis College, Montreal,Canada
6. Sophie Toupin, University of Amsterdam, Montreal/Amsterdam
7. Ishita Tiwary, Concordia university, Montréal
8. Richa Nagar, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, US
9. Dipti Gupta, Dawson College, Montréal
10. Cory Legassic, Dawson College, Montréal
11. Rahul Varma, Teesri Duniya Theatre, Montreal 
12. Prashant Keshavmurthy, McGill University, Montreal
13. Afshan Nasseri, McGill University, Montreal
14. Sid Shniad, founding member, Independent Jewish Voices Canada
15. Jooneed J KHAN, Journalist and Writer, Montreal
16. Jaswant Guzder, child psychiatrist, Montreal
17. Chiara Letizia, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
18. Bindu T Desai, Albany, CA, USA
19. Robert Apter, Retired United Auto Workers Local Rep, New York, NY, USA 
20. Lakshmi Sharma, Montreal, QC, Canada
21. Jody Freeman, Montréal, Québec, Canada
22. Bill Skidmore, Carleton University (Retired), Ottawa, Canada
23. Anita Lal, Poetic Justice Foundation, Canada
24. Carmen Jensen, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
25. Pasha M. Khan, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
26. Adrienne Piggott, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
27. Sadeqa  Siddiqui, IMA Quebec , Montreal Canada.
28. Robert Hornsey, President,Bergthorson Academy of Musical Arts, Maple Ridge, Canada
29. Malcolm Guy, International League of Peoples’ Struggle, Montréal, Québec, Canada
30. Niti Sharma, Richmond, B.C., Canada
31. M. V. Ramana, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
32. Lavanya Narasiah, MD MSc, McGill and Sherbrooke University, Quebec, Canada
33. Steve Orlov, playwright, Montreal, Qc
34. Omer Morad, Montreal, QC    .
35. Sushil Handa, Saint-Lambert, Quebec
36. Gilles Sabourin, Saint-Lambert, Québec
37. Daniel Guerrier, ancien délégué national Service civil international, France
38. Christiane Baril, Longueuil, Québec, Canada
39. Amrit Krishnan, Montreal, Québec, Canada
40. Vijay Kolinjivadi, University of Antwerp, Montréal/Antwerp
41. Caroline Kunzle, Montreal, Québec.
42. Debdeep Chatterjee, Concordia University, Montreal
43. Julie Vig, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
44. Ayesha Vemuri, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
45. Darin Barney, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
46. Freda Guttman, Montreal, Canada, Independent Jewish Voices
47. John Price, University of Victoria
48. Gracy Fernandes -Haiti
49. Prashant Olalekar – India
50. Vinod Mubayi, Insaf Bulletin, New York, USA
51. Penni Mitchell, Herizons Magazine, Winnipeg, Canada
52. Anne Caines, RECAA, Montreal, Quebec Canada
53. Judy Wong
54. Salman Kureishy, Mississauga, Canada
55. Burç Köstem, Montreal, Quebec
56. Samir Gandesha, Director, Institute for the Humanities, SFU
57. Denise Nadeau, Concordia University, Montreal
58. Carrie Rentschler, McGill University, Montreal
59. Ian Angus, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University

60. Jessica Fontaine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
61. Stephen Aberle, Independent Jewish Voices member, Vancouver, Canada
62. Andrew Stuhl, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
63. Rana Khan, Working for Change, Toronto, Canada
64. Mark Stiles, Stiles Associates Inc., Ottawa, Canada
65. Sana Ahmad, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
66. David Barsamian, Alternative Radio, Boulder, CO USA
67. Koushik Ghosh, Central Washington University, WA. U.S.A. 
68. Democracy, Equality and Secularism in South Asia (DESA), Winnipeg, Canada
69. Geopolitical Economy Research Group (GERG), Canada
70.  Nicole Ranganath, UC Davis
71. Jyotsna Vaid, College Station, TX, USA
72. Jeremy Isao Speier, Artist, Vancouver, Canada
73. Jerry Dias, Unifor President, Canada
74. V.K. Tripathi, New Delhi, India
75. Carolyn D’Cruz, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
76. Svend Robinson, JS Woodsworth Resident Scholar, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver
77. Rami Katz, Vancouver
78. Glenn D’Cruz, Deakin University, Melbourne
79. Hanako Hoshimi-Caines, Centre de Creation O Vertigo, Montreal, Canada
80. Aparna Sundar, Toronto, Canada
81. Chantale Ismé, Montréal, Canada

