Thanks for posting this on JF. This issue has occasionally been discussed in the Andaman and Nicobar group, but it gets a wider audience here. I hope NFF will also highlight the marginalization of inland fishermen sometime down the line. Large scale watershed management (including large dams) has almost completely decimated inland fishing communities. The keut fishermen, part of a Dalit community that is integral to the Kherwal adivasi social civilization in the Jharkhand area, are one such marginalized inland fisherfolk.
Arnab Sen Flat # 1024 Sector C Pocket 1 Vasant Kunj New Delhi 110070 INDIA Phones: Cell: (+91) 9811004308, Home: (+91 11) 26124928, Work (Direct): (+91 11) 41913365 On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 7:33 PM, Vijayan MJ <[email protected]> wrote: > > > *Press Release* > > > > *Fishworkers hold one day dharna in front of Indian parliament and state > secretariats; * > > *Fisherpeople leaders raise objections to draft Bills concerning fisheries > * > > > > *11th January 2009, New Delhi:* The National Fishworkers’ Forum along with > all the constituent state Trade Unions held a symbolic day long dharna today > in front of the Indian parliament, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. The Dharna > was backed by day-long sit-ins and agitations in front of state secretariats > and district collector’s offices in different parts of India including, > Mumbai, Thiruvananthapuram, Mangalore, Kutch, Chennai, Vizag and > Bhubaneshwar. West Bengal unit of NFF will hold similar agitations in > Haripur and Kolkatta on the 17th of January. > > > > The agitations were organised in Delhi and different regions to pressurise > the UPA government to incorporate the fisherpeople’s demands while drafting > policies and legislations concerning fisheries. UPA Government, at present, > is preparing to table two bills in the parliament’s next session, including: > 1) 1) Marine Fisheries Regulation and Management Bill (draft) and 2) > Traditional Marine and Coastal Fisherfolk (Protection of Rights) Bill > (draft). > > > > The Dharna in front of Parliament was inaugurated by NFF acting Chairperson > and fishworker leader from Goa, Mr. Matanhy Saldanha. Mr. Matanhy accused > the UPA Government of keeping the traditional fishermen’s interest at bay to > cater to industries, corporates and big shipping vessels, while formulating > the draft bills – without consulting the most important stakeholders of the > sea, the fisherpeople. The NFF acting chairperson said: “It terrifies me to > imagine the plight of our coastal areas and people if the draft Traditional > Marine and Coastal Fisherfolk (Protection of Rights) Bill is passed in its > present form. This will change the fate of our people and environment for > the worse, forever. We want that the concerned ministry and UPA Government > should keep this bill on hold, hold participatory consultations with > fisherpeople and then only finalise the bill and pass it in parliament.” > > > > Mr. Rambhau Patil, the acting General Secretary of NFF appealed to UPA to > take into cognisance the objections raised by NFF and incorporate the > suggestions made by NFF before finalising the Marine Fisheries Regulation > and Management Bill. He stated: “This is a much needed piece of legislation > as the marine fish resources of India are threatened by over-exploitation > and the future of the fishing communities is in jeopardy. However, the > current draft does not satisfy the aspirations of India’s one million strong > marine fishermen and the 3.5 million-strong marine fishing community.” > > > > While presenting objections of fishermen to the Marine Fisheries Regulation > and Management Bill, Mr. T. Peter (Secretary, NFF) stated that the UPA > government would do well by desisting from implementing this legislation in > its current form. He said that the Bill is narrow in objectives, has limited > scope and lacks visionary approach towards management of marine resources. > He added that such a bill, which does not even mention or define > ‘fishermen’, reflects the lack of understanding of ground reality by the > bureaucracy. > > > > The Delhi dharna saw participation of fishworker leaders from several > coastal states, including: Debashish Shyamal (convener, Haripur anti - > nuclear project movement, West Bengal), Narendra Patil, (Maharashtra) Sagar > (Gujarat), Ramesh Duri (Malwan), and others from Orissa, TN and AP. The > delegation plans to meet with ministers, Members of Parliament, leader of > Opposition, leaders of other political parties and national media to convey > NFF’s position regarding the draft bills along with other issues. > > > > For details, contact: 9868165471, 9968292301, 26680914 > > -- > Regards, > > Vijayan MJ > > > Delhi Forum > F-10/12 (GF), Malviya Nagar, > New Delhi INDIA - 110017 > Phones: + 91-11-26671556 (Direct), > 26680914/883 Fax:26687724 > Emails: [email protected], [email protected] > Web: http://updatecollective.wordpress.com/ > http://delhisolidaritygroup.wordpress.com/ > > "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that > accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due > process of law. We will not walk in fear, of one another. We will not be > driven by fear into an age of unreason..." (Legendary broadcast newsman > Edward R Murrow) - from Amit Sengupta's brilliant compilation titled: > 'Colour of Gratitude is Green'.. A must read!!! > > > >
