As all of you are aware agricultural lands has become the main target for corporate sector in South Asia. The state has become the broker to grab the land from peasants at the cost of denying their basic right to livelihood. The worst victims of this process are the communities depending on agriculture as farmers, as farm workers, tenant farmers / sharecroppers. These are the groups who have been consistently engaged in struggles for land while the state (political state) has not been in favour of the implementation of genuine land reforms. Therefore a common myth has been built up by the state that there is no land for distribution. The economic reforms to free flow of global capital has suddenly opened the states’ eyes to allot large chunks of lands to the corporate sector with all the concessions denying the long time demands of the communities for land. There is a great need to respond to this context, consolidating the struggles of People for Land. Therefore, a two days workshop is planned on “The Role of Social Movements for Genuine Land reforms” in South Asia on March 15-16, 2008 at Indian Social Institute, Bangalore, India. This workshop is jointly facilitated by Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vrudhidarula Union (APVVU), Ekta Parishad and IBON South Asia.
Issue:
South Asia is the home for the largest number of poor in the world and majority of them live in rural areas deprived of access to livelihood resources. The fundamental problem for the rural deprived communities in South Asian countries is how to maintain or improve their meager livelihoods. In many South Asian Countries a large proportion of rural poor are victims of the massive livelihood crisis that has accompanied the commercialization of agriculture and associated pro-globalization economic activities. The globalization of agriculture has geared up the plunder the profits for MNCs / TNCs at the cost of mercilessly displacing the farming communities from their means of livelihood. For instance, India has witnessed 125,000 farmers’ suicidal deaths in the last one decade and much more number of unaccounted hunger deaths among the rural poor.
South Asia is still facing the problems of feudalism where the large tracks of land in the hands of few rich absentee landlords and their hands became much more strong when the state (political state) has opened the economy for global market. Processes of land alienation, commercialization and modernization of agriculture have been accompanied by the displacement of large sections of rural poor by big dams and other so called developmental programmes in most of the South Asian countries. Drawing the experiences from India, the introduction of Special Economic Zones is inviting new form of re-colonization of rural India grabbing the large chunks of agricultural lands without properly developing alternative source of livelihoods and employment opportunities for the displaced. As the result, today India has two realities - while large number of rural people by over night become impoverished, few sections of rich community are becoming richest even standing in the list as richest persons of the world. Similar such contexts are prevailing in other developing countries in South Asia.
Further, the state (means political state) has become a tool for corporate sector to capture the land related natural resources from the dependent community by using all forceful coercive methods. Neither elected leaders nor political parties are seriously concerned over these issues. This indicates that the state do not have any political will for addressing the problems of rural poverty in perpetual manner.
The role of welfare state has been withering away replacing as the state to maintain the law and order to strengthen the infrastructures for the corporate sector and exploitative forces.
The context is quite relevant to demand for the genuine land reforms with every developing country in sub continent as the states have failed to provide alternative economic systems to accommodate the newly displaced people swelling the ranks of poverty with the economic reforms. On the other hand, every developing country in South Asia has signed several international covenants to address the problems of poverty. One such example is: Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948, established that "everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself [herself] and of his [her] family, including food, clothing, housing….." This has been legally codified in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and can be interpreted as meaning that all people have the inalienable human right to be able to feed themselves, through work with dignity and a living wage, or through access to the land.
When faced with unequal and unjust distribution of agriculture land, the call for redistribution through genuine agrarian reform is a call for the human right to feed oneself. It is not a call for charity or for benevolence from people in power, but rather a demand that all governments respect and uphold their obligations as spelt-out in international treaties and the universal rights of humankind. This call challenges the arbitrary and artificial division between economic/social and political/civil rights, because almost every absentee landlord has been keeping the lands vacant while the landless go to bed hungry everyday as they don’t get adequate resource either as cultivator or as wage earner.
The Need Of The Hour:
Despite of enormous growth of urbanization, even today 60% of people live in rural areas depending on agriculture. The only available source to meet the basic needs of large sections of hungry people in the society is to depend on land related resources. Therefore the need of the hour is to see that how the land can be made available for those dependants to produce their food. Though the several South Asian countries has floated with land reform legislations, no one developing country has distributed the land to the genuine poor.
In the context of shrinking democratic spaces for the majority population in South Asian countries, the best viable option before the people is to build collective mass movements to restore their denied socio-economic and political rights. This is not so easy task to carry forward without the collaboration of the concerned CSOs and peoples’ movements within the country and across the borders.
There are sporadic events of resistance against the land grabbing by the state for vested interests. There is a great need to bundle such struggles and campaigns to restore the land rights. In the given situation, the hope before the people is to come together within the country and also across the borders to voice collectively against the all the undemocratic processes, so that the voices can be heard both locally and globally which will pave the way to address the problems.
To actualise this aspiration into concrete action, there is a great need to call the progressive social movements, concerned intellectuals together to discuss. This will create an opportunity for exchange the views and ideas and experiences to make further plan of action in the region – South Asia.
Contact person:
P. Chennaiah
Secretary National Coordination, APVVU
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Terror Won't Silence Us
By Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)
At first this woman couldn’t believe that she will be part of the chosen one who had decided to live and fight for the peasants, her family origin. Like many activists she can not ignore the harsh reality that the rich are getting richer while the poor are sinking deeper into poverty-- and this condition has pushed her to do her part and join others do a historic mission that only a few have chosen.
Imelda Lacandazo, 41, came from a peasant family. She was a student activist in mid ‘80s at Baguio College Foundation (now the University of Cordillera). As a student activist they have regular discussions, political education and most of all, they practiced what most activists looked for “living with the masses”. She fell in love with a fellow activist, got pregnant in 1986 and married in 1987. As both fulltime activists having a child and a family is such a difficult situation. They have measly income and saw her daughter missed a meal due to lack of money. As a mother, it was very painful to see your child crying due to hunger. And even if it’s against her will she decided to work abroad in 1989 hoping that she can save for the future of her daughter and family. She left her three-year old daughter to her in-laws. Her husband continued his work as fulltime peasant organizer in Southern Tagalog.
Remolded leader
Life as an overseas Filipino worker (OWF) is quite hard. For 6 years it tortured her situation of living away from your loving family while working in a foreign land for an income that she thinks would save her family from poverty. She was able to build a house and had saved from her earnings until in 1995 she decided to quit her job. In 1996 she gave birth to a son. And live as fulltime mother – staying at home and taking care of her beloved children. Having a husband who is a fulltime peasant organizer makes her proud even if they seldom see each other.
Then one day, she got organized again under the Kababaihang Naglilingkod sa Nayon-Mindoro Occidental (KANAYON-MO). In 1999, she joined the peasant campaign that leads to the successful struggle of farmers in Golden Country Farms Inc. (GCFI) against former Mindoro Occidental Congressman Ricardo Quintos. From then on the military began harassing her and her children.
She decided to continue what she had started when she was a student activist. Little by little she started to educate even her children. During vacation, she let her children joined the rallies with her. Her children grew up with a strong foundation of becoming an activist like their parents. Her daughter became a youth leader of Anakbayan and her son, became a member of ‘children’s cultural group’ called Bagsik in Southern Tagalog. We call that a ‘militant’ family where the father, mother and children are all activists.
She fully developed as a very good peasant women leader. She continue remolding herself with the guidance of her group. She was elected as the General Secretary of the SUMAMAKA-TK. In 2003, as a regional peasant women leader, she took a great responsibility in peasant women organizing. “Most of the time I am in the peasant community doing my work – attending meetings, educating and organizing the peasants, links with friendly local government officials, lobbying with legislators, represent KMP in regional activities and even in selected international conferences – I am always away from my children. But I am sure that they understood me. That I am doing these not for their own future alone but for the welfare of the oppressed Filipino peasants”, said Ka Imelda. This year also, they were forced to vacate their house because the military is harassing her children and threatening them.
