Sowing the seeds for a better life

Ayang Aier, Nagaland

Once there were two friends who would go to the beach every morning to play. After playing for few minutes the younger boy would disappear from the scene. This went on for some days. His friend started to wonder and worry. He thought that his friend was no more interested to play with him. One morning, he followed his friend without letting him know. To his amazement, he found his friend struggling to pick and throw starfish which were lying on the beach into the sea. He shouted to his friend “Are you crazy? There are thousands of starfish, so what difference would it make?” The young boy did not reply and continued what he was doing. After sometime, his friend shouted at him “Come on lets go, leave them alone. What difference would it make? Its impossible for you to pick all these and put them back into the sea.” The young boy coolly picked up another starfish and replied to his friend, “Of course it makes a difference - to this fish”, and he threw it into the sea.

I believe, all will agree with me that the greatest challenge of today’s world is how to make the world a better place for all to live in peace and harmony. And the thing that I fear most is can we accomplish this in the midst of political and socio-economic injustice. Many a time as a social worker, I am placed in a position like the younger boy. They task looks so big. As I struggle with my work, there are questions that always hit me – am I making any change or difference or improvement? What have I accomplished? What difference would it make? To dream of changing the world completely to a better place for all and to put the chaos of the world in order would be like Karl Marx dreaming of “Utopia.” Yet to dream of brining hope to a few that surrounds us is not beyond our reach. What keeps me going or comforts me is that “little drops of water makes an ocean.” What I do may be small or may be invisible, but it does make a little difference to those lives.

Sisterhood Network (SN) is a small organization that began in May 2001 with an aim to empower less privileged and neglected women and girls in and around Dimapur in Nagaland. What brought me to SN is my dream of working with the poor, oppressed and downtrodden of society and also a desire to work with like minded people. SN’s center is in Dimapur district. Dimapur is a small town in Nagaland. It is the commercial center of the state. However, 70% of the business of run by non locals and there are few avenues for local people in business. There is the problem of a high rate of unemployment because majority of the population is dependent on the government for jobs. People no longer hold on to traditional values and virtues. There is corruption in almost all the institutions. Some use bribe to get a job. Dignity of work is disappearing among the younger generation. Most of them want easy money and opt for white-collar jobs. The spirit of tribalism is getting higher. Above, all, the tension between the Indian Government and the Naga local government (underground) is making the public insecure to live in their own land.

Against this background, there are many whose lives are marginalized and are ignorant. Among them women are the ones who suffer the most, since they are illiterate and dependent on their husband for their survival. They are confined to household activities, unaware of this rights and resources that are available from the government and other institutions. At SN, I was given the responsibility to look after the self-help groups (SHG). I did not know from where to start because this was a completely new task. Before joining SN, I was in teaching profession for 3 years. My work was confined to the classroom but now I have to go outside the wall to the women. It was a challenging task. No one gave me an orientation of what SHG is all about, neither was there any past record of the SHG to refer to. In the beginning, I had a hard time to relate and communicate to some SHGs because they could not understand Nagamese (conversion dialect) nor English, and neither did I understand their dialect. I took the help of interpreters and this made communication easier but I don’t know how far I understood them and their feelings.

One difficult task was to link the SHGs with the Bank. The bank was not receptive and tried to find fault in the documents that the women submitted. I had to accompany the SHGs every time they went to the bank and after several attempts, they were able to open their accounts at the bank. For loans, it was more difficult. We made several attempts together. The women nearly gave up and started accusing me for what has happened. I got irritated, yet I did not give up. I heard from some source that without bribing, it is impossible to get the loan from the bank and this was true. Some women were willing to bribe but I was able to convince them that such a practice is evil and we should fight against such corruption. Finally, I personally went to meet the Bank Manager and Field Officer convincing them that these are the groups that deserve to get the loan. After 6 months the loan was sanctioned. Another challenging task was how to sustain and maintain the SHGs.

Though several learning seminars and workshops were conducted on capacity building, two SHGs were defunct. As it is said that “experience is the best teacher” I have learnt that proper orientation should be given to the SHG during the formation of group, in which I have failed. It should be made clear right from the beginning that when our focus is only on economics and neglect the other aspects - social and spiritual - the results or rewards are one sided. The experience has also helped me to reflect and evaluate my own leadership skills. Another challenging task at SN is counseling the young girls. Most of them are school dro-outs who were doing nothing and have no avenues open to them, yet when they come to SN outwardly they look happy and content with their lives. However, as I sit, talk and listen to their stories, I come to know that most of them are confused and seeking some purpose and meaning in life. Some of them had unpleasant childhood experiences because they became orphans when they were very young or parents are divorced or they are from poor background and so had a very hard life. These girls lack self-confidence and self-esteem and have no motivation or interest to work for their livelihood.

My desire is to see these girls growing as mature, independent and responsible adults, but things do not always happen like we dream or wish. Some of these girls are very tough and very difficult to deal with. I try my best to release them from the prison of their past experience and to let them understand that there is more to life. In spite of my efforts, I could not see much change in them, but over the days and months I have learnt to accept them as they are by putting myself in their position. I have come to understand that I cannot change a person into a completely new being. Maybe, I can change his / her outward being but the real change should come from within the person.

Today as I reflect back I am reminded again that there is no short cut to success and that winners are the ones who do not do different things but they do things differently. As it is said “action speaks louder than words”. Maybe what I have told them did not make any sense to them, or may be I was too judgmental, pointing fingers at their weakness, or may be I was expecting too much from them. I do believe that the seed that I have planted today in them with love and care would one day grow and bring a difference to their lives. I am also comforted by knowing the fact that I am not alone in the struggle, but like minded people are in the same boat with me.

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Going behind the mask

Renthung lo Kithan, Nagaland

From my childhood I see two classes of people – the high and the low - the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer. The context from where I come was indeed not pleasant. There was so much injustice, so many inequalities. I used to wonder why the world is so cruel. The rich people have all the powers whereas the poor have no voice -they are always neglected. Where are their rights? This painful scenario really disturbed me and concerned me. I joined Sisterhood Network in 2001, right after my graduation, which helped me understand many things about the realities of this world. I want to make the poor aware of their rights as persons, to make them aware of their dignity and abilities, to help them to be confident of themselves, to make themselves self–reliant and to believe that their dreams will be realized in this life.
Connecting with the women’s group and young girls who are poor and marginalized is sometimes hard. They are not aware of where they are, who they are etc. After some months or years they do not remain the same. We see changes socially, economically, etc., which concerns not only the woman but helps her family and thus involves the society. These are the positive responses that we see. The main purpose here is to let them come out from where they are and then treat then like humans. It is amazing but slowly we can see the differences in their lives – they are confident, self reliant, aware of where they are etc. These changes do not come by overnight. It is a slow process where we need a lot of patience. From my experience thus far, looking at their backgrounds, studying their situations and dealing with them is very important – all are not same, some are difficult, some are not that difficult. In the process these are also challenges that I face. I begin to lose patience when things are not working according to plan. At times I just want to give up. Sometimes I feel like I cannot go on any longer, any further – I am tried and exhausted but I remember something here – “at the end of the tunnel there is always light”. There are also times like when I just leave things like that when I can do more or can do better. This is my life journey, my challenges that I still face and like I said it is hard sometimes but as I look back, through these hardships and struggles I have also learned something.

There is one incident that I faced two or three years back. One of my staff and I went to one office to collect project money given to the women’s group. We went to the Managing Director’s and office she said that everything is alright and the money is ready to be given to the women’s group. We reached the cashier’s office. There we saw that he was a bit reluctant to give the money sanctioned. The problem here was that he wanted to get some commission from us which we did not agree to. I finally I told him “Are you going to give us the money or I will go to the Managing Director’s office and report. You are paid for your job. What is this extra money for?” He then signed everything and gave us the money. Our society is corrupt. One should not compromise with the system. One should be strong, courageous and able to say what is right. That is my biggest challenge. Imagine how many persons the cashier must have taken money from like that, many of them poor and illiterate villagers. One thing I also learnt is to always “prepare my mind” because we never know what will come our way, what is ahead of us.

