Confessions of a recovering environmentalist

Click here to read this interesting essay by Paul Kingsnorth.

GOAMAP condemns Independence day police action on activists

Goa Federation of Mines Affected People (GOAMAP) strongly condemns police action on various activists in Goa on Indian Independence Day celebration 15 August 2010.

In a two stupid repressive police actions Goa government infringed upon Fundamental Rights of Freedom of Speech and Expression guaranteed under the constitution of India.

In Pernem taluka three villagers- Hanumant Laxman Moskar, Sandeep Madan Kambli and Digambar Tulaskar - attached to Mopa Vimantal Pidit Shetkari Samittee were served with criminal notice under section 149 of CrPC to prevent them from sitting on dharna at KTC bus stand, Panjim and at Hutatma Smarak Patradevi against the acquisition of land for the proposed Mopa Airport on Independence day.

In Salcete taluka Anthony D’silva was taken into police custody on 15th August 2010 morning while he was sitting peacefully near the Collector’s office, Margao with public awareness message about dangers of plastic, thermacol and rubber tire waste.

In both these cases Goa government has attempted to criminalize the activism in Goa. GOAMAP demands strict actions against those police officers responsible for this in both the cases.

Citizens need to fight for rights?

One thought that Fundamental Rights were guaranteed to all citizens of India, including Goa. They can be subject to ‘reasonable restrictions’, but this can only be done by due process as provided in law. Otherwise, Fundamental Rights are absolute. Or are they? Article 19 of the Constitution of India provides that: “All citizens shall have the right: (a) to freedom of speech and expression, (b) to assemble peaceably and without arms , (c) to form associations or unions But, it seems, the Goa Police and government are unaware of this. On Independence Day, one Anthony D’Silva, who describes himself as a ‘social activist’, was prevented from delivering a meaningful message about the plastic menace near the District Collectorate at Margao. D’Silva was peacefully sitting, all alone, near the Collectorate with placards bearing quaint rhyming messages in Konkani and English that he intended for Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and PWD Minister Churchill Alemao to read. He was not armed. Being only a single person, he wasn’t even creating an unlawful assembly. He wasn’t even protesting, even though he had the right to do that. He was not blocking traffic in any way and he certainly wasn’t creating any nuisance. Yet, police came and threatened to take action against him if he did not immediately move out from the spot. When he informed the Police that he was within his rights to do what he was doing, they picked him up and took him to the Police Station. There, he was detained till the entire flag hoisting function was over. Apart from the fact that the CM and the PWD Minister missed seeing D’Silva’s placards on the plastic menace, he also missed joining the Independence Day flag hoisting function. Were the placards in any way objectionable? Was his action in any way in violation of the law? Was there any reason for the police to detain D’Silva at the police station? What D’Silva is most cut up about is that by detaining him at the Police Station, the cops violated his right to participate in the unfurling of the National Flag at the Independence Day function. What use are Fundamental Rights if the Police do not respect them? Under no circumstances should the Police be allowed to ride roughshod like this. Are we living in a dictatorship?

Editorial in Herald, 18 August 2010, Panjim

Pictures from Margao Independence day protest

Anthony D'silva from Ambelim today staged a dramatic protest near the collector's office, Margao just minutes before official flag hosting program was to commence. Collector then re-defined Indian independence and ordered police to whisk away Anthony D'Silva to the Margao police station. Anthony wore boiler suit, hung plastic bottles around his neck and held try colour Indian flag in his hand. He also carried a banner with message to Goa sate Chief minister Digambar Kamat to pay attention to problems of Garbage in Goa. Anthony was detained at Margao police station without booking him under any section of the criminal law. Then the protesters from Goenchea Xetkarancho Ekvot who were also protesting at the venue marched to the Margao police station and secured Anthony D'silva's release from the police custody.

Group of freedom fighters like Gurunath Kelekar also took part in the protest.

