National Campaign & Consultation

Jharkhand 2010

Who are the barbarians on our homeland?

Declaration

This declaration is being made by us delegates attending the National Campaign & Consultation: Who are the barbarians on our Homeland? at Bagachia Conference Centre Namkum Ranchi Jharkhand[1].

We have chosen to assemble here on 8 June 2010 a day before the 109^th martyrdom anniversary of our Saheed Birsa Munda. On the eve of this historical day we with all due respect to all would like to declare:

I. That we are individuals and representatives of over 30 a number of peoples, social and labour organisations, all Adivasi rights centered, have sat in council to discuss the mayhem and slaughter of our peace loving people, that has been spiraling in the past two years (2010).

II. That we have just passed by majority vote the Concept Note and its contents and now present it to our people in the far corners of our land for their study & consideration. The Concept Note will now be called:

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN JHARKHAND DISHUM TODAY 2010? (See annexure i)

III. We affirm what we Adivasi people experience from our very birth: that due to massive industrial expansion in particular the mining and its allied industries

a. Adivasis are migrating out in thousands as bonded contract labour to farms construction sites and domestic labour.

b. Outsiders are flowing in to take up jobs including government jobs reducing us to a minority in our own land.

c. Many of our people face morbidity and decreased longevity, and all too often, an early, cruel, death. Destruction of our forest and water sources has brought in drought causing hunger and malnutrition.

IV. Irrespective of how the outside world wants to describe the consequences of their acts on us, we the delegates assembled her consider it an ongoing genocide. Therefore we kindly request all those concerned not to Trivialise this violence to merely polemical discourses, or arguments about models of development.

V. As citizens of this country we would like to believe that the Indian State through its various Institutions especially that of the Vth and VIth Schedule as well as its endorsement of various UN declarations, is committed to our rights.

VI. But when we see that the Indian state, from the time of its formation, has decided not to keep any record of the number of our people evicted from their rightly owned land, or that of the genocidal consequences of such action, we forced to doubt its seriousness.

VII. For when we see that whatever the State has done in this region has been to facilitate the expropriation of our common wealth and transfer it to Industry/Corporations, then our suspicions get confirmed.

VIII. We the Adivasis and Dalit communities of India have been the single largest community with whom the state has duped and looted for the so called growth of India. By way of free land, free forest produce, free minerals including 80% of the country’s energy needs and 100% of its uranium needs, free water and above all, almost free labour.

IX. We feel that besides race and caste the above point no Viii is the next biggest reason why we are not being treated as full citizens. For, it would entail the ruling high caste and class to acknowledgement the importance of our crucial role in the development of India.

X. The continuation of slaughter and mayhem and dismantling of civilian democratic structures is therefore tantamount to continuance of the above expropriation of resources

XI. We the Adivasis who have been living an economy that produces peace will never swerve our very basic respect for life and living and we commit ourselves to continuing in the spiritual tradition our ancestors.

XII. We call all peace loving people to question an economic system that exploits its citizens, and requests them to join us by supporting this call.

Our demands

1. We demand reparations, criminal charges and justice in all cases of corporate crime.

2. We therefore call for a twenty year moratorium on all new mining leases or extension of licenses for such purposes.

3. We call for an audit of all land minerals and forest resources taken from us post independence (1947).

4. We demand that the State gives an account of where all our evicted and lost people are.

For the past seven years the people of Jharkhand have organised themselves to successfully resist any new mega mine or industry on their land. We want to salute these brave Women Children and Men who are proving that they are the true children of our ancestors who fought and gave their lives to save that what it means to be called an Adivasi child.

Jharkhand Ranchi June 8^th 2010