Reflecting back, evaluating myself, I should say that I have come a long way. My life journey was full of ups and downs Sometime it is discouraging and painful, but I have a strong belief that things will not always remain like that - someday it will change – “after a sunset, there is always sunrise”. In the beginning of Sisterhood Network there were only two of us. We went visiting from house to house. In a bag we carried water, some eatable things, torch, etc., since sometimes we reached home late at night after talking to these women. This is how the women’s group started. Their husbands do nothing, their children cannot go to school because of the economic problem. The women weave somehow and earn something to run the house. Even here marketing is a problem for them. The reason is they are not exposed and also not confident of themselves.

As I look back now there are certainly some changes that I see. Guiding them, seeing them change, finding marketing for them, organizing seminars on food and health, exposing them to different things, leadership training etc, these have really brought something to their lives. Let me also share something about young girls here. The young girls we are dealing with are school drop-outs, where most of them cannot continue because of economic problems. Many are educated but unemployed, some are trouble markers at home. Like I said before, some take time to change, even years, and some take a few months. I am not a psychologist nor a counsellor, but I try to read their mind, study the background from where they come, listen to them, gain trust from them and slowly they begin to open up. Their stories are heart rending, they narrate painful experiences in their lives which have left bitterness in their heart. Father and mother divorced, some from a broken family, some parents sell liquor thus affecting the whole family, the children in particular. Their life is full of emptiness. It is challenging for me to deal with these girls. I would say that it is a long struggle to for me. Most of them are stubborn and do not want to listen. Sometimes they seem to be smiling outside but that is not from their heart. Sometimes I get angry with them because of their behaviour, but again I remind myself of the world they come from. It certainly takes time, but things change.

Like I said most of them are from broken families. Since they come from that kind of world, it is difficult dealing with them. I can give you one example here of breaking the mask which they wear. One girl I observed was very quiet and the smile she had was so empty. Her mother and father divorced when she was only a kid and she stayed with an uncle. First I tried to make friends with her, talk to her casually, laugh with her, listen to her and thus slowly she began to open up and told her strory, her painful experiences. I try to be patient and win her trust so that she was comfortable with me. Many a times I go behind her trying to talk to her because she wants to keep a distance, trying to be alone, but I try to be friendly with her showing that someone loves her. It is so hard for them to accept the word “love”. This is my biggest challenge and I face this – to break that which is already in the heart it takes time.

In my job though I am responsible for the finance area, I am associated with all aspects of work of the organisation. It is indeed not easy but I try my best. At the end of the day as I reflect back it may be a little or simple thing that I do but it matters to me because I know how much I can do. Reaching out to the poor and needy gives me joy, though there are hardships and failures. We face many challenges but that makes me stronger. I learn many things out of that. In all my working “prayer” is the greatest weapon which gives me the inner strength to go on. The vision and the final goal that I have may not reach 100% perfection but atleast some will be fulfilled in this life.

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An unending struggle

Bhaktabatsal Mohanty, Orissa

I was born on 15th August 1959 in a small village called Goudapada in Cuttack district of Orissa in a poor middle class family having faith in Gandhian ideology. In my village 80% families are dalit and 20% are Brahmin and Karana (General Caste). During my school days, I saw the discrimination towards untouchables in our class as well as in my society. My grandfather and grandmother spin the charka every day and at the end of the month my grandfather goes to the weaver’s house for weaving of khadi. Most of the family members are engaged in weaving khaki. In my childhood I was attracted towards khadi. I asked my grandfather, why the schoolteacher discriminated against the dalit students in class and in school functions. In our family we respected all people as humans.
After the completion of my studies I came to Utkal Sarvodaya Mandal and worked with Rama Devi, a great Gandhian Sarvodaya Leader of Orissa. I was involved in the JP movement in 1978. In 1982, in the month of June, Rama Devi sent me to Batighane near Paradeep for cyclone relief work. When I started the community kitchen, I again saw untouchability and discrimination in the village.

1982 August 30th a devastating high flood came to Jagatsinpur area due to breaking of the Dalai Ghei. Maa Rama Devi sent me with a team for emergency relief programme. As the water level came down I saw most of mud houses of the poor dalit community totally collapsed. They lost almost everything they had. The General Caste people had good houses, where dalit people could take shelter, but the poor dalit had to spend the night under temporary shelters made of polythene sheets donated by us.

I took up a challenge for the dalit people. I conducted a survey of how many houses had collapsed in the flood-affected village. Out of the total collapsed houses, how many houses were of the dalit people. I saw that 90% of the houses collapsed. I took the challenge to build these houses within one year for the dalit community. I faced many obstacles from other caste people in the period of house construction. I organized work camps, invited youth from different districts and built the houses before the monsoons.

1984 June 5th I got married to a committed dalit lady called Bhagabati arranged by Maa Rama Devi and Sarvodaya people. We declared each other as life partner and took oath in the presence of NGO leaders, Gandhian people, journalists, youth leaders, etc. It was a great personal challenge in my life. I struggled for survival in our so-called civil society and among blood relatives.

1985 after flood rehabilitation we formed an organization for dalit and poor people called “Antyodaya Seva Kendra” and started rural development programmes. Different donor agencies came forward to support us. I have a clear vision of my development work. With some like minded friends like Biranchi Upadhya, Sanjaya Khatua, Chakradhar Mishra, Mab Mishra and Rabi Jena (Sanvodaya worker), we published a magazine named ‘Upakala’ with bi-monthly issues. We started a people’s movement in the name of “Green Coast” for protection of the coastal environment and mangrove forests.

In that time in Rajnagar block, Orissa Government was providing land to refugee Bengalis. In name of providing land to refugees, the government and mafia planned to cut 1200 acres of Sonei-Rupei dense mangrove forests in 1990. The Tehsildar, B.DO and contractors set fire with petrol in the mangrove forest. Our Sabuj Bahini of the Green Coast movement and workers of Antyodaya Seva Kendra protected the forests and stopped the cutting. The Tehsildar of Rajnagar booked our leaders and myself under different charges. I took anticipatory bail but five of our friends stayed in jail for two months. We distributed leaflets – The cry of Sunei Rupei - where we argued that there was no need of land for migrated Bengali people. This was only a political game. This is a great challenge to the Orissa Govt. and political leaders of Kendrapada district. Finally the cutting stopped in Sunie Rupei mangrove forest. At that time we were all ready for any storm in the coastal belt, when waters of the Bay of Bengal comes into villages with high speed cyclonic storms.

We organized an interface workshop on the costal environment and invited senior scientists, social activists, educationalists, NGO friends, environmentalists, etc, but after workshop nobody bothered. In 1999 November a devastating cyclonic storm came affecting 14 districts along the coast, drowning thousands of people, cows, goats into the Bay of Bengal.

When I was involved in issue based people’s movement, some funder disagreed with our work and threatened to stop the support. Internal conflict star ted in the organization and I left voluntarily to take responsibility of local youth.

In 1992 my working partner Srimati Bhagavati started some welfare work among primitive tribes Junga and Bhuyan. She registered that organization in 1994. I was wandering, searching, analyzing evaluating my work - where am I and what direction should I go? I was conflicted and roaming like a mad man for two years within forests, staying with indigenous people, trying to live like and learn their language and understand their problems. I learnt many things which I have not read in books. Day by day, I became friends of the tribal people of Kendujhar. Another eye opened in my heart and I committed myself to work for the tribal people. I saw the land problems and different issues in mining pockets.

1995, Reo Tinto Zinc (RTZ) Limited, a London based company came to Gandamardan OMC iron mines. Cleverly they formed a new company “Orissa Reo Tinto Zinc Mining Company (OMC) Limited”. Very soon an MOU was signed between OMC and RTZ. In the prospective period RTZ would provide technical help, guidelines, testing etc. OMC would bear all expenditure of RTZ person and provide office support. They stared testing by digging a tunnel and taking the iron ore to Australia. They planned for 60 km of Malantolly and Gandhamardan (full of iron ore) to be transported to London over 15 years. RTZ planned to raise the iron one in a mechanized manner. In the prospective period Uparjagan natural stream dried and indigenous people suffered. We organized the tribals and organized a meli (convention). “Adivasi Milita Kriyanusthan Committee” was formed and we are demonstrated against RTZ in the district and block headquarters. We started no cooperation with RTZ people in the village level. The villagers did not allow them to access the mining area. We gave a memorandum to the President, Prime Minister, Governor and against Reo Tinto’s activities. We blocked NH5 and NH215 day after day long demonstration at Sukati and Kendihar town. RTZ was forced to leave Gandhamardan area.