This posting contains some pictures of the yet another historical day in the life Goa and its common people.

Pictures by Sidharth Karapurkar

Anthony D'Silva taken in police custody at independence day protest

Today morning at around 8.45 am Anthony D'Silva was taken in police custody in Margao when he staged protest to highlight plastic garbage in Goa. Anthony dressed in boiler suit costumes with plastic empty bottles tied all over his body got into the venue of flag hosting site on Independence site. South Goa collector called in police force and ordered Anthony be detained at police station till the official independence day function gets over at around 11.00 am.

In addition there are around 30 people associated with Goenchea Xetkarancho Ekvott (GXE) affected with real estate, mining, tourism that are protesting with banners and placards at the distance of 100 meters from the official independence day function. so far they are not arrested.

Independence day function is marked to observe the change of flags on 15 August 1947 wherein officially British rule in India came to an end. Goa however was under Portuguese rule that continued till December 1961 under the patronage of the caste and class elites engaged in mining business.

However though British colonial rule formally ended colonial structure of exploitation remained intact. There are several laws dealing with land acquisition, Penal code, etc continued in free India making Independence only relative category.

More details are awaited.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Is demand for State Human Rights Commission will solve mining created problems in Goa?

Few days back Dr. Nandkumar Kamat from department of Botany at Goa University made a poignant suggestion to begin solving of woes of Goa’s mining affected region in one of his mails to goanet mailing list. He pondered whether mining generated problems can be interpreted as Human Rights issue. If yes then why then cannot be addressed as such. Further he said that it is important that there lobbying work must begin to set up State Human Rights commission as a first step towards finding legal way out of the imbroglio. This is a very interesting interjection in the ongoing discourse on mining in Goa. This article is an attempt to explore this further.

In mining generated hardships to people in Goa a human rights issue?

To reply to this would be: Mining generated hardships in Goa is also human rights issue but in no way only human rights issue. It is directly human rights issue in a sense that there are over 50 instances of police repression on people resisting mining wrath in various parts of Goa. Some of the cases have also been referred to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) by people in mining belt of Goa. The rest of the aspects relating to water, air, traffic, forest, land, fisheries very tricky to interpretation as Human Rights issue simply because these are grey areas still being debated in various case laws. The large focus is still on the first generation of Human Rights. We in India have still a long way before dust settles down to recognize second and third generation Human Rights. Surely it would as the jurisprudence finds itself robustly grounded in near future.

It is not the only human rights issue largely because there is large number of government agencies – central as well as state agencies involved in the perpetuation of mining industry in Goa in the manner it is proceeding currently. Also lager number of dimension involved besides Human rights. There is an important dimension of security of country at risk with continues depletion of minerals due to exports. The country in near future will be left with very little mineral if every reserve is exploited for exports. There is sober silence on this aspect from intellectuals in Goa. Why? There is also dimension of conservation of minerals for domestic use in future. Our current rage of exploitation is reckless. We are in a mighty hurry to fill up coffers of British Vedanta (that owns Dempo mining company in Goa and Sesa Goa mining company in India) and rest of the brutish mining companies in Goa, build up economy of Japan (as we done it since 1948 after it was reduced to ashes after Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombings by USA in 1945), and massive fuelling of economic growth of China. Our intellectuals in the centers of higher learning are yet to apply their minds to this aspect. They are yet calculate what is the cost of ore that we exported over the past 60 years, to which countries, which companies exported how much, how much companies profited, how much foreign exchange Indian government earned? How much Goa government earned as revenue since its liberation? How much colonial Portuguese colonial government benefited from mining industry so as to continue retaining Goa as its colony till 1961? What was role of mining companies in colonial state? What is the role of mining companies in governance of the state of Goa since 1961 till date?

