GLOBALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT



GLOBALISATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Term Paper

A Review of

GLOBALISATION : The Tribal encounter

By : B. D. Sharma

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Submitted To : Submitted By:

Prof. Shambu Prasad Nishant Pandey

Roll No. - 30

XAVIER INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT BHUBANESWAR

Table of Contents

|Topics |Page No |

| |3 |

|India : Onset of Globalisation | |

| |4 |

|The Tribals | |

| |5 |

|About the book | |

| |5 |

|About Author | |

| |6 |

|Impact of Globalization on Tribals | |

| |7 |

|The Context of term paper with reference to book | |

|Bastar : the case of colonial onslaught and people response |7 |

| |8 |

|The case of Bodh Ghat | |

| |9 |

|Community ownership over industries | |

| |11 |

|Connection with other readings | |

| |11 |

|Role of Rural Manager | |

| |12 |

|Connection with R.L.L.E. Experience | |

|Difficulties faced in writing the term paper |13 |

|Conclusions |13 |

|Refereces |14 |

|Appendix -1 Achievements of AZADI BACHAO ANDOLAN |15 |

|Appendix -2 Mavalibhata Declaration of People's Right |17 |

Term Paper

India : Onset of Globalisation

In India, the New Economic Policy that was the harbinger of globalization to India was initiated in 1991 under the leadership of the Congress Party led P. V. Narsimha Rao Government. Over the last decade, the open market policy of the Indian Government has resulted in increased privatization, huge lay-off of labor, rise of corruption, and heavy debts on the nation. The benefits of development touted under globalization have not reached the poorest sections of the society. The disparity between the rich and the poor has widened.Its disturbing impact on family and the drastic erosion of traditional social life is a main concern.

While more than 40% of the Indian population lives below the poverty line, without even the barest necessities of life, the Defense Budget of the nation grows year after year. Every year, the Government of India pays 27% of every Rupee it earns on repaying the interest on the loan it has taken to repay the interest on the original loan.

The Indian situation is very complex and complicated as we enter the new millennium. Fifty years of independence did bring some changes but not to the larger poor and the marginalized sections of the society. Politically, the situation is very unstable and by and large, people have little faith in organized political parties. Corruption and lack of integrity have exposed national leaders and ordinary people are in real confusion as to their political role. The emergence of communalism in its new forms has undermined national unity along with regionalism and linguistic problems. The women still remain marginalized. Environmental issues have taken a prominent place in the agenda of the social activists but the modern developmentalists are advocating interference with nature and building up of dams etc., as the only way for the development for India.

There is widespread economic insecurity brought about by profound changes in trade, finance and technology. Poverty under globalization has assumed newer dimensions. Under the market friendly regime, the poor, the marginalized who have no entitlements (land, other income, yielding assets, social securities, employment etc.) are kept out of market, both legally and logically.

The compulsions of international competition have created greater pressures to exploit the natural resources that India has. There is an impetus towards greater concentration of these resources and moves towards concentration accumulation. The victims of this accumulation are the small landholders, in other words, the Dalits, Adivasis, and the members of Other Oppressed Castes. Agriculture has, under the new auspices, acquired corporate logic. Traditional methods of sustainable farming are threatened today.

The withdrawal of the State from welfare and public services spheres also has deleterious impacts, especially on the weaker sections. Their food security is affected adversely, their access to health care services, education and employment has become even more restricted, housing and transport facilities have gone beyond their reach. With liberalization, the problem becomes complex as rapid economic growth unaccompanied with a social safety net increase disparity as only a small section of society benefit.

The Tribals :

Emeneau (1996) has identified several features of "tribalism" where there is much more stress, as compared with the social units of Hinduism, on kinship as the over-riding factor in the unit's organization; reliance, in some cases on swidden ('slash-and-burn') agricultural economy; lack of asceticism so prominent in Hinduism; with a consequent fondness for the pleasures of the senses …. In food, alcoholic drinks, sex, song or dance (i.e., at funerals, ritual occasions, etc.). Further Hindu communities belong to 'jatis' identifiable through their values.

