I SINCERELY SUPPORT , NOT ONLY SUPPORT BUT BEING MYSELF TRIBAL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. VERY OFTEN I AM HELPLESS.
On Fri, Jun 7, 2013 at 8:07 PM, AYUSH <[email protected]> wrote: > ** ** > > ** ** > They Are Not The “Others”, We > Are<http://tehelka.com/they-are-not-the-others-we-are/?singlepage=1> > **** > > *Activist Himanshu Kumar says tribals are still a pawn on the chessboard > of provincial politics. Saying there’s no better time to talk about tribal > rights than now, he is on an indefinite fast to highlight their > exploitation by states and multi-nationals, reports Shone Satheesh Babu*** > ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > Amidst a rising chorus asking to send more forces > intoChhattisgarh<http://tehelka.com/tag/chhattisgarh/> > in the wake of the deadly Maoist <http://tehelka.com/tag/maoist/> attack > on political leaders, activist Himanshu Kumar has undertaken an indefinite > fast at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. “I’m trying to draw the attention of the > urban middle class, so that they at least understand what the problem is, > before asking for absurd solutions,” Kumar told TEHELKA. While civil rights > activists have gone hoarse asserting that the Maoists are not a > law-and-order issue, large sections of the media and influential, powerful > urban classes keep reiterating their demands to send in more forces after > every untoward incident. “What the Maoists did in Darbha valley is heinous > and condemnable, but it doesn’t mean the government is any less guilty of > massacre,” said Kumar, claiming that the state government has deliberately > not implemented development works in remote regions. He claimed that by > inflicting brutality on the tribals through its foot soldiers, i.e. the > police, the state was terrorising them into leaving their lands, which > would then be passed on to the multi-nationals. “The government doesn’t > realise how angry the tribals are with its policies. The Naxals are taking > advantage of this anger.”**** > > On the killing of Mahendra Karma, the founder of Salwa Judum, an > anti-Naxal outfit, Kumar said the brutality, although inexcusable, was not > inexplicable. “Karma was stabbed more than 70 times by female cadres of the > Maoists. They could have just shot him dead. But what happened was the > seething rage for all the rapes and torture unleashed on the tribal women > by the Salwa Judum.”**** > > Kumar also alleges that the media is complicit in ignoring the > unconscionable crimes committed against people across the tribal belt. He > mentions the time when then Chief Justice of India YK Sabharwal ordered the > sealing of all illegally-obtained properties in Delhi, the media had turned > activist for the rights of those facing ouster. “Even though everyone > admitted it was illegal, they wanted the court to take a lenient view on > humanitarian grounds. But when we talk about how tribals are being uprooted > from their lands, which they have inhabited for thousands of years, > everyone falls silent. Why this hypocrisy?” asks Kumar.**** > > It is in this backdrop that calls for sending in more forces to tackle the > Maoists seems like a reckless idea that will serve to alienate the tribals > even more and benefit only the Reds.**** > > But according to the government, it’s the Maoists who’re not letting > development work take place in remote places. Kumar rubbishes this view, > “We almost persuaded the Naxals to stay away from school buildings. The > problem, as the tribals told us, was that the police and the > CRPF<http://tehelka.com/tag/crpf/> > would occupy the school building, and start harassing their people. They > raped the girls, beat up the sons, and destroyed their crops. So the Naxals > started demolishing schools to prevent security forces’ piling up.” Kumar > says the biggest setback was when the government ignored the proposition > that both the forces and the Maoists should stay one km away from the > school buildings. “The Naxals agreed instantly to this demand of ours. But > when the Chhattisgarh UNICEF head Lata Menon wrote to the chief secretary > about this, she didn’t even get a reply,” says Kumar of the government’s > arrogance. It’s not just the state government that’s guilty, according to > him even the Prime Minister has let the people of this country down by > asking for the abolishment of the clause that requires a 51 percent > majority in the gram sabhas to allow development work. This is in contrast > to the recent ruling of the Supreme Court in the > Niyamgiri<http://tehelka.com/tag/niyamgiri/> > case, empowering gram sabhas to decide if they want a mining company to > extract from their land.