It is not the only Human Rights issue also because almost every major aspect of Goa’s life influenced by mining industry. We hardly have proper audit done in this regard. We only have propaganda of the mining companies that reinforces hegemonic dominance of mining industry over Goa. As a result our minds are constantly filled with negative entropy. Our intellectuals in the centres of learning instead of countering this have involved in furthering this proliferation of confusion to the infinity. One of them Dr. Nandkumar Kamat has been circulating extracts of mining companies welfare work besides flamboyant sarcasm in prose as well as poetry full of innuendos on people involved in resisting mining industry (without naming them) as well as praises to politician from mining company. Another one Dr. A.G.Chachadi from department of Earth Sciences, Goa University in his reply to PIL at Bombay High Court at Panaji has heaped nasty sarcasm on people of Sirgao who has been active in their struggle for survival from mining industry. He carried on number of studies for mining industries and details ware furnished by Goa University in rely to RTI. Third one Dr. Untawale , former director of National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula publicly scolded Villager from Pissurlem who demanded that mining companies supply water to their paddy fields. This was on 1^st April 2001 at Old Goa Panchayat Hall, Tiswadi. Later on he went to sign the report that in Panchwadi there are no mangroves even though it is densely mangrove populated. He did this in order to back up Sesa Goa’s plans to build exclusive road for mining through Panchwadi. This way scientist has been playing the role of traitors to the people of Goa recently. So mining hardships are faced by people of Goa are not only Human Rights issue it is more importantly issue of unethical practices by Intellectuals that includes scientists such as the above named.

Mining is also the issue of serious crimes committed by the economically powerful people in mining industry. It is also the issue of governance: how tiny minority has totally hijacked governance of State of Goa for its vested interests. It is also the issue of how certain projects are allocated in certain areas and others are rejected. For example why mining lobby did not like Konkan railway to go through hinterlands, why did not want Nylon 6,6 in Keri, Ponda; its all because it would have disrupted prospects of mining in these areas. That’s how you have mining companies’ eyes set on land in Keri, Ponda that is rich in iron ore. Mining is also the issue of power relations between communities. It is tug of war between money economy and natural economy. It is tussle between mining companies and Goa’s tribal people as their land is directly under threat and State government has bothered to demarcate tribal areas as constitutional requirement after the tribal communities were declared as Scheduled Tribes (Gawdas, Kunbis and Velips). It is struggle of survival for them as mining companies has been chocking any efforts to implement Forest Rights Act 2006 providing distribution of legal titles over lands to tribal people and forest dwellers. It is either political immaturity or outright co-option by mining companies that is preventing our scientists in Goa to articulate the way they are doing at present. It more likely that these scientists are on the pay roll of mining companies then any other reasons.

It would be tremendously amiss if one has to ignore the dimension of cumulative effect of mining in Goa. It is very important to asses over all effect of mining on the small state of Goa. Mining is just not the issue of people in the mining belt. People in the mining belt are the only first line of defense of the planet earth. They are not just struggling for their rights. They are struggling for the welfare of entire state of Goa who depends on water from the mining belt. They are struggling to maintain well being of every visitor to Goa so that she can breathe its air afresh without any kind of dust in their lungs. They are struggling for the rights of their children still tiny tots in nurseries, schools and wandering in nature. They are struggling to pass on their inheritance of the planet in all its bounty to the generations yet to be born. They are struggling to maintain and propagate the life style that needs negligible amount of metals and hence need for mining. They have an example of how to life that is one with nature and would never need machinery from Volvo, Hitachi and Tata-Hitachi to reap the planet apart. They are fighting not to get the scrums from the State of mining companies. They are struggling to build their power. They are struggling to build a new society that is already born and kicking with power its own formation. That’s what currently giving sleepless nights to the mining companies. They are enacting their planetary will in motion. They are not dependent upon scientists like those named in this article. They are full of compassion and will simply forgive these erring scientists as mischievous toddlers who are yet to learn how to walk some distance of quality life. I can say this confidence simply because after over instances of violent police repression on them they have never retaliated with violence. They simply went ahead with their life as usual, their struggle as usual. They have been distracted in their struggle. They have hundreds of years of experience of life and they have not lost their memory. It is continues motion of life in transition for centuries together.

