Washington: Supporters of Binayak Sen, the jailed human rights activists, over the weekend held peaceful demonstrations in about a dozen cities in US, Canada and Britain, demanding the Indian Government to release him immediately.
The Free Binayak Sen Coalition - a broad coalition of 55 civil society groups from the United States, Britain and Canada - in a statement said demonstrations were held in front of the Indian consulates in New York, San Francisco, Washington and London, while in Vancouver, Canada, 80 people marched from the Public Library to the Indian mission.
Panel discussions and public awareness events were held in Amherst, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles. Supporters in the cities of Seattle and Austin held candle light vigils.
Noted Indian historian Ramachandra Guha who has worked to highlight grave human right violations by the Government of Chhattisgarh joined the protest in Harvard Square, Boston, and appealed to protesters not to lose sight of the many ordinary tribals who, like Sen, are also victims of persecution.
Sen was recently sentenced to life imprisonment by a Chattisgarh Court after it found him and two others guilty of sedation.
The Free Binayak Sen campaign also works to highlight similarities between the struggles of marginalised and indigenous communities worldwide and has led to solidarity between seemingly disparate communities.
At the rally in Vancouver, Ashley Zarbatany from the Social Justice Center at the University of British Columbia drew parallels between Sen and other icons of resistance such as Ken Saro Wiwa from the Niger Delta and environmental activist grandma Betty, "...who have become icon of the willingness to stand up against exploitation of the land and of human rights despite what it may cost them."
In Boston, Sergio Rios who survived three years of incarceration under the Chilean dictator General Pinochet claimed Sen as an inspiration for everyone worldwide that is "...struggling to speak, to organise, to defend, and to help."
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