Law professor Gopal Siwakoti "Chintan" is the Director of the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development (INHURED) and the Coordinator of the National Concerns Society in Kathmandu, Nepal. Chintan is a leading activist for the effective implementation of human rights and environmental protections in Nepal. The National Concerns Society has sought practical solutions to the "People's War" which has claimed 1,600 lives in the last five years. (The People's War was declared by Maoist insurgents, who have implemented a rebellion strategy of controlling poor peasant areas, using selective violence against police, and re-educating civilians to strengthen their demands for government reform.) INHURED advocates for women's rights, protection of children, and improvement of environmental problems.

Chintan is perhaps best known for his activism related to hydropower projects. In 1995, Chintan's challenges to the Arun III dam project resulted in the World Bank pulling its funding from the project. The Arun III project threatened over 100 indigenous species of flora and fauna, fragile forests, and the way of life of almost half a million indigenous people from 10 different ethnic groups. Since Chintan's success in challenging Arun III, he has become a national spokesperson calling for careful consideration of the environmental and human impacts of dam projects. Chintan has recently been monitoring the Kali Gandaki "A" Hydropower Project (KGA) in central Nepal. In the implementation of the KGA, due process and property rights of local people have been violated, and environmental protection mechanisms have been largely ignored.

This January, Chintan was brutally attacked near his office in Kathmandu. After receiving a phone call from an unknown female asking him to come to the street to pick up a packet, Chintan was struck from behind and knocked unconscious. He woke up with large wound on his head, a broken nose, a fractured knee, and bruises and cuts all over his body. The injustice of this attack has been compounded by the failure of police to make any effort to investigate the crime. This is particularly disturbing given that Chintan has been previously targeted for police harassment. In June of 1998, he was the subject of an Amnesty International Action Alert, when police arbitrarily arrested him. Due to the response to the Action Alert, Chintan was released after 11 days in prison.

Learn more about Chintan's work in Nepal. The national news is available at nepalnow.com or nepalnews.com, or contact INHURED by email at inhuredinternational@hotmail.com.

Because of India's growing economy, coupled with a growing consciousness of civil society's stake in environmental preservation, there are an increasing number of environmental campaigns in the country. Some environmentalists, particularly those working in big cities, are increasingly having their voices heard by the populace and by the courts, especially through their use of public interest petitions. For example, a group of environmental activists filed a lawsuit with the Delhi High Court over polluting buses in New Delhi. They won that case, and when it went to appeal, they won a resounding victory in front of the Indian Supreme Court. What this has shown is that the people within the country can raise environmental concerns successfully. Hundreds of local environmental organizations have sprung up all over the country, taking on the system which is all too often characterized by politicians colluding with those who pollute the earth.

One of the organizations working hard to contribute to a just earth is Agragamee. They are based in the Rayagada district in the state of Orissa. Orissa is located on the Bay of Bengal coast, near Calcutta. Agragamee has been active in promoting the link between the issue of adivasi rights and an environmental ethos. Adivasi is the broad term for indigenous peoples in India. This organization has been protesting the development of industrial projects, such as mining projects, by various domestic and multinational firms. Unfortunately, their peaceful protests have been met with violence. For example, on December 2,1997, a gang destroyed an office of Agragamee, and no police protection was offered. This pattern has continued. More recently, on December 16, 2000, supporters of an aluminum mining project entered Maikanch village in Rayagada district with police. Many adivasis in the village oppose the construction of the mine. The men, fearing for their safety, fled the village. Police allegedly beat at least one of the remaining women until she fell unconscious. When the men returned to the village to offer protection, police opened fire killing three people. These incidents, coupled with numerous others make it clear that we in the Just Earth! Network must make sure to keep the pressure on the Orissa state government. In the coming weeks and months, stay tuned to updates we send out on this case.