A dense forest teeming with life, and essential to India’s Indigenous
Adivasi people, could soon become a military training range.

Tell President Murmu: Don’t let the army shoot up the Abujhmad forest.

[ [link removed] ] Sign the petition 

   
John,

Deep in the heart of Bastar, India, the Abujhmad Forest is a safe haven
for tigers, leopards, wild pigs, elephants, deer and monkeys. This rich
nature reserve thrives because of the Indigenous Adivasi people, who have
lived there in harmony, nurturing the lands and their culture for
generations.
Right now, a massive military offensive has been underway across the
Adivasi heartland. Over 20,000 armed personnel have been deployed, and
rising casualties are being reported. Civil society is negotiating in
favour of peace talks to end the violence -- but the Indian government has
escalated the assault. At the same time, deforestation is also progressing
aggressively and youth activists speaking out are being imprisoned. Now it
is even more important to call on the Indian government to respond with
dialogue, to uphold the rights of Indigenous people defending their land,
forests, and the constitutional promise of autonomy.

President Murmu is the commander in chief of the army – with just one
word, she could save the Forest lands and stop the orders of destruction.
But for that, we must support the local resistance efforts and make them
global and public NOW, as the bulldozers could arrive any day. Let’s ramp
up the pressure:

[ [link removed] ]President Droupadi Murmu: Save the precious forests in Bastar and end
the violence against Indigenous communities!

The destruction of these vast forests isn’t just an environmental
crisis – it’s a death sentence for the people and wildlife that depend on
them. An area the size of Madrid is being wiped out in the name of
warfare, leaving tigers, elephants, and entire communities with nowhere to
go.

Those who resist face brutal repression. Since January 2024, over 180
people have been executed without trial, while countless others endure
arrests, torture, and horrific violence – simply for defending their home,
the precious land and animals living there.

But together, we can protect the people and the Forest. The Ekō community
is millions of members strong – from all around the world. We have the
power to ramp up the pressure and turn global attention to what’s
happening in Bastar. Are you in?

[ [link removed] ]President Droupadi Murmu: Save the precious forests in Bastar and end
the violence against Indigenous communities!



[ [link removed] ] Sign the petition 



Thanks for all that you do,
Apekshita and the team at Ekō


More information:

[ [link removed] ]Arrest and crackdown against human rights defenders in Bastar District,
Chhattisgarh State, campaigning against corporatization and militarization
Frontline Defenders 15 May 2024
[ [link removed] ]Violation of Civil and Political Rights of Indigenous Peoples in India
UN Treaty Body Database 12 July 2024
[ [link removed] ]In the name of development: Indigenous rights violations and shrinking
space in Chhattisgarh
ECCHR 01 January 2024

 

 

Ekō is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.

Please help keep Ekō strong by chipping in $3. [link removed]