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dam-l LS: What happened in the 3rd NAPM National Convention (March 11-14)



National Alliance of People's Movements
National Office:   c/o Chemical Mazdoor Sabha,   Haji Habib Building,
‘A’ wing,   First Floor,   Naigoan Cross Road,   Dadar (E),   Mumbai  400 014
Tel: 022-4150529 (O)  022-5369724 (Res.-Sanjay MG)
Email:  <admin@sanjay.ilbom.ernet.in>


Press Release / 16.3.2000

Farmers, Dalits, Tribals & Women Resolve to Fight Against Globalization

In the peaceful surroundings of Chota Badada on the banks of the 
still-flowing Narmada, the 3rd convention of the National Alliance of 
People's Movements brought together organizations, movements, 
individuals and parties from all over India for an intense, 
thought-provoking, 4-day deliberation from March 11-14, on struggles 
and alternatives in agriculture, labour, politics, globalization, 
water, energy, weaponization, art and culture.  There was a 
remarkable consensus in a wide cross-section of people who have been 
fighting in various local struggles in different parts of India, and 
covering all age groups, from charka spinning Gandhians who had the 
good fortune of seeing the Mahatma, to dalit groups who remembered 
Ambedkar through their songs, to young activists in Reva ke Yuva 
fighting against faulty development symbolized by the dams on the 
Narmada. 

The consensus of  such diverse talent group was that something is 
wrong, seriously wrong that needs to be challenged, stopped and 
corrected.  And this is not just the yester year brow-beating of 
capitalism in search for some higher ideals, that which is wrong is 
taking all our country’s wealth including our right to live on a land 
that is free…free from being exploited, sold and lost permanently to 
foreign multinationals.  Todays no-holds-barred globalization and 
ever widening gap between the rich and the poor leading to 
marginalization of most of the humanity, and being achieved without 
giving any public information or consultation must be stopped before 
it is too late and our treasured freedom is gone once again.   

On such concrete actions “Clinton go back”, “IMF, WTO, World Bank go 
back” there was uniform strong support from every local and state 
level movement.  Just as there was support for the agricultural 
laborers waiting for the welfare bill to be passed that will give 
them pension and compensatory benefits.  There was both a grasp of 
the corrective measures as well as the will to fight against the 
global onslaught.  Sessions ranged from empowering the villages so 
that they can generate their own electricity to the alarming rate at 
which water policy is being drafted in India that will effect 
millions and make water, even water that our very thirst depends on, 
a commercial commodity that can be totally acquired by the rich and 
powerful.  The participants  tackled current issues such as 
constituition review which they opposed strongly since no public 
debates have been held, which are a pre-requisite for a healthy 
functioning democracy and because of the hidden agenda of the ruling 
government such as to ensure its continuity.  It is true development, 
not destruction they want, just as the people of Narmada in Chota 
Badada where the waters are rising every year with every step of the 
dam.  Some of the important points raised and decisions made were:

1.	Globalization and Bill Clinton’s Vist: Talks by Kishen 
Patnaik, Gabrieli Dietrich and Sunil Bhai set the stage for 
discussions on globalization and the danger at which it is spreading 
-- even the agriculture sector will be affectd by it -- which means 
people will start buying outside food products and Indian farmers and 
related agriculture industry will suffer. A firm stand against 
globalization was taken by all the member organizations and state 
level units that were present.  Protest actions against Bill 
Clinton’s India visit are being planned by all the state NAPM units 
including Andhra Pradesh, WB, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and  Delhi, 
since the American presidency stands strongly for WTO, IMF and 
globalization so as to establish its hegemony. Representatives from 
Direct Action Network, the organizers of the WTO-Seattle protest 
action, were also there. They are planning an initiative in 
Washington DC in April and during the Sept 26-28 IMF-World Bank 
meeting in USA.

2.	Agriculture: An important agricultural bill that has been 
pending for being passed by the parliament was presented by P. 
Chenniah and Narendranath, leaders of landless labourers in Andhra 
Pradesh.  It gives benefits such as pension & compensation to 
agricultural, landless workers, who are among the poorest.  It gives 
them some legal ground to sue even if they don’t belong to a union, 
and if their rights are violated. There is full support from all NAPM 
state-level units and a nation-wide struggle and campaign will be 
launched for safe-guarding the agricultural sector and interest of 
farmers and agricultural labourers. Members also decided to gather 
information on land distribution patterns in each state which will 
enable district level initiatives to be started.  NAPM members also 
committed themselves to village level resource mapping wherever 
member organizations are active and planning towards self-reliance. 

