Civil society groups assert freedom of expression, assembly and association

Public Statement
“Civil society groups assert freedom of expression, assembly and association.
Demand that government respond to the malicious IB report ’’
We, as individuals, people’s organisations, citizens groups, trade unions and mass movements came together on June 26, 2014 at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi to reiterate our deep conviction about the importance of preserving and nurturing spaces for social dissent and the freedoms of association, assembly and expression as the essential hallmarks of a democratic society.

Indian social life has been enriched greatly by the wide and rich variety of engagements of people’s organisations, committed to just, equitable and sustainable development, peace, social justice and gender, class, caste and communal equality; and issues ranging from the rights of marginalised communities, dalits and tribal rights, gender rights, religious minorities, sexual minorities, disability, displacement, homelessness, forest rights, right to food and health, environment and ecosystem and human rights, secularism, welfare and rights, and transnational corporations and their impact, and increasing poverty in the country.

In this context, the gathering expressed its disquiet and concern over the report of Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) on the role of development organisations, people’s movements, human rights organisations, and peace and justice activists. This report which made shrill and unsubstantiated claims was deliberately leaked to spur a medial trial, and is therefore a barely disguised official attempt to discourage and intimidate the democratic rights of citizens to express dissent with dominant state policies and to protest.The report particularly targets organisations which question the corporate-led development model and the nuclear policy, and champion environmental and labour rights. We are dismayed by the dubious manner with which the Indian Intelligence Bureau has maligned, demonised and criminalised many greatly respected social activists and groups in this country who have committed their lives for a social cause.

We see this move as an attempt to restrict democratic space for civil society action and silence dissenting voices of individuals, organisations, social movements and trade unions. It is also an attempt to stifle the voices of the defenders of human rights who represent the voiceless, marginalised sections of the society. We strongly feel that it is our right and moral duty to collectively raise and represent the voice of invisible majority of this country. We endorse the statements of Greenpeace, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), MazdoorKisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), Navdanya, Concerned Citizens and others and express our complete solidarity with them and the fears and apprehensions they have raised to be faced by the civil society groups in future.

The Supreme Court of India’s judgments have also upheld from time to time the constitutionality of the rights of dissent and free expression. These also find affirmation in many recent international frameworks of the United Nations and its Special Rapporteurs. In the last couple of years engagement of mainstream media and social media with the pressing social and economic issues has taken place on enormous scale despite the increasing control of corporate houses on media. Therefore we believe that the attacks of this nature especially the IB’s current report is essentially a handiwork of both transnationals and big Indian business interests driven by profit motive.

We are also concerned with the accountability of institutions like the Intelligence Bureau which till today functions within an indeterminate legal framework. This assumes all the more importance in the prevailing national scenario where the national security management policy has been purposefully left ambiguous and therefore remains undefined. We also demand that report of the L.P. Singh Committee instituted after the emergency in 1977 on the misuse of intelligence agencies should be made public.

We, as part of civil society groups simultaneously uphold the value of transparency within this sector whether we are locally funded or foreign funded organisations.

We demand that the present government should either own or at least respond to the parentage of this IB Report which to our knowledge was initiated by the past UPA government.

We are also striving for an open-ended platform, broad alliance and solidarity across all sections of the society and especially those engaged in the fight for equality, equity, secularism, pluralism, right to association, right to assembly and freedom of expression. Therefore, we now stand united at this critical stage in all solidarity at the local and national levels with all those organisations mentioned in the IB Report with a sense of hope and not despair.

We have decided to initiate a Secretariat to be based temporarily in Indian Social Institute (ISI), New Delhi to assist Human Rights Defenders with about 20 advisors representing various thematic engagements. Any individual or organisation in any part of the country who feel aggrieved by any action which infringes their right to assembly and association, freedom of expression are invited to approach the Secretariat for further course of action, including legal action for which we shall also form a legal defence fund.

We are giving a collective nationwide call for diverse course of action at the district and state levels on August 9, 2014 to mark the celebration of our assertion and celebration of public action reclaiming the republic with its core ideas of freedom, pluralism, just, sustainable and equitable development, and peace, across the country.

Endorsed by:

1

Aanita Soni

2

Aayomi Sharma
ANHAD

3

Abha Bhaiya
Jagori Rural charitable Trust

4

Achin Vanaik
CNDP

5

Ajaya Kumar Singh
Odisha Forum for Social Action

6

Ajaykumar VB
RIGHTS

7

Ajita Hoshi N.
Indian Social Institute

8

Aloka Kujur
Social Awareness for democratic art and research (S.A.F.D.A.R)

9

Amitabh Behar
NFI

10

Anand Kumar
PHA Foundation/ Christian Aid

11

Anastasia Sneha Gill
National Council Dalit Christian (NCDC)

12

Anil Chaudhary
Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF)

