02 Dec 2013
This free-wheeling interview first appeared on the cinema portal Passion For Cinema (linked from Pragyatiwari-Blog)
After personal contact with the Management of *HOLCIM INDIA OPERATIONS* this is the current state of affairs on the Ajay-Holcim issue.
I have demanded a final report on the issue by the Ambuja-Holcim Management, as both parties were "kindly asked" to withdrew their claims if they wished to avoid further problems. So current state of affairs - back to the point as if never anything happened. Yet it did and it had serious implications, especially for one Family. The family of elected Rawan village panch Gangotri. After she stood up for us at the police-station and was marking presence as elected representative of the village panchayat - she thought it outrageous that a European Lady Photographer visiting her village, was welcomed in such a manner. On the 1st of May two weeks after the incident (& funnily enough the international day of worker's rights and after enquiries from the Swiss management came Ambuja's way), Mr Raju Sahu long-term contract worker at Ambuja Cement and Gangotri's husband, was refused to go back to work, as a result of his wife supporting us at the local police station. In the aftermath of the incident, she spoke out what she thought and raised awareness about the issue in the area. Gangotri and myself never managed to exchange words as such, as she didn't speak English and I didn't speak Chattisgarhi. But it was one of the most powerful encounters of my trip, just having her sitting next to me at the police station in Baloda-Bazar, marking presence and reassuring me by her presence that the entire village and all the journalists they got to come to the police station, are standing behind Ajay and myself. Ohm.Shanti.Gangotri!
My claims as deposited with Mr. Onne van der Wejide, Vice Director of Holcim and Head of Holcim India Operations:
Mr. Ajay TG and Family Gangotri - the true victims of 17.4.2013 incident - what shall we do to reverse the trouble & implications they had since spring 2013; how can we turn the clock back for them, saying "nothing happened" on 17th April 2013?!
They were the people that got into trouble after me stepping too close to that invisible 500m perimeter of the gate.
& after me being too naive to think that taking a picture near that Ambuja gate would be nothing more than taking a picture like the 100s I've been taking b4 on that trip.
Legal state of affairs:
- after Mr. Gangotri was refused to go back to work at Ambuja, after his wife (elected village panch) took sides with me and Ajay at the police-sation in Baloda Bazar, he is now working as contract-laborour on a building site far away from his family and place of origin - so this incident made him having to leave his family in order to continue making a minimal wage to sustain them. Why not making a true difference and offer him a new contract directly with Ambuja? Why would such a decision not be possible from your point of view, regarding the overall context of the work that you do?!
- On the last court hearing on 20/09/2013 both Ajay as well as Ambuja were told to withdraw their respective cases - so basically closing the legal files in order to avoid provoking more trouble for the parties concerned. For Ambuja or Holcim such a case is easily swallowed. For Ajay this was a lot of trouble, worries for his family, expenses and yet a file closed again in the interest of the "big multinationals" - making him - instead of an agent of peace & change - yet another victim of complicated political and industrial structures . Please understand why Ajay and myself feel frustrated by such a decision. According to the officials "Nothing happened". No need for Ambuja nor for Ajay to file charges against anyone. BUT IT DID HAPPEN.
It was a true act of intimidation and demonstration of power of your security guards.
I don't know how far their mandate of security may be stretched for doing their job - but to me it really did all seem very exaggerated considering "the crime" or "the non-crime" that was "committed" by us.
& there I also wish to direct yet another question towards you:
> Why is it - from your point of view - necessary to start off immediately with so much intimidating power - what has Ambuja really got to protect (or to loose?!) within their realms that such behaviour by your staff is tolerated or even needed?!
> How can it come to the point that a European Lady promenading down Rawan main road is regarded as such a massive "threat" to a company that is very well regarded all around the world?!
What are your concrete suggestions on the Ajay/Gangorti issue ?
>>>>> Answer by Holcim, Mr Onne van der Weijde (by Email on 05.11.2013):
Karin, I appreciate you openness and willingness to share.
With regards to your questions with regards to Ajay, I cannot answer you directly,
but can propose that I forward your request and questions to the local management
and ask them to prepare a reply.
© 2012- Karin Scheidegger - All Rights Reserved.