This was the impact of collective leadership and peoples movement where tribals took leadership and faced the Government and RTZ in a non violent struggle. I try to visualize the mining situation of Kendujhar and what is going to happen in 10 to 15 years. I take leaders (men and women) to Badamapara area, where Tata has already completed mining. They see the real situation after mining. The natural streams have dried, forests are destroyed, tribal people have left their native land and migrated to Paradeep and Bhubaneswar to work as daily labour. There are dry destroyed naked hills all around. A good road was built, train line built, good houses constructed by the company, but after taking out all the iron ore, the company left this place, just like an anti-social person after his physical satisfaction, gives some token money to the tribal girl and leaves, not bothered about her future and self-respect.

Currently one hundred and thirty different iron ore mines are operational in Suakati, Baripal and Joda Badabil blocks. We suffer the impacts of increasing air pollution, degraded natural forests, a close-knit mafia has cut down all the sal trees. The natural streams have dried, the ground water is degraded. Agriculture lands and paddy fields are destroyed. There is cultural erosion in the name of civilization. There are unwed mothers and unwanted children, and increasing cases of HIV/STD/AIDS.

17,000 trucks are plying on NH 213 and everyday an accident happens. According the laws for rehabilitation laid down in the mining laws, the peripheral work is not satisfactory and affected people are not getting the benefits.

One RTZ went back, but other companies like RTZ have come in with mining leases. And the tribals have lost all they had – their forests, lands, and their homes.

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Against all odds

A Kathyayani, Andhra Pradesh

I was born in Baraddipalli village, Chittoor Dist., which is in the Western part of Andhra Pradesh. My father is a teacher. I hail from a respectable family. After completion of my education in the village I had gone to the nearby town for higher studies and completed my graduation in 1987. Then I searched for a job. Many offers came from cities and towns, but my father refused to send me to faraway places.

In our area there is no opportunity for jobs for youth. There is only a voluntary social service organization named Grama Pragathi Samstha (GPS) providing jobs. I approached them and they appointed me as an additional teacher. I joined there in 1988. I faced some problems in visiting various schools, because there was no transport facility. My father sent my mother along with me to the villages as escort since I was an unmarried girl. That is how my work started. Seeing my hard work and commitment the Secretary promoted me to the office. I got involved in different programmes for women, health, disability and children.

I got married to a colleague in the same organization. While working in GPS I found that they rendered good services for all sections of people but for the disabled they were doing only a few activities. They never thought about their sustainable livelihoods. So I decided to do something for the disabled if any opportunity came. After a few years because of the poor health condition of the Secretary of GPS, the organization was closed. I lost my job and become unemployed.

Through involvement in GPS’ activities I had a good rapport in the villages and I thought that we should register our own organization to render services to the poor and needy.

In 2001, my husband and I registered our own organization named “Rural Small Industries Development Society”. We searched for funding. We struggled a lot to get funds from government and donor agencies. While applying for government schemes it could take a long period for sanctioning. After they send the first installment, they take two years to send the second installment. In the meanwhile, staff cannot be paid and the work also suffers. At such times, we cannot ask them to work and contact with villages is affected too for sometime.

One donor agency sanctioned Rs.100,000 for a six-months training program. They took signatures for the total amount but released only Rs.90,000. It is over three years since then and they have still not released the remaining part.

To get a loan to work with the disabled, we deposited 25% of loan amount with a government institution, as per their requirement. They sanctioned the loan and we repaid the amount in the given period. The condition was that if we repaid the loan amount they would return our deposit. It is over one and a half years since then but there is no sign of repayment.

In the meanwhile we deposited Rs.37,500 for another loan of Rs.150,000. It took over a year to get this amount released. We have spent over Rs. 800 on telephone alone in following up the case. To go the office physically is difficult because it is far from where we stay. We contacted the Director over phone. The Finance Officer asked us why we reported to the Director and also made some comments regarding our programme. We told him that he was welcome to come anytime to see our ongoing programmes. In a week’s time he released the money. Through this we were able to undertake programmes for the self-reliance of disabled persons.

At the beginning we formed fifteen women’s self-help groups (SHG) and linked the groups with banks for getting loans for income generation programmes and also signed on the papers. The government introduced ‘Velugu’ programme and merged the groups and brought them under their control and appointed a volunteer to follow up the activities women groups. They also provided some honorarium to the volunteers. The government changed and the procedures were changed as well. The Velugu authorities did not pay any further any honorarium to the volunteers. Most of the women’s groups became irregular in repayment of their loans. Migration is also to some extent a cause for non repayment of loans. The women’s groups are no longer under our control, but the bank authorities ask me for repayment of the loans. We struggled a lot and asked permission for two months for settle the matter since the women’s group members had migrated. After 3 to 4 visits to the groups the members got together and repaid the loan amount.

Some group members requested us to help their groups in getting loans for income generation programmes with bank linkage. I also realised that we need to take care of staff’s requirements even when our organization faces funding crises,. For this purpose we have provided micro-finance to the staff as a secondary source of income to sustain their livelihood. They are therefore able to do more work and are honest in the activities.

Like while steering a vehicle, one observes backwards, side-wards and moves forward, in the same way we observe what is going on in the field, push the staff for getting good quality work, and move forward in search of funds. For implementing our activities effectively, I often have to act as the manager and as a peon, at times as a project officer and also as a field worker.

We faced a lot of problems in getting licenses and exemptions also. There is a lot of corruption in all offices. In local government offices they cannot pressurize us because of our services to the community, but in dealing with higher authorities we are still struggling.

These are some of the crises grass-root level NGOs facing now days. From my experience, I feel that to get funds from foreign funding agencies is better than to get funds from the government because the foreign funding agencies maintain punctuality in releasing funds and also collect the work from us in a systematic manner.

While facing constraints, we solve the problems of the disabled in society to some extent and bring confidence among them to sustain their lives independently. We also solved the problem of alcoholism in three villages and are slowly motivating farmers to apply organic manure in the agricultural fields in place of chemical fertilizers. Our success, though slow but steady, is the source of our strength.

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With peace, on the path of struggle

Biju Borbaruah, Assam

I have been involved in community service since 1996. I was inspired by my sister to enter this field of work. Ever since I began to understand issues affecting our society and community, I have been aware of corruption and injustice ingrained in our society, often perpetrated by leaders and people holding positions of power. It was as an expression against this injustice that organisations like ULFA, BALT, BTF, etc came into being. In this situation, the poorest people suffered the most.

The political, economic, social and educational situation was deplorable, but they did not have the courage to protest or raise their concerns for fear of the repercussions. Since my younger days I used to participate in political meetings and express my views in their midst. But there were not many listening to what I had to say. It was then that I decided that I would work for making improvements in my society and community. In 1996 I joined a social development organisation, thinking that I could contribute towards improving society through this. I started going to villages, organising participating in several training programmes, etc. A few months later I realised that there are several problems in the organisation I was working with. The organisation was headed by a woman. It had received a grant form CAPART for a low-cost housing project under which 27 houses were to be built. In reality only three houses were built, and there were no records of the remaining funds. Such a large fraud was being perpetrated in the name of poor people. I decided to quit the organisation immediately. Thinking back, I sometimes feel I should have stayed back, exposed the truth, and stopped the corruption and injustice. I did not do this. I had failed in my first experience.

An acquaintance told me at the time that if I was interested in doing some good work I could approach the Rural Volunteers Centre (RVC) which worked in Dhemaji district. RVC was looking for someone to help in formation and strengthening of women’s self-help groups (SHGs). I took permission from my mother and set off to join RVC. On reaching there I felt this was a place where I could work. After a year of working there I joined Tamalpur Anchalik Gramdaan Sangh (TAGS) in Nalbari district. I continue to be associated with TAGS and its founder Ravindranath Upadhyay till today.

TAGS works in the Kumarikata region, which borders Bhutan and is about 100km from Guwahati. This region is famous for two reasons – malaria and terrorists. People have a lot of problems. People from different religions and castes stay here – Hindu, Muslims, Christians; Bengalis, Santhal, Bodo, etc. At the time I went to this region, around 1998, the Bodo community was making demands for a separate state which will not have any non-local or nontribal people. This problem was fuelling unrest in the region. No government official wanted to work in this region. BLT, ULFA, NDEB and other militant outfits extorted money from the local communities.

