Date: Sun, Dec 21, 2008 at 7:06 AM
Subject: Padyatra : Update
To:
The padyatra reached Khatima from Banbasa in Uttarakhand on December 20th. Today, we will be moving to Sisaikhera village. On the border of Nepal, the Uttarakhand police and its senior officier were interrogating us about possible Nepalese connections since the yatra entered from Nepal. For the whole day, the policemen in civilian cloths for monitoring our activities. In fact the Police Officer said that our Yatra's details should go to the government of Uttarakhand. I informed him that he was most welcome to communicate our feeling to implment the constitutional provisions and safeguards to the tribals and Dalits. Our entire team was videographed and photographed by the police, our vehicle was also videographed and photos and addresses were taken of every invididual and also some of those who were not with us. Ofcourse, the attidue of the police was friendly and nice and never let us feel as if they were interrogating something.. but if the government and police want to fight against the insurgency and tribal unrest, they must ponder over seriously as why people resort to violence and guns.. if the government is in the hands of middlemen and corrupt political class, and if the constitutional safe guards fails to function, then the Dalits and tribals willl have nothing less than violent means to resort to their demands,
More later,
Regards,
VB
Dear Friends,
The footmarch started by Uttar-Pradesh Land Alliance from Golbojhi village in Paliakalan tehsil of Lakhimpur khiri village on December 13th, has now entered into the 7th day today. The Padyatras had a one day programme in the two districts of Nepal bordering the yatra area before entering to Banbasa town in the Champawat district of Uttarakhand. A report of the first two days has been attached here with.
The yatra has interesting though tough moments in the tiger reserve area. The density of the population is very low in the region and the villages of the Tharu community in particular remain deep into the forest. Completely isolated from outside world, the Tharus have lot of problem, mostly coming from the forest department and other from migrant farmers from Punjab who have grabbed a large part of their land in thiis region.
We did not have access to electrity, internet and phone connectivity in these areas, may be as these regions are termed 'sensitive' in the government's record books as they are bordering with Nepal as well as declared as Tiger reserve of the Dudhwa National park, so for the Tharus is double problem. My friend Leena returned to Delhi after two days and prepared this small update.
The interesting part of this yatra which I say exploring India is the understanding of the community and the response of the elders and children to our progrramme. As informed earlier, UPLA is a secular organisation committed to eradicate supestition and all our programmes whether related to land rights and forest rights have inherent anti superstition and secular progressive ideals inherent in them. We do not support everything and anything in the name of identity and culture as we do understand Dalits-tribals and other marginlised communities have been made victim of this culture and identity many many times.
The padyatrais displayed anti superstition programmes in many schools during the padyatra. To attackt the community, children and youths, we had shown them films using the battery of tractor. In the nights, our friends showed their skills named as ' Chamatkar ka bhandafor', exposing the miracles.
Today, in Banbasa, we plann to address school children at an Inter college and inform them about land rights as human rights and developing scientific ideas to succeed life.
The padyatra now enter in more difficult areas though not geographically but for all practical purpose as a large part of Tharu land is illegally grabbed by the powerful communities here. In the entire Uttarakhand, the land status is very low and owning even 2 acres of land is considered big but here in Tarai most of the immigrants from Punjab have 20-30 acres of land and the a huge chunk of benami land. The condition of Dalits here is very pathatic and they live in utter fear if they talk of their land rights. New farm houses have come up here and ceiling laws are circumvent to help these powerful communities.
We feel that this initiatve will bear some results and instill some hopes in the minds of the marginalised communities in Uttarakhand who feel isolated and down in the new state of Uttarakhand. We sincerely hope that this initiative will also giive the government of the state an idea what the land issues are as we are going to send our report and case studies as well as memerendum to them.
As Christmus approaches and new years comes in, I wish all my dear friends a happy new year and marry X mus. We all look for peace and tranquility in our lives. After the traumatic events this year, we hope that 2009 will bring justice to those who lost their near and dear ones in different violence. We sincerely believe that for a peaceful coexistence we need social justice and just peace.
In solidarity,
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
and other members of
the padyatra from
Uttar-Pradesh Land alliance
and Uttarakhand bhumi Haqdari manch
in Banbasa, Uttarakhand
--
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
Visit my blog at
www.manukhsi.blogspot.com
For information on the issues, movements and priorities of Scavenger community in India please log on to
www.swachchakar.blogspot.com
Contribute your article on freedom, humanism and human rights to
www.manuski.com
For information on civil society initiatives on Muslims in UP please log on to
www.rehnumaa.blogspot.com
For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org
--
Vidya Bhushan Rawat
Visit my blog at
www.manukhsi.blogspot.com
For information on the issues, movements and priorities of Scavenger community in India please log on to
www.swachchakar.blogspot.com
Contribute your article on freedom, humanism and human rights to
www.manuski.com
For information on civil society initiatives on Muslims in UP please log on to
www.rehnumaa.blogspot.com
For Social action, land rights, right to food and hunger issues support Social Development Foundation at www.thesdf.org
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