News on the theory seminar in India from 2.12. – 4.12. and subsequent visits to women’s organisations

The organizers are writing from India:
“The seminar hall has been booked. Here are the details.  It is called Spoorthidhama and the address is:
Spoorthidama Campus, Anjananagar, Off Magadi Main Road, Bengalore – 560091.
E-mail : spoorthidhama1992@gmail.com
The website is unfortunately not so meaningful, via google you could see photos and a map of the city:
http://spoorthidhama.com

REGISTRATION
can be done via the address of the European Coordinator:
susannebader-ek@web.de
You will then be redirected to India

Accommodations have to be found and booked by the travel teams or the women themselves. As soon as we have a list of hotels from India, we put them on the homepage.
The accommodation places in Spoorthidhama are very simple, mattress camps and dormitories for up to 20 women. We have no knowledge about the sanitary facilities.

Call for the International Seminar 2018

European Coordinators of the World Women’s Conference

 

Halinka Augustin / Netherlands

Susanne Bader / Germany

World women focus their strategic view!
They call for participation in  the International Seminar on the Theory of the Liberation of Women!

In accordance with the resolutions of the 2nd World  Women‘s Conference of grassroots women in 2016, the World Coordinators are preparing an International Seminar on the Theory of the Liberation of Women.
It will take place from 2nd to 4th December in India, Bangalore.

We are delighted with the invitation from representatives of the Indian women’s movement. They will welcome us in Bangalore, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka in the southwest of the country.

For three days, the seminar will offer all interested women the opportunity to discuss theories of women’s liberation in a spirit of solidarity and militancy.
The seminar is based on the realization from the Second World Women‘s Conference that

“The increasing crises of imperialism … challenge the masses, especially the women of the world, to take up the struggle for their future. Increasingly, we need to discuss and search for alternatives. We need to look for answers.“

(Kathmandu resolution 2016)

After these three days we will have the opportunity to visit Indian women’s organisations.

To prepare for this trip, study meetings are currently taking place in several cities in Germany and the Netherlands. Interested women are welcome to join in.

Every woman who is interested can participate in the international seminar in India. We will circulate all known contact addresses via the homepage of the World Women‘s Conference. In this way, interested women can get together to prepare and organise the trip together. In Germany, information can also be obtained from the women’s association Courage.

Flights must be booked to Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru. We will continuously inform you about further facts such as accommodation, conference site etc. on the homepage.

For now the following is important:
You will need a tourist visa which you should apply for as soon as possible. Your passport must remain valid for at least 6 months after your return.

We hope to hear from you and we look forward to seeing you in India!

With many greetings of solidarity,

Suse and Halinka

Download call:
180626 Call for theoretical Seminar us

 

 

Sharmista Choudhury is free! International solidarity and mass protests in the country are successful!

Translated:

Our world woman Sharmistha and her fellow campaigners are free again!

We have just received this wonderful news from India:

“We thank you for the message of solidarity with Sharmistha. We are pleased to inform you that Sharmistha and the others who were abducted with her were released the same evening after a massive protest by the people.”

And further they write that the situation is very tense but Sharmistha and other activists are in a safe place.

“(…) We thank you again for your support and promise you that the fight will continue.”

Protestation of the World March of Women Kenya for the release of Sharmista Choudhury

World March of Women Kenya would like to strongly condemn the continued harrasment of Women Rights defenders in India. As we feel this pain with sisters around the world, we would also like to condemn the new forms of violence against women and social activistst. We are living in a critical context right now…and militarism which continually makes the civic space limited and limited….making the civil society voices lower and lower because the political space of civil society  is shrinking on a daily basis. 

it is sad…and we condemn the harrasment as we also wish our dear sister Sharmista well. 

A united women force around the world will shield and help address issues of women indepth. 

Amandla!

Sophie from World march of women – Kenya

Protestation of the Fortuna Workers/Bosnia for the release of Sharmista Choudhury

We, the workers of „Fortuna” Gračanica shoe factory and participants of European world womens conference of grasrootswoman, strongly condemn the brutal attack and abduction of activist Sharmista Choudhury and other leaders of the Bhangor-Movement!

As woman, workers and fighters for worker rights in Bosnia and Herzegowina we were also victims of physical and psychic attacks and it is our obligation to the society and to the world to stand up against such attacks on individuals and activist groups.
We demand for immediate and unharmed release of Sharmista and other activists!

We call on the government to take action against such criminal activities and also we call upon the government to take steps to protect the activists in the country.

Free Sharmista!

The workers of “Fortuna ” Gračanica Shoe Factory / Bosnia and Herzegowina

Tevgera Jinen Azad (TJA) from Northern Kurdistan: We condemn the brutal attack on Sharmistha Choudhury and leaders of Bhangor Movement!