When I began working in this region, Ravindra bhai and other colleagues cautioned me against going to the villages. But I started going anyway. There were schools in the villages but no teachers. Government schools were few, but even private schools did not function. There were no local employment opportunities. Men would go to Bhutan to work as labourers but it was not safe for women to leave their villages and go for work. There were also several people from Bangladesh who were living in the forest areas for several decades, but they had no rights or recognition as citizens. This situation was particularly stark in Angarkata and Bamanjuli forest areas.

In 1998 I started work in the Angarkata area. I went around to villages telling them about selfhelp groups – a concept that was new to most of them. People were suspicious of me and my motivations. They worried if I was from the police. Two months passed by, in 1999, probably around April, I was summoned to a meeting in the Vagajuli-Khamjuri area. There I was asked about why I was roaming around in the villages, and even threatened that those who came to the area once never went back. I was asked to be present at the meeting at 9am, which started at 10.30am. A large number of women and local youth were present at the meeting. I explained the purpose of my visits t the villages, and told them that if they came together they could achieve a lot of things. Gradually I gained their trust, and their fear reduced.

People in the Vagajuli forest area, live in constant fear of eviction. Being close to Bhutan, the locals are also often suspected of being spies. Gradually people started joining us and supporting our work. Women’s self-help groups were formed and their financial needs were addressed to some extent. With help of TAGS, trainings and workshops were organised for SHG members and anganwadi workers. As the SHGs expanded I engaged Savita to work with me. While all this went on, I felt it was necessary to do something proactive to counter militant groups in the region. I discussed this with Ravindra bhai. With five women from the area, I attended a programme on the mahila shanti sena (women’s army for peace) at Vaishali, Bihar.

Back in Assam, we decided that together with mobilising women to form SHGs, we will also motivate them to form mahila shanti sena. At this time there was a government directive to form self-help groups for extending rural credit. A target of 1000 self-help groups was set for each block, which would be linked with NABARD, DRDA, banks, etc. With such a target, overnight block officials and others started forming selfhelp groups in a random manner. The quality and strength of these self-help groups was obviously poor. Even groups formed by us, enticed by the funds available, started veering from basic principles and became weak. Some were even disbanded. Our basic principle of self-help group functioning was that they should work independently in the beginning and build some strength, before external funds were injected into the groups. I was disheartened with these developments.

It was during this time that I registered a Trust named Asha Darshan. The Trust was registered on May 14, 2002 to work in the field of education, women and child development. The Trust had started work in 2001 itself by running balwadis (pre school and child care centres) in Vagajuli, Angarkata and Shkar villages. With this my responsibilities multiplied. Four more girls joined our work – Pranati, Pathini, Ambika and Deepali. These girls trained women in maintaining records and keeping accounts. Under aegis of the mahila shanti sena, training was imparted on pig and duck rearing, making incense sticks, etc. Exposure visits were also organised for women.
Gradually some of the better groups also got funds from banks. Things were improving, but there were also problems. In November 2003, railway examinations were to be organised in Guwahati. Youth from across the country came to take these examinations. At Guwahati, they were attacked by local youth, who demanded that they be given priority in these jobs. These youth were disillusioned by widespread unemployment in the state. These attacks spread to other parts of the state and manifested as ethnic strife. People from Bihar and Jharkhand were attacked in the districts of Kamrup, Jorhat, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Dhubori, Nalbari, etc. Several cases of assault, rape, setting houses on fire, etc, were reported. I was upset after reading these reports in newspapers, and seeing what was going around. In our locality, police went house to house and took Biharis and others to the security of police stations, but this was no permanent solution. I spoke with Ravindra bhai about this. He advised that the situation was volatile and we should be careful and not get involved. I did not agree, and decided that we would hold a peace rally on the coming Sunday. In informed him of this decision. On November 24, with women of the mahila shanti sena, we held the first rally in Darga Mela, on the Bhutan border. This was followed by rallies in Kumarikata on November 26 and in Tamalpur on November 29. Our slogans were – we are all brothers, give up violence, participate in creative development. We were afraid that our rallies calling for peace may be attacked and that there may be more violence, but that did not happen. In fact our support base increased quite a bit after the rallies.

The self-help groups have begun to impact lives of women in positive ways, but the problems that remain are enormous. The indiscriminate implementation of programmes and schemes by the government is leading people to be greedy and corner to as much of the benefits as possible, without much effort. Going against the tide, our efforts are continually directed at building people’s capacities and confidence, and the courage and motivation to fight injustice. The tentacles of corruption have spread right from the highest offices to the villages. Old age pension, widow pension, Indira Awas Yojana, Public distribution systems are all fraught with corruption. The mahila shanti sena has raised its voice and taken proactive steps against such practices. The work of mahila shanti sena needs to spread. Work has started in six districts of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, etc. As of now there are 366 self help groups and together with the mahila shanti sena, is growing as well. Together we will continue to agitate and keep trying to create a better society.

These are some experiences in my work – the struggles, the highs and the lows. I find it hard to write about one incident, as this is the first time I have tried to write something.

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A few steps to changing society

Banshilal Bairva, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Banshilal Bairva was born on May 5, 1965, in village Harsauli, Panchayat Samiti Dudu in Jaipur district of Rajasthan, in an extremely poor harijan family. The sixth child, he had four older sisters and a brother. His parents struggled to support the family through working as labourers for daily wages. They were not able to support the education of the children and Banshilal was the only one who was enrolled in school. Untouchability was prevalent in the village. Children of the ‘upper castes’ looked at harijan children with scorn, and even the teacher at the school made harijan children sit behind the children of ‘upper castes’. Harijan children were barred from drinking water from the common source, or going to the barber’s shop, and even participating in community events.

Inspite of these, Banshilal stood first in his class in standard 5. Banshilal’s parents wanted to send their son for higher education, but their economic situation did not permit it. Banshilal dropped out of school for a year before a well-wisher, Sri Bhajan Ram Vaishnav, came forward to get him admission at the residential school of the National Social Service Board at Ajmer. With the scholarship covering expenses for food and education, Banshilal completed high school in 1983. He wished to study further, but given the economic situation at home, he was forced to take on responsibilities to support the home. In 1984 Banshilal worked as a labourer in his village.

In the prevalent atmosphere of caste divisions and untouchability in his village, harijans were not getting their due, not even the designated wages. he therefore began going to Dudu for work. In his village harijans were still not being allowed to go to temples or the barbers shop, tea shop, public ghat, and even barred from participating in community events. The continuing injustice and exploitation, especially of women, hierarchies, etc disturbed Banshilal greatly. To fight against these and to motivate the youth for development of the village, Banshilal got the harijan youth together and formed a Youth Club on January 26, 1984, and initiated some community activities. Banshilal was selected leader of the group. They started working in the village, in ensuring cleanliness, deepening the village pond, organising cultural programmes to generate awareness on various issues, sports competitions, etc. Inspired by these activities, youth from other castes gradually started joining them.

These developments encouraged Banshilal to form youth clubs and women’s groups in other villages in the region as well. Within a year, 28 youth clubs and women’s groups were formed in Dudu Panchayat Samiti. The next step was linking them with Nehru Yuva Kendra and furthering the work in village and community development. Subsequently in 1985, the International Year for the Youth, Banshilal was given the district youth award by Sri Jai Narayan Gaud, District Collector, Jaipur, at a function on January 12. With this his motivation was further boosted and he started spreadingteh work on youth clubs and women’s groups across Jaipur district – 17 in Sambhar Panchayat Samiti (PS), 11 in Phagi P.S., 14 in Chaksu P.S., 14 in Sangner P.S., 9 in Bassi, and linked these to Nehru Yuva Kendra. Through community mobilisation and voluntary labour contributions a lot of work was done on protection and preservation of the environment in all these areas, as well as cultural and sports programmes, systematic training programmes, health camps, livestock camps, disability welfare camps, agriculture trainings, and a continuous process of generating awareness among the communities.

Through all this, Banshilal himself got the opportunity to develop his own skills, attending national camps, trainings, etc. Between 1984 and 1990, with support of different youth clubs, 46 ponds and tanks were dug/ renovated. The experiences over these six years made Banshilal realise that the gap between rich and poor was growing and deepening, and appeared un-bridgeable. And it seemed as though no effort was making efforts to bridge this gap. In a country which wants its citizens to be united, to participate in constructive development processes and to create an environment for human development, a majority of its citizens struggle merely for two square meals, as if they were engaged in some revolutionary activity.

