India

Catholic leaders vow to step up Indian port protest

Archbishop Thomas Netto of Trivandrum threatens to intensify campaign if demands aren’t met

UCA News reporter

Updated: August 24, 2022 10:56 AM GMT

Fisher people protesting on the street in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of in southern Kerala state, against a port project, which they say destroys their lives and livelihood.  (Photo: supplied)

The protest by Catholic fishing communities seeking compensation from a multi-billion-dollar port project has entered its second month with their archbishop threatening to move his stay and prayer action to the protest venue in southern India.

My stay and prayer will be moved to the protest venue from the archbishop's house if required, Archbishop Thomas Netto of Trivandrum said while addressing protesters in Kerala's state capital on Aug. 23, as the protest entered its 34th day.

Thousands of fisherfolk under the leadership of archdiocesan bishops and priests have been protesting since July 20 against the multi-billion-dollar Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone on the coast of Vizhinjam.

They say the port endangers the livelihoods of fisher families, has displaced thousands of people and adversely affected the environment and caused coastal erosion.

The state government has ignored their demands which include suspending the project to study its environmental and social impact, rehabilitation of displaced people and employment for those who lost their livelihood and compensation for all who suffered damage.

Fishermen and the Christian community believe Christ and the cross as everything in their lives. We know Christ died at the age of 33.  His death brought liberation for humanity. We fight for justice trusting in Christ. We have nothing to lose, said Archbishop Netto, a key figure in the protest who hails from a local parish.

We are only asking the government to rehabilitate those who lost their houses

He announced the decision to intensify the agitation until the government accepts their demands. I am ready to sacrifice my life for my people, the archbishop said amid thunderous applause.

Most of the fishermen are Catholics who follow the Latin rite.

Protest leaders say since the project started in 2015 coastal erosion has increased, destroying some 500 fishermen's houses.

Those who lost their houses have to be accommodated in makeshift shelters and other places not really fit for habitation. But they have been forced to stay there as the communist-led state government has done nothing to rehabilitate them despite pledging to do so.

They claim the port project has also deprived them of their traditional fishing work, increasing poverty in the marginalized coastal area.

We are not against development, we are only asking the government to rehabilitate those who lost their houses and to carry out an impartial scientific study to know its real impact, said Father Shajan Jose dismissing allegations that the protesters were anti-development.

Protesters including women and children broke open the gate of the port

After the project started kilometers of coastline disappeared into the sea, but the government has become a mute spectator, therefore we are forced to resort to protesting, the priest said.

Father Shajan slammed Kerala chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, for calling the protest pre-planned agitation in the state assembly on Aug. 23.

The chief minister refused to bow to the demand of protesters to temporarily halt construction work and did not respond to their demand for an independent scientific study on its environmental impact.

Vijayan, however, said their concerns and plight were being viewed very seriously and his government was taking active measures to resolve the issues as the protesters vowed to intensify their campaign in the days to come.

On Aug. 22, protesters including women and children broke open the gate of the port and entered the construction site while another group protested with their boats.

Kerala's fisheries minister, V Abdurahiman, met a delegation of protesters on Aug. 20 and agreed to consider some of their demands but was not ready to accept their key demand to temporarily halt construction work.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council declared solidarity with the protesters on Aug. 21. The council in a statement appealed to the government to immediately address the issues plaguing the coastal people.

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