This Thursday 26 August marks the 15th anniversary of the Phulbari Massacre. We will be marking the occasion with two events, organised with the Phulbari Solidarity Group. In the morning, LMN and supporters will be joining a rally outside the Bangladesh High Commission in London, and in the afternoon we will host an online gathering of campaigners, eyewitnesses, and artists. We invite you to join us in remembering the victims of Phulbari and in solidarity with the struggle to end coal mining in Bangladesh.
Event information here: Remembrance Rally at Bangladesh High Commission
Al Amin (11), Mohammad Saleqin (13), and Tarikul Islam (18) were shot dead for protesting against plans to build an open cast coal mine Bangladesh in 2006. More than 200 people were also injured when a non-violent demonstration of 80,000 people marched against London-listed mining company, GCM Resources Plc. Since the murders of these three boys, the 26th August is observed as Phulbari Day.
GCM wants to build a massive open cast coal mine by forcibly displacing 130,000 people, to extract coal for 30 years from Bangladesh’s only flood protected location, Phulbari.
Despite the Bangladesh government not supporting this mine, GCM continues to trade shares in London’s share market. We say this must end and GCM must be kicked out of London!
JOIN US at 10:30AM on Thursday 26 August outside the Bangladesh High Commission to say ‘No Coal Here, No Coal Anywhere’ and to pay tribute together to the victims of the Phulbari massacre.
Wear A BLACK Mask!
Wear BLACK clothes!
Bring along your own HAND WRITTEN placards, and your friends and family.
The Verdict: Phulbari Day Memorial (Online)
Phulbari Solidarity group and Bibartan warmly invite you to an online performance by Bibartan artists, inspired by the local resistance to GCM’s coal mine plans in Phulbari, Bangldesh in the aftermath of the Phulbari massacre.
Hear about what happened from global activists. Commemorate Phulbari Day with us.
The Phulbari Solidarity Group and London Mining Network in collaboration with the Bibartan Art and Cultural Group, is hosting a billingual memorial event, The Verdict. This transnational event will recreate the Phulbari Day Verdict. We will present eye-witnesses from spokespeople of the Phulbari resistance. We will listen to first hand accounts by representatives of affected communities on the ground, and we will hear from international anti-mining and climate justice campaigners about what can be done to fully implement the Phulbari Day Verdict. Presented by Bibartan and Phulbari community leaders, we will learn about ecological struggles of communities and the Bibartan Art and Cultural Group will present the stories from Phulbari and Bangladesh through their Bengali folklore music to save the planet. There will be two short film screenings of the Phulbari tragedy and transnational resistance in the aftermath of the coal shooting. The event will end with a reading of the Phulbari Verdict. We will read the Verdict together with Professor Anu Muhammad and Rumana Hashem, both are eye-witnesses and spokespersons of Phulbari resistance, and both survived the shooting in Phulbari on 26 August in 2006.
London Mining Network is facilitating the event on Zoom.
This event is a performance by Bibartan artists and is inspired by the Phulbari outburst and resistance in the aftermath of the Phulbari massacre.
Participants and speakers include representatives of Foil Vedanta, Women of Colour, XRANA, XRISNUK, XRY Solidarity, Fossil Free London and other allies of Phulbari solidarity movement.
All are welcome. Feel free to join with your family and friends.
We will commemorate the tragedy and celebrate the outburst and resistance against mining and coal power in Bangladesh.
About London Mining Network
London Mining Network (LMN) is an alliance of human rights, development, environmental and solidarity groups. Together, we work to hold London financed mining companies to account for the human & workers’ rights abuses and environmental destruction they cause around the globe. We stand in solidarity and work closely with mining-affected communities.
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