The conviction of the English professor of the Jawaharlal Nehru
University in Delhi Gokarakonda
Naga Saibaba has created sadness and indignation. The decision of the District
and Sessions Court in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra to impose life imprisonement on
Professor Saibaba and four other co-defendants is an unprecedentred decision in
the judicial annals of India since its independence in 1947. Professor Saibaba,
a 90% invalid since childhood, and restricted to a wheelchair, is accused,
without any proof, that he had contacts with the illegal CP India (Maoist) and
the naxalite guerilla movement. The accusations were based on his views and
ideas as well as on his public political and social activities. It was indeed a
rich activity, since his youth, alongside the poor and destitute Indians in the
cities and the rural areas. What mainly irritated the indian state authorities
were his struggles and condemnations, in India and internationally, of the
violent operations of the police and paramilitary forces against the indigenous
people in the hinterland of India. It is about an operation that is combined
with the looting of land and forests by the multinational mining and
construction companies. The conviction of Saibaba was based on provisions and
articles of the anti-terrorist law (UAPA) that
incriminates ideas, articles, books and public speeches, considering
them preparatory terrorist deeds that undermine national security!
Besides his
invalidity, professor Saibaba, due to his long incarceration, faces additional
health problems. His life imprisonment in the harsh conditions of indian jails,
the denial of medical and pharmaceutical help are equal to a conviction to a
slow and tortuous death. For the life and freedom of professor Saibaba
international humanitarian organizations have been mobilized, as well as the
Indian Chapter of Amnesty International, and personalities of the Arts and
Letters in Asia, Europe, and America.
With this
joint letter, that is addressed to the government and judicial authorities in
India, to its diplomatic representation in Greece and every international
organization for humanitarian and democratic rights, we ask for the revocation
of the unjust conviction and the immediate release of professor Saibaba. We
demand that during his incarceration he
must be under full medical and pharmaceutical support and he must be admitted
to a medical institution. We join our protestation with the international
solidarity movement, the professors and teachers of indian universities and the
democratic organizations in India and abroad that are already mobilized so that
professor Saibaba will be treated with justice and get freed!
The
Signatories
Agapitos
Thanassis – Member of the Board, Elementary Teachers Association
of Thessaloniki (Second Chapter) – Regional Councilman Central Macedonia
Alexakis
Yorgos – Member of the Board, Elementary Teachers
Association of Thessaloniki (First Chapter)
Arkolakis
Manolis – Vice-Chairman, Greek Open University Teachers Association
Atzidou
Katerina – Chairman, Secondary Teachers Association of
Paros-Antiparos Islands
Vitsilaki
Chrissi – Professor, Aegean University
Vourtsaki Vana –
Chairman, Elementary Teachers Association of Thessaloniki (Third Chapter)
Gertsos Zissis –
Member of the Board, Secondary Teachers
Association of Piraeus
Gouvias
Dionissis – Assistant Professor, Aegean University
Daniel Maria
- Member of the Board, Secondary Teachers Association of New Smyrna,
Kalithea, Moschato – Athens
Diamantidis
Takis - Chairman,
Secondary Teachers Association of Samos Island
Zaganidis
Christos - Chairman,
Secondary Teachers Association of Thessaloniki (Fifth Chapter)
Zarkadis
Yannis – Professor Molecular Biology, Medical School of
Patras
Zorbala Tina –
Academic, Chairman of Teachers Association Aegean University
Zimvrakaki
Eleni - Chairman,
Secondary Teachers Association of Thessaloniki (Fourth Chapter)
Iakovou Nena
- Chairman, Elementary Teachers
Association of Western Attica
Ioannou
Kiriaki - Chairman, Elementary Teachers Association of
Thessaloniki (Fifth Chapter)
Kavadias
Yorgos – Member of the Board, Secondary Teachers Association of Piraeus
Kalomiris
Grigoris – Member of the Board, Executive Committee of Public
Servants Confederation
Kaltsonis
Dimitris – Assistant Professor, Panteion University, Athens.
Kandilas Vaios
- Chairman, Elementary Teachers
Association of Ikaria – Fourni Islands
Karafili Avra –
Member of the Board, Teachers Association Aegean University
Kariotis
Dimitris - Chairman,
Secondary Teachers Association of Western Attica (Eleusis)
Katsanevaki
Zabia – Member of the Board, Teachers Association
Polytechnic School, Athens
Katsikas
Christos - Member of the Board, Secondary Teachers Association of New Smyrna,
Kalithea, Moschato – Athens
Koklas Babis - Chairman, Secondary Teachers Association of
Athens (Third Chapter)
Kourniotis
Christos - Member of
the Board, Secondary Teachers
Association of Ano Liossia, Zefiri, Fili – Athens
Kreassidis
Yorgos - Member of the Board, Secondary Teachers Association of
Thessaloniki (First Chapter) – Member of the Board General Assembly of Public
Servants Confederation
Lathiras Yanis -
Chairman, Secondary Teachers Association of Thessaloniki (Third Chapter)
Magaliou Mata –
Member of the Board, Elementary Teachers Association of Thessaloniki (Sixth
Chapter)
Marinis Yanis
- Chairman, Secondary Teachers
Association of Peristeri – Athens
Pantelidis
Dinos – Vice-Chairman, Elementary Teachers Association of
Thessaloniki (Sixth Chapter)
Polichroniadis
Dimitris - Chairman,
Elementary Teachers Association of Maroussi – Athens
Primi Maria - Member
of the Board, Secondary Teachers
Association of New Smyrna, Kalithea, Moschato – Athens
Roussis
Georgios – Professor Emeritus Panteion University – Athens
Samoilis Yanis –
Chairman, Secondary Teachers Association
of Ano Liossia, Zefiri, Fili – Athens
Sapounas
Panagiotis - Member of
the Board, Secondary Teachers
Association of Kilkis
Seremetis
Dimitris – Assistant Professor Aegean University
Fatourou
Ageliki - Member of the Board, Secondary Teachers Association
of Peristeri – Athens
Psimitis
Michalis – Assistant Professor Aegean University
George
Liodakis – Professor, Technical
University of Greece
Michalakis Kostas - Member of the Board, Secondary
Teachers Association of Trikala
Sakelaropoulos
Spiros – Assistant Professor, Panteion
University - Athens
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