Almost as if living in poverty and deprivation is a way of life. The economics of survival is tightening its noose on the citizens of this country. Unfulfilled basic needs - safe drinking water, employment, environment, education, health, together with caste and communalism are fundamental problems, which stands in the way of the nation’s development. Cities get congested while villages are emptying out. Agriculture has become an expensive proposition, and the situation is such that cultivators are forced to turn into labourers. People’s strength is reducing. Their self-confidence is rapidly reducing. Everyone is disillusioned and dissatisfied. With these concerns in mind, and to find some local solutions, Banshila started ‘Prayas Kendra Harsauli’ in 1991. Since then, the organisation has been active in Dudu Panchayat Samiti, one of the most backward and deprived regions in the district, through a variety of activities in soil and water conservation, education and health, involving and directly benefiting harijans and other poor and marginalised people.

For Banshilal, it has been a life committed to making small improvements in society, a journey in which he has received support and guidance from a large number of people.

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One step towards development

Jalamchand Vaktaji, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Shyampura-Kalan is two km from Bichiwada Panchayat in Jhadol tehsil. An adult education centre was started in Shyampura in 1983. There was a severe drought in the region in 1986-87, leading to large scale migration of people from Udaipur to Gujarat. The adult education centre had to be closed in this period. I shared these problems with my colleagues in Seva Mandir, and came back and discussed with the people in my village regarding the problems being faced. There was acute shortage of food, water and fodder. People were forced to migrate to Gujarat for survival.

With the help of Seva Mandir an application was made to the government for building an anicut. The proposal was sanctioned and with the work on the anicut people were able to get water to drink, the animals as well. There was also some employment for the villagers, so the adult education centre could be started again. In the second year, a lot of silt came with the water and started choking the anicut. The villagers consulted with Seva Mandir and decided that it was important to undertake afforestation in the catchment area to prevent soil from being washed away and silting up the anicut.

Around the time, in 1991, the government introduced a national afforestation programme and Shyampura was one of the villages selected to implement the programme under Joint Forest Management - Sajha Van Prabandh. A survey of the forest area had to be conducted before afforestation could be initiated. It then came to light that nineteen families of the village had encroachments in the forest area. These had to be removed if the afforestation programme was to be implemented. This caused a lot of tension in the village and people were divided in their opinion on whether the encroachments should be removed. I would call villagers frequently for meetings to discuss the issue. It was clear that the people who had encroached land in the forest area, had very little cultivable land and none of it was irrigated. They also had no recourse to alternative employment opportunities.

With Seva Mandir’s help a community well was built, which would help in irrigation of the land and help to increase productivity of the land. A lift irrigation system was established. What was critical in this process was to ensure that there was consensus among the villagers throughout the process. At times I felt there was no hope with all the divisions and problems in the village, but with persistence, solutions always came.

There are several benefits today to the steps that were initiated in Shyampura. The encroachments were gradually removed. With afforestation of the land and protection, there was sufficient fuelwood and fodder for the villagers throughout the year. The anicut does not get silted anymore. The community lift irrigation system has helped increased productivity of the land. What is perhaps most important is the unity among the villagers today and the strength that they derive from that.

Inspired by Shyampura, neighbouring villages of Bada Bhilwada, Amariya, Turad, etc, were motivated to come together and initiate similar steps in removing encroachments from forest lands systematically and in undertaking afforestation. Village institutions set up in these villages are gradually becoming stronger. Forest Protection Committees (Van Suraksha Samitis) have been set up in all these villages.

Over 200 villages in Jhadol tehsil are today part of this process and in over 70 villages the Forest Protection committees are very strong. These have been brought together with the help of Seva Mandir into a federation called Van Utthan Sangh. In its infancy, Van Utthan Sangh plays a critical role in continued motivation of villages towards forest protection. The Van Utthan Sangh member villages in Jhadol have several instances of successful removal of encroachments on forests. It also plays a crucial role in demarcation of forest land. As per norms of Joint Forest Management scheme, rights between the Forest Protection Committees and the forest department are divided as 60:40. In the process, people are able to claim their rights, as well as improve their own lives and livelihoods.

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If not us then who? If not now then when?

Dr Manaya Mena, L.Dibang valley, Arunachal Pradesh

I belong to that part of India which has been called the ‘land of the rising sun’ – Arunachal. It is located in the Eastern most part of India. For a greater part of its history it was unknown to other parts of the country. Idu Mishmi is the tribe that I belong to and we reside mainly in Dibang caller and lower Dibang valley districts. Each district is usually inhabited by people from one tribe. People from my tribe mainly live on subsistence agriculture with fishing and hunting as supplementary livelihood activities.

Opening of schools in the late 70s and 80s by organisations like Ramakrishna Mission and Vivekananda Kendra actually signalled the advent of education in Arunachal. These schools were run free of cost and exclusively meant for tribal children. Both these organisations played a major role in promoting and setting a high standard of education in Arunachal. Especially Vivekananda Kendra emphasised on nurturing individuals and nation building. I was one of the fortunate tribal girls to be able to study in Vivekananda Kendra. During the eleven years of schooling, they imparted to us a high standard of education and monitored our all-round development.

My friends and I nurtured the desire to serve our own people when we completed our education. During school vacations we would conduct classes for village children, and this infact was our first step towards selfless social work. With time we grew up to become doctors, engineers, advocates and began to meet often to discuss about our community. During discussions we felt that our community was still backward in education and a large number of talented students were dropping out of school due to financial problems. Every one of us had the opinion that education was of paramount importance to bring any effective changes in the community. We felt that it was our duty to encourage and support such students. Unanimously we decided to organise ourselves and take up social work seriously. Thus ‘Idu Azo Charitable Society’ was formed on October 16, 2001. We started conducting career counselling sessions and interacting with students. The response was encouraging. While initially we had to coax and pursue the students to apply to IACS for scholarships, in every subsequent year quite a large number of students are approaching IACS for support. Till date we have supported eight students pursuing different fields of study.

Some of us in IACS are from medical background. We felt that we should take up some activities in health and hygiene to reach a larger number of people and at the same time expand the scope of our work. Statistically very few villages in Dibang and Lower Dibang districts have basic health facilities. A large number of villages are located in high altitude, forest and inaccessible areas have not even heard of formal or government medical facilities. Their lives are entirely at the mercy of nature. We decided that we would conduct free health camps in these remote villages. So far we have organised free health camps in Desali, Anilih, Aruzu. All these villages are in remote locations and one has to walk even upto one or two days to reach these villages. Desali was the first village where we conducted a free health camp. This camp was also an eye opener 28 for the people of our community that we were a committed group of young people determined to work despite the obstacles put forward by some vested interest groups.

As planned, on March 23, 2003 we started out for Desali. As we were nearing the village, our vehicle was suddenly stopped by a villager, who asked one of our doctors to get down. He caught hold of the doctor’s arm and threatened to chop it off if he did not give Rs.10,000 that very moment, as compensation for marrying within the blood relation and violating the social norm. Shocked and scared, we tried to intervene and tell him that we did not have any money and that we were on our way to conduct a health camp. But the man ignored us and removed his sword. I was really scared and did not know what to do as I barely had Rs.300. The team’s treasurer informed me that he had only Rs.3000. The man was adamant and did not let go the doctor’s arm. Luckily one of the team members had Rs.10,000 which he gave to the man. After taking the money, he released the doctor’s arm and left. Throughout, the doctor and other members of the team were nervous but calm. Later the team member who gave the money said that since we were going to his native village Desali, he was planning to arrange dinner for the team with the money. Angry and disappointed, some team members said that we should turn back and cancel the health camp, but I felt that it would not be correct for us to do so and we should not be upset over such incidents.

We reached Desali late afternoon, where another surprise awaited us, as not a single person was there to receive us though we had sent information circulars one week earlier through the local traders, members of the Panchayat and the ASM, seeking their cooperation and requesting them to inform the villagers. Instead of information for the camp, there was a rumour that we were there for some political gimmicks. By now our team members were totally disheartened and demoralised. They decided to pack up and leave then. I suggested that we should stay and go house to house and interact with the villagers and remove their misconceptions. For the rest of the afternoon we went house to house explaining the purpose of our visit. While some responded and received us warmly, a large number still did not open up and tried to avoid us while a few argued with us. The team members were again discouraged by the half hearted response. In the evening, together with two other team members I went around the village again talking to the villagers. At night before dinner, all of us in the team sat for a discussion. I maintained that we should not be disappointed or discouraged, and that people were staying away only because they were suspicious of our motives and were being guided by some selfish interests, and rich and politically influential people who somehow felt threatened. However I agreed that if people did not turn up in the morning, we would pack up and leave.