82. Roopjit Sahota, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
83. Tanveer Sahota, Simon Fraser University, Burnany, Canada
84. Navkiran Poonia, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
85. Jaspreet Singh, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
86. Dilsher Athwal, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, Canada
87. Kishore Gajbhiye, Mumbai, India.
88. Gurman Sahota, Simon Fraser University 
89. Jean-Claude Icart, sociologue, chercheur autonome, Montréal, Canada
90. Harjaap Singh, Simon Fraser University, Canada
91. Anjali Choksi, Dawson College Montreal, Canada
92. Saleha Athar, Toronto Canada
93. Patricia Gruben, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada
94. Sadaf Rathod, UMass, Amherst
95. Madhumita Dutta, Columbus, Ohio, USA
96. Geneviève Rail, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
97. Chinnaiah Jangam, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.
98. Anthony Dias, SJES SAsia, Delhi
99. Prabhjot Parmar, SANSAD (South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy) Vancouver, Canada
100. Natalie Kouri-Towe, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
101. Norma Rantisi, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
102. Sharanjit Kaur, University of British Columbia, Canada.
103. Kris Foulds, The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford, BC Canada
104. Olivia Daniel, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC Canada
105. Mo Dhaliwal, Poetic Justice Foundation, Canada
106. Renel Exentus, doctorant en études urbaines, Montréal, Canada
107. Alain Saint-Victor, historien, Montréal, Canada
108. Hassan Yussuff, President, Canadian Labour Congress, Ottawa, Canada
109. Stephen von Sychowski, President, Vancouver and District Labour Council, Vancouver
110. Ian Rocksborough-Smith, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
111. Gian Sihota, VP Richmond South Centre Constituency Exec. BC, Canada
112. Stefan Kipfer, York University, Tornoto, Canada
113. Ilan Kapoor, York University, Toronto, Canada
114. Sima Aprahamian, Simone de Beauvoir Institute, Concordia University, Canada
115. Kajri Jain, University of Toronto, Canada
116. Rachel Berger, Concordia University, Canada
117. Bianca Mugyenyi, Director, Canadian Foreign Policy Institute
118. Dimitri Lascaris, lawyer, journalist, activist
119. Antonio Torres-Ruiz, Centre for Critical Development Studies, University of Toronto, and Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean.
120. Guillaume Bernardi, Drama Studies Program, Glendon College, York University. 
121. Steven Bush, Senior Lecturer (rtd), University of Toronto, Canada
122. Bhavani Raman, University of Toronto, Canada.
123. Prabhjot Parmar, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada
124. Sedef Arat-koc, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
125. Katharine Beeman, Alternatives, Montréal, Québec, Canada
126. Evelyn Mondonedo PINAYQuebec, Canada Society of Socialist Studies, Canada
127. Radhika Desai, President, the Society of Socialist Studies, Canada
128. Sejal Lal, South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD), Vancouver Canada
129. Radhika Mongia, York University, Toronto, Canada
130. Mustafa Koc, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
131. Ravindra K. Jain, Retired, JNU, India
132. Amanda R. Shankland. Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario 
133. Rachel Portinga. Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario
134. Navjotpal Kaur, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s NL Canada
135. Marie Boti, Women of Diverse Origins, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
136. Maria Worton, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
137. E McLean, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
138. Kora Liegh Glatt, Victoria, BC, Canada
139. Ambrose Pereira, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
140. May Chiu,Montreal, Québec, Canada
141. Barbara Parker, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
142. Bertrand Guibord, Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN, Montréal, Québec
143. Eric Shragge, Immigrant Workers Centre, Montreal, Quebec
144. Bryan Dale, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario
145. Monika Korzun, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario
146. Ryan J. Phillips, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario
147. Lionel Fernandes, Ontario, Canada
148. Omar Latif, Committee of Progressive Pakistani-Canadians
149. Nilambri Ghai, Ottawa, Canada
150. Dominique Daigneault, Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain – CSN, Montréal, Québec
151. Christine Marrewa-Karwoski, Columbia University, NY
152. Malcolm Blincow, Retired, York University, Toronto, Canada
153. Doreen Fumia, Associate Professor Emeritus, Sociology, Ryerson University, Canada
154. Michelle Smith, Dawson College, Montreal, Quebec
155. Aziz Choudry, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
156. Stefan Christoff, Artist, community organizer and student
157. John DMello, PEACE, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, US, 33410
158. Nazila Bettache, MD CM, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréall
159. Odile Hélier Paris France
160. Waheed Mukaddam, Cambridge, MA,  US
161. Jean Swanson, Councillor, City of Vancouver, Canada
162. Mei-ling Wiedmeyer, MD, CCFP, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
163. Shireen Hamza, History of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, US
164. Antonio de Jesus, Centre for Philippine Concerns, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 
165. Vijay Puli, South Asian Dalit-Adivasi Network (SADAN)
166. Robyn Andrews, Massey University, NZ
167. Kamala Visweswaran, Rice University, Houston, TX
168. Elena Razlogova, History, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
169. Martha Stiegman, Environmental & Urban Change, York University, Toronto, Canada
170. Lauren Kepkiewicz, Department of Geography, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
171. Lorelei Hanson, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Canada
172. Francis Cody, University of Toronto, Canada
173. Rajee Paña Jejishergill, NSCAD University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
174. Jennifer Chew, Montreal, Canada
175. Elaine Power, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
176. Kelly Tracey, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
177. Between the Lines, Toronto, ON, Canada
178. Larry Brown, President, the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), Canada
179. Andrea Yovorsky, EcoTrust Canada, OISE, Toronto, Canada
180. Syeda N Bukhari, McGill University, Canada
181. Ravneet Sidhu, Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada
182. Iris Yellum, South Asian Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, US
183. Clarisse Wells, South Asian Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, US
184. Catie Peters, American Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, US
185. Anelyse Weiler, Sociology, University of Victoria, BC, Canada
186. Richard Swift, New Internationalist Magazine
187. Harnek Dhaliwal, Punjabi Literary and Cultural Association, Winnipeg, Canada
188. Mukhtiar Singh (Retired), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
189. Donna Denina, International Women’s Alliance, Seattle, WA US
190. Amélie Nguyen, Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
191. Caroline Quesnel, Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec (FNEEQ-CSN)
192. Paritosh Kumar, Global Development Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada
193. Marie Stuart, Montréal, Québec
194. Marguerite Kephart, Montréal, Canada
195. Sheetal Lodhia, Toronto, ON, Canada
196. Shree Mulay, St. John’s NL, Canada
197. Maurice Dufour, Montreal, Qc
198. Bhajan Gill, Secretary, Progressive Cultural  Association, Calgary, Canada
199. Harcharan Singh Parihar, Editor, Sikh Virsa, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
200. Vrinda Narain, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
201. Kaleem Siddiqi, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
202. Harbans Singh, Editor, Sarokaran Di Awaaz, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
203. Gurcharan Brar, Punjabi Cultural Association of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
204. Gurvinder Gill, Secular People’s Association, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
205. Dr. Shaheen Ansari, Arkitect India, New Delhi
206. Mritiunjoy Mohanty, CERIAS, UQAM, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
207. Jodi Koberinski, SSHRC Doctoral Fellow, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
208. Nancy Sears Barker, teacher, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
209. Jonathan S. Barker, professor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
210. Laird Cronk, President, BC Federation of Labour, Vancouver, Canada
211. Sussanne Skidmore, Secretary Treasurer, BC Federation of Labour, Vancouver, Canada
212. Raghav Bali, Student, McGill University, Montreal Canada