3.	Alternate Politics: It was resolved that to get the alternate 
development paradigm evolved, alternate politics will be strengthened 
from grassroots level upwards and NAPM itself will not contest 
elections. Some felt it was important to create the space for 
alternate politics first by challenging the current political 
atmosphere with more active campaigns  like for example taking up the 
issue of manifestos and after-election performances in a much more 
vigorous way.   A few also expressed the view that it would be good 
if some individuals jumped in the fray seriously.  Finally it was 
decided that at this point NAPM would keep out of electoral politics 
but will support initiatives by individual candidates and like-minded 
groups.

4.	Alternatives for energy and water: It was noted that water is 
a shared/common resource and there are two components -- one for 
immediate life-use and other for commercial use -- where the rights 
of the former usage have to be gauranteed. Thus citizens have to get 
more involved in water and energy policy issues.  Secondly as 
discussed by Dr. K. R. Datye and Venkatesh Iyer, at the village level 
it was felt that there was a need  to set up biomass cum 
solar-thermal initiatives as well as network of farmers who are 
willing to experiment on some part of their fields and share the 
experiences.Follow-up meetings and training will be held in Khargone 
(for north) and near Goa (for south) in a month. Awareness pamphlets 
on water-literacy/understanding and energy literacy, that are 
relevant for the city and village audience are necessary. There was a 
strong support in NAPM for this.

5.	Constituition Review:  It was felt strongly that there was a 
non-performance on many key issues of importance already present and 
safe-guarded in the fundamental rights and directive principles.  The 
review started without the democratic process of public meetings and 
consultations is in the same dangerous direction as covert decisions 
made previously for GATT, WTO and nuclear policy bypassing the 
democratic processes.  There is a hidden agenda to stabilize the 
current government even if it were to lose confidence of the house 
and to change articles that will only make the Kashmir problem worse. 
NAPM decided to strongly oppose the review and hold public meetings 
to expose the underlying issues to dalits and the people at large 
whose rights would be further taken away by a review undertaken in 
this manner, and along with them assert for operationalization of the 
rights and privilages in the present con stituition with appropriate 
ammendements.

6.	International Day against big dams: Hundreds of Sardar 
Sarovar afected people were joined by representatives from 70 
organizations working in different parts of the country including 
people fighting against the Tehri, Koyna, Gosi Khurd, Ramanjery, Koel 
Karo, Suvernarekha and Mahi-Kadana dams across the country,  Bargi, 
Maheswar, Veda  dam affected people of Narmada, along with NAPM 
representatives from 12 states took out a huge rally in Badwani where 
the slogan was “Water for life, not for death.”  A statement against 
large destructive dams in the Narmada valley along with statements 
emphasizing the need to evolve sustainable and equitable ways of 
harnessing energy and water by people found overwhelming support. 
Siddharaj Dhadda, Thomas Kocherry, Vijay Javandia and others 
reiterated faith in alternate water management and the alternate path 
to development. While Medha Patkar reiterated that to the str uggle 
to save the Narmada valley and assert the power to the people 
required the preparedness for ultimate sacrifice, revered social 
worker Baba Amte sent a message saying that “if people decide  no 
power ever will succeed in filling the Dams.  Justice will prevail.” 

7.	Elections: New office bearers were chosen by consensus 
through a participatory democratic process.  Thomas Kocherry and 
Sanjay M.G. will continue as Coordinator and Co coordinator 
respectively.  Medha Patkar, P. Chenniah (AP), Lata 
P.M.(Maharashtra), Sandeep Pandey (UP), Rajni Dave (Gujarat), 
Gabriele D (TN), Nalini Nayak (Kerala), Sukhendu B (WB) and Vimal 
Bhai (Delhi)  will be the National Convenors while Kishe Patnaik, 
Ajit Bose and Siddharaj Daddha will be permanent invitees along with 
the editors of the 4 NAPM bulletins.

The conference ended with announcements of upcoming actions such as 
anti-nuclear actions on Chernobyl Day, the 26th of April, in 
Nagarcoil near the  planned Koodankulam power plant and 11th May in 
Jaipur, Rajasthan.  The fishworker organizations will storm Delhi on 
12th June and launch an indefinite struggle with support of several 
groups joining in. Another program in which NAPM-Delhi will 
participate brings many organizations working with urban poor 
together.  Finally commitment to nav-nirman and alternate development 
was expressed by the decision to send NAPM representatives to 
participate in the People’s Health Assembly in Dhaka and to the 
preparatory workshop being held in Hyderabad on April 7-8.

Medha Patkar		Sanjay M. G.		Lata P.M.


==========<medhapatkar@vsnl.com>==========