We enthusiastically made preparations for the camp next morning and were taken aback by the overwhelming response. We attended to 315 patients and were totally exhausted. The camp was a huge success and we knew we had won our first battle. In the evening we had a grand dinner and celebration. This incident instilled in us the feeling that we could achieve our goals if we were determined and patient. Thereafter we successfully conducted free health camps at Anilih and Aruzu. In fact both these villages invited us and requested us conduct free health camps. Along with IACS, I actively work for ‘Herbs for better health’, an oranisaiton committed to the propagation of herbal medicines to improve the health standard of villagers. I played an active role in promoting the idea of herbal kitchen gardens. Many plants around us possess nutritional and medicinal value which we either ignore or overlook. Amla, anaar, bel, caranda, kalmegh, tulsi, vasundhari, pipli are few plants which we have encouraged and supported villagers to raise small herbal kitchen gardens. At present we have developed 50 herbal gardens in six villages and ten herbal nurseries. While using locally available medicinal plants, this has in a way also helped villagers to save money on medicines. What is more encouraging is that those who have experienced the benefits of herbal medicines have taken up the task of demonstrating and encouraging other villagers to set up herbal gardens as well.

Education and health are fields where everyone is working intensively. But in my observation there is a section of people who are left uncared for. This section consists of widows, divorcees and aged women. I felt an urge to help them. Thus the concept of home made horlicks struck me. This was a suitable idea for several reasons. First, it would enable aged women to earn a livelihood without much exertion; second, it would provide an excellent and nutritious health drink; and third, it would be available at a reasonable price. I gathered a group of women and discussed this idea. They were willing to give it a try. I collected some ingredients like millets, maize and rice locally, and got chana, moong, etc from the market. These were washed, dried, roasted and milled. Now it was time for packing. The women’s hands trembled and they could not do it. Even cutting plastic with scissors was difficult. In the first trial, I did most of the packing, but gradually they have learnt to pack with a steady hand.

The public response to the local horlicks was good, but we got the feedback that we had to still work on the packing, to do better in the market. Now we are trying to prepare home made herbal horlicks and more women will be trained in it after the trials.

Apart from us there are other societies with different activities but aimed towards the same goal of welfare of the Idu community. I have however sensed a very cold relationship between the different organisations and often a sense of competition which is counter-productive for development processes and harmful to society at large. On my part, I have tried to reach out to different organisations and through discussions help everyone realise that we are all working for the same cause and that it is important to cooperate and network with each other. This way our strengths will multiply and difficulties will be fewer and we will reach our goal sooner. As a testimony to this commitment, I have been able to convince my team members and they in turn have agreed to help resurrect Idu Cultural and Literary Society. ICLS is the apex body of the Idu community and all major and sensitive issues concerning our community are taken up by it.

In the past few years due to political pressures ICLS has been unable to function earnestly and effectively. The members are demoralised and have welcomed our offer to help them. IACS members have volunteered to help bridge the gap between ICLS members and between ICLS and the Idu community and re-instil in them faith and hope in ICLS. As the chief functionary of my organisation I try to understand the thoughts and feelings of every member and try my level best to encourage and motivate them whenever they are down. The dedication and commitment of our members has made the presence of IACS felt in the Idu community. Given our limitations and shortcomings I know that the task that we have chosen is tough, yet we have to go on because – ‘If not us then who? If not now then when?’

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Who is afraid of the storm!

Kalyani Kandar, Jharkhand

The river ahead in spate, an ache in the heart and tears in the eyes. And no one was visible close by, neither farmer, nor guard. The fields were flooded with rainwater which had not stopped pouring in three days. Why would anyone venture out? But tomorrow, Tuesday, is the weekly market day. It is also the day when the general body meeting of LAMPS is to be held – not LAMPS but FSS. We have to form FSS to replace LAMPS.

We, members of the spearhead team, who are working in different parts of the country. There are five members in my team – Shweta, Amit, Badan, Ataavar and myself. Our mission was to reform the old LAMPS – Large Area Multipurpose Societies, and form FSS – Farmers Service Societies. The poorest people were to be involved in the FSS, the organisation strengthened and leadership developed, so that it could progress in the right direction and to ensure that the benefits of development reached the poorest.

Under the third five-year plan, the government had promoted LAMPS to promote agricultural development. It was envisaged as a multifaceted programme for rural development, incorporating farming loans, grain stores, cottage industries, and loans for small business activities, to ensure that small and marginal farmers and labourers were not trapped in the debt cycle of moneylenders and be free from bondage. Apart from a government official in the coordinating committee of LAMPS, all other members were elected by a general body of all poor people from the local area. It was expected that through this process the poorest people would be represented and would participate actively in LAMPS.

By the 80’s however, LAMPS was completely under the control of local landlords and moneylenders. The simmering discontent within the farmers and labourers ultimately gave birth to the naxalite movement. A blood bath was unleashed in which several youth lost their lives. In 1974, the student movements across the nation led by Jayprakash Narayan under the Sampoorna Kranti Andolan, gave a jolt to the latent complacency in the socio-political systems. Indira Gandhi also lost her seat. Political and economic instability were aggravated. In this setting, to improve the lot of poor people, the National Institute of Bank Management mooted the idea of the spearhead team, which would function separate from the political system, and which would be responsible for spreading awareness, organising people and reducing the
strength of exploitative moneylenders, and create an environment where the government and banking institutions would work proactively for the poor. This purpose was reiterated throughout the training of the spearhead team. Sociologists, economists, management experts, invested their time and energy to train this team, so that the exploited poor could be strengthened to fight for their rights without bloodshed.

I am a soldier of that army, standing at the banks of the river in spate, on judgement day. I have to cross the river somehow, and go the village on the other side to ask the people to attend the general body meeting tomorrow, so that Phulurai can be dethroned from the President’s position, which he has been holding on to for the past twenty years. We heard about Phulurai’s village, Bahalalpur in Bankura district, from the Mallabhum Grameen Bank, Bankura. We had to work in conjunction with this bank. This was the first posting of Satyaprakash, the field officer at this bank. We need his support, as he did ours. He organised a house for us in Bahalalpur village, and so we lived there. Bahalalpur is about 55-60km from the town of Bankura, and borders Bardhaman and Hooghly districts. There are two routes to reach Bankura from Bahalalpur. By neither route was it possible to reach there and return on the same day. To do any work in the town it is necessary to stay there for the night. A lone pucca road connects Bardhaman to Hooghly, on which two buses plied each day. The last bus passed Sukhdevpur in the evening, from where it was a walk of about 7km to Bahalalpur. The route taken by bullock carts was longer.

There is a river on the other route to Bankura. Villagers adopt a unique method to cross the river. Men and women descended slowly into the river, and lifted their clothes gradually as they crossed, till it finally rested on their heads. On crossing over to the other bank, the clothes dropped back on them, gradually. This seemingly simple procedure was very hard for us to emulate. So we always carried a spare set of clothes to change into when we crossed over. The wet clothes were laid out to dry or stuffed into our bags, depending on the convenience. The Post Office is about 1.5km from Bahalalpur village. The post man was a good looking man from an upper caste family. Shweta and I used to jokingly talk about him amongst ourselves. Even in pouring rain, he would not fail in his duty of delivering post. Possibly in an effort to bring prestige to his job, he worked sincerely, his clothes always ironed. The usual practice of the spearhead team was to select inaccessible and un-served areas, with little or no services, and make efforts to bring people forward so that they do not get left out always from the benefits of development.

The reason to select Bahalalpur was that it had one of the oldest LAMPS, which was considered functional in the government records. Phulurai has been its President ever since it was set up. Bahalalpur is a large habitation, and our work covered ten villages surrounding it. The Patwari here, Bishnubabu, is also a young man whose home is in the town of Bankura. As it was not possible to commute everyday, he stayed back 3-4 days each week. Unmarried, he cooked his food in corner of he room in which he stayed. As the first posting, he had no option but to accept it. But he was beginning to like it, since with Phulurai around there was not much chance of any complication. With a reasonable salary, Bishnubabu has settled in well. Bahalalpur is considered a village of farmers. This is its identity on government and bank records. But there is a hamlet of poor people in the north of the village. The chamars (leather flayers) lived on one side; one of the girls from here cleaned our house. Our cook was a Brahmin. Young and handsome, he did not like singing kirtans (devotional songs). That’s what his father still did for a living. Poor, but at least he was not an untouchable. There is not as much respect as in older days, or work, but still he is a Brahmin. How different it was in the time of Phulurai’s great grandfather. There was no dearth of wealth. The family of Phulurais’s great grandfather is now broken into several bits, about 60 families, and there is very little land they control now.

