Thaindian News

Panaji, May 14 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission should probe atrocities against Cavrem village tribals who have been protesting illegal and rampant mining in the area, a local media outfit has said in its petition to the apex rights body in the country.

Savio Rodrigues, who runs a news portal www.goachronicle.com has said in its petition to the National Human Rights Commission (NRHC), that mining companies as well as the police have repeatedly abused tribals physically while suppressing protests at Cavrem, located 45 km from here. They even stripped a woman in public during an agitation and assaulted anti-mining activists, he added.

“We have discussed the issue with Director General (NHRC) Sunil Krishna and he requested us to send to the NHRC all the details and videos in our possession, so that it could be discussed in a meeting on May 16, 2011, following which the next course of action would be decided,” said Rodrigues. He last month filed a public interest litigation against ‘Dum maaro Dum’ filmmakers, for “projecting Goa in negative light”.

“The villagers of Cavrem are only upholding the directives of the government by staging a peaceful demonstration on the road, that restrained the trucks from plying,” Rodrigues said.

Cavrem is a village located in the Quepem sub-taluka, which is ringed by five mines. The mines now threaten to take over a mountain which tribals, mainly Velips and Kunbis, claim is house to the spirits of their tribal gods. They have also claimed of unchecked illegal mining in the area.

Earlier this week, Nilesh Gaonkar, a 24-year-old tribal leader and an engineer by profession, was Thursday beaten up by unidentified people, allegedly because of his protest against illegal transportation of iron ore at Cavrem.

Gaonkar, a resident of Cavrem, was leading protests of tribal villagers against indiscriminate mining and transportation of iron ore. He was beaten up near the Verna industrial estate, 25 km from here.