In 2004, she was chosen as the coordinator of the Pagkakaisa’t Lakas ng Magsasaka sa Palayan ng Timog Katagalugan (PALAY TK) that led the campaign to increase the palay price amounting to P15.00 per kilo in Southern Tagalog. And this was adopted as a national campaign of KMP. The surveillance and death threats against her heightened unsurprisingly. There was also an incident when a group of Philippine Army threw a grenade where her children stayed. Luckily, it didn’t blow up. She decided to stop her children from schooling and leave the province. She also survived a murder attempt during the orchestrated hold-up in Mindoro Occidental led by 16th and 18th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.
Finally in 1999, she became a member of the KMP National Council in its 5th National Congress and was elected as National Vice-chairperson. In 2004, she was reelected in the same position during the KMPs 6th National Congress and presently continued the post. The KMP is a democratic and militant movement of landless peasants founded in July 1985. It has effective leadership of more than 2 million rural people with 65 provincial and 15 regional chapters nationwide. The KMP stands against worsening feudal and semi-feudal exploitation by big landlords and foreign monopoly capitalists in the country. It aims to uplift the plight of millions of Filipino farmers that are currently slaves to high land rent, usury, high production costs, low prices for their produce, and starvation wages for agricultural workers It fights for genuine agrarian reform and is now campaigning for the passage of the ‘Genuine Agrarian Reform Act’ or House Bill 3059 at the House of Representatives.
‘All-out War’
The state terror began in 2002 when the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo started Oplan Bantay Laya II (OBL II) or ‘Operation Freedom Watch’, a five-year counter insurgency plan to annihilate the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). The CPP-NPA has been waging a Maoist-inspired protracted people’s war in the country for more than three decades. The NPA claims to be active in more than 128 guerilla fronts nationwide.
Just like other counterinsurgency programs of the past regimes the OBL II resulted in numerous human rights violations (HRVs) by essentially not distinguishing between combatants and civilians or between legal and underground organizations. General Jovito Palparan’s stint in Southern Tagalog brought rampant political killings, abductions and harassment against progressive organizations. Again, Ka Imelda moved her children in much safer place to avoid the military’s harassment. And even if it’s against her will, she can’t visit them regularly because she received continuing death threats from the military that are desperate to silence her.
In June 16, 2006, President Arroyo allotted an additional Php1 billion ($18.78) million, based on an exchange rate of P53.26 per US dollar) to augment the AFP’s counter-insurgency drive. The Arroyo regime declared a virtual “all-out war” against the communist movement that she ordered annihilated within two years. Yet, the first casualty of the government’s all-out war was not an armed rebel. Gunned down by motorcycle-riding men the next day, June 17, was Tito Marata, public information officer of KMP in the province of Misamis Oriental. And the political killings, persecution and harassments against the peasants who feed the nation continue.
“The harassment and ‘death threats’ I am experiencing is a result of the OBL II and nothing else. Being a peasant leader, I am being targeted by the military as they did so to other leaders or members of progressive organizations, especially peasant organizations that are fighting for genuine agrarian reform, democracy and social justice. Hence, the military are trying to cover up their crimes by linking the peasant leaders and organizers to the CPP and NPA.” added Ka Imelda.
Unwavering commitment
Unfortunately, the Philippines can be considered as Asia’s killing fields in the light of 891 extra-judicial killings and 171 enforced disappearances (as of February 2008) under the 7-year old Macapagal-Arroyo regime as documented by the human rights group Karapatan or Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights. Peasant leaders and organizers who have led struggles against land-grabbing, high rent, low wages, usury, high production costs, agrochemical use, and destructive mining and dam projects, have been the victims of assassinations, massacres, torture, arbitrary arrest and illegal detention, and other forms of harassment by military-death squad perpetrators.
Despite this very difficult situation, she continued to organize the peasants in Southern Tagalog and KMP did so nationwide. She was assigned from one province to another province to avoid the military’s ‘death squad’. And through painstaking work they were able to develop new peasant leaders and organizers. But there are ups and downs in doing her work. In 2002, she separated from her husband for reasons she did not want to talk about. She said the separation hurt her so much yet she persistently did her work with her children as her inspiration and she get strengths from the peasant masses she is serving for. Life still goes on with her unwavering commitment.
“The social conflicts in the countryside are rooted in landlessness, joblessness, poverty and hunger. This repression and human right violations by the military are only aggravating the poor situation of the peasants and delaying the resolution of their problems. If extra-judicial killings had meant to silence the Filipino peasantry’s persistent clamor for change, it has achieved just the opposite.” Ka Imelda stressed.
Farmers led by KMP come together in their localities or in Metro Manila for mass actions that demand an end to political killings, together with other persecuted sectors of society. KMP and relatives of peasant victims of extra-judicial killings filed an impeachment complaint against President Arroyo (although the said complaint has been recently junked in Congress). KMP also filed a complaint at the United Nations Human Rights Commission against Arroyo regimes human rights violations in 2006 and 2007. In many ways, the peasant movement is very active in all efforts to make the Arroyo government answerable for all its crimes against the people.
“We also take time to grieve for our fallen leaders—now martyrs-- with great sorrow, love, and respect. The loss of our leaders has a huge effect in our work. Our leaders arose from commitment and experience. We cannot bring back a life that has been taken away. And yet Filipino farmers were trained as cause-oriented and are not leader-oriented. Even if their leader has been killed they will onward with the struggle. Terror won’t silence us.” ended Ka Imelda.
References
1. Interview with Imelda Lacandazo (2008), hand notes.
2. KMP Press releases (2006, 2007, and 2008).
3. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (2006) “Primer on Political killings.” http://www.bayan.ph/downloads/primer%20on%20political%20killings.pdf
4. Bordadora, Norman (2006) “Govt must answer for all killings—CHR.” INQ7.net, May 23, http://news.inq7net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=76670.
5. Eastman-Abaya, R. and Petra, J. (2006) “Philippines: The Killing Fields of Asia.” Counterpunch, March 17, http://www.counterpunch.org/petras03172006.html.
6. Guda, Kenneth Roland A. (2006) “Oplan Bantay Laya: Programa Kontra-Insurhensiya, Aktibista ang Puntirya.” Pinoy Weekly, March 25, http://www.pinoyweekly.org/pw5-20/feats/sb_1.htm.
7. Karapatan National (2007). “Human Rights Report.”.
8. Quijano, Ilang-ilang (2006) “Terrorizing the Struggle for Food Sovereignty”
At first this woman couldn’t believe that she will be part of the chosen one who had decided to live and fight for the peasants, her family origin. Like many activists she can not ignore the harsh reality that the rich are getting richer while the poor are sinking deeper into poverty-- and this condition has pushed her to do her part and join others do a historic mission that only a few have chosen.
Imelda Lacandazo, 41, came from a peasant family. She was a student activist in mid ‘80s at Baguio College Foundation (now the University of Cordillera). As a student activist they have regular discussions, political education and most of all, they practiced what most activists looked for “living with the masses”. She fell in love with a fellow activist, got pregnant in 1986 and married in 1987. As both fulltime activists having a child and a family is such a difficult situation. They have measly income and saw her daughter missed a meal due to lack of money. As a mother, it was very painful to see your child crying due to hunger. And even if it’s against her will she decided to work abroad in 1989 hoping that she can save for the future of her daughter and family. She left her three-year old daughter to her in-laws. Her husband continued his work as fulltime peasant organizer in Southern Tagalog.
Remolded leader
Life as an overseas Filipino worker (OWF) is quite hard. For 6 years it tortured her situation of living away from your loving family while working in a foreign land for an income that she thinks would save her family from poverty. She was able to build a house and had saved from her earnings until in 1995 she decided to quit her job. In 1996 she gave birth to a son. And live as fulltime mother – staying at home and taking care of her beloved children. Having a husband who is a fulltime peasant organizer makes her proud even if they seldom see each other.
