South India

by Thomas John

Chethana mobilizes victims for a public hearing

On 31 January 2007, hundreds of farmers from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh congregated in Nellore for a public hearing on the woes of the victims of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), i.e. Appache Footwear Limited at Tada and the Thermal Power Station and port at Krishnapatnam. Also in attendance were fisher-folk from the coastal villages in the district of Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. They came to outline their miseries in the aftermath of the December 2005 tsunami, and to highlight the bureaucratic indifference to their plight.

The public hearing was conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union, a confederation of people’s movements in the

Special Economic Zones

The Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Act was passed in 2005, by the United Progressive Alliance Government to “help build up infrastructure, promote exports, and enhance employment generation”. The Commerce and Industries Ministry, which piloted the Act, states in its official documents that "SEZs are about infrastructure creation" and that "infrastructure is not only roads, ports and airports but also workplaces like industrial parks and Information Technology (IT) parks". The Ministry's note further states that an "extremely critical element is that of social infrastructure, which would constitute housing facilities and entertainment, etc".

Within a year, the Indian Government approved 181 SEZ projects across the country, of which 16 were already functional by October 2006. In addition to these, another 128 projects were granted “in principle approval”. As stated by the Government of India on its website www.sezindia.nic.in, “these are specifically delineated enclaves treated as foreign territory for the purpose of industrial service and trade operation, with relaxation in customs duties and a more liberal regime in respect of other levies, foreign investments and other transactions. Domestic restrictions and infrastructure inadequacies would be removed in the SEZs to create an internationally benchmarked environment for business transactions and operations.”

Impact on the marginalized

These and many other developmental activities have very deleterious consequences for the most vulnerable people in Indian society:

• Small and marginal framers are displaced from land and farming, which are their main source of livelihood. Compensation in cash does not equip them for becoming meaningfully rehabilitated in a means of livelihood.
• Dalits and other deprived sections who are landless and yet living by agricultural labor are displaced from their habitat and livelihood without even compensation.
• The landless poor are denied access to and control over the natural resources in common (public) land, rivers, and forests and thus denied of any means of livelihood support.
• The poor further bear the brunt of depletion of natural resources (water), pollution (of drinking water) and other ecological and social costs of development.
• Top down Rehabilitation programs implemented without people’s participation enrich the coffers of the bureaucrats and other middle men, and keep the vulnerable sections in utter penury.

After the hearing, eminent social activists made an appeal for the oustees to take up a massive struggle for their `genuine' rights. The Public hearings are meant to highlight these issues to a wider public through news media, and to mobilize public opinion in favor of the victims of these neo-liberal economic policies.

Links:

Profile JH partner  network Chetana

Website Chethana network

Website JH Sacramento

Profile JH Companionship Facilitator  Thomas John

References on this page:

The government's website on SEZ:: www.sezindia.nic.in

Straight Talk

Testimonies by tribal victims of SEZ in TADA mandal.

Public gathered for hearing in town hall.

Solidarity

Member of DWAN, a group mobilizing women to seek land and create sustainable farms for their families.

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Children of a dalit village in Andra Pradesh. The villagers are working on issues of water and traditional farming.

Flooding washed away temporary housing for members of a tribal group forced off their lands in the past year.

JH Sacramento/Stockton January 07 trip to India

by Garry Cox

Seven members of our core team just returned from a 19 day trip to South India where we visited with members of CHETHANA, our partner group. We visited villages in some of the poorest areas of India, listening to the Dalits (untouchables) describe their struggle for land and livelihood. Each of these groups expressed their hope that the Joining Hands group of the Presbyterian Hunger Program could work with them to overcome injustices related to land, water, health, human rights, livelihood and caste. Economic globalization has affected their ability to feed their families and sustain their lives. We talked with handloom weavers unable to sell their cloth, farmers unable to grow enough crops and village communities suffering the loss of families due to forced migration and abuse.

We witnessed the work of CHETHANA as its member groups sought to empower villages and families to acquire land, learn effective farming techniques, create successful handloom cooperatives and create human rights changes. These strategies of empowering small farmers, women, Dalits, and tribal people are helping them live hopeful lives.

If you church or group would like to learn more about Presbyterian Hunger Programs work in India please contact Joining Hands Sacramento, garrycox@westminsac.org and we will be happy to arrange a slide presentation and discussion on this important mission project. You may also call Garry Cox at 916-442-8939.

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Joining Hands

Young children of dalit families who were forced to migrate to city to find work

The JH Sacramento group Chairperson being gifted with a traditional drum as memento by DAWN in Gundur, A.P

The delegation with TREES in Bangarapett, near Bangalore