Friday, April 30, 2010

An untold story of a human rights activist (Maoist : Am I a sympathiser or Supporter) by Gladson Dungdung)

I appeared in the public life through my human rights works, writings and speeches. However, I reached to the larger audience when I had got a chance to appear in CNN-IBN and NDTV-24x7 debates on the issue of Naxalism last year. After these debates, I got immense positive and negative responses from across the country. I was upset for sometime precisely because the most negative responses I got from those youth, who are running behind the market forces unknowingly. They ruthlessly questioned me whether I get money from Pakistan, Nepal or China for speaking against the Indian State. I responded few of them with the detail explanation but many believe on P Chidambaram's theory of this side or that side therefore they are not ready to accept my rational arguments.

Meanwhile, I continued my work of raising the genuine issues of the marginalized people of India. Amidst, the so-called operation green hunt (OGH) was also launched in the state of Jharkhand in the name of cleansing the Maoists. I passionately attempted to bring out the truth of the OGH, intention of the state behind the OGH and sufferings of the villagers caused by the OGH. As a result, so-called educated people intensified more personal attacks against me. There are also some e-groups where they attempted to coin me as a Maoists sympathizer and supporter. Finally, they have portrayed me as a Maoist Ideologue. I just laugh, laugh and laugh. Precisely, because how can a person suddenly become the Maoist ideologue without having a depth study on Maoism? I have never read about the Maoism.

I deliberately do not read about any ideology because I know that Maoists teach the Adivasis about Maoism, Gandhians preach them about Gandhism and Marxists ask them to walk on Marxism but no one bothers about the Adivasism, which is the best is among these, which perhaps leads to a just and equitable society. I have been raising the questions about how the Indian State has deliberately destroyed the Adivasism. The Adivasi religion was not recognized by the Indian constitution, traditional self-governance was neglected, culture was destroyed, lands were grabbed and our resources were snatched in the name of development. But what do we get out of it? Should we still keep quiet? Are we not the citizens of this country who need to be treated equally? Do they care about our sufferings?

I am one of those unfortunate persons, who have lost everything for the so-called development of the nation and struggling for survival even today. When I was just one year old, my family was displaced. Our 20 acres of fertile land was taken away from us in the name of development. Our ancestral land was submerged in a Dam, which came up at Chinda River near Simdega town in 1980. We lost our house, agricultural land and garden but we were paid merely Rs.11 thousand as compensation. When the whole villagers protested against it they were sent to Hazaribagh Jail. Can a family of 6 members ensure food, clothing, shelter, education and health facilities for whole life with Rs.11 thousand?

After displacement, We had no choice rather than proceeding towards the dense forest for ensuring our livelihood. We settled down in the forest after buying a small patch of land. We used to collect flowers, fruits and firewood to sustain our family. We also had sufficient livestock, which supported our economy. Needless to say that the state suppression continued with us. When we were living in the forest, my father was booked under many cases filed by the forest department (the biggest landlord of the country) alleging him as an encroacher and woodcutter. There was no school building in our village therefore we used to study under the trees and when there was rain our school was closed. But my father taught us to always fight for justice. Though he was struggling to sustain our family but he never stopped his fight for the community.

Unfortunately, on 20 June 1990, my parents were brutally murdered while they were going to Simdega civil court to attend a case and 4 kids were orphaned. Can anyone imagine how we suffered afterwards? The worst thing is the culprits were not brought to justice. Can anyone tell us that why the India State did not deliver justice to us, who snatched our resource in the name of development? Why there is no electricity in my village even today? Why my people do not get water for their field whose lands were taken for the irrigation projects? Why there is no electricity in those houses, who have given their land for the power project? And why people are still living in small mud houses whose lands were taken for the steel plants? It seems that the Adivasis are only born to suffer and other to enjoy over our graves.

After a long struggle, we all got back to life but my pain and sufferings did not end here. When I was working as a state programme officer in a project funded by the European Commission, a senior government officer and an editor of a newspaper (both from the upper caste) questioned my credentials saying that being an Adivasi how did I get into such a prestigious position? Similarly, when my friend had taken me to meet a newly wedded couple of the upper caste in Ranchi, I was not allowed to meet them saying that being an Adivasi if I meet the couple, they might become unauspicious and their whole life would be in a stake. Was I a devil for them?

However, when I joined another farm, I was totally undermined and not given the position, which I highly deserved to. I was racially discriminated, economically exploited and mentally disturbed. Can anyone tell me that why I should not fight for justice? Can those so-called supporters of the unjust development process, who have not given even one inch of land for the so-called national interest, coin me as the Maoist ideologue, sympathizer and supporter respond me that why I should shut up my mouth and stop writing against injustice, inequality and discrimination?

I have lost everything in the name of development and now I have nothing to lose therefore I�m determined to fight for my own people because I do not want them to be trapped in the name of development. I have taken the democratic path of struggle, which the India Constitution guarantees through the Article 19. A pen, mouth and mind are my weapons. I�m neither a Maoist nor a Gandhian but I�m an Adivasi who is determined to fight for its own people, whom the Indian State has alienated, displaced and dispossessed from their resources and continually doing it in the name of development, national security and national interest even today.

Article by:
Gladson Dungdung

2 comments:

  1. Mr. Gladson,

    I understand your point. I personally do not feel that you deserve to be called a Maoist Sympathiser, but a person who does not condemn Maoist actions of violence definitely deserve to be branded one. Most of the so called "human rights activists" are the first people to jump onto TV screens and condemn the state for any casualties of OGH, but when 76 of our CRPF personnel were massacred, I did not see those specific people show any sort of enthusiasm in condemning the Maosists.

    This sort of selective "human rights" activism does not go unnoticed by the public. It enrages us. Probably people have grown frustrated by this very common observation in recent times and started universally "accepting" all human rights activists as Maoist Sympathisers.

    I mean, you spent a whole page writing about how you were orphaned & suffered, but did you ever write about the families of the dead CRPF personnel and how their kids are suffering today due to Maoists? Killing is wrong, whether done by state or Maoists. If you really are not a biased Maoist Sympathiser, then stop whining and prove us wrong by giving both sides of the story equal weight in future blogs/articles.

    By the way, activists should write less and do more. About the caste system, do not expect it to go away while Dalits proudly expect "reservations" in the name of their caste while hypocritically crying foul when the same caste-affiliation is used anywhere else. Take the first step and just do away with caste-based reservations and work on merit. The next generation won't have a trace of caste system left to be brainwashed into.

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  2. Mr. Rahul yes indeed the writter attempted to tell his own story. But its a reality through which we can understand the problem of red corridore Zone. They are Passing though huge ailment. Have You been ever displaced? Have you been ever torchered by police? Have u been ever used worselly by this system? IF you have been...you better understand. First of go through the constitution...i am sure you will find this a great example of uopia. If you talk abt electoral system count how many common people are in any political parties. probably you must be aware how politcal parties had crushed the issues of inflation. you can watch easly horse- tradding...We have deep sorrow of those CRPF Personal who have been killed in naxal attack. But OGH is in not right situation.

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