Then one day, she got organized again under the Kababaihang Naglilingkod sa Nayon-Mindoro Occidental (KANAYON-MO). In 1999, she joined the peasant campaign that leads to the successful struggle of farmers in Golden Country Farms Inc. (GCFI) against former Mindoro Occidental Congressman Ricardo Quintos. From then on the military began harassing her and her children.
She decided to continue what she had started when she was a student activist. Little by little she started to educate even her children. During vacation, she let her children joined the rallies with her. Her children grew up with a strong foundation of becoming an activist like their parents. Her daughter became a youth leader of Anakbayan and her son, became a member of ‘children’s cultural group’ called Bagsik in Southern Tagalog. We call that a ‘militant’ family where the father, mother and children are all activists.
She fully developed as a very good peasant women leader. She continue remolding herself with the guidance of her group. She was elected as the General Secretary of the SUMAMAKA-TK. In 2003, as a regional peasant women leader, she took a great responsibility in peasant women organizing. “Most of the time I am in the peasant community doing my work – attending meetings, educating and organizing the peasants, links with friendly local government officials, lobbying with legislators, represent KMP in regional activities and even in selected international conferences – I am always away from my children. But I am sure that they understood me. That I am doing these not for their own future alone but for the welfare of the oppressed Filipino peasants”, said Ka Imelda. This year also, they were forced to vacate their house because the military is harassing her children and threatening them.
In 2004, she was chosen as the coordinator of the Pagkakaisa’t Lakas ng Magsasaka sa Palayan ng Timog Katagalugan (PALAY TK) that led the campaign to increase the palay price amounting to P15.00 per kilo in Southern Tagalog. And this was adopted as a national campaign of KMP. The surveillance and death threats against her heightened unsurprisingly. There was also an incident when a group of Philippine Army threw a grenade where her children stayed. Luckily, it didn’t blow up. She decided to stop her children from schooling and leave the province. She also survived a murder attempt during the orchestrated hold-up in Mindoro Occidental led by 16th and 18th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.
Finally in 1999, she became a member of the KMP National Council in its 5th National Congress and was elected as National Vice-chairperson. In 2004, she was reelected in the same position during the KMPs 6th National Congress and presently continued the post. The KMP is a democratic and militant movement of landless peasants founded in July 1985. It has effective leadership of more than 2 million rural people with 65 provincial and 15 regional chapters nationwide. The KMP stands against worsening feudal and semi-feudal exploitation by big landlords and foreign monopoly capitalists in the country. It aims to uplift the plight of millions of Filipino farmers that are currently slaves to high land rent, usury, high production costs, low prices for their produce, and starvation wages for agricultural workers It fights for genuine agrarian reform and is now campaigning for the passage of the ‘Genuine Agrarian Reform Act’ or House Bill 3059 at the House of Representatives.
‘All-out War’
The state terror began in 2002 when the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo started Oplan Bantay Laya II (OBL II) or ‘Operation Freedom Watch’, a five-year counter insurgency plan to annihilate the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). The CPP-NPA has been waging a Maoist-inspired protracted people’s war in the country for more than three decades. The NPA claims to be active in more than 128 guerilla fronts nationwide.
Just like other counterinsurgency programs of the past regimes the OBL II resulted in numerous human rights violations (HRVs) by essentially not distinguishing between combatants and civilians or between legal and underground organizations. General Jovito Palparan’s stint in Southern Tagalog brought rampant political killings, abductions and harassment against progressive organizations. Again, Ka Imelda moved her children in much safer place to avoid the military’s harassment. And even if it’s against her will, she can’t visit them regularly because she received continuing death threats from the military that are desperate to silence her.
In June 16, 2006, President Arroyo allotted an additional Php1 billion ($18.78) million, based on an exchange rate of P53.26 per US dollar) to augment the AFP’s counter-insurgency drive. The Arroyo regime declared a virtual “all-out war” against the communist movement that she ordered annihilated within two years. Yet, the first casualty of the government’s all-out war was not an armed rebel. Gunned down by motorcycle-riding men the next day, June 17, was Tito Marata, public information officer of KMP in the province of Misamis Oriental. And the political killings, persecution and harassments against the peasants who feed the nation continue.
“The harassment and ‘death threats’ I am experiencing is a result of the OBL II and nothing else. Being a peasant leader, I am being targeted by the military as they did so to other leaders or members of progressive organizations, especially peasant organizations that are fighting for genuine agrarian reform, democracy and social justice. Hence, the military are trying to cover up their crimes by linking the peasant leaders and organizers to the CPP and NPA.” added Ka Imelda.
Unwavering commitment
Unfortunately, the Philippines can be considered as Asia’s killing fields in the light of 891 extra-judicial killings and 171 enforced disappearances (as of February 2008) under the 7-year old Macapagal-Arroyo regime as documented by the human rights group Karapatan or Alliance for the Advancement of Human Rights. Peasant leaders and organizers who have led struggles against land-grabbing, high rent, low wages, usury, high production costs, agrochemical use, and destructive mining and dam projects, have been the victims of assassinations, massacres, torture, arbitrary arrest and illegal detention, and other forms of harassment by military-death squad perpetrators.
Despite this very difficult situation, she continued to organize the peasants in Southern Tagalog and KMP did so nationwide. She was assigned from one province to another province to avoid the military’s ‘death squad’. And through painstaking work they were able to develop new peasant leaders and organizers. But there are ups and downs in doing her work. In 2002, she separated from her husband for reasons she did not want to talk about. She said the separation hurt her so much yet she persistently did her work with her children as her inspiration and she get strengths from the peasant masses she is serving for. Life still goes on with her unwavering commitment.
“The social conflicts in the countryside are rooted in landlessness, joblessness, poverty and hunger. This repression and human right violations by the military are only aggravating the poor situation of the peasants and delaying the resolution of their problems. If extra-judicial killings had meant to silence the Filipino peasantry’s persistent clamor for change, it has achieved just the opposite.” Ka Imelda stressed.
Farmers led by KMP come together in their localities or in Metro Manila for mass actions that demand an end to political killings, together with other persecuted sectors of society. KMP and relatives of peasant victims of extra-judicial killings filed an impeachment complaint against President Arroyo (although the said complaint has been recently junked in Congress). KMP also filed a complaint at the United Nations Human Rights Commission against Arroyo regimes human rights violations in 2006 and 2007. In many ways, the peasant movement is very active in all efforts to make the Arroyo government answerable for all its crimes against the people.
“We also take time to grieve for our fallen leaders—now martyrs-- with great sorrow, love, and respect. The loss of our leaders has a huge effect in our work. Our leaders arose from commitment and experience. We cannot bring back a life that has been taken away. And yet Filipino farmers were trained as cause-oriented and are not leader-oriented. Even if their leader has been killed they will onward with the struggle. Terror won’t silence us.” ended Ka Imelda.
References
1. Interview with Imelda Lacandazo (2008), hand notes.
2. KMP Press releases (2006, 2007, and 2008).
3. Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (2006) “Primer on Political killings.” http://www.bayan.ph/downloads/primer%20on%20political%20killings.pdf
4. Bordadora, Norman (2006) “Govt must answer for all killings—CHR.” INQ7.net, May 23, http://news.inq7net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=76670.
5. Eastman-Abaya, R. and Petra, J. (2006) “Philippines: The Killing Fields of Asia.” Counterpunch, March 17, http://www.counterpunch.org/petras03172006.html.
6. Guda, Kenneth Roland A. (2006) “Oplan Bantay Laya: Programa Kontra-Insurhensiya, Aktibista ang Puntirya.” Pinoy Weekly, March 25, http://www.pinoyweekly.org/pw5-20/feats/sb_1.htm.
7. Karapatan National (2007). “Human Rights Report.”.
8. Quijano, Ilang-ilang (2006) “Terrorizing the Struggle for Food Sovereignty”
IFFM LOOKS AT RIGHT TO FOOD IN AP
Press Release, 23 February 2008
International Fact Finding Mission investigated displacement and destruction of livelihoods in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh (India)due to SEZ and expansion of port
Tirupati, India - An International fact-finding mission, comprising eminent civil society representatives from Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and India, visited Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh (India) and expressed great concern over the displacement and loss of livelihoods of poor and landless tribal communities in those districts due to construction of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and expansion of a Port in Krishnapatnam.
