Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha Observes World Indigenous Peoples Day
On 9 August, World Adivasi Day (World Indigenous Peoples Day) the Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha organized a gherao of the Raygada District Office and specifically raised the issue of the ongoing cholera epidemic spreading in the district due to administrative negligence. A militant march was held in spite of police and administrative highhandedness and threats.
The police stopped the march midway as it was on its way to the District Office. One of the police officers tried to grab CPIML activist Madhusudan by the shirt and pushed him, snatched away mobiles, shut off the microphones, demanded to know his caste and lectured him on the law, to which he replied, 'I am a dalit, descendent of Babasaheb Ambedkar, so don't teach me about the Constitution'.
The ASM rally raised slogans even without microphones and closed the Raygada District Office gates. After some time ADM came to the gate and received the memorandum and the police also were forced to return the mobiles and microphone, only then the gate was opened. The ASM leaders demanded to take adequate steps on the cholera epidemic immediately, else the agitation will be intensified and spread wide.
Rayagada is a District with a predominant adivasi population and is an extremely backward District in Odisha. As a result of drinking contaminated water, 10 adivasis and 3 dalits have died of cholera in Kashipur Block and 270 people are admitted in hospitals. Through the gherao, the ASM has made the following demands: Rs 20 lakhs compensation to each of the families of the deceased cholera victims; Rs 5 lakhs to those suffering from cholera; steps to make Rayagada cholera-free; clean drinking water for all; toilets, pukka houses, education, health facilities and jobs for the people of Rayagada District.
On this day the ASM took out a large procession of tribals in Gunupur with traditional dance and songs and a protest meeting was held in front of Gunupur SDM office through him a memorandum containing 16 demands was sent to the President. It was demanded to solve the very basic problems of the tribal communities such as land, water, forest, education, health care, livelihood, food security, drinking water and sanitation, and to stop the state-sanctioned corporate looting of natural resources on the pretext of sanctification have been going on without employment and the tribals have been dispossessed of their forests and lands. Their lives and development are being compromised. As a result, they are struggling to preserve their culture and asymmetry. Tirupati Gomango leader of the ASM led this protest. He also raised the demand to declare a holiday on World Indigenous Peoples Day; protect the rights of indigenous communities and tribal populations as per the ILO Convention; recognize the religions of the tribals; to stop the conspiracy by the Central Government to make the Forest Rights Act 2006 and the Gram Sabha ineffective; and Rs 20 lakh should be given to the families of those who died of cholera in Kashipur block and Rs 5 lakh to those who fell victims to the epidemic owing to the governmental negligence.
The 9 August was also the 80th anniversary of the Quit India Movement and this was also observed along with the World Indigenous Peoples Day at Kaprada in Gujarat by the Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha (Gujarat) with a mass people's program resonating with the slogan 'Let us be prepared, Lift up our Bows and Arrows, Eradicate Fascism, Get our Rights and Dignity!'. Various speakers at the meeting expressed their thoughts on Adivasi traditions, identity and rights and paid tributes to the numerous men and women who sacrificed everything for India's freedom. The speakers condemned the anti-adivasi designs of the Modi government and pledged to intensify the 'Oust Modi, Save Adivasis' campaign. A charter of demands for adivasi rights was presented by the Adivasi Sangharsh Morcha.
The meeting was addressed by leaders including ASM Convener Comrade Kamlesh, RYA leader Asmit Patanvadia, Anand Bhai, Mohan Bhai, Haresh Warali, Vanita Ben Jaywanti Ben, Ayush, Ramchandra Kutty, Vitthal Bhai and others.