The 'tribals' are outside the Sanskritic system of written codes of Hinduism, and they are not 'jatis'. But jati and tribe are, however, not in opposition to one another but are a cultural continuum, i.e., either a pure tribal, or a pure jati, under pressure from the Sanskritic tradition takes on jati characteristics.

Based on areal factors, for example, tribes living in hilly isolated areas are 'non-jatis'. "The Badagas who were a jati people when they came to the Niligiris in the 15th century and then adopted tribal characteristics are non-jatis.

Tribals in India live in the following five territories.

i. The Himalayan belt: (Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, hills of Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh)

ii. Central India: Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, and Madhya Pradesh. 55% of the total tribal population of India lives in this belt.

iii. Western India: Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

iv. The Dravidian region: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

v. Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands

About the book :

The book deals with the life and problems of Tribal people in the Bastar region of Chhatisgarh and as to how they are fooled and cheated by some people just for self interest. It also highlights on the encounter mechanism adopted by the indigenous people against global forces. The book presents some glimpse of Tribal response to the forcible opening up of their small world by the impact of Globalisation.Talks about issues like deprivation of rights for tribals and exploitation by various private players.

About Author :

❖ B D Sharma is a Ph.D. in Mathematics and was a teacher at Pilani.

❖ He joined Indian Administrative Services in 1956.

❖ First role conflict was faced by him while being posted as district collector in Bastar in Chhatisgarh

❖ He was secretary of tribal welfare in M.P.

❖ Became commissioner of SC & ST commission

❖ Chairman of Bharat Jan Andolan and pioneer of Nate-na-raj Andolan.

Impact of Globalization on Tribals

Indigenous peoples are on the cusp of the crisis in sustainable development. Their communities are concrete examples of sustainable societies, historically evolved in diverse ecosystems. Today, they face the challenges of extinction or survival and renewal in a globalised world. The impact of globalisation is strongest on these populations perhaps more than any other because these communities have no voice and are therefore easily swept aside by the invisible hand of the market and its proponents. Globalisation is not merely a question of marginalisation for indigenous peoples it is a multi-pronged attack on the very foundation of their existence and livelihoods, for example:

• Indigenous people throughout the world sit on the "frontlines" of globalization's expansion; they occupy the last pristine places on earth, where resources are still abundant: forests, minerals, water, and genetic diversity. All are ferociously sought by global corporations, trying to push traditional societies off their lands.

• New advances in technology, the reorientation toward export-led development, and the imperatives of pleasing global financial markets are all driving forces in the extermination of countless native communities which stand in their way.

• Traditional sovereignty over hunting and gathering rights has been thrown into question as national governments bind themselves to new global economic treaties.

• New trade and investment agreements, which are opening up previously inaccessible territory to industrial extraction of natural resources, has forced indigenous peoples to defend their homelands under an invasion of unprecedented rate and scale: Big dams, mines, pipelines, roads, energy developments, military intrusions all threaten native lands.

• Global rules on the patenting of genetic resources via the WTO has made possible the privatization of indigenous peoples’ genomes, the biological diversity upon which they depend, and the very knowledge of how that biodiversity might be used commercially.

• National governments making decisions on export development strategies or international trade and investment rules do not consult native communities.

The Context of term paper with reference to book :

The book is based on the tribal encounters against globalisation and the cases undertaken are from Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh. The book deals with how the process of globalisation and the new economic policy lead to a series of initiatives that went on perturbing the life of tribal people. It is a reality that on the name of development, a money making game is being played. Ultimately it is the local idegenous people who are exploited and who suffer by bearing a huge loss economically as well as socially. what I feel is that weakness lied on the part of government machinery that they failed to realized the needs and demand of affected people. Also for this social cause no proper external voice was raised. In this book several case studies have been presented and hence I will be highlighting on the key question as to how the onset of Globalisation had an impact on tribal life and at the same time how the tribal people reacted.