Dulu, our cook, is himself ashamed of his father. He has eight brothers and sisters. He himself is fifteen years old. Last year when the twins, a boy and a girl, were born, Dulu left home in anger. He came back for a month at his mother’s insistence. His face would become red with anger when he saw his father. The Santhal hamlet with about 30 families is at the end of the village, identified by the strong and nauseating smell of liquor as one enters it. Apart from these, there are two families making flattened rice, three families of iron-smiths, ten families of other artisans, and three barber families as well. Kamalbabu is the school master. There is a lot of respect for him. The villagers earn from selling curd and vegetables in Gaganpur. Most small farmers depend on cultivating and selling vegetables for their livelihood. The pal families keep cattle and sell milk and curd. The village is kept alive by a small river which flows by it, and which in the monsoons makes it impossible for anyone to leave the village. Neighbouring villages have borrowed from Bahalalpur at some time or the other. They mortgage their meagre belongings and land, and pay an interest of 120%. Dalit women work in the farmers houses in mixing cow dung and straw, young children grazed the cattle, while some men worked through the year, others worked as labourers in Bahalalpur or neighbouring villages. The dalit men also flayed the skin of dead animals and even ate its meat. They also made the leather bags to water the fields, while some dalit women worked as midwives as well. Adivasis worked on contracts, but never alone.

They did not trust Phulurai much and each kept the other at a safe distance. There was a bit of fear too among the landlords, as the Communist Party’s campaign for rights of sharecroppers had reached here as well. In Phulurai’s words, it was not necessary to associate with these ignorant people. Phulurai’s story is that people are untrustworthy. They do not repay after taking loans, but what could he do, so easily was he moved by the tears of the poor. The government gives no credit to the poor, so each year who would give them the seeds at the time of sowing? Those who borrow rice for consumption, repay one and a quarter times, while those who take seeds repay one and a half times. And these ungrateful people mix stones, etc in it as well. There is a LAMPS committee, which met till last year, but this year there has not been any meeting. We would like people from all communities and castes to participate, but on meeting day they are all drunk, what can be done, Phulurai asks helplessly.

After the efforts over last year, and long meetings in the nights, the situation is different today. Logan Hembrom from the Santhal hamlet is ready to become a member today, the hidden embers inside him have lit up again. Anticipating the challenge in the general body meeting this year, Phulurai has already started threatening the people. He did not give seeds at the time of sowing, but Logan and other Santhals did not back out. They stayed hungry and put the children to sleep after giving them some liquor to drink, but did not beg from Phulurai. Similarly, the villagers of Fatehpur have decided to make Kamalbabu the President. The members’ names and fees have been collected from here, only Ratanpur is left out still, that’s the village I am responsible for. What could I do? I helped others in their work, how was I to know that it would rain like this for three days and I would not be able to visit my area. And my friends have let me down in these rains. No one came with me. Moreover, in yesterday’s meeting Ataavar reprimanded me. He said “You ask for equal rights, so why don’t you work for it. Why don’t you go to the village alone? There is no member nominated from Ratanpur yet, no fees collected. Phulurai will hold the meeting tomorrow in the pouring rain, just so that the turnout is poor and he becomes the President again. It is imperative for members from all areas to come for tomorrow’s meeting.”

My friendship with Ataavar is special. I am fond of reading new books, so is Ataavar. We have exchanged several books. I am interested in poetry and literature, so is he. Just the other day we were reading Rabindranath’s poems on the monsoons. Silence all around, the sound of the frogs reverberated inside us. How happy we were. Perhaps I expected a bit more of understanding from him, but he shamed me in front of everybody. But taking on challenges was not new for me. Two years ago, accepting Deven’s challenge I went alone into the forest and reached Mangli’s village, and stayed in their house as it grew dark. If I had not stayed back that night now would I have known that there was not a drop of oil for lighting lamps in the Santhal mother-daughter household. Cooking and all activities happened in the light of burning wood. How would I have known that in the biting cold in the month of pusa mother-daughter had nothing other than the clothes that they were wearing to cover themselves. They would wake up three-four times at night to get some warmth from the fire, and sleep for a while. When they woke up, they would get busy with chores in the house, before leaving to work as labourers. It was an invaluable night for me, when for the first time I saw the daily struggle in the lives of tribal people. The pain of my own poverty seemed insignificant in front of this.

The pain in my heart today is more because of my own foolishness that I had not completed my work in time. Why did I expect others to help me? My thoughts were interrupted by a loud clap of thunder. I saw a man on the other bank of the river, tying his clothes on his head and jumping into the river and was on this bank in no time. Surprised, he asked me where I was going and how? He asked me to turn back and said I should not have ventured out on a day like this. I stood there, smiling at my own stupidity. The man went away, angry. Would I not be able to cross the river? A thought shyly passed through my mind like lightning. I was an experienced swimmer, and had many records, even of beating boys. I also had records of drowning. Thrice I would have drowned, and each time I was saved. The last time, I jumped into the pond to save my cousin. Srikant in his effort to be saved climbed over my shoulders. Someone saw us as both of us started drowning and shouted for help. Srikant could be seen, I was not. The water was deep, and in an effort to save us 4-5 people jumped into the pond. Ultimately, my mother pulled me by my hair. A human chain was formed in the pond in an effort to save us and perhaps each other. For two days I was pampered for my brave effort. Then my mother offered prayers to Ul devi, Ganga devi, etc. But today, I could not take off my clothes to cross the river. And I had a bag with me as well.

I was thinking about what I could do, when two men came, wanting to cross over to their village. Surprised, they looked at me. Gathering courage I asked them if they would carry my bag across, and they nodded in agreement. I made up my mind and gave them the bag. I knew that my feet could get stuck in the saree, or the petticoat cover my head. If this happened I would surely drown. Discarding my hesitation I tied the saree around my legs and jumped into the river. The current was strong, but so was my resolve. Eventually I reached the other side. Word had reached the village, before I crossed over, and a large crowd was waiting for me, with a lot of
respect. Food and clothes were arranged for me when I reached the village. Word of tomorrow’s meeting quickly went around the village and its importance as well.

By evening the rain stopped. One of the villagers accompanied me as I crossed back. By now I had forgotten the indifference of my colleagues. From far I could see Shweta with Dulu approaching the river carrying a stick and a lantern. On seeing me she burst into tears. Phulubabu had spread word in the village that I had been taken away by the river. Shweta requested several people to accompany her to find me. Surprisingly none of the men came forward to help. Ultimately, Shweta together with Dulu set out to search for me. The depth of our friendship struck me again. I also realised that there are struggles at each step – at home, outside, in the work area, with friends too.

The meeting started as scheduled the next day. The people of Ratanpur were the first to arrive. I was not hopeful of this turnout since the rains had not stopped completely, and then I had explained the significance of today’s meeting only in my visit yesterday, and I was inexperienced. But the people of Ratanpur encouraged me by their turnout. Kamalbabu was elected President in the meeting, and Phulurai was defeated after 20 years. Logan and several others became members for the first time. That day Phulurai, Patwari Bishnu Kumar and their friends in the shock of defeat, got drunk.

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A life of struggle

Panchdev, Bihar

In 1974 in Bihar, a student’s movement had risen against unemployment, corruption and rising costs. I was studying at the Intermediate level at that time. Our exams had started on March 17, 1974. I boycotted the exams and committed myself to the movement. Slowly the movement spread to include farmers as well. After repeated requests by the students, Jayprakash Narayan agreed, after setting some pre-conditions, to lead the movement. The movement was taken to villages and hamlets and Janata government slowly came to power. This movement was able to encompass a wide range of people, except those in power. Somewhere down the line CPI withdrew its support as well. In Bihar groups committed to justice, equity and socialist ideals were fairly united.