**** > > Another Volley Of Bullets For Bastar’s > Tribals<http://tehelka.com/another-volley-of-bullets-for-bastars-tribals/> > **** > > Kumar rattles off other foolish decisions of the administration, “When > they heard Naxals were pilfering mid-day meal rations from the schools, > they shut down the schools. If there’s a rat in your house, you don’t burn > the house down, do you?”**** > > When asked for a response to those who claim that the tribals themselves > are wary of and opposed to the government coming in to their villages to > build roads and development works, Kumar says the answer to that is in the 5 > th Schedule of the Constitution. “Development and roads can come later. > But first, are you letting the tribals have even the fundamental rights – > right to life and life of dignity – as enshrined in the Constitution? When > you deliberately don’t want schools, hospitals or a ration shop in the > region because your first priority is to oust people from those lands, how > can you talk about uncooperative tribals?” says Kumar.**** > > According to Kumar, the discourse on Dandakaranya gets trapped between two > extreme schools of thought, one that gives tribals absolute rights over > their land, and one that believes a developing nation like India should > harness all her resources to create more industry and jobs. “In the midst > of that, the everyday violence inflicted on the tribals never gets the > spotlight. Eight innocent villagers were killed in police firing on 17 May > in Edesmeta <http://tehelka.com/tag/edesmeta/> village of Bijapur > district. Where were the panel discussions? Where was the outcry?” asks > Kumar, his pitch rising with every word.**** > > *“The plight of tribals is not a very attractive issue, I’m not expecting > a crowd like the other activists get. But I know there are many in this > country who care about democracy, justice and equality for all. They will > come and join this movement, and express solidarity,” says Kumar, reminding > once again that “the tribals are the original inhabitants of this land; we > are the outsiders, the intruders.”* > > Many in the know believe that the latest attack on Congress leaders by > Naxals has led to a revaluation of the party’s stance, claiming the > government has no choice but to send in more forces to the region. Kumar > indignantly cuts in, “No choice? Why can’t the government try us as the > last choice? Send back Binayak Sen, Himanshu Kumar to the forests. Admit > that you made a terrible mistake by driving the activists out of > Chhattisgarh and apologise to them. We’re willing to take the bullet, but > is the government willing to bite it?”**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > Original at : > http://tehelka.com/they-are-not-the-others-we-are/?singlepage=1 **** > > -- > ----------------------------------------------------------------------- > This mail is sent you by AYUSHgoogle group > AYUSH | adivasi yuva shakti | www.adiyuva.in > Group of professionals who want to take initiative to develope tribal > community, Let us do it together > > Our Online contact points : > Home Page : www.adiyuva.in > Join AYUSH : www.join.adiyuva.in > Let us do it together : www.do.adiyuva.in > Warli Art | India's Global Art, Proudly Tribal Art : www.warli.in > Tribal Tourism : www.tourism.adiyuva.in > > Face book profile : www.facebook.com/adiyuva > Face book page :www.facebook.com/adiyuva1 > You Tube : http://youtube.com/adiyuva > twitter : http://twitter.com/adiyuva > Linked In : www.linkedin.com/in/adiyuva > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "AYUSH | adivasi yuva shakti" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/adiyuva?hl=en. > > > -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This mail is sent you by AYUSHgoogle group AYUSH | adivasi yuva shakti | www.adiyuva.in Group of professionals who want to take initiative to develope tribal community, Let us do it together Our Online contact points : Home Page : www.adiyuva.in Join AYUSH : www.join.adiyuva.in Let us do it together : www.do.adiyuva.in Warli Art | India's Global Art, Proudly Tribal Art : www.warli.in Tribal Tourism : www.tourism.adiyuva.in Face book profile : www.facebook.com/adiyuva Face book page :www.facebook.com/adiyuva1 You Tube : http://youtube.com/adiyuva twitter : http://twitter.com/adiyuva Linked In : www.linkedin.com/in/adiyuva --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AYUSH | adivasi yuva shakti" group. 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