From this project we had only a short summary from a letter written by the president of Ekta Parishad (Organisation for Unity) Mr. Rajagopal P.V. to Dirk Panhuis which has been read by Arya Bhardwhaj. There Mr. Rajagopal wrote:
Let me take this opportunity to express my thanks to the War tax resistance and Peace campaign group for the support to Ekta Parishad.
To briefly review the history, Mr. Arya Bhushan Bhardwaj introduced the idea of supporting Ekta Parishad because of the conflict in Central India between a tribal community and a World Bank supported forestry project where the people were faced with a life and death question. In a Washington, DC meeting held in July 2000 this appeal led to a contribution of 70,00 Indian rupees (about 1450 US$) by a Spanish group.
Also your group (VRAK) in Flanders made a contributions of 200 US$ towards the same fund. These two contributions put together amount to 80,000 Indian rupees, which we are using for providing legal support to this particular tribal community.
We have also raised some resources to support them in developing their land and deepening their water tanks.
In spite of all our efforts many homes are destroyed by the forest department and in many places the crops have been destroyed. Recently some of our senior workers were put in prison on the grounds that these workers were participating in the struggle of the tribal community. The conflict is building up and we are really in need to find money for setting up a strong legal support system and also to support some ten volunteers who are working in that area under great risk…
It would be really great if each group can provide us with whatever support they can muster in order to activate the legal support system as well as providing support to the volunteers.
(See also the project description at the end of the documentation.)
Conscience and Peace Tax International
Proposal for a project to become the international project for 2002-2004
CPTI is looking for funds to produce two publicity leaflets.
- Publicity leaflet on €1.000
Presentation of CPTI, conscientious objection to military spending as a (not yet recognized) human right, its objects, its work in international peace and human rights movements, and its work in international intergovernmental bodies such as the UN, the European Union, the Council of Europe, ... Also to be mentioned are: the web site, the address of head quarters, its account, short list of countries with WTR-PTCs. Some of the information of the existing four-page brochure can be used. Also the Hondarribia Declaration, Millennium Forum Declaration, written or oral statements in Geneva,...
Format: one A4 folded in three. We need a simple but professional layout and a printed version. Black and white with one color (many shades).
- Publicity leaflet on WTR-PTCs €1.000
Presentation of the WTR-PTCs, conscience, spending on war as compared to .., addresses and web sites, international conferences, links to nonviolent conflict resolution, ... Some of the information of the present four-page brochure can be used.
Format: one A4 folded in three. We need a simple but professional layout and a printed version. Black and white and one color (with shades)