Mining companies are unwarranted intruders in Goa who will meet their destined fate in the times to come.

About campaigning for State Human Rights Commission

I have been raising this issue on number of occasion in number of platforms. I did get some interesting revelations as to why it is not set up by the Goa Government. Once I raised this with officials from National Human Rights Commission at the one of the consultations organized in Bangalore in 2007 by MCRG, Kolkata. I was publicly replied that it is not set up in Goa because Goa government did not want it. I believed it was true because Ravi Naik had publicly declared this when he was Chief Minister. The one expert on law told me that this is not set up in Goa because there are no retired High Court Chief justice from Goa except one who would be its statutory chairperson. And if he rejects then it would render it non-functional. I support this demand but it is not the only forum where mining would be relegated for the redress of the problems. Problems have to be redress principally by those who has created them: mining companies, state government and global consuming classes. State Human Rights Commission if at all set up cannot become Jantar Mantar of mining affected people of Goa. For if this happens then it would be setting the unhealthy precedent of ghettoization and only mining companies stand to benefit from this. Mining issues will continue to resound its echoes in most unlikely forums and most unlike times as this is the current trend.

Central government (MOEF) already set up the round table on mining issues in Goa consisting of Mining Affected People, Mining companies and the officials from Goa government. It has also set up Western Ghats expert panel and Dr.Nandkumar Kamat is one the members of the same. It is important that these existing forums must be utilized to the fullest to solve the problems of mining in Goa rather than going for new forums. However it is important for Dr.Nandkumar Kamat to keep the interest of ecology as a priority over mining of Western Ghats. Dr.Kamat is responsible panel member who is to supervise brainstorming session on “How to manage mining projects so as to minimize ecological damage, and possibly generate positive outcomes”. This session is to take place at CES, IISc, Bangalore as per the minutes of the second meeting of the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel held on 7^th May 2010 at 10 am at BSI Coimbatore and chaired by Prof. Madhav Gadgil. Dr.Nandkumar Mukund Kamat as well Dr.Ligia Noronha both the members from Goa are recorded as absent for this meeting in the minutes.

I am not sure if Dr. Kamat continues on this panel. If he continues then he should severe his ties with mining companies immediately or it would be interpreted that he is representing interests of the mining companies the way he has been conducting himself over the past few weeks on Goanet. My good wishes are with Dr.Nandkumar Kamat whom I admired during my university days for his studious habit (he is one of the few faculties in Goa University that visit library very frequently), interdisciplinary approach (I publicly admired in his presence during one of the local history seminars), his ferocious argumentative style, for his public interest of causes in various fields, for his relentless writings, and for his courage in the face of daring foe. I hope and wish that Dr.Nandakumar Kamat that I knew in my university days comes out unscathed in the face of alluring mining industry. That would be the first step in solidarity with mines affected people of Goa. Demand for State Human Rights Commission comes subsequent to this.

Sebastian Rodrigues

Goa Sudharop special recognition award to Sebastian Rodrigues

California based organization of NRIs of Goa origin has bestowed the special recognition award to Sebastian Rodrigues. Here is the text of citation:

GOA SUDHAROP ANNUAL AWARDS
Thursday, 14 January 2010, Hotel Mandovi, Panjim, Goa

GOA SUDHAROP
Special Recognition Award to
Mr. Sebastian Rodrigues
for his consistent work in awareness
of the environmental issues through
meticulous blogging and
organising the solidarity of the
mining affected villagers in Goa.

GOA SUDHAROP
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INC., U.S.A.
(A Goan Diaspora Volunteer Organization)
www.goasudharop.org

Citation is accompanied by cheque of Rs.5000/- (Five thousand only)

Sebastian Rodrigues dedicates this award to late Dr.Bikram Dasgupta who served Goa with total commitment and dedication for 20 years without being recognized by society in Goa.