The mission observed and verified violations of the right to food and livelihood in Midderevu, Ramalingapuram and N. M. Kandiga ST Colony in Nellore (in Tada) and concluded with a set of observations and recommendations to the Andhra Pradesh government.
The mission observed that due to expansion of the port, four villages were facing threats of imminent eviction and altogether 14 villages were exposed to the threats of livelihood losses.
These villages were mainly inhabited by poor landless tribal and traditional fisher folks who had poor assets and no land title. They depended largely on Common Property Resources (CPR) and fishing in back water and sea for survival. The eviction would result into complete destruction of their livelihoods and would expose them to extreme vulnerable conditions.
The state government had proposed a relocation site for four villages far away from the back water and sea which would jeopardise their livelihoods as fisher folks. Moreover, the landless fisher families, who would be victims of marine and back water pollution would not receive any compensation and/or rehabilitation.
The FFM team observed that these poor villagers were largely uninformed about the expansion of the port during the planning and initial phase of allotment of land and no consultation took place at grassroots to enable them to voice their opinions.
It was further observed by the FFM team that despite several petitions of the villagers, the state authorities did not pay any attention to their pleas of restricting further expansion of the port. Villagers also demanded for land and financial assistance from the state to pursue their livelihoods in a better way; but these demands failed to generate any response.
The FFM team concluded that the new port would create very little employment opportunities for the local people as this would be highly mechanized and the activities in the port would result into large-scale pollution of surrounding environments. The dredging done by the authorities for expansion of the port had already destroyed the breeding ground of the fishes in the backwater and the fisher folks were suffering from poor catches.
In brief the FFM team concluded that expansion of port in Krishnapatnam violated the Right to Food (RTF) of hundreds of households in 14 villages by restricting their access to food and food producing resources and by polluting these resources.
On the basis of these observations, the preliminary recommendations of the FFM in Krishnapatnam, Nellore include the following:
* The violation of RTF should be immediately stopped in and around Krishnapatnam port by restricting further expansion of the port
* The rights of these landless tribal and traditional families over CPR should be duly acknowledged and reinstated.
* The victims of violations of rights in the above villages should be adequately compensated and rehabilitated. Rehabilitation should be adequate in economic, social and cultural terms.
* The government should immediately take steps to provide these fisher folks with a separate fishing harbour so as to ensure their food security.
* All development planning in this region should ensure effective participation of the villagers with a focus on participation of marginalized communities like the tribal and Dalit groups.
In Tada the FFM team visited N. M. Kandriga ST Colony village and met the representatives of other affected villages and observed how the rights of the tribal people of 12 villages were undermined and violated due to the construction of SEZ in their locality. The FFM team came to know that the Apache Company, which manufactured shoes for national and international markets, set-up a production unit in this SEZ. The Government provided 450 acres of land to this company in this SEZ and another 2000 acres of land would be gradually handed over to other companies for developing production units in this SEZ.
The team observed that due to the construction of this SEZ and fencing of nearby lands the tribal people from 12 villages had no access to nearby grazing grounds, fields and water bodies, which resulted into chronic hunger and malnutrition. These tribal families were landless and had very poor assets for pursuing a safe and sustainable livelihood. They repeatedly urged the government to provide them with two acres of land per family for cultivation but the government never responded to their demands.
On the contrary vast tracts of lands, surrounding the villages, were given to SEZ by the government, making it impossible for these tribal families to derive their livelihoods from CPR. The tribal families also lost employment as agricultural labourers when the government turned over the agricultural lands to the SEZ. The FFM team further observed that there were very limited employment opportunities for these unskilled tribal people in the newly constructed SEZ.
The FFM team concluded that expansion of SEZ restricted the access of these tribal people to CPR like common land, grazing grounds and nearby water bodies and limited their income opportunities to a great extent. These restrictions resulted into hunger and starvations leading to violations of right to food and livelihood. No tribal family received any compensation/rehabilitation from the state for their sufferings. Furthermore the whole expansion of SEZ was done without any consultation with the local people. In brief these landless tribal families remained invisible in the ‘development’ planning of the state government in this area but they became helpless victims of such development process.
On the basis of these observations, the preliminary recommendations of the fact-finding mission in Tada, Nellore include the following:
1. The violation of right to food of these tribal people should be immediately stopped and the government should allot two acres of land to each tribal family for cultivation with an immediate effect.
2. The rights of these landless families to receive adequate compensation/rehabilitation for the loss of livelihoods should be duly acknowledged and enforced by the state without further delay.
3. The land should be given to landless families on a priority basis and the state should refrain from playing the role of intermediary in the land market between the big companies and the land owners for developing SEZ.
The FFM team is urging the government to rethink the SEZ policy and to incorporate a participatory mechanism of social, economic, cultural and environmental impact assessment process, the outcome of which should be made available in public domain.
Moreover, the FFM team is of opinion that the state should give due emphasis on strengthening the capacity of the poor to pursue livelihoods by providing them with resources, assistance and by facilitating their access to productive resources/environment. The macro economic policy of the state should not jeopardise the livelihoods of millions at micro level.
The FFM is jointly organised by Andhra Pradesh VV Union, Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) and the People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS).
The members of the team include Mr. Ajay Kumar (APVVU, India), Mr. Vince Cinches (PAMALAKAYA, Philippines), Mr. Subramanyam (Human Rights Forum, India), Ms. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk (SDF, Thailand), Ms. Ujjaini Halim (IMSE, West Bengal India), Mr. P. Chennaiah (NAMP, India) and Mr. Gilbert Sape (PAN AP, Malaysia).
References:
APVVU
P. Chennaiah
Secretary- National Coordination
Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union -APVVU
No: 6, S.B.I.Colony
CHITTOOR- 517001 A.P. INDIA
Phone:0091 8572 228592
Fax 0091 8572 230804
email:apvvu98@sancharnet.in
chennaiah_p@hotmail.com
PANAP
Gilbert M. Sape
Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific
P.O. Box 1170, 10850
Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +604-6570271 or +604-6560381
Fax: +604-6583960
E-mail: gsape@pan-international.org
PCFS Secretariat
Ms. Norly Grace Mercado
Secretariat
People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS)
P.O. Box 1170, Penang 10850, Malaysia
Tel: 604-6570271 or 604-6560381
Fax: 604-6583960
Website: www.foodsov.org
E-mail: secretariat@foodsov.org
International Fact Finding Mission investigated displacement and destruction of livelihoods in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh (India)due to SEZ and expansion of port
Tirupati, India - An International fact-finding mission, comprising eminent civil society representatives from Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and India, visited Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh (India) and expressed great concern over the displacement and loss of livelihoods of poor and landless tribal communities in those districts due to construction of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and expansion of a Port in Krishnapatnam.
The mission observed and verified violations of the right to food and livelihood in Midderevu, Ramalingapuram and N. M. Kandiga ST Colony in Nellore (in Tada) and concluded with a set of observations and recommendations to the Andhra Pradesh government.
The mission observed that due to expansion of the port, four villages were facing threats of imminent eviction and altogether 14 villages were exposed to the threats of livelihood losses.
These villages were mainly inhabited by poor landless tribal and traditional fisher folks who had poor assets and no land title. They depended largely on Common Property Resources (CPR) and fishing in back water and sea for survival. The eviction would result into complete destruction of their livelihoods and would expose them to extreme vulnerable conditions.
The state government had proposed a relocation site for four villages far away from the back water and sea which would jeopardise their livelihoods as fisher folks. Moreover, the landless fisher families, who would be victims of marine and back water pollution would not receive any compensation and/or rehabilitation.
The FFM team observed that these poor villagers were largely uninformed about the expansion of the port during the planning and initial phase of allotment of land and no consultation took place at grassroots to enable them to voice their opinions.