The reason for choosing the topic was to have an idea of Global impact at Grassroot level and moreover how this different part of society withstands the pressure. The key players of this whole process in the case discussed below are government machinery, the industrialists, beurocrats and above all the local community.

Hence key questions handled in term paper are

❖ How the onset of Globalisation created an impact on tribal life.

❖ How tribal people reacted to external pressure.

Case (i)

Bastar : the case of colonial onslaught and people response

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Here the author has tried to connect the sufferings of tribal people under the effect of global forces. The Bastar region is full of forest which bears lots of resources namely timber, medicinal plants, flowers, fruits, Non Timber Forest Produce and raw material for several industries. Besides it has also been a shelter for indigenous people since long time. After independence government decided to formulate a tribal sub plan to develop this area but in fact it was far from the development of people themselves who were the most important stake holder to it. Government declared forests as reserves and it is these tribal people who had not only maintained the ecological and environmental balances but also whose life was based on the forest, had to now face a state of deprivation. Also lot of money started to flow in for development of area but these investments created vested interests within the system and infact there was no direct relief for the bonafide stakeholders. A number of towns started being developed and which later on started taking shape of villages and futhur merging into colonies. Pollution increased and whole environmental balance was disturbed. There was no care and surety for the source of income of tribal people involved. There were loop holes in land laws and everybody including beaurocracy took advantage of this. What I feel the one major reason for this was ignorant and innocent behaviour of tribals. Even money lenders started alluring hem by keeping the land mortgage on very complicated terms.

Case (ii)

The case of Bodh Ghat

Bodh Ghat was the area in Bastar region through which river Indravati flowed and it was a proposed site for construction of a hydel power plant. The main source of livelihood in this region is agriculture and dependence of forest area and in case of dam being constructed both of these needed to be stopped. This project was not at all designed keeping the interests of tribal people in nearby areas . firstly there was no plan of what will be the future source of irrigation and how it will work in near by areas after execution of hydel power project. Secondly no proper plan outlay was there for rehabilitation as well as sustainable livelihood generation of tribals being affected. This could be well understood by the fact that in those days it created a controversy but surprisingly the media highlight was focused on environmental issue and no one threw light of the possible misery of stakeholders involved. The acquisition started taking pacve and even the compensation part was not sufficient. There were numerous questions that remained un answered. Will the rehabilitation take place as a community or as an individual? What will be its impact on up growing children? From where will government find an equally big and suitable piece of land to rehabilitate the migrated people in the same way as they use to live here. What will be the solution to social necessities like primary health centre, hospital, schools and post office? What will happen if they face a bad year in new place? Many more such questions started plugging in.

Case (iii)

Community ownership over industries

Mavalibhata is located about 35kms from Jagdalpur on way to Bailadila in Bastar, M.P. Like countless other tribal habitations it was also lost on its small world. Education is almost nil notwithstanding the existence of a school for years. Neither they understand the farsi (the colloquial term for unintelligible tongue of tohers and a corrupt form of the term Persian) of others, nor others can understand their Koitur (Gondi)., A few, however, have smattering of Hindi. So even though they are living close to an important highway, they are leading a happy life behind the impregnable wall of language. Dandami tribes by nature is volatile, simple and joy-logging. They have no peer in social solidarity. After the harvest, bands of Dandami youth start moving out for shikar to distant hills and forests with pej (rice-liquid) in gourd and bow-and-arrow in their hands. No one can dare cross their route. It is Dandami youth who have the sacred duty of pulling the great-grand chariot of Goddess Danteshwari, the ruling deity of Bastar, during Dussera festival in Jagdalpur. One evening of December 1991, everything appeared to have changed for this small village. Mavalibhata and five neighbouring villages (Burungpal, Durram, Patharli Uduwa and Katakanda) were caught in a whirl. The goovernment officials told them that a steel plant with an investment of rupees four thousand crores will be established there. About five thousand acres of land will be acquired for that purpose. All the five villages will have to move out. The people were shaken by the unanswered questions -- `Where will we go?' The Government's reply was dry -- `you will get compensation. You can go wherever you can find land'. Their silent reaction was `what will we do with money? Our deities, sacred places, gata-kalk (burial stones), all that we can call ours is here'. Why not establish the plant, where government wants us to go?' was their simple logic.

