Shafeek H.
Cochin: “I have suffered serious human rights violations in India. I am not coming back here till my death” – These are the words of Jonathan Baud, the Swiss national who was taken into custody by the Kerala Police for alleged Maoist links. He was speaking to Doolnews through his lawyer Adv.Sageer.
Boud is a well-known name in Swiss academic circles-K.P.Sethunath
The Police have till date failed to establish the Maoist links they alleged in the first place. They are yet to produce a clinching proof against him. Jonathan, it is learned, is a research scholar in a Swiss University and a well-known human rights activist.
The popular political journal “Swiss Political Science Review” has published a paper written by him. The March issue (Vol.19, Issue 1, Page 106-107) of the journal has published the paper, “Direct Action, Deliberation, and Diffusion. Collective Action after the WTO Protests”.
Journalist and political observer K.P.Sethunath had reported last day that Boud is a well-known name in Swiss academic circles. He is researching on the economic history of Switzerland and on the influence of Communism in Western nations. His visit to India was part of this research.
Read the news in Malayalam:
അനുഭവിച്ചത് കടുത്ത മനുഷ്യാവകാശലംഘനം; മരണം വരെ ഇനി ഇന്ത്യയിലേയ്ക്കില്ല; ജൊനാഥന് ബൗദ്
TheTirbune De Geneve website has published a debate on “Young people seeking employment in Geneva: the hell?” with him, which conveys clearly his intellectual capabilities, political outlook and his social consciousness. He talks about the problem of unemployment among the youth.
“It is like a cake, which has to be shared with everyone. But what is the reality? The cake is getting bigger, but only a minority gets to eat it. The majority never reaches anywhere near. The youth at least should have a chance to lick the cake,” he says.
“In the present times of individualisation of labour relations, we cannot leave behind the youth alone. We have to develop systems of helping each other. We cannot wait till the liberation of employment providers for that”
Jonathan and his friend”s plan was to visit Kerala and Karnataka. On reaching here from Karnataka, he came to know about Maoist Shinoj”s memorial programme from a report in the “Deccan Chronicle”. Following this, he came down to Thripprayar for research purposes, Adv.Sageer told Doolnews. The event organisers have denied the police allegation that Jonathan addressed the audience during the memorial meeting. This was revealed in a press release by M.N.Ravunni, one of the main organisers of the programme.
“I am the main organiser as well as the main speaker at the Shinoj memorial programme. From that position, I can say that neither was Jonathan an invitee nor was he a speaker at the programme. He never addressed the audience at the event,” he says in the press release.
Since he is researching on Communist organisations in Western countries, it is quite natural that he will be interested in such organisations across the globe. He has constantly tried to understand Communist parties by watching them from close quarters and analysing their nature of working.
Geneva: Jonathan Baud (Left) takes part in a debate on problems faced by youths.
This is what Jonathan”s advocate says about the whole issue:
“Jonathan and his friend came to India to visit Kerala and Karnataka.”
“After visiting Karnataka, he came to Kerala and stayed in Kannur for a few days. In Kannur, he attended a programme in which Pinarayi Vijayan participated. Desabhimani had reported about this.”
“Since he is researching on Communist organisations in Western countries, it is quite natural that he will be interested in such organisations across the globe. He has constantly tried to understand Communist parties by watching them from close quarters and analysing their nature of working.”
| The news on the Memorial programme of the Maoist leader, Shinoj published in Deccan Chronicle on 26th July,2014 |
“He does not know Malayalam. He has only basic knowledge of the English language. He speaks and writes in French. He used to read “Deccan Chronicle” during his stay here. In the edition dated July 26, there was news on the memorial programme of maoist leader Shinoj, who died in a bomb blast”
“Jonathan was naturally curious about this as he has studied the Maoist movements too and came down to Thripprayar to attend the programme, which was organised by some former Naxalites. He had gone into a bookshop in Thripprayar with the newspaper to locate the school where the meeting was being held.”
“On seeing a foreign national who was unfamiliar to them, the organisers enquired him about the visit. His tall lean look evoked curiosity among the people who had gathered there. He sat there and listened to all the “Malayalam” that was spoken there.”
“When he was about to leave after the programme, the police came and asked for his travel documents. He had forgotten to take his Visa and Passport at that time. He informed the police that he has all the documents at the place where he was staying.”
“As per the law of the land, in case a foreign national does not have the travel documents with him, he must be given 24 hours time to produce the same. Even if he is not able to produce it in the first 24 hours, the concerned authorities can grant 24 hours more in case there is a convincing reason. Nothing of that sort happened in Jonathan”s case. He was not even given five hours”
Jonathan Baud comes from the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court, Kodungallur after appearing before it.
“Later, his friend was summoned. She gave his travel documents to the police. But even after this, they arrested him alleging Maoist connections. He is innocent. His last statement is “I have suffered serious human rights violations in India. I am not coming back here till my death”
| A. Vasu, the Leader of Trade Union, GRAW and a former Naxalite and M.N. Ravunni, Chairman of the Memorial meeting Held ar Tripraya addresses the programme. |
The Shinoj memorial programme was held at the SNDP LP School in Thripprayar on July 28, the martyrdom day of Charu Mazumdar, prominent Marxist Leninist and founder of ML organisations. Former Naxal leader A.Vasu inaugurated the programme. Social activists like M.N.Ravunni, T.N.Joy participated.
Jonathan and his friend Valerie came here on student visas. The police have said that the travel documents are proper. The books that were recovered from him “Problem of Naxalite Extremism and Its Solutions” by C R Bakshi, “Message of 21st Patna Party Congress” by U N Mithra, “Subash Chandra Bose and Indian Communist Movement” by Gautham Chatterjee apart from Bardhan”s “Economic Growth: Development and Empowerment”, were all meant for research purposes. There has been no evidence to establish his Maoist links.
[] His continued stay in custody even after this is a human rights violation and is unlawful. He was sent to custody on 2nd August, 2014. The Court has stipulated that he can be interrogated only in the presence of a lawyer and a translator. His advocate told Doolnews that it is expected that Jonathan will get bail in a week”s time.
Courtesy: For the photos of Jonathan and the programme is from Tn Joy Tn”s facebook profile.
#JonathanBaud #Jonathan_Baud #Maoist Jonathan Baud