It was further observed by the FFM team that despite several petitions of the villagers, the state authorities did not pay any attention to their pleas of restricting further expansion of the port. Villagers also demanded for land and financial assistance from the state to pursue their livelihoods in a better way; but these demands failed to generate any response.
The FFM team concluded that the new port would create very little employment opportunities for the local people as this would be highly mechanized and the activities in the port would result into large-scale pollution of surrounding environments. The dredging done by the authorities for expansion of the port had already destroyed the breeding ground of the fishes in the backwater and the fisher folks were suffering from poor catches.
In brief the FFM team concluded that expansion of port in Krishnapatnam violated the Right to Food (RTF) of hundreds of households in 14 villages by restricting their access to food and food producing resources and by polluting these resources.
On the basis of these observations, the preliminary recommendations of the FFM in Krishnapatnam, Nellore include the following:
* The violation of RTF should be immediately stopped in and around Krishnapatnam port by restricting further expansion of the port
* The rights of these landless tribal and traditional families over CPR should be duly acknowledged and reinstated.
* The victims of violations of rights in the above villages should be adequately compensated and rehabilitated. Rehabilitation should be adequate in economic, social and cultural terms.
* The government should immediately take steps to provide these fisher folks with a separate fishing harbour so as to ensure their food security.
* All development planning in this region should ensure effective participation of the villagers with a focus on participation of marginalized communities like the tribal and Dalit groups.
In Tada the FFM team visited N. M. Kandriga ST Colony village and met the representatives of other affected villages and observed how the rights of the tribal people of 12 villages were undermined and violated due to the construction of SEZ in their locality. The FFM team came to know that the Apache Company, which manufactured shoes for national and international markets, set-up a production unit in this SEZ. The Government provided 450 acres of land to this company in this SEZ and another 2000 acres of land would be gradually handed over to other companies for developing production units in this SEZ.
The team observed that due to the construction of this SEZ and fencing of nearby lands the tribal people from 12 villages had no access to nearby grazing grounds, fields and water bodies, which resulted into chronic hunger and malnutrition. These tribal families were landless and had very poor assets for pursuing a safe and sustainable livelihood. They repeatedly urged the government to provide them with two acres of land per family for cultivation but the government never responded to their demands.
On the contrary vast tracts of lands, surrounding the villages, were given to SEZ by the government, making it impossible for these tribal families to derive their livelihoods from CPR. The tribal families also lost employment as agricultural labourers when the government turned over the agricultural lands to the SEZ. The FFM team further observed that there were very limited employment opportunities for these unskilled tribal people in the newly constructed SEZ.
The FFM team concluded that expansion of SEZ restricted the access of these tribal people to CPR like common land, grazing grounds and nearby water bodies and limited their income opportunities to a great extent. These restrictions resulted into hunger and starvations leading to violations of right to food and livelihood. No tribal family received any compensation/rehabilitation from the state for their sufferings. Furthermore the whole expansion of SEZ was done without any consultation with the local people. In brief these landless tribal families remained invisible in the ‘development’ planning of the state government in this area but they became helpless victims of such development process.
On the basis of these observations, the preliminary recommendations of the fact-finding mission in Tada, Nellore include the following:
1. The violation of right to food of these tribal people should be immediately stopped and the government should allot two acres of land to each tribal family for cultivation with an immediate effect.
2. The rights of these landless families to receive adequate compensation/rehabilitation for the loss of livelihoods should be duly acknowledged and enforced by the state without further delay.
3. The land should be given to landless families on a priority basis and the state should refrain from playing the role of intermediary in the land market between the big companies and the land owners for developing SEZ.
The FFM team is urging the government to rethink the SEZ policy and to incorporate a participatory mechanism of social, economic, cultural and environmental impact assessment process, the outcome of which should be made available in public domain.
Moreover, the FFM team is of opinion that the state should give due emphasis on strengthening the capacity of the poor to pursue livelihoods by providing them with resources, assistance and by facilitating their access to productive resources/environment. The macro economic policy of the state should not jeopardise the livelihoods of millions at micro level.
The FFM is jointly organised by Andhra Pradesh VV Union, Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) and the People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS).
The members of the team include Mr. Ajay Kumar (APVVU, India), Mr. Vince Cinches (PAMALAKAYA, Philippines), Mr. Subramanyam (Human Rights Forum, India), Ms. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk (SDF, Thailand), Ms. Ujjaini Halim (IMSE, West Bengal India), Mr. P. Chennaiah (NAMP, India) and Mr. Gilbert Sape (PAN AP, Malaysia).
References:
APVVU
P. Chennaiah
Secretary- National Coordination
Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union -APVVU
No: 6, S.B.I.Colony
CHITTOOR- 517001 A.P. INDIA
Phone:0091 8572 228592
Fax 0091 8572 230804
email:apvvu98@sancharnet.in
chennaiah_p@hotmail.com
PANAP
Gilbert M. Sape
Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific
P.O. Box 1170, 10850
Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +604-6570271 or +604-6560381
Fax: +604-6583960
E-mail: gsape@pan-international.org
PCFS Secretariat
Ms. Norly Grace Mercado
Secretariat
People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty (PCFS)
P.O. Box 1170, Penang 10850, Malaysia
Tel: 604-6570271 or 604-6560381
Fax: 604-6583960
Website: www.foodsov.org
E-mail: secretariat@foodsov.org
Links
1. Tamil Nadu Women ‘s Forum
Web-site : http://in.geocities.com/tnwforum
2. Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU)
Website : http://www.apvvu.org
3. All Nepal Peasants Federation (ANPFa)
Website: http://www.anpfa.org.np
4. Tenaganita (Women’s Force)
Website: www.tenaganita.net
5. Foundation of Agricultural Development (FAD)
Website : www.fad.org.mn
6. Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR)
Website : www.monlar.org
Web-site : http://in.geocities.com/tnwforum
2. Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU)
Website : http://www.apvvu.org
3. All Nepal Peasants Federation (ANPFa)
Website: http://www.anpfa.org.np
4. Tenaganita (Women’s Force)
Website: www.tenaganita.net
5. Foundation of Agricultural Development (FAD)
Website : www.fad.org.mn
6. Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR)
Website : www.monlar.org
Contact APC Secretariat
Room 23, 2nd Floor, 3J Heights Building
35 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines 1100
E-mail: apc_secretariat@yahoo.com and secretariat.apc@gmail.com
E-groups: apc@yahoogroups.com
Web: http://apcasianpeasantcoalition.blogspot.com/
35 Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines 1100
E-mail: apc_secretariat@yahoo.com and secretariat.apc@gmail.com
E-groups: apc@yahoogroups.com
Web: http://apcasianpeasantcoalition.blogspot.com/
Directory of APC Members
A. Philippines
1. Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)
161-B Chico Street, Project 2, Quezon City
Philippines
Email: kmp@pldtdsl.net (cc to: roda_g04@yahoo.com)
Tel: +63-2-9284184
2. PAMALAKAYA
8-A Mabuhay Street, Barangay Central
Quezon City, Philippines
Tel: +632-4368915
Email: pampil@skyinet.net
3. AMIHAN
80-A Mapang-akit Street
Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel: +632-9223982
E-mail: amihan_psntwn@yahoo.com
4. Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA)
161-B Chico Street, Project 2, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel: +63-2-9284184
E-mail: uma_pilipinas@yahoo.com.ph
5. National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW)
B. Bangladesh
6. Bangladesh Krishok Federation
Ismail Mansion , 9/H
Motijheel C/A, 4th Floor
Dhaka – 1000 Bangladesh
Tel/Fax : + 880- 2 9559356
E-mail : gip@dhaka.net
7. Bangladesh Kishani Sabha
Ismail Mansion , 9/H
Motijheel C/A, 4th Floor
Dhaka – 1000 Bangladesh
Tel/Fax : + 880- 2 9559356
E-mail : gip@dhaka.net
8. Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labour Federation (BAFLF)
2/11, Block-F, Lalmatia
Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Phone: 880-2-8119112
Fax: 880-2-9142032
E-mail: baflf@bdcom.com
9. Bangladesh Agricultural Labour Union (BALU)
47/10 Indira Road (2nd Floor), West Rajabazar
Dhaka – 1215, Bangladesh
Tel : +88-02-8121659
Fax :+ 88-02-9122940
E-mail : shikhahuq111@yahoo.com
Mobile : +88-0171-182059
10. Bangladesh Landless Association or Bangladesh Bremiheen Samily (BBS)
535, Senpaja Perbota
Minpur, Dhaka – 1216 Bangladesh
E-mail: fayezaam@yahoo.com
C. India
11. Tamil Nadu Women ‘s Forum
76/37, G-1, 9th Street, 'Z' Block, Anna Nagar West, Chennai, 600 040
TamilNadu, INDIA
Tel: (91)044-52170702/ 52170703 Fax; (91)044-52170702
E-mail : burnad@md3.vxnl.net.in
Web-site : http://in.geocities.com/tnwforum
12. Indian Federation of Toiling Peasants (IFTOP)
c/o IMSE
195 Jodhpur Park, Kolkatta – 700 068, India
Tel : + 9133-24732740
Fax : + 9233-24725571
E-mail : bimpse@cal.vsnl.net.in
13. Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU)
No: 6, S.B.I.Colony, Chitoor- 517001 A.P. India
Phone:0091 8572 228592
Fax 0091 8572 230804
E-mail: chenyya@sancharnet.in or chennaiah_p@hotmail.com
14. Alliance of Peoples’ Movement
76/37, G1, ‘Z’ Block, 9th St.