13

Anil Kumar
National Forum for Housing Rights

14

Anil Kumar
Indian Social Institute

15

Annie Raja
National Federation of Indian Women

16

Anuja Naik
International Justice Mission

17

Anuvinda Varkey
ED, Christian Coalition for Health

18

Anton Gomes
National Union of Fisherman Tamil Nadu

19

Archana Dwivedi
NIRANTAR

20

Aruna Roy
MPKO

21

Ashish Gupta
OFAI/PGSOC/IFOAM Asia

22

Ashok Choudhary
AIUFWP

23

Ashraf
CYC

24

Aubrey Corda
Self Employed Indian Citizen

25

Ayantika Das
Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF)

26

B. Roy
CWDS

27

Battini Rao
People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (P.A.D.S)

28

Beenu Rawat
Sama Resource Group for Women & Health

29

Benny M.V.
IGSSS

30

Bhanskar Prabhu
Mahiti Adhikar Munch, Mumbai

31

Bhanwar Singh Chadana
Astha Sansthan

32

Bhavar Meghvanshi
MKSS

33

Bhavna Sharma
ANHAD

34

Bipin bihari barik
Individual, Freelancing Social Worker

35

Bipin Rai
Action India

36

Bombay Catholic Sabha
Bombay Catholic Sabha

37

Britto. M.A.
Vaan Muhil

38

Buta Singh Bairagi
Rehnuma Centre - Punjab (A Facilitation and Entitlement Centre for Vulnerable Groups)

39

Carol Geeta
SASVIKA

40

Cedric Prakash
PRASHANT (A Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace)

41

Chandni Tandon
Population foudation of India, programme officer

42

Chandranath Dani
Human Rights Defenders Alert India (HRDA)

43

Charles Irudayam
JPD Office, CBCI

44

Chirsto Mathews
Individual

45

Corlis Gonsalves
Don Bosco Tech Institute

46

D K Manavalan
AFPRO

47

D.K. Giri
Voters Party

48

David Amalanadane
Individual

49

David D'Souza
PUCL, Karnataka

50

Deepak Xavier
OXFAM, India

51

Dhirendra Panda
Civil Society Forum on Human on Human Rights (CSFHR)

52

Dhiviyr
Sangat

53

Divya Raghunandan
Greenpeace, India

54

Dr. K.S. Subramanian
Individual

55

Dr. Mira Shiva
INES/Diverse Women for Diversity

56

Dr. Vandana Shiva
Navdanya

57

Durga Nandini

Amnesty International India

58

Enakshi Ganguli
HAQ: Centre for Child Rights

59

Erwin Lazrado
Premal Jyoti

60

Gnana Robinson
PEACE Trust

61

Gautam Mody
NTVI

62

Gautam Thaker
PUCL (Guj)

63

Gilbert Rodrigo
Tamilnadu Pondy Fisher People Federation

64

Geetha
JAGORI

65

Gopal
Individual

66

Gopi Krishnan
Greenpeace- Bangalore

67

HarshMander
Aman Biradari

68

Helen Saldanha
Individual

69

Henri Tiphagne
Human Rights Defenders Alert-india

70

Hiren Gandhi
DARSHAN

71

Indu Prakash Singh
NFHR / SAM:BKS

72

Imran Khan
ANHAD

73

Jai Sen
CACIM - India Institute for Critical Action : Centre in Movement

74

John Dayal
AICC-AICU

75

John Tharakan

Oota-Wellsprings

76

Joseph Valiaparambil
SWAD

77

Joseph Xavier
Indian Social Institute

78

Joshy Jose
Break Through

79

Joy Karayampuram
Indian Social Institute

80

Julia George
Streevani

81

K P John
NationalCouncil of YMCA OF India

82

Kalpana David
YWCA

83

Kamal
RTI Manch

84

Kamalkant
Indian Social Institute

85

Kathir
EVIDENCE

86

Kavita Srivastava
PUCL

87

Kiriti Roy
MASUM

88

Neeta Pandya
JAAG/AZAD

89

Lenin Raghuvanshi
PVCHR

89

Liris Thomas
Alliance Defending Freedom

90

M.S. Sanparsi
Individual

91

Madhuresh
NAPM

92

Mahesh Pandya
Paryavaran Mitra

93

Malika Virdi
MAATI, Munsiari, Uttarakhand

94

Mallika Sinha
AHNAD

95

Madhu
JAGORI

96

Manan
ANHAD

97

Manas Jena
Development Initiative

98

Maneesh
L-5AS, Shaikhsarai II

99

Manisha Sethi
Jamia Millia Islamia

100

Mansi Sharma
Individual

101

Manu Alphonse
Social Watch-TN

102

Mehul Dabhi
NCDHR

103

Mimroth P.L.
Centre for Dalit Rights

104

Mona Das
VasantKunj, New Delhi

105

Nalini Abraham
Individual, Medical Doctor

106

Nandini Rao
No More/WSS

107

Narayanan
CHANGE India

108

Narendra Mohanty
Campaign Against Fabricated Cases (CAFC)