World Women Conference activist and Bhangor Movement leader comrade Sharmistha Choudhury were attacked and abducted by gangs of the Ruling Party in West Bengal.

We fear that life of our sister Sharmistha and other leaders of Bhangor Movement are under threat.

We; as Free Women’s Movement (TJA) strongly condemn the brutal attack and abduction of Sharmistha and other comrades. We demand immediate release and call on the government to take action against these criminal activities.

(more…)

Sharmistha Choudhury: Other voices of protest

On the abduction, detention, torture and brutal attacks against activist Sharmistha Choudhury and the other leaders of Committee for Protection of Land, Livelihood, Biodiversity and Environment.

We, members of Netherlands-based group Women for Women and Children, condemn in the strongest possible terms the abduction, detention, sexual violence, torture and brutal attacks against World Women and Bhangar movement activist Sharmistha Choudhury and the other leaders of Committee for Protection of Land, Livelihood, Biodiversity and Environment last 23 April 2018 in Alipore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

While waiting for the District Magistrate in Alipore to file their nominations for the upcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal, activist Sharmistha Choudhury and other candidates of Committee for Protection of Land, Livelihood, Biodiversity and Environment were brutally attacked and severely injured by the ruling party’s goons. To prevent them from physical filing their candidacy, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons did not only snatch and tear their documents, but they also abducted and detained them for hours. While in detention, Sharmistha was molested and tortured.

These violent attacks show the ruling party’s disregard for a democratic and honest elections, as well as their desperate moves to eliminate opposing parties such as Sharmistha’s. The Committee for Protection of Land, Livelihood, Biodiversity and Environment has been a staunch opponent of the installation of a gas insulated power Substation in a 13-acre land forcibly seized by TMC local officials in 2013 in Bhangar.

Likewise, these attacks directed at sister Sharmistha and the other candidates are clear violations of their human and constitutional rights.

We, thus, call for justice for sister Sharmistha and for the other leaders of the Committee.

We also call on the government of India to take immediate and necessary actions against the violence and brutality perpetuated by the TMC goons.

At same time, we applaud sister Sharmistha and her fellow leaders for their courage during those violent moments with those fascist TMC goons.

We commend them for their defiance and militancy as they fight their way to represent the people of Bhangar and West Bengal in the panchayat elections and eventually in the state government.

Women for Women and Children (WoW), The Netherlands, 27 April 2018

***

Dear Suse,

Thanks so much for your up date regarding – Sharmista,  we Ugandan women we need a immediate realize  of  Sharmista  free Sharmista

We shall continue protesting

Concerned ugandan women, 25.04.2018

_________________________________________________________________

wereldvrouwenconferentie – nl

Madam, Sir,

With great indignation I received the message that this week Mrs. Sharmistha Choudhury together with other activists of the Banghor Movement was abducted in the State of West Bengal. That’s still more regrettable while Mrs. Choudhury and the other  disappeared people are working for many years for the benefit of the people in their state and land and at least Mrs. Choudhury also at international level in the international movement of rank and file women. Furthermore we are concerned to learn that there are indications that people associated with the government or government party should be involved in the abduction of Mrs. Choudhury and her companions. How could this be possible in what is called the biggest democracy of the world?

That’s why we urge you to do all you can to investigate this cruel and illegal abduction and to bring all this people sane and save home again.

Yours,

Jan Verheul

Rotterdam

The Netherlands

25.4.18

_____________________________________________________________________

25.4.18

Martina Stalleicken, frauenpolitische Sprecherin der MLPD

Soeben erfahren wir von der feigen und ungeheuerlichen Attacke auf Sharmistha Choudhury. Sie ist Revolutionärin, Aktivistin der kämpferischen Frauen und Umweltbewegung. Als solche kenne ich sie persönlich und ist sie auch in Deutschland und natürlich international einer breiten Öffentlichkeit bekannt. Bereits im Januar 2017 wurde sie als eine der Führerinnen einer Volksbewegung ‘für Land, Lebensgrundlagen, Ökologie und Umweltschutz’ gegen eine von der Regierung forcierte Starkstromtrasse in West-Bengalen verhaftet – eine Bewegung, die Tausende in der Region vereint. Ein wichtiger und mutiger Kampf, für den hier besonders viele Frauen stehen, unter ihnen Sharmistha. Bereits hier hat eine breite internationale Solidaritätsbewegung erfolgreich den Kampf um ihre Freilassung unterstützt. Wir haben Erfahrung und werden nicht zögern, die Attacke auf Sharmistha breit öffentlich bekannt zu machen und genau verfolgen, wie sie aufgeklärt und Sharmistha wohlbehalten wieder zurückkehren wird und die Verantwortlichen zur Rechenschaft gezogen werden.