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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>==========