Anna Nagar, West Chennaiah, Tamil Nadu, India
Tel/Fax : +91- 4442170702
E-mail : burnad@md3.vxnl.net.in
D. Nepal
15. All Nepal Peasants Federation (ANPFa)
PO Box: 273, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Telephone: +977-1-4288404
Fax: +977-1-4288403
E-mail: anpfa@anpfa.org.np and balram@anpfa.org.np
Website: http://www.anpfa.org.np
16. All Nepal Women Association (ANWA)
Min Bhawan, Kathmandu, Nepal
Post Box No.8337
Tel : 0977-1-2072030
Fax - 0977-1-4499952
Email: anwa@anwa.org.np or anwa@hons.com.np
17. South Asian Peasant Coalition (SAPC)
Secretariat office
c/o ANPFa
Madan Nagar Balkhu, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel/Fax : +977-14288403
E-mail : anpfa@anpfa.org.np
E. Malaysia
18. Tenaganita (Women’s Force)
Penthouse, Wisma MLS
No. 31 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603 2691 3691 / 2697 3671
Fax: +603 2691 3681
Email: tenaganita@yahoo.co.uk / ramvita70@yahoo.com
Website: www.tenaganita.net
F. Indonesia
19. Alliance of Agrarian Reform Movement (AGRA)
Kompleks Budi Asri C-10, Cimahi
Bandung, Indonesia
Tel : +6222-6612087
E-mail : agra_pusat@yahoo.com
G. Mongolia
20. Foundation of Agricultural Development (FAD)
c/o Center for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
P.O. BOX 551
Central Post Office, Ulaanbaatar – 13, Mongolia
Tel/Fax : +976 11 323190 (cc :+976- 11- 325721)
Mobile : 99192857 (c/o Urantsooj Gombosuren)
E-mail : fad@magicnet.mn; margad_12@yahoo.com. (cc:.chrd@mongolnet.mn or
urantsooj@mongol.net.mn)
Website : www.fad.org.mn
H. Sri Lanka
21. Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR)
1151/58 A, 4th Lane, Kotte Road, Rajagiriya, Sri lanka
Telephone:: +94 11 2865534
Fax:: +94 11 4407663
E-mail:: monlar@sltnet.lk or sarafdo@sltnet.lk
Website : www.monlar.org
1. Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)
161-B Chico Street, Project 2, Quezon City
Philippines
Email: kmp@pldtdsl.net (cc to: roda_g04@yahoo.com)
Tel: +63-2-9284184
2. PAMALAKAYA
8-A Mabuhay Street, Barangay Central
Quezon City, Philippines
Tel: +632-4368915
Email: pampil@skyinet.net
3. AMIHAN
80-A Mapang-akit Street
Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel: +632-9223982
E-mail: amihan_psntwn@yahoo.com
4. Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA)
161-B Chico Street, Project 2, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel: +63-2-9284184
E-mail: uma_pilipinas@yahoo.com.ph
5. National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW)
B. Bangladesh
6. Bangladesh Krishok Federation
Ismail Mansion , 9/H
Motijheel C/A, 4th Floor
Dhaka – 1000 Bangladesh
Tel/Fax : + 880- 2 9559356
E-mail : gip@dhaka.net
7. Bangladesh Kishani Sabha
Ismail Mansion , 9/H
Motijheel C/A, 4th Floor
Dhaka – 1000 Bangladesh
Tel/Fax : + 880- 2 9559356
E-mail : gip@dhaka.net
8. Bangladesh Agricultural Farm Labour Federation (BAFLF)
2/11, Block-F, Lalmatia
Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh
Phone: 880-2-8119112
Fax: 880-2-9142032
E-mail: baflf@bdcom.com
9. Bangladesh Agricultural Labour Union (BALU)
47/10 Indira Road (2nd Floor), West Rajabazar
Dhaka – 1215, Bangladesh
Tel : +88-02-8121659
Fax :+ 88-02-9122940
E-mail : shikhahuq111@yahoo.com
Mobile : +88-0171-182059
10. Bangladesh Landless Association or Bangladesh Bremiheen Samily (BBS)
535, Senpaja Perbota
Minpur, Dhaka – 1216 Bangladesh
E-mail: fayezaam@yahoo.com
C. India
11. Tamil Nadu Women ‘s Forum
76/37, G-1, 9th Street, 'Z' Block, Anna Nagar West, Chennai, 600 040
TamilNadu, INDIA
Tel: (91)044-52170702/ 52170703 Fax; (91)044-52170702
E-mail : burnad@md3.vxnl.net.in
Web-site : http://in.geocities.com/tnwforum
12. Indian Federation of Toiling Peasants (IFTOP)
c/o IMSE
195 Jodhpur Park, Kolkatta – 700 068, India
Tel : + 9133-24732740
Fax : + 9233-24725571
E-mail : bimpse@cal.vsnl.net.in
13. Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU)
No: 6, S.B.I.Colony, Chitoor- 517001 A.P. India
Phone:0091 8572 228592
Fax 0091 8572 230804
E-mail: chenyya@sancharnet.in or chennaiah_p@hotmail.com
14. Alliance of Peoples’ Movement
76/37, G1, ‘Z’ Block, 9th St.
