Arrest of two women and land right activists in Sonbhadra, UP (3rd Aug, 2007)

Two respected o women activists from  Uttar Pradesh Ms Roma and Ms Shanta have been arrested in Vindangunj in District Sonbhadra, UP by the Police on 3 August 2007. These women have been working in Sonbhadra area for a long time. They have taken slogans provided by the Chief Minister for action on the ground.

The trial has not begun and efforts to bail these activists have been dettred by the administration. Community women are also being put in prison and this struggle for women claiming land from the administration as belonging to Gram Sabha continues.

These women have been working with Dalit and the poor of this area who have claimed land that belonged to them since ages. These disputed territories have been source sustenance for the livelihood resource of the poor and therefore rightly reclaimed to free themselves of hunger. In such condition when social activists take awareness campaigns adequate protection for these crusadors is as important as the rights of the people they work for.

CWLR members and their supporters six different countries have sent solidarity notes requesting the chief minister to view this as human rights violation.