JOIN THECommunity Rights Sangama 2011 of Adivasis, Fisher people, Forest workers, Dalits, Women and Children *OCTOBER 9-12, 2011 (Kushalnagar, COORG, Karnataka) Contact - ROY DAYID ( [email protected], 09448476091) *
*Introduction:* During the last few years, under the agenda of globalization, many struggles of adivasis, fisher people, forest workers and dalits have been taking place for their community rights in relation to forest, sea, water resources and land. As you are aware, the present policies of the Government tend to sell, rob and loot the natural resources to the corporates – a resource base of various communities including adivasis, fisher folk, the forest workers and dalits who are entirely dependent on these natural resource bases for their livelihood. The denial of the commons to the communities is a violation of the fundamental rights as well as a violation of human rights. The new forest rights Act has provided some benefits for the adivasis and traditional forest dwellers for their rights on forests. But unfortunately, none of these rights are implemented in its true word & spirits.. The Coastal Management Zone Notification has been withdrawn due to various struggles of the fisher people. However, the latest move is to capture the lands of the fishing community using new jargons. Attempts are being made to dilute the Forest Rights Act and the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification so that the emerging multinationals and the corporate world are benefited. The rights of the forest workers have been denied as ever before. Women and children face the maximum burden of this loot of natural resources. We believe that there is a common link between the fishing communities, adivasis and the forest workers in their struggle to assert the rights for their livelihood resources. During the freedom struggle adivasi leader Birsa Munda, who fought the British attempt to takeover the natural resources from the adivasis stated that “No government can own the natural resources since they are the livelihood resource base of the communities.” The rights for the natural resources cannot be taken away from the community either by the State or the corporate world. It is very crucial that the struggles for community rights have to be provided a platform, so that common issues can be discussed and common agendas can be framed. We believe that the natural resources are not endless and the real protectors of nature have to be recognized. Hence, the present policies of plunder and loot have to be opposed tooth and nail. We also believe that social issues can not be compartmentalised and every issue based struggle is interconnected and unless the affected communities come together, the real changes in history will not take place. Time has come to realize that no single issue movement will succeed without the support and solidarity of all other issue-based struggles. In this context, we are proposing a convention of representatives of the struggles of adivasis, fisher people and forest workers to discuss and evolve a common agenda to fight for the rights of communities in relation to land, forest and water. *COMMUNITY RIGHTS SANGAMA* *Participation:* 1. Adivasis 2. Forest dwellers and workers 3. Fisher people 4. Dalits 5. Women 6. Children *Programmes for First and Second Days* During the first two days, there will be a discussion on the following themes: 1. *Forest Rights Act and its implementation:* The Forest Rights Act, 2006, has recognised some of the rights of the communities dependent on the forests. Unfortunately this act is never implemented in its true word and spirits’. Major violations of the act is taking place all over the country, displacing communities and violating the very essence of the Act. 2. *Coastal Regulation Zone Notification and its implementation:* Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification 1991, recognised some of the rights of the fishing communities on the coastal resources. However, thousands of violations of the Notification have taken place in every coastal state of India. Many attempts have been made to dilute the Notification in many ways. However, due to the organised struggle of the fisher people a new notification recommended by a committee headed by Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, was forced to be abandoned. Many struggles are going on to make the violators of the Notification responsible to environment and local communities. 3. *EIA:* Under the modern implementation of development, the Environment Impact Assessment has ceased to have any meaningful existence. The local communities have become of this paradox. 4. *SEZ, STA, etc:* The corporations have been given blanket support by the government for Special Economic Zones and Special Tourism Areas. All existing norms for human rights and environment have been violated. There are thousands of struggles in this country which spread all over due to the violations of community rights. 5. *Tourism* – Eco tourism, medical tourism, spiritual tourism, responsible tourism, etc. These categories often build a myth that tourism can exist and spread without destruction of environment, local resources and culture. The marginalised communities in India are becoming more and more vocal on the rights of the communities in this regard. 6. *National Parks, Sanctuaries* – Critical Tiger Habitat, Elephant Corridor, Coral Reefs, Olive Ridley Turtles, etc. This institutionalised form of `protecting' environment has collapsed more or less completely. The adivasis and fisher folk in different parts of the country are victims of this commodified conservation ventures. 7. Conservation values, culture & spirituality of adivasis, fisher folk and traditional communities: One of the reasons for the invasion on the natural resources might have come up due to the non-protection of the values, culture and spirituality of the local community. The values of the local communities have inherent strength to contradict capitalist invasion on natural resources. Unfortunately, activists in India today are yet to use this strength in the struggle against many major violations on community rights and livelihood rights. 8. *Mining and Community Rights* – Iron ore, coal, bauxite, sand mining, quarries, uranium, monazite, etc: During the post globalised era in India, mining has become a grave concern for the local communities. Displacements, destruction of the environment and culture have become crucial issues for the local communities. There is a major need for articulation and preservation of the community rights being violated by the mining industries in India. 