Washington: Supporters of Binayak Sen, the
jailed human rights activists, over the weekend held peaceful
demonstrations in about a dozen cities in US, Canada and
Britain, demanding the Indian government to release him
immediately.
The Free Binayak Sen Coalition -- a broad coalition of
55 civil society groups from the United States, Britain and
Canada -- in a statement said demonstrations were held in
front of the Indian consulates in New York, San Francisco,
Washington and London, while in Vancouver, Canada, 80 people
marched from the Public Library to the Indian mission.
Panel discussions and public awareness events were
held in Amherst, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles. Supporters
in the cities of Seattle and Austin held candle light vigils.
Noted Indian historian Ramachandra Guha, who has worked
to highlight grave human right violations by the Government of
Chhattisgarh, joined the protest in Harvard Square, Boston, and
appealed to protesters not to lose sight of the many ordinary
tribals who, like Sen, are also victims of persecution.
Sen was recently sentenced to life imprisonment by a
Chattisgarh Court after it found him and two others guilty of
sedation.
The Free Binayak Sen campaign also works to highlight
similarities between the struggles of marginalised and
indigenous communities worldwide and has led to solidarity
between seemingly disparate communities.
At the rally in Vancouver, Ashley Zarbatany from the
Social Justice Center at the University of British Columbia
drew parallels between Sen and other icons of resistance such
as Ken Saro Wiwa from the Niger Delta and environmental
activist grandma Betty, "...who have become icon of the
willingness to stand up against exploitation of the land and
of human rights despite what it may cost them."
In Boston, Sergio Rios who survived three years of
incarceration under the Chilean dictator General Pinochet
claimed Sen as an inspiration for everyone worldwide that is
"...struggling to speak, to organise, to defend, and to help."
PTI