But no one listened to them. The government remained unmoved. On October 6, 1992 the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone under heavy police bandobast. The elite of the district and the state was jubilant. All political parties of `right' and `left' were overwhelimed by the grand procession of development in Bastar. But in the deep dark shadow at the centre of that flurry of hope and joy, the approach roads to their villages were dug, stone walls were erected by Dandami Marias …Let's see who dares to come on our sacred land -- katenge par hatenge nahin (we will get killed but not move!)…..Ami Dandami (we are Dandamis). The signal of Bhumkal (Revolt) is clear and categorical. It is not only a declaration of community's right over resources, but a resolve to die for the same. The Mavalibhata Declaration of human rights is before you -- may be a precursor of an epochmaking BHUMKAL

This was the case when people mobilized themselves and formed a people institution and laid down a declaration against state government as they wanted to save their household economy from being overtaken by global powers. The three vital issues that needed to focused were firstly the nature of control over and ownership of natural resources, the ownership over surplus and positive outcomes and lastly the entitlement and responsibilities of ordinary people in the merging system. But the whole system was moving on the wrong way. According to me the set up of industry had resulted lots and lots of evil effects one of which could be the exploitation of man power and human resource. Other hazards would include over harnessing of natural resource and gradual creation of market and market forces thereby transferring the control in hands of money. The onus lied on te community to react and it took place in form of famous Mavalibhata Declaration. It was a declaration formulated by combined effect of all the people involved in that area and sent to union government and it was clearly a move against the state governments plan to allow a private player to establish a steel plant unit in Bastar region. The declaration highlighted four key issues

a) the role of government to promote growth with equity and hence only those enterprise should be allowed to intrude in tribal region which accept comuniy as a major part of their decision making authority

b) the development of tribal and tribal areas can take place in best possible manner by their education and empowerment. Moreover there needs to be a proper participation from local communities as no external agency can sympathize and empathize with the real situation.

c) The Bastar and Mavalibhata region consisting of vast natural resource needs to be protected from getting destroyed.

d) Tribals have full right to fight for their rights and hence democratic norms and human right considers needs to be incorporated before framing any such development programmes.

As of now I can comment that a win-win situation can take place in such cases but that will require government machinery to be free from corruption and transparent. The global process in forest areas would have brought smiles in many corporate houses but more than these smiles it would have created a state of suffering and destitution among Tribals. Another key issue what I feel is that the role of rural manager in such cases becomes very crucial. It is this demand that has created an upcoming sector of Corporate Socio Responsibility. The corporate socio interface needs to be made more transparent and healthy so as to promote holistic growth. More live examples could be taken from the state of Orissa where on one side steel giant Mittal is going to invest thousands of Crore Rupees while on other side we have an example of POSCO who has already started to set up its plan and aims for testing production from 2008. now the reality behind the entrance of big steel giant is simply to earn huge profit by exploting well available resources be in natural resource, raw materials for industries or human resource.

Connection with other readings :

I went through an interesting website where I could get details about “Azadi bachao Andolan”. It was a movement started by Sevashram Wardha office of ABA. Some of the major highlights are being mentioned below in appendix 1.

Role of Rural Manager :

In this scenario the role of rural manager becomes very crucial as tribal area lack development and it is we the rural managers who can realize the needs of the people and then formulate proper strategies and projects for holistic development of the area. Then development would be incomplete if its sustainability is not ensured hence it will be more challenging for us to ensure sustainability. Moreover in the coming years there is for sure going to be a rise in corporate sector by setting up of more and more industries. This rapid industrialization has to affect indigenous people and as such tribal are very much vulnerable. Questions of their rehabilitation, education problem, drinking water problem and over all sustainable livelihood options will come and we rural managers have to confront these issues. The emergence of CSR (corporate socio responsibility) is an upcoming buzzword that has various dimensions. On one side it promises to alleviate the status of tribal while on other hand its merely exploitation of the resources for personal gains of a bunch of people. There are numerous cases where needs of community was not properly realized. For ex. Kalinganagar case in Orissa.

