From: M C Raj <mcraj.reds@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 8:21 PM
Subject: Janosthama
To: Heidi Moksnes <Heidi.Moksnes@csduppsala.uu.se>, Herberg Lea GTZ 4502 <lea.herberg@gtz.de>, harsh@vaniindia.org, haz_cen@vsnl.net, heinz.peters@welthungerhilfe.de, hellobhushang@rediffmail.com, henri@satyam.net.in, IDSN-Council <IDSN-Council@yahoogroups.com>, info IGSSS <info@igsss.net>, idadeva@vsnl.com, info@prodipan-bd.org, idp@unigroupeu.com, ihoaids@vsnl.com, iiepune@vsnl.com, indcare@bol.net.in, info@camhindia.org, LEISA India <leisaindia@yahoo.co.in>, Jack van Ham <Jack.van.Ham@icco.nl>, Jack Vowles <J.Vowles@exeter.ac.uk>, Janet Greig <janet@owcf.org>, "Jeanmaire, Corinne" <corinne.jeanmaire@philips.com>, "Jolly, S." <s.jolly@student.tue.nl>, j.curtin@auckland.ac.nz, j.karp@exeter.ac.uk, Kalamani <Kalamani@icco.nl>, "Kailash C. Das" <kailashcdash@yahoo.com>, Kaspar Akermann <kasparakermann@gmail.com>, Kim Abdur <Kim.Abdur@iccoenkerkinactie.nl>, kadambari_v@rediffmail.com, kanchikohli@gmail.com, keerti02@gmail.com, kinss@pn3.vsnl.net.in, kolamian@gmail.com, kolhekar.suhas@gmail.com, kuinform@eth.net, Laya Vsp <layarc@gmail.com>, latapm@gmail.com, laya@sancharnet.in, leo@esgindia.org, librarian@jambudvipa.org, lois@colmangetty.co.uk, lokayan@vsnl.net, "Manikandan ..." <binuinyou@gmail.com>, Mary Vattamattam <mary.timbaktu@gmail.com>, Manil Joshua <maniljayasena@gmail.com>, Manas Gosh <atcrkmnd@gmail.com>, "Mertineit, Anja" <Anja.Mertineit@misereor.de>, marimarcelt@gmail.com, maalan@gmail.com, nazeer@adats.com, NFDLRM <nfdlrm@gmail.com>, Neera van der Geest <Neera.van.der.Geest@icco.nl>, Neha Rao <neha@cdmgoldstandard.org>, Niranjana Maru <chetana_wda@sancharnet.in>, nfiwdelhi@yahoo.com, nickd@carbon350.co.uk, nitya.ghotge@gmail.com, nivedita.varshneya@welthungerhilfe.de, "NIMKAR, SANJEEV" <sanjeev.nimkar@philips.com>, ole@bridge-builders.de, Ott@misereor.de, omaryj@googlemail.com, "Onna, T.J. van" <t.j.v.onna@student.tue.nl>, onlineeditor@theweek.com, p.dunleavy@lse.ac.uk, palashbiswaskl@gmail.com, pdcfp@caritasmc.org, r.kattumuri@lse.ac.uk, ratna@rrn.org.np, rk.miller@auckland.ac.nz, Rnpsingh@aol.com, rune.fjellheim@samediggi.no, ruth@blr.vsnl.net.in, "asul020@artsnet.auckland.ac.nz" <a.sullivan@auckland.ac.nz>, Accion Fraterna Ecology Centre <actionf@sancharnet.in>, anthra pune <anthra.pune@gmail.com>, Ayushi Jain <ayushi@cdmgoldstandard.org>, Bablu Ganguly <bablu@timbaktu.org>, Barcik <barcik@bdonline.com>, bendre@unfpa.org, bernhard.hoeper@welthungerhilfe.de, bibhukmohanty@gmail.com, connie hogarth <conart1@optonline.net>, cc@cpim.org, clarieke@gmail.com, dalit-solidarity@yahoogroups.com, Denise J Welch <denise@cdmgoldstandard.org>, "dr.ravikumar" <dr.cravikumar@gmail.com>, dm21@soas.ac.uk, dralkaawasthi@yahoo.com, ED IGSSS <ed@igsss.net>, Edwin <use.info@gmail.com>, Elske van Gorkum <Elske.van.Gorkum@iccoenkerkinactie.nl>, "Filzmoser, Eva" <eva.filzmoser@cdm-watch.org>, ed.outreachindia@gmail.com, elske.van.gorkum@icco.nl, AF-Ecology Centre <actionf_atp@dataone.in>, Frederique van Drumpt <Frederique.van.Drumpt@cordaid.nl>, famraj@vsnl.com, failbus@yahoo.co.in, frederique.hanotier@ec.europa.eu, Gerard Oonk <g.oonk@indianet.nl>, giriprabha singh <giriprabhas@hotmail.com>, golden_mike <golden_mike@163.com>, Goldy George <goldymgeorge10@gmail.com>, gnsreddy55@rediffmail.com, Heather Devere <heather.devere@aut.ac.nz>, Sabina Atzei <Sabina.Atzei@cordaid.nl>, SEDS David <vdavida@gmail.com>, SEDS Prasad <prasadseds@gmail.com>, therese.arseneau@canterbury.ac.nz, timbaktu.collective@gmail.com, tarunb01@rediffmail.com, thehumanity@rediffmail.com, wing-India@googlegroups.com, wntaindia@gmail.com, Willemijn Lammers <Willemijn.Lammers@iccoenkerkinactie.nl>
Janosthama
Land First
Very difficult to believe this! But going by the history of achievements many in REDS have no difficulty in accepting the truth. The truth is that we have succeeded in gaining 300 more acres of land. Only a few weeks ago we went to town with the news of having gained 642 acres of land in Chamarajanagar District of Karnataka. The Forest and Revenue Departments had agreed to do an extensive survey of the land in question. The survey was done in right earnest and the Dalit people are now the proud owners of 642 acres of land. Kudos to Booshakthi Vedike of REDS!
