Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), Philippines, a federation of farmers from Asian countries, has sent a representation to the Collector of Visakhapatnam, supporting the cause of the adivasi farmers of Chinna Jaggampeta in Nathavaram mandal in Visakhapatnam district.
In a letter dated January 23, they demanded the immediate return of the paddy crop of the tribals that was forcibly cut by the Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) based on an order from the RDO, intervention of the joint collector in mitigating the issue and cancellation of the RDO’s order and his suspension.
On January 6, MRO Kanaka Rao, along with a team of over 50 armed policemen and about 70 hired labourers, moved into the village and cut the paddy crop that was nearing harvesting, after forcibly transporting 70 of the villagers to KD Peta police station, located about 30 km from Chinna Jaggampeta. Adivasi farmers alleged it was done at the behest of a local non-tribal political leader Ankam Reddy Nookaraju and based on an order passed by RDO K. Surya Rao. The family members of farmers were on a hunger strike, but they called it off after the Collector held discussions with the farmers on Monday, and appointed a joint collector to inquire into the matter and submit a report in six days.
“But now it seems that the inquiry will take some more time due to the forthcoming Partnership Summit and in the meantime the crop is rotting at the MRO office,” says P.S. Ajay Kumar, State Co-convener of Raithu Swarajya Vedhika.