9. *Large dams:* Large dams represent displacement, siltation, water logging, deforestation, submergence, health disorders, destruction of culture and many other problems for the local communities. Many laws which protect the community rights have been gravely violated by the large dams. While none of the large dams constructed in India have ever provided what they have promised, the Government is still pursuing the construction of large dams with support of international agencies like The World Bank and Asian Development Bank. 10. *Nuclear Power Plants:* Almost all nuclear power projects in India have generated radiation problems, causing cancer and genetic disorders for the local communities. The Indian Rare Earths, Kalpakkam, Kota Nuclear Power Plant, Kaiga, Jaduguda and monozite mining in Chavara, Neendakara and Manavalakkurichi have caused cancer, genetic disorders, reproductive problems and skin disorders for the local communities. Since most of the nuclear plants are in the coastal areas and adivasi areas, major violations of rights have taken place on the local communities. 11. *Militarisation and Community Rights:* The Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA) justifies the use of blatant violence of the Indian army over the local communities in the north east and Kashmir. The hunger fast initiated by Irom Sharmila has crossed 10 years demanding the repeal of this draconian Act. Thousands have been killed, raped, tortured from the local communities with the blatant use of this Act. The struggles of the local communities facing grave human rights violations need urgent support from all over the country. 12. *Water and Community Rights:* Water is fast becoming a commodity under globalisation, with a higher profit margin than gold or software industry. While the community rights over water is being denied in many places, the common resources of water are being sold to the multinationals. It has come to a stage that many rivers are also getting sold in this country. The pollution of the rivers have affected the community rights in many ways. The idea of interlinking the rivers will violate the community rights in a major manner. The politicians are also trying to divide communities using rivers. Water wars will become a major problem in the coming years as per experts. Access to clean and safe water for the dalits is a major problem since water resources are controlled by the upper caste in the villages. 13. *Other mega development projects:* The major question for the communities today on development is: Development for whom and at whose cost. The concept of development has violated the community rights aggressively in modern India. One adivasi is being displaced every minute by the mega development projects. Many struggles in India are taking place against the violation of the community rights of the people. 14. *Community Rights & communalism:* Around 350 churches and worship places were destroyed in Kandhamal. The victims were adivasis and dalits. Attacks on the Christian community rights have taken place in over ten states following the attack in Kandhamal. Attacks on the community rights of the Muslims have taken place during several riots, especially after the destruction of Babari Masjid. The communal forces have received the justification and legitimacy by most of the mainstream institutions in India, generating deep insecurity among the minority communities. 15. *Community Knowledge:* Modern science and modern education systems have undermined the strength and significance of the traditional knowledge systems upheld by the local communities for generations. These knowledge systems are environment friendly and cause least damage. The present development model alienates the communities from their own knowledge. Knowledge of the communities which can be commodified are fast being patented and the rights of the communities are being denied. *16. Free Trade Agreements, FDI etc. on communities:* The burning question under globalisation today is whether there is freedom of the communities or freedom of the market. The free market system and the freedom of the investors have violated the community rights pushing many to the levels of starvation. Farmers, fisher people, adivasis, workers, women and children are the worst victims. *17. Climate Change and Communities:* The increases of the sea levels have already created climate refugees of the fisher folk in India. The adivasis, fisher folk and traditional farmers are the stake holders on this issue. These communities have not yet been recognised in the debates on climate change. *Cultural Activities:* Cultural Activities of local communities will take place on both first and second day of the Sangama. *Exhibitions:* * * Exhibitions of the traditional communities will take place throughout the Sangama. *Venue:* Kushalnagar *Dates:* October 10, 11 & 12 – 2011 *Proposed Supportive Organisations:* National Adivasi Alliance, Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, Theeradesa Mahilavedi, Coastal Action Forum, PPSS (Anti-POSCO Movement), INSAF, CORD, ODAF, Citizens’ Global Platform (India), PEACE, Adivasi Solidarity Council , PAD, Uttarakhand Jan Haqdari Manch, Jharkhand Jangal Bachao Andolan,SICHREM, HRLN, National Adivasi Andolan, Dayamani - Adivasi Mulavasi Asthithvaraksha Manch, Nadhi Ghati Morcha, National Fish Workers Federation, Kabani- The Other Direction, Moving Republic, NFFPFW, National Alliance of Anti-Nuclear Movements, Budakattu Krishikara Sanga, Visual Search, People’s Solidarity Concerns, New Socialist Alternative,Solidarity Youth Movement,Joint Tribal Action – Karnataka, Rajamulle Nivasi Wedike - Karnataka, and many others. *Objectives of the Sangama:* * * The following will be the main objectives of the Sangama: 1. To connect important people’s movements connected with the issues of natural resources and community rights. 2. To widen the reach of the demands of the people’s movements on community rights and livelihood issues. 3. To generate a support base for those who are struggling on the rights of the marginalised communities. 4. To generate support from the mainstream media, internet communication and alternative media on issues related to natural resources and community rights. 5. To pressurise the Government on the demands expressed by the communities on their rights to natural resources and livelihoods. 6. To document the concerns of the communities and use them for future advocacy and campaigns for the rights of the communities. -- RESIST globalisation COMBAT communalism DEFEND democracy http://www.insafindia.org -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "insaf-alerts" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/insafdelhi?hl=en. -- INSAF national secretariat A -124/6, 1st Floor, Katwaria Sarai, New Delhi-110016 Ph: +91-11-65663958, Telefax:+91-11-26517814 E-mail: [email protected] URL-www.insafindia.org -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