Connection with R.L.L.E. Experience

As a part of RLLE I stayed in Rayagada district of Orissa for 21 days and there I visited several villages. The whole area comprised mostly of Tribal people belonging to Kondh tribe. One strange incident which I encountered was that some small units of plastic goods manufacturing plant was set up in Koraput area by some external people and it took away land areas where previously tribal people use to stay. After this no compensation was there and tribal were undergoing same sufferings. Another example could be lack of education as in one place in Rayagada where IMPHA plant of chemical manufacturing was established the whole area was cleared which primarily was a den for tribal people but after the industry started functioning there was no sense of corporate socio responsibility shown by the management of IMPHA. Many more such cases we do find in present day society where rights of a particular community is inhibited just because it leads to fulfillment of some personal needs of a small cluster of people. Or in other words it can be said that rights of Indigenous is undermined on the sake of happiness of socially and economically powerful players. Another case of tribal exploitation was experience in Burziguda village in Hattamuniguda block of Rayagada district where there only one tribal person who was literate continued to be the head of village since many years and no one ever raised voice against him. He use to supply resources of village and nearby areas to business men located in Andhra Pradesh. Now this person earned good money and had a hold in society by occupying prestigious position continuously for long time. But the innocent villagers could not do anything against it. To my surprise the condition of village hadn’t improved at all sinjce past many years.

Difficulties faced in writing the term paper :

The very first drawback was availability of scattered information in books. As I was forced to consult many books and was getting confused as which article to pick up and which one not to pick up. Second and most important factor was lack of arranged quantitative information. I was looking for informations regarding increasing in outlay by various public and private players over the period of time. Also statistical datas regarding production in this area and impact assessment of all projects would have been useful.. finally I had a desire to assess the role of NGO’s , external mobilizer and facilitator being played in this case. On whole there was difficulty in getting real picture of role played by NGO.

Conclusions :

It is ultimately concluded that care needs to be taken regarding use of natural resources as they are depleting day by day and ignoring tribal people is nowhere going to be a solution for depleting forest resource. For this exploitation of manpower has to be checked. Someone has very correctly said

“ let us live peacefully and let others also live peacefully. No tree will ever bear sweet fruit if it is nurtured by tears and sufferings of many people”

So now its time for society to arise, awake and step ahead

Refereces :

❖ tribal.nic.in

❖ Website of international forum for globalisation

❖

❖

❖

❖ Global perception of tribal research in India

By : M . L. Patel

Appendix -1

|Achievements of AZADI BACHAO ANDOLAN |

| |

|1) In 1986 we had started boycott campaign against Union Carbide of America. We got sucess in 1991 when this |

|company had left Bharat. In this fight against Union Carbide, we had also filed a public interest petetion in the |

|Supreme Court which is still pending. Only we got partial Relief in form of compensation to the victims of Bhopal. |

| |

|2) From 1986 to 1994 we had stopped the Government of India to sign GATT Agreement with the help of a public |

|interest petetion in Uttar-Pradesh High Court. But by the intervention of Supreme Court the Government signed the |

|GATT Agreement on 15th December 1994. |

| |

|3) We Started a very sucessful fight against PEPSI-COLA & COCA-COLA in 1997. In this Fight we have won 2 cases |

|against Pepsi & Coke in the High Court of Rajasthan & Supreme Court of India. In this fight we have proved |

|scientifically the Pepsi & Coke as slow poison. We have Proved also these soft drinks as Toilet Cleaner & |

|Pesticides. Due to this campaign the sales of soft drinks in India has been reduced upto 70%. |

| |

|4) We have stopped the Publications of 4 Vulgar & Obscene Magazines. |

| |

|5) In 1994 we started a sucessful fight against a Liquior Company of America. In Rajasthan there is a holy place |

|known as TIZARA. The Governtment of Rajasthan had signed MOU with an American company WILSON in 1993. We had filed |

