Wednesday, March 08, 2011
Jai Jagat (Victory to the World)!
In the globalizing world , when resources are at a very fast pace moving out from the hands of the poor and vulnerable communities to the hands of capitalist communities, the very existence of 70% of India’s rural population is posed with a threat to existence.
Land, water, seeds, forests and minerals—the common goods of humanity—are now being monopolized by investors with the consent of governments or through their incapacity. All across the planet, local self-subsistence agriculture is being displaced by mining and forest exploitation, large-scale dams, tourist zones, hyper-intensive mono-cultural farms or bio-fuels for export. This exploitation of the land is growing daily.
On March 7, 2011, 15,000 landless farmers from all cross India were in Delhi for a large scale action. Ekta Parishad is mobilizing the marginalized and landless poor from more than 17 states across India. They all gathered at Ram Lila Ground to give an ultimatum to the Central Government. Based on the promises made following the 2007 Janadesh March to carry out a land redistribution program, the Government hitherto has not taken up any genuine action.
The rally started at 9 AM with people singing, playing music and throwing slogans in the air to demand the basic right of land entitlement of the poor. The mass mobilization lead by Shri P V Rajagopal, and supported by Swami Agnivesh, renowned Gandhian Shri S N Subbarao and Jill Carr Harris, reached the parliament street at 11: 00 AM, where all gathered and discussed the issue land rights in India. NGOs and organization from around the country took this opportunity to express their support in the movement.
At 5:30 in the evening Ms.Anita Chowdhary , Joint Secretary, Rural Development representing the GoI was handed over the memorandum with the following demands:
Land reform policies of October 2009 to be implemented by Land Reforms Council
Land reform recommendations for Bihar (D. Bandopadhyay) and Land reform recommendations in Orissa (Task Force) to be implemented
To have guarantees that the Forests Rights Act will be implemented involving the gram sabha (local government or traditional councils) and providing their land entitlement
All Government Acts and Policies meant to provide assets, entitlement and benefits to the rural and urban poor (including Adivasis, landless, homeless and small cultivators) are to be implemented
Land Reform laws to be implemented in order that other acts such as Mining Act, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, and Land Acquisition Act, are not in violation with Land Reform laws.It was also shared that if the government fails to act soon on the demands, 1,00,000 people from all over India will march to Delhi from Gwalior through Jansatyagraha 2012. The Jan Satyagraha 2012 March campaign is a large non-violent walk that will be carried out in India and in many other countries across the globe in October 2012. It begins on UN International Non-Violence Day, October 2nd, and will carry on for one month. In India, where the main event is being held, 100,000 people, representing different rural communities, especially tribal, landless and small farmers, will walk in formation together 350 kilometers from Gwalior to New Delhi. The people will raise the issue about land being a key asset in development and poverty reduction, and that high levels of landlessness and deprivation need to be reduced for achieving positive national and global development. In effect, land and livelihood rights are instrumental to all people’s freedom.
We also invite you to be a part of the world women's day celebration at Ramleela Maidaan, New Delhi, where 10000 people including men and women will discuss the issue of corruption and women.
Jai Jagat (Victory to the World)!
In the globalizing world , when resources are at a very fast pace moving out from the hands of the poor and vulnerable communities to the hands of capitalist communities, the very existence of 70% of India’s rural population is posed with a threat to existence.
Land, water, seeds, forests and minerals—the common goods of humanity—are now being monopolized by investors with the consent of governments or through their incapacity. All across the planet, local self-subsistence agriculture is being displaced by mining and forest exploitation, large-scale dams, tourist zones, hyper-intensive mono-cultural farms or bio-fuels for export. This exploitation of the land is growing daily.
On March 7, 2011, 15,000 landless farmers from all cross India were in Delhi for a large scale action. Ekta Parishad is mobilizing the marginalized and landless poor from more than 17 states across India. They all gathered at Ram Lila Ground to give an ultimatum to the Central Government. Based on the promises made following the 2007 Janadesh March to carry out a land redistribution program, the Government hitherto has not taken up any genuine action.
The rally started at 9 AM with people singing, playing music and throwing slogans in the air to demand the basic right of land entitlement of the poor. The mass mobilization lead by Shri P V Rajagopal, and supported by Swami Agnivesh, renowned Gandhian Shri S N Subbarao and Jill Carr Harris, reached the parliament street at 11: 00 AM, where all gathered and discussed the issue land rights in India. NGOs and organization from around the country took this opportunity to express their support in the movement.
At 5:30 in the evening Ms.Anita Chowdhary , Joint Secretary, Rural Development representing the GoI was handed over the memorandum with the following demands:
Land reform policies of October 2009 to be implemented by Land Reforms Council
Land reform recommendations for Bihar (D. Bandopadhyay) and Land reform recommendations in Orissa (Task Force) to be implemented
To have guarantees that the Forests Rights Act will be implemented involving the gram sabha (local government or traditional councils) and providing their land entitlement
All Government Acts and Policies meant to provide assets, entitlement and benefits to the rural and urban poor (including Adivasis, landless, homeless and small cultivators) are to be implemented
Land Reform laws to be implemented in order that other acts such as Mining Act, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, and Land Acquisition Act, are not in violation with Land Reform laws.It was also shared that if the government fails to act soon on the demands, 1,00,000 people from all over India will march to Delhi from Gwalior through Jansatyagraha 2012. The Jan Satyagraha 2012 March campaign is a large non-violent walk that will be carried out in India and in many other countries across the globe in October 2012. It begins on UN International Non-Violence Day, October 2nd, and will carry on for one month. In India, where the main event is being held, 100,000 people, representing different rural communities, especially tribal, landless and small farmers, will walk in formation together 350 kilometers from Gwalior to New Delhi. The people will raise the issue about land being a key asset in development and poverty reduction, and that high levels of landlessness and deprivation need to be reduced for achieving positive national and global development. In effect, land and livelihood rights are instrumental to all people’s freedom.
We also invite you to be a part of the world women's day celebration at Ramleela Maidaan, New Delhi, where 10000 people including men and women will discuss the issue of corruption and women.
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