Every four years the Commonwealth Games brings together 52 countries affiliated through their connections to the former British Empire in sporting competitions involving thousands of athletes in the 3^rd largest sporting event in the world.  For the first time the event is being held in India, specifically the capital in Delhi.  Preparation for the events have been moving forward swiftly in recent years to prepare the infrastructure in the Delhi megacity to successfully host the games with the whole world watching. 

We join in the welcome and excitement at hosting such a prestigious event with so many distinguished visitors, but as the games move closer and closer on the calendar our concerns have increased dramatically about the impact of the games on many of the lower income families and communities where ACORN International and ACORN India organize and where the world is not watching.  In East Delhi thousands of families have been relocated and dislocated due to the ITO slum clearance which made way for the construction of the athletes’ housing and some of the venues for the events.  We were part of a larger coalition of groups that were not able to prevail on the Delhi Municipal Corporation or the Indian Government to save the community or provide adequate relocation.

 

Now we are also finding that even with the games several months distant, thousands of bicycle rickshaw pullers are facing constant harassment in Delhi including being arrested, having their rickshaws damaged and ruined, and losing their livelihoods as the policy and city attempt to forcibly remove them in the name of traffic flow.  An announcement recently indicated that some 4000 motorized rickshaws manned by a private subcontractor were going to debut during the games.  The proven issues of displacement are now being coupled with intense threats and dislocations for informal workers desperate to maintain their livelihoods.

 

We welcome you to Delhi, but we need your help.  We cannot exchange your pleasure for our livelihoods and families.  We believe you can enjoy your visit to Delhi, and we can coexist in harmony, but to do so, we need you to act with us.

We are reaching out to friends, allies, and people of good will throughout the world and especially in the Commonwealth countries to do the following:

• • Sign a petition in support of our right to live and work in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games.
  • Communicate your support of our position to the Commonwealth Games Committee in your country and the Commonwealth Games Federation internationally so that they will assure we have the right to live and work during the Games.
  • Communicate your support for our position to your government and ask that they seek assurances from the government of India that our rights and livelihoods will be respected.

More information and the petition can be found at www.commonwealthgamescampaign.org on our website.

The motto of the games is Humanity, Equality, and Destiny.  Our demand is simple.  We believe despite our poverty that we should be treated with basic human rights.  We believe we have the right to aspire to equality, and that our destiny is not desperation but hope.

Help us live and work in that spirit by acting now in our support.