Anna Nagar, West Chennaiah, Tamil Nadu, India
Tel/Fax : +91- 4442170702
E-mail : burnad@md3.vxnl.net.in
D. Nepal
15. All Nepal Peasants Federation (ANPFa)
PO Box: 273, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal
Telephone: +977-1-4288404
Fax: +977-1-4288403
E-mail: anpfa@anpfa.org.np and balram@anpfa.org.np
Website: http://www.anpfa.org.np
16. All Nepal Women Association (ANWA)
Min Bhawan, Kathmandu, Nepal
Post Box No.8337
Tel : 0977-1-2072030
Fax - 0977-1-4499952
Email: anwa@anwa.org.np or anwa@hons.com.np
17. South Asian Peasant Coalition (SAPC)
Secretariat office
c/o ANPFa
Madan Nagar Balkhu, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel/Fax : +977-14288403
E-mail : anpfa@anpfa.org.np
E. Malaysia
18. Tenaganita (Women’s Force)
Penthouse, Wisma MLS
No. 31 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +603 2691 3691 / 2697 3671
Fax: +603 2691 3681
Email: tenaganita@yahoo.co.uk / ramvita70@yahoo.com
Website: www.tenaganita.net
F. Indonesia
19. Alliance of Agrarian Reform Movement (AGRA)
Kompleks Budi Asri C-10, Cimahi
Bandung, Indonesia
Tel : +6222-6612087
E-mail : agra_pusat@yahoo.com
G. Mongolia
20. Foundation of Agricultural Development (FAD)
c/o Center for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
P.O. BOX 551
Central Post Office, Ulaanbaatar – 13, Mongolia
Tel/Fax : +976 11 323190 (cc :+976- 11- 325721)
Mobile : 99192857 (c/o Urantsooj Gombosuren)
E-mail : fad@magicnet.mn; margad_12@yahoo.com. (cc:.chrd@mongolnet.mn or
urantsooj@mongol.net.mn)
Website : www.fad.org.mn
H. Sri Lanka
21. Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR)
1151/58 A, 4th Lane, Kotte Road, Rajagiriya, Sri lanka
Telephone:: +94 11 2865534
Fax:: +94 11 4407663
E-mail:: monlar@sltnet.lk or sarafdo@sltnet.lk
Website : www.monlar.org
Ka Lita: A Symbol of Filipino Peasant Women
“I have chosen the road less traveled and hopefully the younger generation can learn from my story. I could have chosen to live an ordinary and simple life of a farmer. Instead I chose a different route – serving the Filipino masses, especially peasants, and lead them to struggle for genuine agrarian reform and freedom”, stated Estrelita “Ka Lita” Mariano, a prominent peasant women leader in the Philippines.
Estrelita “ Ka Lita” Mariano, 48, came from a poor peasant family in Nueva Ecija. Like a normal peasant family, she grew up taking care of her younger brothers and sisters, washing and ironing clothes, cleaning the house, washing the dishes, going to market, weeding and planting in the farm. Name it and she had done it, she lives up to her sector’s way of life.
Poor and landless
“We were not ashamed of being poor”, Ka Lita told us. Like the majority of farmers in the Philippines, our family is landless. Out of every 100 farmers, 21 are agricultural workers, 28 are unpaid family workers, 26 are under some form of tenancy relation and only 25 own land. In short, more than 7 out of 10 farmers do not own the land they till. On the other hand, only a few families are controlling vast tracts of lands. Sixty percent of the agricultural lands are owned by 13 % of the landowners. The biggest landlords, only 9,500 people, own more than 20 % of all agricultural land.
We are bound by feudal and semi-feudal relations of exploitation as tenants of Rafael Rueda, a landlord in our province. We still till the land like our forefathers did. We use simple tools like plow, sickle, harrow, cutlass, and carabaos. Mechanization is limited in our province and in many places in the country almost non-existent. Most farms in the country are very small, only 0.5 – 1.5 hectares on the average.
The eldest of 6 children of a poor farmer, Ka Lita started helping out the two-hectare land tilled by her father during her grade school years. Her father would usually left with only a very small portion of the harvest, the majority ending up with the landlord. Their family incurred a lot of debts making her finished high school even if she wanted to study in college. And as an eldest child in the family, she was destined to help their parents work for their livelihood.
Symbolizes peasant women
Ka Lita was organized and became a founding member of AMIHAN (National Federation of Peasant Women) and was elected as its deputy secretary general in October 1986. Before AMIHAN was formed, there was already an existing militant peasant movement led by KMP (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas - Peasant Movement in the Philippines). AMIHAN saw that a separate peasant women's organization will make peasant women and their particular situation more visible in the broader peasants' movement, national liberation movement, and the women's movement. AMIHAN's overall goal is to work toward the empowerment of peasant women through organization and by collectively advocating for alternative development policies and strategies that will respond to their particular situation as peasants and as women.
Currently, AMIHAN has 32 provincial chapters spread across the 3 major islands of the country, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It was named AMIHAN, after the gentle southeastern wind that comes during harvest season, symbolizing the character of peasant women, gentle yet tough, tender yet tenacious.
Ka Lita can be described as AMIHAN, who can also be the powerful wind that comes with a storm, like any other peasant women: strong and capable of destroying societal structures that breeds oppression. The AMIHAN also fights for genuine agrarian reform and is now campaigning for the passage of the ‘Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill’ or House Bill 3059 at the House of Representatives.
Simple leader
When Ka Lita stays in the office of AMGL or Alliance of Farmers in Central Luzon (an affiliate of KMP), it never gets messy. Even if she has just arrived from a schedule outside their office and sees dirty plates in the kitchen she would wash them though she was not the one who used it. You can see her sweeping the floor and cleaning the comfort rooms whenever she is in their office.
Moreover, she makes sure all leaders and staff living in the office will eat cheap yet healthy food because she will always volunteer to cook. One of her favorite dish is ‘pinakbet’ (an Ilocano dish of mixed vegetables cooked in a fish sauce).
Their simple way of life has been instilled to their three children – Aljin, Mendiola and Danjun -- as well. Her husband is the famous Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano (KMP National Chairperson and former Representative of the Anakpawis partylist during the 13th Philippine Congress). Very few had known that Ka Lita and Ka Paeng were childhood sweetheart and got married in May 17, 1981.
Ka Lita admitted that Ka Paeng contributed a lot in her ‘political development’. When she was not yet organized, she is irritated of what Ka Paeng is doing especially when he became a fulltime peasant leader of KMP in 1985. Once Ka Paeng arrived from a meeting or any event related to his work, he will always start to share where he came from, what he do, what he learned from and keep on telling her why he is doing this historic mission. She will encourage Ka Lita to join KMP activities from discussion groups to rallies. These experiences opened her eyes to the plight of the “exploited and oppressed” peasantry and she became deeply involved in the peasant struggle. And eventually, led her to what she is now.
From 1992 to 1997 she was designated as the secretary general of AMIHAN. She helped in the formation of the AMIHAN chapter in Central Luzon and was elected as its Chairperson while she was assigned to organized peasant women in Pampanga. As a peasant women leader in Central Luzon, she led the peasant women in its struggle for land and livelihoods. Concretely, they were successful to get 2 hectares (out of the 12 hectares won by AMGL against a landlord) and make it as a communal farm directly managed by the local peasant organization called Samahan ng Magsasakang Nagkakaisa.
As a leader of the AMGL, they led to victory the strike of agricultural workers in December 2004 at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, a more than 6,000 hectare sugar plantation owned by the family of Former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. The AMGL and AMIHAN led struggles against land-grabbing, high rent, low wages, usury, high production costs, agrochemical use, and destructive mining and dam projects in Central Luzon. From 2006 to present, she is the secretary general of AMGL and at the same time sit as a member of KMP and AMIHAN National Council.
Ka Lita is a cheerful person yet very committed with her work. She can even joke about the military’s harassment she’s been experiencing with. She said that she never imagines the military will be ‘interested’ to her. She only realized this in 2006, when the Macapagal-Arroyo government launched the Oplan Bantay Laya II (OBL II) or ‘Operation Freedom Watch, and declared a virtual “all-out war” against the communist movement and ordered annihilated within two years. From then on political killings and persecution against progressive organizations, especially peasants, in Central Luzon heightened—she was not despair. She can no longer visit her own province because the military-death squad perpetrators’ is chasing her especially during General Jovito Palparan’s stint in Central Luzon. But despite this, she is still doing her work as a peasant women leader.
As a new grandmother to Chezka, a 10-month old granddaughter to her only daughter, Mendiola (named after the infamous Mendiola Massacre in 1987), she never missed any schedule even if she had to bring her granddaughter. She had to do this to support her daughter who is finishing her last semester in college while doing a job at an NGO, serving the peasants.
