Nandigram: Former US attorney-general Ramsay Clark on Thursday slammed the West Bengal government for 'perpetrating atrocities' on the people of Nandigram as part of a globalisation drive to set up industries there.

"We can understand your sufferings at the hands of the attackers and the police," Clark, who along with Senator Sarah Flounders and a US trade union leader Steve Kirschbaun, visited BUPC refugees at the Brajamohan Tiwari High School relief camp here, said.

"What is happening here, is happening in many places in the world. It is a government serving the rich at the cost of the poor. Your life and property are being taken away to set up an industry (chemical hub) without considering the disastrous Bhopal gas tragedy that took many lives," Clark said.

"We are from the US to get the first hand knowledge of the extent of exploitation in this part of the country," Clark said, adding that they would tell Americans about the sufferings of the people of Nandigram and mobilise public opinion.

The three, visiting Nandigram, are members of a Delhi-based human rights body, 'Anti-Imperialist Forum'.

A four member fact-finding team of human rights bodies -- Amnesty International India and Human Rights Watch, today toured Nandigram and met people affected by the violence.

They visited affected areas of Gokulnagar, Sonachura, Adhikaripara and interacted with the villagers before leaving for Maheshpur and Satengabari.

The team, headed by former chief justice of the Sikkim High Court S N Bhargava, told reporters that they had been here since yesterday to ascertain human rights violations in the past few months and see for themselves the impact of the violence.

"We will recommend our views to the appropriate authorities on our return," Justice Bhargava said.

He said that he visited Nandigram in May for five days as chairperson of People's Tribunal, organised by All-India Citizens Initiatives and submitted a report to the Governor on the March 14 police firing in Nandigram.

Other members of the team were Director of the Amnesty International, India, Mukul Sharma, Supreme Court lawyer Vrinda Grover and Human Rights Watch member Meekakshi Ganguly.

Source : PTI