|a public interest petetion in Rajasthan high court in 1993 and we got a judgement in favour of us. After that this |

|company had left India. |

| |

|6) After this globalisation & liberlisation policy hundreds of foreign company have entered India via Mauritious |

|route to save income tax & corporate tax. We fought against these companies in the High Court of Delhi & Supreme |

|Court & we got a judgement in favour of us. |

| |

|7) Since 1997 we are trying to promote Swadeshi products in place of Foreign products. Day by Day the sales of |

|Swadeshi products are going up & sales of Foreign products are going down, due to this campaign. Since last three |

|years the Balance Sheets of Foreign companies are showing negative results, in FMCG Sector (Fast Moving Consumer |

|Goods). Since 1997 more than 1 crores Indian citizens have taken the pledge to boycott foreign products of FMCG |

|Sector & other Zero technology products. |

| |

|8) We are fighting against the misleading advertisements of Foreign Companies. we have filed 70 cases in different |

|High Courts & Lower Courts against UNI-LEVER, COLGATE-PALMOLIVE, PROCTOR & GAMBLE, JOHNSON & JOHNSON etc. some case|

|are still pending & in some other cases we got favourable judgements. |

| |

|9) Since 2000 we are promoting organic farming in 13 States (MAHARASTRA, GUJARAT, RAJASTHAN, ANDHRA PRADESH, |

|KARNATAKA, KERLA, TAMIL NADU, MADHYA PRADESH, CHHATISHGARH, JHRAKHANDA, PUNJAB, HARAYANA & UTTAR PRADESH). Uptill |

|now we are doing this organic farming in 70,000 hectares. |

| |

|10) Since 2002 we are trying to generate employment in rural areas. We are motivating unemployed youths to start |

|Small Scale Units of making BATH SOAPS, DETERGENT POWDER, DANT-MANJAN, ORGANIC SHAMPOO & some 40 other products. |

|Also we are trying to produce KHADI in our villages where Cotton is available. Uptill now we have promoted 118 |

|Small Scale Swadeshi production units & Swadeshi Bhandar. |

| |

| |

|Appendix -2 |

|Mavalibhata Declaration of People's Right |

|We, the people of Mavalibhata*, Mardum and Nagarnar areas, and representatives of people's organisations all over |

|the country have assembled this day, December 5, 1992, at Mavalibhata, Bastar, M.P. We reviewed the situation |

|arising from the arbitrary decision of the State Government to permit and facilitate establishment of a big steel |

|plant in private sector and, that too, with foreign collaboration at Mavalibhata. We have also deliberated in depth|

|on its immediate and long term effects at different levels. The State Government, as also the local administration,|

|showed no concern for the people's rights and their aspirations. That was not all. The Chief Minister went ahead |

|and laid the foundation stone on October 6, 1992, without waiting for the completion of legal processes necessary |

|for setting up such industrial projects. |

|The people of Mavalibhata area were up in arms against the project ever since they had heard the rumours about its |

|possible establishment. This area falls within Dandami tribal territory. The community is almost totally free from |

|outside influence. Land is their only source of livelihood. The level of fomal education is insignificant. The |

|Dandamis are known for their valour, self-esteem and unrestrained emotional responses. This open attack in the form|

|of a foundation stone on their basic right -- right to life with dignity -- could not be tolerated. |

|Their reaction was simple, sharp and swift. The foundation stone was broken. The approach roads to their villages |

|were barricated. That foundation stone in their perception was a challenge to their very existence thrown by the |

|entire |

|Outside world. And the stone bqarriers were the wilent answer of the community with a counter-challenge "let us |

|see, who dares to come and occupy our ancestral and sacred lands?". They also resolved `katenge par hatenge nahin' |

|(we will get killed but we will not move out). |

|The government did not give due regard to the spirit of this natural response of the people. No one cared to ponder|

|over its real meaning. It was simple affirmation of their right to life with dignity. Instead, it was taken as an |

|affront to the supreme authority of the omnipotent state. The ruling party, in collusion with administration, made |

