Photo essay on Maina protests against mining

85 year Old Dora de Souza - in chains - is to whom this blog posting is dedicated to. She provided seasoned motivation to the current movement in Goa to defend its water sources and mountains from rampant open cast mining activities. None of the mining companies - Sesa Goa (Vedantas), Dempos, Bandekars, Chowgules, Salgaoncars, Dempos, Timblos, Fomentos, Tarcar and all the rest and their supporting Contractors, Politicians and Police - has created any of the mountains of Goa and they have no right at all to export them to Japan, China and elsewhere in the world. Mining in Goa must stop with immediate effect. Or whole of Goa will have to follow the example of Dora and chain themselves up on streets. Dora, we salute you! We salute your concern for your grand and great grand children of Goa! We salute your courage to be in chains on street in 85th year of your life! Goa is fortunate to have blessed with you as a gift!

Protests in front of the Dinar Tarcar mine in Maina, Quepem. Three women Rita Fernandes, Cheryl de Souza Sanfransisco and her 85 year old mother Dora de Souza chained themselves on the road blocking transportation of the ore en route to China and elsewhere. They were protesting against what is happening to Goa - its mountains and water sources - due to rampant reckless open cast iron ore, manganese and bauxite mining.

Manager of Tarcar mine while discussing the reason for the road blockade with the protesters.

Rita Fernandes is one of the Goa's brave woman that chained herself on the road.

Chery de Souza standing tall in the middle of the protest against mining in Goa.

Women and men from Colamb, Sanguem came to express solidarity with Maina and its women in chains who later in the evening of October 11 2008 were arrested and transformed into women in Jails. The four women were sent to Aguada jail after they refused to take Jail. It was first jail experience for all of them.

Truck drivers were the most most furious lot. Here one of them seen arguing with the women in chains on road. he could not convince women to get out from the road. Women gave him fitting reply and sent off.

Shashikala Devidas - lady in yellow Saree - was fourth woman arrested along with three men - Karush Canteenwala, Sebastian Rodrigues and Fr. Mathias D'Cunha. Picture shows security check office on the gate of Dinar Tarcar's mine.

9 year old Aki Sanfransisco also joined the protest of Women in chains. She is grand daughter of Dora de Souza and Daughter of Chery de Souza.

Fr. Mathias D'Cunha sdb offering solidarity to women in chains in Maina. He was one of the person beaten up by mining goons in presence of Police team from Quepem police station.

Police Closing in on women in chains. PI Santosh Desai was trying to convince women that India is democratic country and minutes latter he supervised beating up of nearly 10 people by mining goons. So much to protect democracy PI Santosh Desai has done. Only betrayed democracy and insulted uniform that he is wearing with serious dereliction of his duties.

This man is dead some months ago. He is husband of Cheryl. His picture on the protest site made him come alive. With his foresight he along with his family re-located himself to Maina and the fight to protect Goa's hinterlands continues. Entire people of Goa are now his family to carry on the defence of our land and his land as well.

This Photographer is contractor of Dinar Tarcar as well as of Fomentos. His name is Ashok Naik and hails from Curchorem-Sanvordem. He was one of the close collaborator of ring leader of violence inflicter Balli Zilla Parishad member Subash Phaldesai. He is also one of the persons to hurl abuses on women protesters including on women from Colamb offering solidarity to Dora and her team.

Men in abusive mood during the confrontation. This woman sat there with her back to the dirty insulting abuses hurled at them.

CID Premanand Phaldessai from from Quepem Police station while on visit to to the protest to collect intelligence report. Dora and Cheryl giving their details in writing.

Members of the local Panchayat furiously moving around the scene. Their motives could be understood or guessed!

People waiting on the main road - mostly truck drivers- that later in the afternoon transformed themselves into violent mob with act of omission from Goa Police present out at the scene of unfolding violence. This cannot happen without exchange of few brief cases. Goa Police - the way they behaved on October 11, 2008 in Maina - is indeed truly shameful in the history of Goa. They could could not prevent violence unfolding in front of them - Strong force of around 20 policemen. And to add insult to the injury people protesting mining - that has ripped and looted Goa's mountains, water, agriculture - were arrested on the charges of trespass, unlawful assembly and rioting!

Goa Police - Mining companies is a shady deal of nexus at its best.

Police tried unsuccessfully to convince protesters to move away from their chains. PI Santosh Dessai was at his aggressive best on the day telling Chery de Souza Sanfransisco, when protested the way her ailing aged mother was being bundled out inside the Police white Gypsy "To do what she wants to do."

And just to recall: Dinar Tarcar is former youth congress president who only year ago argued that due to absence of planning development in Goa be freezed for 5 years! His party is dominant ruling partner in coalition government headed by Digambar Kamat as Chief Minister of Goa that had advised the village groups to physically stop mining few months ago when group of 22 affected villagers and concerned organisations called on him at his official residence in Panjim.

Sebastian Rodrigues