Ka Lita ended by saying that, “I have chosen the road less traveled and hopefully the younger generation can learn from my story. I could have chosen to live an ordinary and simple life of a farmer. Instead I chose a different route – serving the Filipino masses, especially peasants, and lead them to struggle for genuine agrarian reform and freedom.” ###
References
1. Interview with Estrelita Mariano (February 2008), hand notes.
2. KMP Press releases (2006, 2007, and 2008).
3. AMIHAN brochure (2005)
4. AMGL brochure (2005)
5. KMP, “Peasant Situation” (October 2007)
Estrelita “ Ka Lita” Mariano, 48, came from a poor peasant family in Nueva Ecija. Like a normal peasant family, she grew up taking care of her younger brothers and sisters, washing and ironing clothes, cleaning the house, washing the dishes, going to market, weeding and planting in the farm. Name it and she had done it, she lives up to her sector’s way of life.
Poor and landless
“We were not ashamed of being poor”, Ka Lita told us. Like the majority of farmers in the Philippines, our family is landless. Out of every 100 farmers, 21 are agricultural workers, 28 are unpaid family workers, 26 are under some form of tenancy relation and only 25 own land. In short, more than 7 out of 10 farmers do not own the land they till. On the other hand, only a few families are controlling vast tracts of lands. Sixty percent of the agricultural lands are owned by 13 % of the landowners. The biggest landlords, only 9,500 people, own more than 20 % of all agricultural land.
We are bound by feudal and semi-feudal relations of exploitation as tenants of Rafael Rueda, a landlord in our province. We still till the land like our forefathers did. We use simple tools like plow, sickle, harrow, cutlass, and carabaos. Mechanization is limited in our province and in many places in the country almost non-existent. Most farms in the country are very small, only 0.5 – 1.5 hectares on the average.
The eldest of 6 children of a poor farmer, Ka Lita started helping out the two-hectare land tilled by her father during her grade school years. Her father would usually left with only a very small portion of the harvest, the majority ending up with the landlord. Their family incurred a lot of debts making her finished high school even if she wanted to study in college. And as an eldest child in the family, she was destined to help their parents work for their livelihood.
Symbolizes peasant women
Ka Lita was organized and became a founding member of AMIHAN (National Federation of Peasant Women) and was elected as its deputy secretary general in October 1986. Before AMIHAN was formed, there was already an existing militant peasant movement led by KMP (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas - Peasant Movement in the Philippines). AMIHAN saw that a separate peasant women's organization will make peasant women and their particular situation more visible in the broader peasants' movement, national liberation movement, and the women's movement. AMIHAN's overall goal is to work toward the empowerment of peasant women through organization and by collectively advocating for alternative development policies and strategies that will respond to their particular situation as peasants and as women.
Currently, AMIHAN has 32 provincial chapters spread across the 3 major islands of the country, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It was named AMIHAN, after the gentle southeastern wind that comes during harvest season, symbolizing the character of peasant women, gentle yet tough, tender yet tenacious.
Ka Lita can be described as AMIHAN, who can also be the powerful wind that comes with a storm, like any other peasant women: strong and capable of destroying societal structures that breeds oppression. The AMIHAN also fights for genuine agrarian reform and is now campaigning for the passage of the ‘Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill’ or House Bill 3059 at the House of Representatives.
Simple leader
When Ka Lita stays in the office of AMGL or Alliance of Farmers in Central Luzon (an affiliate of KMP), it never gets messy. Even if she has just arrived from a schedule outside their office and sees dirty plates in the kitchen she would wash them though she was not the one who used it. You can see her sweeping the floor and cleaning the comfort rooms whenever she is in their office.
Moreover, she makes sure all leaders and staff living in the office will eat cheap yet healthy food because she will always volunteer to cook. One of her favorite dish is ‘pinakbet’ (an Ilocano dish of mixed vegetables cooked in a fish sauce).
Their simple way of life has been instilled to their three children – Aljin, Mendiola and Danjun -- as well. Her husband is the famous Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano (KMP National Chairperson and former Representative of the Anakpawis partylist during the 13th Philippine Congress). Very few had known that Ka Lita and Ka Paeng were childhood sweetheart and got married in May 17, 1981.
Ka Lita admitted that Ka Paeng contributed a lot in her ‘political development’. When she was not yet organized, she is irritated of what Ka Paeng is doing especially when he became a fulltime peasant leader of KMP in 1985. Once Ka Paeng arrived from a meeting or any event related to his work, he will always start to share where he came from, what he do, what he learned from and keep on telling her why he is doing this historic mission. She will encourage Ka Lita to join KMP activities from discussion groups to rallies. These experiences opened her eyes to the plight of the “exploited and oppressed” peasantry and she became deeply involved in the peasant struggle. And eventually, led her to what she is now.
From 1992 to 1997 she was designated as the secretary general of AMIHAN. She helped in the formation of the AMIHAN chapter in Central Luzon and was elected as its Chairperson while she was assigned to organized peasant women in Pampanga. As a peasant women leader in Central Luzon, she led the peasant women in its struggle for land and livelihoods. Concretely, they were successful to get 2 hectares (out of the 12 hectares won by AMGL against a landlord) and make it as a communal farm directly managed by the local peasant organization called Samahan ng Magsasakang Nagkakaisa.
As a leader of the AMGL, they led to victory the strike of agricultural workers in December 2004 at Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, a more than 6,000 hectare sugar plantation owned by the family of Former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. The AMGL and AMIHAN led struggles against land-grabbing, high rent, low wages, usury, high production costs, agrochemical use, and destructive mining and dam projects in Central Luzon. From 2006 to present, she is the secretary general of AMGL and at the same time sit as a member of KMP and AMIHAN National Council.
Ka Lita is a cheerful person yet very committed with her work. She can even joke about the military’s harassment she’s been experiencing with. She said that she never imagines the military will be ‘interested’ to her. She only realized this in 2006, when the Macapagal-Arroyo government launched the Oplan Bantay Laya II (OBL II) or ‘Operation Freedom Watch, and declared a virtual “all-out war” against the communist movement and ordered annihilated within two years. From then on political killings and persecution against progressive organizations, especially peasants, in Central Luzon heightened—she was not despair. She can no longer visit her own province because the military-death squad perpetrators’ is chasing her especially during General Jovito Palparan’s stint in Central Luzon. But despite this, she is still doing her work as a peasant women leader.
As a new grandmother to Chezka, a 10-month old granddaughter to her only daughter, Mendiola (named after the infamous Mendiola Massacre in 1987), she never missed any schedule even if she had to bring her granddaughter. She had to do this to support her daughter who is finishing her last semester in college while doing a job at an NGO, serving the peasants.
Ka Lita ended by saying that, “I have chosen the road less traveled and hopefully the younger generation can learn from my story. I could have chosen to live an ordinary and simple life of a farmer. Instead I chose a different route – serving the Filipino masses, especially peasants, and lead them to struggle for genuine agrarian reform and freedom.” ###
References
1. Interview with Estrelita Mariano (February 2008), hand notes.
2. KMP Press releases (2006, 2007, and 2008).
3. AMIHAN brochure (2005)
4. AMGL brochure (2005)
5. KMP, “Peasant Situation” (October 2007)
BKF Leader Released
The Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) welcomes the release of HARUN BHANDARI, a leader of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF) freed from Jail today (March 17, 2008). Mr. Harun Bhandari is a very efficient leader of BKF and also President of Barisal District Committee.
Three months ago, Harun Bhandari led landless peasants and occupied Rasulpur Char close to
We condemned the Bangladeshi local government who fabricated cases against Bhandari and other BKF leaders. The BKF leaders were merely seeking government help to landless peasants who were also victims of cyclone.
We congratulate the BKF and BKS for their persistent effort to release their colleagues even if they will have to face the false charges against them in court. The peasant struggle for land and genuine freedom endures lots of sacrifices. Long live the genuine peasant movement in
APC Executive Committee
Biplab Halim
Chairperson (
Erpan Faryadi
Vice-chairperson for Internal Affairs (
Irene Fernandez
Vice-chairperson for External Affairs (
Danilo Ramos
Secretary General (
P. Chennaiah
Deputy Secretary General (
Treasurer (
Internal Auditor (
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