|a callous attempt to silence the dissident voice through Goebbelian misinformation and resorting to medieval |

|techniques of incitement and mob-voilence. |

|This confrontation at Mavalibhata is not an unusual or unique event for the tribal areas. The process of |

|encroachment on tribal resources in the name of development by the state and also others has been continuing for a |

|long time. But so far there was some concern, some realisation of injustice as well. If nothing else, at least some|

|paper provisions were made to counter its ill effects. But now perceptions are changing. The power-brokers are |

|openly asserting that the grand procession of development cannot be stopped simply because a handful people may not|

|agree to move out. The work in Bastar will continue even if lakhs, what to speak of thousands, are displaced', thus|

|spake the District Magistrate. Thus the Mavalibhata crisis is just an advance signal of the new catastrophe. This |

|confrontation is an inevitable consequence of the open entry of unbridled market forces in the so-called backward |

|but resource-rich tribal areas. |

|A new alignment of national and international forces is now being forged. The most terrible form of this alignment |

|is on the rise in tribal areas. Here, on the one side are the simple tribal people. Their numerical strength is |

|small. But they are imbued with high sense of dignity, self-reliance and strong tradition of community life. On the|

|other side is the new power-axis of neocolonial capitalist forces. The irony is that the all powerful state itself,|

|which has the Constitutional responsibility of protecting the tribal people, has assumed the role of promoter and |

|protector of that Axis. Thus the people, particularly the tribal people, are now facing a demonic challenge. Their |

|very identity is at stake. And in this confusion, all values and traditions, that we as a nation can be proud of, |

|have also got staked. Thus, our country is passing through a very delicate phase in its history. Mavalibhata is the|

|first victim of this International Combine. If it succeeds here, devastation of other areas will be a matter of |

|time only. This horrendous situation in the tribal and also other areas calls for closing of ranks by all |

|progressive forces. The sharp reaction and rustic reply of the people of Mavalibhata to the anti-people and fascist|

|ways of the state have become the symbol of a people's struggle. Mobilisation of utmost support for this struggle |

|is a must now. In the context of issues raised in Mavalibhata, we once again resolve that: |

|We will intensify our struggles for basic changes in the institutional Structure, national laws and for |

|establishment of a new order in Which the people will enjoy undisputed rights over resources, they Will be partner |

|in development, everyone will have a place of honour in the new economy and the right to life with dignity of every|

|citizen will be on-violable. |

|Nation |

|In contravention of the general and the specific Constitutional provisions against unlimited expansion and |

|unregulated sovereignty by private and State entities over the resources of the community, whose aim was creation |

|of an egalitarian order, the government has virtually reqritten the Constitution in the garb of a new economic |

|policy. The new policy is giving rise to extreme concentration of economic and political powers and authoritarian |

|fascist regimes. In fact, the government has abrogated its responsibility for equitable and sustainable development|

|and to ensure judicious use of natural resources. It has thrown them open for rapacious exploitation by the new |

|global Axis. It has shown no concern even for the fact that these resources after all are people's sacred trust. |

|We are not prepared to accept this position. We hereby resolve and declare that: |

|Only those enterprises will be allowed to be established inb our respective areas which agree to accept community |

|contro over them. Under this arrangement, there will be a provision for majority shares in the name of local |

|community. This provision will not be against money but will be in lieu of the real contribution of the community |

|by way of cooperation and consent for use of those resources by the enterprise, over which it has enjoyed full |

|control through the ages and which have provided the community and its members with sustenance in all aspects of |

|their life. Other partners in the enterprise will be those who may invest capital and all categories of workers. |

|This form of shareholding by the community will not compromise in any way the claims of the displaced and the |

|affected individuals for compensation and honourable resettlement. |

|In the context of this claim on behalf of the people, we will prevent further privatisationof public sector |

|enterprises. In case it becomes necessary to change the structure of an enterprise, the government should accept |

|this claim of the community and hand it over to them as its rightful owner. |

|Tribal areas |

|After Independence, on the one hand, traditional self-governing institutions of tribal people have been totally |