Indian Farmers Get Support From Over 200 Canadian Academics, Trade Union Leaders And Activists

https://thewire.in/rights/over-200-signatories-from-abroad-demand-repeal-of-farm-laws-as-covid-ravages-india

Stop corruption, counter-insurgency and militarization in the Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda relief efforts!

Saturday, December 7, 4 – 5pm @ the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver – 700 W. Pender

Join us for a day of people- to- people solidarity with those affected by Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda and mark human rights day with the call

•   No to corruption; all aid should go directly to those affected by the Typhoon!
•   Stop the counter-insurgency and respect human rights!
•   U.S. troops out; no militarization of the relief effort!

Including: Street theatre, candle light vigil, collection of donations for the Council for Health and Development to support pro-people and grassroots relief efforts, speakers and more!

Organized by Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights, Alliance for Peoples Health, International League of People’s Struggle

BACKGROUND

In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, people around the world and across Canada have been moved to act in solidarity with those affected by the devastating storm in the Philippines.  These expressions of people-to-people solidarity are welcomed and the resources are sorely needed.

Unfortunately, the relief efforts are hampered by endemic corruption in the Philippine government; the insistence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in continuing its ‘counter-insurgency’ which targets peasant communities and progressive organizations even in areas severely affected by the Typhoon; and the U.S. agenda to re-establish a military presence in the Philippines under cover of the relief efforts.