109

Naveen Fernandes
Fund Manager – PMS

110

Navin
AA

111

Nayantara Sheoran
Individual

112

Neelam Singh
Foundation for Rural Recovery and Development (FORRAD)

113

Neha Saigal
Green Peace

114

Nikhil Dey
MKSS

115

Nirmala Karunan
Greenpeace- Bangalore

116

Ovais Sultak Khan
PADS

117

P K M Swamy
CEO/EMF India

118

P.B.D'Sa
PUCL, Karnataka

119

Padmini Kumar
Joint Women’s Programme

120

Parul
Mahilayen Pragati ki Ore

121

Parvinder Singh
Oxfam India

122

Pascal Tirkey
Indian Social Institute

123

Paul D’souza
Indian Social Institute

124

Paunta S. Kapur
ASWS

125

Peter Celestine
Bishop of Jammu-Srinagar

126

Poonam Muthaiya
Individual

127

Praavita
MKSS

128

Pradipta Nayak
Odisha Human Rights Protection Foundation (OHRPF)

129

Praful Bidwai
CNDP

130

Prafulla samantara
Lok Shakti Abhiyan

131

Pramod Singh
Christian Legal Association

132

Pranab
Indigenous Peoples Forum

133

Prasad Chacko
Human Development and Research Centre

134

Prasanna Mansingh
CSFHR

135

Prashant Bhushan
Lawyer

136

Praveen Jose
Agency for Integrated Development Initiative

137

Preeti Majumdar
IGSSS

138

Princy Joseph
Bandhna Campaign

138

Rachna Atri
Individual

140

Radhika Ganesh
School for Democracy/MKSS

141

Rafi Malek
Individual

142

Rafiul Rahman
Individual

143

Raghav Menon
Amnesty International

144

Raghuvir Pradhan
Ekta Parishad

145

Ramesh Nathan V.A.
National Dalit Movement For Justice (NDMJ)-NCDHR

146

Ramesh Sharma
INSAF

147

Rameshwar Palweel
Indian Social Institute

148

Ran Autar Singh
Individual

149

Ratna
VANI

150

Ratnesh
Indian Social Institute

151

Renuka
Indian Social Institute

152

Rita Manchanda
SAFHR

153

Ruben Minj
Indian Social Institute

154

Rukmini Sekhar
Solidarity Campaigner

155

S.K. Dutta
NIT – Arunachal PradeshRegistrar & Prof.

156

Sandeep
HRLN

157

Sandeep Prakash Jedhe
UTTHAN TRUST

158

Sanjai Sharma
HRLN

159

Sanjeev
Delhi Forum

160

Sannybhai
JESA

161

Santosh Sharma
Naxi Uthan Samiti

162

Saroop Dhruv
DARSHAN

163

Satyababu
P M C

164

Saurabh Sharma
Josh

165

Sebastian Kunnath
CHAI

166

Shabnam Hashmi
ANHAD

167

Shanti Ranjan Behera
Martin Luther King Centre for Democracy & Human Rights

168

Sheba Tejani
CSDS

169

Shib Cheruvelil
AIDI-India

170

shipra Nigam
No More Campaign

171

Shivshankar Ray
ANHAD

172

Siprian Kiro
Indian Social Institute

173

Smarika Sigh
Schumacher's

174

Sonali Khan
Break Through

175

Sr. Tresa Paul
Indian Social Institute

176

Stan Swamy
Jharkhand Bachao Andolan

177

Subrat Das
CBGA

178

Suchi Pande
MKSS

179

Suneeta Dhar
Jagori

180

Susan Abraham
Foundation for Rural Recovery and Development (FORRAD)

181

Sudha Varghese
Nari Gunjan

182

Syed Mahar Ul Hasan
United Reformers Organization Bhopal.(URO)

183

Tanushree Gangopadhyay
Individual, Media Person

184

Tehmina Arora
ADF, India

185

Thomas Job
JRS

186

Thomas Pallithanam
People's Action For Rural Awakening

187

Trideep Pais
Lawyer

188

Tushar Chakraborty,
Forum Against Monopolistic Aggression (FAMA)

189

Upneet Kaur Mangat
Centre for Human Rights & Duties, Panjab University, Chandigarh

190

Urmimala Dutta
Civil Engineer

191

Usha Nischal
Mahilayen Pragati ki Ore

192

V Suresh
PUCL

193

Vanita Mukherjee
Pusmal

194

Varghese Theckanath
Montfort Social Institute

195

Vasantha
Tamilnadu Women's Movement

196

Vasanthi Devi
Association for India's Development (AID-India)

197

Victor Joseph Raj
HOPE

198

Vijayesh Lal
Evangelical Fellowship of India

199

Vina Lobo
SPWD

200

Vincent Manoharan
Chairperson – NFDLRM

201

Virginia Saldanha
Indian Christian Women's Movement

202

Zulaikha jabin
ANHAD