|ignored. On the other hand, exotic laws and institutions have been indiscriminately superimposed. During this |

|phase, the Governors did not discharge their Constitutional responsibility to adapt the formal system in accordance|

|with the needs of tribal system for which full powers had been bestowed on them under the Fifth Schedule of the |

|Constitution. Consequently, entire communities are deemed as law-breakers; traditional institutions have collapsed |

|and ordinary tribals are facing worst forms of destitution. We therefore, resolve that--- |

|We will struggloe for ending the anti-people and inhuman situation in the tribal areas and for creating and |

|alternative equitable order by suitably changing the law and, if necessary, also by amending the Constitution. In |

|thenew system, (I) the gaon sabha (village assembly) will be fully responsible for all affairs of the village and |

|villages will function as self-governing units of participatory democracy; (ii) Regional Councils will be |

|established for larger tribal tracts. They will be endowed with legislative and executive powers. The jurisdiction |

|of these Regional Councils, wherever necessary, may cut ac ross the present administrative boundaries. |

|Bastar and Mavalibhata |

|Dandakaranya is endowed with rich natural resources. Private capital and multinationals are making a concerted bid |

|to enter these areas in utter disregard of the Constitutional safeguards and legal provisions. The state is |

|allowing open entry, nay, is welcoming large industries with no concern for its own policies, guidelines and also |

|human rights and people's welfare. We strongly condemn this open attack on the interests of the ordinary people, |

|particularly the tribal people. |

|We also note that the tribal habitats are extensive and the life of the people depends on the natural resources of |

|the entire habitat. The irony is that the de juro command of the tribal people has been generally circumscribed to |

|a small part thereof. The remaining area (70% in Bastar) is formally termed as the so-called `forest', which may or|

|may not have tree cover. Thus, the people have to make do with a limited area. It includes abadi, agriculture and |

|nistar. In this situation, if land is assigned from the limited area used by the people for industry and other |

|institutions, the condition of people depending on it is bound to deteriorate. |

|It may be further noted that the level of education is very low in tribal communities and the modern skills are |

|almost non-existent. Thus the people are not prepared for participation with dignity in modern economic activities.|

|There is no justification for acquisition of tribal lands in this critical phase in the history of tribal |

|communities. Similarly diversion of so-called government land, which is being used by the tribal people for a |

|variety of other purposes, is not proper. In this situation all new activities in tribal areas should be taken up, |

|wherever necessary, on the so-called `forest' land. But concurrently, action should also be taken for enriching the|

|so-called forest with people's participation as partners. |

|In this situation we resolve and declare that the people of Mavalibhata today are faced with the wuestion of life |

|and death. The people have resolved to defend their right to life and not to move out of their village. All of us |

|are fully with people in this struggle. If the vested interests or administration resort to oppressive measures |

|against them, we will stand by the people of Mavalibhata and together give a befitting reply to the intruders. |

|Democratic Norms and Human Rights |

|We condemn the anti-people and fascist actions by the government and the administration to silence the voice of |

|dissence and to evict the tribal people from their ancestral homes and habitat. Honest adherence to democratic |

|norms and full regard for human rights in dealing with the people are essential. We expect that political leaders |

|and officials will change their behavious and fulfil their responsibilities as public servants. So far as the issue|

|of use of natural resources is concerned no family, as a rule, can be deprived of its right over the resources on |

|which it may be depending on for its living (I) without prior willing consent of the family and the community; and |

|(ii) without providing to the family in advance an honourable alternative means of livelihood acceptable to it. |

|All those laws which are not in consonance with these basic premises are unacceptable to us. So long as the State |

|does not establish an equitable order, the people have full right to defend themselves their right to life with |

|dignity. We accordingly resolve that We will intensify our struggle for changing the anti-people laws and for |

|establishment of the most fundamental of all rights, the right to life with dignity, and take the struggle to its |

|logical end. We call upon all progressive forces in the country to extend all possible support, physical and |

|financial, to this crucial struggle in Bastar for upholding of people's rights. |

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