The movement spread relentlessly. Disparate groups with their student and youth groups committed themselves to this movement. Their allegiance, however, was first to their group and then to the movement. In this situation JP mobilised students committed primarily to the movement to form a non-party and independent “Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Vahini” on January 1, 1975. The movement of students and youth had active support of labourers and farmers as well. Even women were closely involved in the movement, as well as dalits and other marginalised communities. On June 5, 1975, addressing a gathering at Gandhi Maidan, Patna, JP gave a call for ‘sampoorna kranti’ (total revolution) against unemployment, corruption and inflation. With the rousing slogan of ‘jaati chodo janeu todo’ (leave your caste, break the ‘sacred’ thread) Gandhi Maidan was filled with mounds of discarded ‘sacred threads’. The movement gained force and went ahead.

Around the time, Allahabad High Court had declared Indira Gandhi’s election illegal. Subsequently, negating the High Court order, Indira Gandhi declared a state of ‘Emergency’. All rights of citizens were withdrawn, people involved with the movement were put behind bars without any reason or legal basis, and a variety of injustices were inflicted. After a secret survey when she felt that she could come back to power, Indira Gandhi announced fresh elections led by a dummy Election Commission. She suffered a humiliating defeat in these elections. The Janata Party formed the government and withdrew Emergency. For the first time people from poor and marginalised communities became Ministers, Members of Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assemblies. For the first time these people were confident that they would be heard and that their own people were in power.

After the formation of Janata led government, the Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Vahini, geared to the cause of Total Revolution, took up the issue of caste and class struggle and announced a movement against the Bodh Gaya Math. The movement spread to villages and people were rapidly organised. Women played a leading role in this. At the time, the people around Bodh Gaya Math considered the Math to be the government. They received one to two and a half kilos of rice for a day of work and rice gruel for breakfast. The labour community drank mahua liquor and beat their wives in drunken stupor. Women were organised to stop this.

Gradually the poor and marginalised people were organised and gathered strength to put an end to the power and control of Bodh Gaya Math. People immediately took control of the lands held by the Math. We also led struggles against caste injustice and exploitation by landlords in Panchmaniya and Bhatsimar of Madhubani district. From Panchmaniya, the struggle spread to several villages in its vicinity. In course of the legal support camps in Madhubani, we heard about the Koilakh temple. On going there we found that upper castes were allowed to offer prayers in the temple, the middle castes could worship from outside, but the dalits could not even touch the temple. We launched a campaign for entry of dalits into the temple. We also informed the administration about this issue. We began mobilising and organising people in and around the area for the campaign. And in course of the campaign also spread awareness of the various injustices perpetrated by upper castes. The night before we were to enter the temple with the dalits, my colleague and I were arrested by the administration. All night long we were abused by people from the upper castes. There were also threats to sacrifice me to Kali goddess. At the same time they were finding it hard to believe that I had masterminded and led the entire campaign. The next day there was a meeting attended by the villagers as well as the local administration. Dalits who were present at the meeting were too afraid to speak up, fearing repercussion from the upper castes. After years of subjugation and suffering, their confidence and morale was totally decimated. In fact the dalits, who had told us about the atrocities perpetrated by the upper castes, and had been with us throughout the campaign, started making allegations against us. Eventually, dalits were not allowed to enter the temple, but the administration also ordered the temple to be closed to all other castes. The confidence and arrogance of the upper castes was broken by this.

At the same time, people from the lower rungs of society gained some confidence, and this incident sowed the seeds for larger battles that were to follow. While working in the Panchmaniya region, we heard about the case of Domi Sharma, who had been wounded during an exchange of fire and was imprisoned on false charges between 1975 and 1978. Several people robbed his family of their meagre possessions of money, land and cattle, with the promise of realising him from jail. We discussed this within our organisation and after consistent efforts over four months and with our own resources, we were able to release him.

Madhubani district is situated on the border of Nepal. It has a population of about 35 lakhs. A majority of the population consists of poor labourers and backward castes and dalits, while upper castes constitute only 15-17% of the population. The upper castes however control land and other production assets. Even government jobs and administration were largely controlled by the upper castes. They considered it their right to look down upon dalits and the lower castes as their servants. Khadi from this region is widely popular, so are the local crafts. At one time this region was considered culturally very rich, but in my opinion this too benefited the upper castes more than the others. A variety of injustices were perpetrated on the lower castes and dalits, who bore it stoically as if it were their destiny.

With the dam being built on river Kosi, most of the land in this region has been destroyed. The destruction and damage caused by this dam far outweighs the benefits. The recurring havoc caused by floods in North Bihar is widely known. There is a shortage of livelihoods resources today, though the land used to be highly productive. People are therefore forced to sell their labour and migrate to different parts of the country to earn their livelihoods and for survival. Even some people from the upper castes are reduced to this condition. These labourers are exploited in every possible way, and often get caught in false cases.

One such incident happened among the musahar community in the Sundar-virajit area of Madhepur block in Madhubani district. About 50 families from this hamlet migrate to earn their living and provide for their families. At one time the labourers went to Rampur village in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. They were engaged by a contractor who was building a road. One day there was an altercation between two contractors. One of them died in the fight that ensued. The next day all the labourers were rounded up and taken to the police station on the allegation of theft. The labourers pleaded and cried in denial, but to no avail. They were all taken to Rampur Police Station, where seven able bodied labourers were detained and accused of murdering the contractor, while the others were beaten up and released. When the trial began in Jaunpur district court, the labourers had no money to engage a lawyer or fight the case. The government appointed a lawyer to defend them, but that was of no use, and all seven labourers were given a sentence of life-imprisonment. They were then sent to the Central Jail in Varanasi. Their families kept making efforts throughout to garner some support for them, in course of which a lot of money was spent, but in vain.

I visited Sundar-virajit area in course of the campaign and heard of this incident. I returned and discussed this with my colleagues. Later I visited the Central Jail in Varanasi and got detailed information regarding the case. I then collected the relevant documents from Jaunpur district court, engaged a lawyer and made an appeal in Allahabad High Court. Once the appeal was accepted, I put in an application for bail. All seven labourers were granted bail. However, in spite of several efforts, there was no guarantor. I appealed again in the High Court. There was a strike of lawyers at the time, and hence I had to present the case myself in front of the judge. I appealed that the labourers were honest and hardworking and leaving their families behind had come here only to earn a living. They have been falsely implicated in the case. They belonged to the landless musahar community, and despite being granted bail, they could not be released in the absence of a guarantor. In these circumstances I appealed that they be released, or the rules for guarantors be made slightly flexible. The judge pronounced that this case should be heard as a special case by the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court. The judge and my friends counselled me to take the matter to the Chief Justice, but I thought that if the rich could get bail, even the poor should be able to do the same, and decided to take the matter to the Supreme Court instead. All these events took up a lot of time and resources. The labourers obviously had no resources, and neither did I, but I got support from a range of people associated with the movement, during my stay, for food and travel, etc.

In Delhi, when I made the appeal in the Supreme Court, I had no money. I made contact with a lot of people with the help of AVARD. The Secretary of AVARD, Pyaremohan Tripathy and socialist leader Surendramohan, especially provided a lot of support. Tripathy ji would repeatedly warn me of the futility of my efforts but this did not affect his support for me in any way. Here too friends and associates came forward to help in every possible way. Humanist V.M.Tarakunde submitted the appeal in the Supreme Court without taking any fees. The case was heard and the Supreme Court ordered that the bail be granted to all seven, on the guarantee of two ordinary guarantors. After this verdict, Tripathy ji congratulated me for my courage and perseverance. Others including Dalit-Adivasi Commissioner Sri V.J.Sharma ji also expressed their happiness.

I returned and placed this information before the District Court in Jaunpur, but was told that they had received no such communication. I returned to the Supreme Court and got a copy of the relevant judgement, and presented this again at the District Court in Jaunpur together with two guarantors Parasnath Mishra and Raghuvanshmani Pandey. All seven accused were granted bail and ordered to be released. Even at this stage, the official serving the order for release asked us for a bribe, but when I explained how the case had been fought without giving any fees, let alone bribes, he quietly confessed that his would be the first time that he had not taken a bribe.

People associated with the movement organised a function in Varanasi to felicitate me and the seven labourers, but they were scared and reticent that they did not touch the food or sweets. When I accompanied them back to their home, their families and others were surprised at how I had been able to release them without any resources. I had gone through a lot of struggle in the process and there were many ups and downs, but in the end we had succeeded in the fight for justice.

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