News of success spread like wildfire. It encouraged the Dalits of K Devarahalli, Agara Hobli, Yelanthur Taluk of Chamarajanagar to pick up necessary courage. Sunder Raj, the Coordinator of Booshakthi Vedike is a man of great courage and energy. He took up the case with the same officers who confronted him with their guns earlier. But this time they had mellowed down a lot. The guns were invisible. Mr. Nagaraj, the PCCF (Chief Conservator of Forest) from Bangalore made a dashing visit and called for meeting of all top bureaucrats. There was no other go.
300 acres of land had been granted by the government to the Dalits 30 years ago. But one fine day one of the government officers in the Forest Department thought against the government and fenced all the 300 acres of land under the Social Forestry Scheme. It was not difficult for them to threaten the people not to enter the land. But it was a see-saw struggle. The department would plant saplings during the day and the people would pluck them out at night. They did not allow any tree of the forest department to grow in their land.
Mr. Nagaraj is a different type of officer. As soon as the truth of true ownership struck him on the face he ordered his officers to give the land back to the people. The survey was done also on these 300 acres of land and the land has been already handed over to the people.
Thus totally Booshakthi Vedike of REDS has gained 942 acres of land in such a short time. But one finger on the trigger could have also taken the life of Sunder Raj. No success comes without a price. We are all happy that we have paid heavy price for our success and our people are solidly behind these success stories. Thank you Andheri Hilfe. Your small support has achieved marvellous things for our people.
Electoral Reforms More Than First
The most exciting thing these days in Tumkur is the resurgence on Land and Electoral Reforms. We started with Pavagada Taluk where about 5000 people joined the rally on 11 January. Full planning and mobilization were left to the local leadership without the central team getting involved. The signature campaign for five acres of land to each Dalit family has started well. Each rally has two major petitions submitted to the Chief Minister of Karnataka and to the Prime Minister of India. Besides, there are also hundreds of young women and men who formally receive Dalitism as their path of life.
The next rally was in Madhugiri taluk on 20 January. More than six thousand people gathered. In all such gathering the Tahsildhar of the respective taluk comes and receives the Petition. Besides, there are also politicians who join. It is a big pain in their neck as they have to sit through our programme for more than two hours. Apart from electoral reforms we are also openly calling the people to bring all Dalit votes to a converging point at the time of elections. It sends shudders in the raw nerves of politicians. Our local leaders in Madhugiri took over only some months ago as the previous ones were transferred to Gubbi Taluk. But this couple proved their mettle in such a short time.
Sira had only 2500 people on 22 January, but was the most beautiful and meaningful programme till now. The procession was very vociferous and lively. Jyothi and Raj are the cynosure in all the processions. Madhugiri people had planned to take them in a open jeep but somehow it was possible to convince them not to do such things. The Member of the Legislative Assembly from Sira constituency who was a Minister at the Declaration of this Millennium as Ambedkar Era in 2000 came and spoke very powerfully on behalf of our people. He has also promised to raise these two issues in the Karnataka Assembly.
Gubbi event was a contrast on 23 January. There were only 1200 people. For REDS standard it was flop show. Mobilization has suffered a bit here and the team will dissect the reasons for this flop in their meeting on 12 and 13 February. But the procession and the public meeting went on well.
The next one will be Koratagere on 02 February and the mega event of Tumkur will be on 10 February.
A New Coalition Emerges
The Empowerment and Entitlement Coalition in which REDS is a key partner started with the Pavagada event. More than 25 participants from 8 Organizations of both North and South India participated in this three days learning event. Most of them were non-Dalits. Their sincerity in learning and their openness to Dalit issues were amazing. It was only one Dalit group that was quite cynical in their totally unwarranted reactions. We all hope that they will soon learn the finer techniques of coalition building. This Coalition is not an initiative of REDS. All partners in this Coalition have long traditions of leading people's movements and Civil Society Groups.
Tripura State Conference
Raj had to immediately rush to Tripura for the State Conference of the Campaign for Electoral Reforms in India. It was once again a very fulfilling event. A detailed report is ready but we shall send it to you a while later so that you are not overburdened by our materials in your computer.
CERI Manifesto
The much-awaited release of CERI was done in the Civil Society Summit in Bangalore on 26 January, which is the 60th Republic Day of India. Mr. Arup Borbora from Assam came to release the Manifesto. He is the son of former Chief Minister of Assam and is an ardent supporter of the Campaign. Though the Summit was a good event the release was not as we anticipated. It got jumbled in numberless events and confusions of the day. Therefore, REDS will organize another function in Bangalore to release both the Manifesto with longer discussion on it and also Kakapee, the Novel written by Raj. Those of you who want to have a copy of the Manifesto of CERI may write to us. It costs only Rs.20/- Electronic version of Manifesto is also available.
Life in REDS is like the superfast trains of Europe but every minute of it is a big festival of joy.
--
M C Raj
REDS, REDS Road
Shanthinagar
Tumkur 572102
Karnataka, India
Phone: ++91-816-2277026
Fax: ++91-816-2272515
Mobile: ++9845144893
Email for electoral reforms: ceri.reds@gmail.com
Email for REDS: jyothi.dalitreds@gmail.com
--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/
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