Transformation of Goa and Options before Youth

At the onset let me underline that there is no homogeneous category of youth. The mere certain age group does not form a uniform group particularly when there exists sharp economic inequalities. There are well known categorizations based on ethnicity, caste, migration, occupation, education, economics etc. Very often these categories remains unfocused and it gets presumed that Youth as homogeneous category. This is no different in Goa. The most important category of difference is class and from this difference emerges the direction of activism.

Tourism and transformation of Goa

The kind of transformation Goa is witnessing is as leisure destination designed to for purchase by super rich of India and the World. The huge handing over of lands tilled by the local people for tourism purposes had provided unexpected knocks. Villages are forcefully evicted and parceled out for super rich pleasures. Segregated lifestyles are publicly displayed. Coercion is introduced to uproot people from their lands. Private goons are deployed to instill fear in the local people so that they do not protest the violent takeover of their lands. Ministers in the government of India, cricket Stars, Lawn tennis stars, black marketers all are in the bee line to get 93 square meters of piece of Goas’ land by the view of Arabian Sea. And they are willing to shed India shining bucks; Minimum investment is One and half crore and maximum sky above their head is the limit. The lands that are targeted are mostly of tribal People. Nauxi and Bambolim in Tiswadi taluka are the cases in focus. One such project is Aldeia de Goa. This is a conquest of 140 acres of Goa's coastal land now under the process of converting into residential cum super luxury starred holiday venue. The two villages are converted into ‘camps’. Local people are systematically forced to vacate their residences while large number of People from various parts of India is brought in to work as casual laborers and as members of the private securities.

Increasingly tense communities

This has created tense situation. Everyday there are fights and they are reaching to dangerous levels gradually. State government has sold itself and its people to super rich of the world. Judiciary, Bureaucracy, Police, Politicians have all been purchased and they speak and act according to their masters’ voice. Police intervene to defend the projects of the super rich; so when the local people go to Police station to complain about threats to their life and livelihood they are being arbitrarily arrested and put inside the lock up. Peoples’ dwelling houses are planned to be demolished, papers of their consent are manufactured by forcing people to sign documents in the night under force i.e. duress. Huge cash is used as enticements for those showing signs of resistance to the corporate interests. Bull dozers are moved in and so the excavators. Thousands of years of Heritage are finished off in an hour’s time by flattening the green hills to suit the ugly corporate tastes. Fresh water ponds are buried, wells are fenced off, new roads are built to create beach access and to circumvent Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) laws. Plans are faked, in the industry manufactured plans existing houses are erased from the maps and so the titles of the locals. Local people who are fishermen are supposed to get out from the locality as the super rich now desire to drive scooter in the Arabian Sea. Nets of the fishermen are hurdles that are to be done away with; sooner the better. The super rich has fancies that are strange; they want to own their private boats and get them inside the shore so plain lands are dug to create underground facilities. And Super rich has fancies for artificial greenery, so cut thousands of coconut trees, cashew trees and all other variety of trees and in their place plant exotic species of grass. And the super rich want the golf course and it needs huge amounts of lands. Indian State has preserved British gift of Land Acquisition Act 1894, land is acquired for public purpose never mind that constitution of India preaches equality yet super rich are privileged in getting land by uprooting Adivasis. Adivasis after all are perhaps illegitimate citizens of India, is it not? If not, then the treatment meted out to People in Bambolim, Nauxi, Cacra, Odxel, Aivao, Mariel etc. does not justify. Not to forget the second mischief committed by the landlords by handing over the land to builder mafia. Their first mischief was to get these tribal lands on their names from Portuguese Colonial times onwards.

Money bags have drugged the authorities in Goa and India into deep slumber. It does matter how much you scream, they have plugged in earphone with soothing tunes of Capital. You have to become homeless, you have to become landless, you have to become desperate, you have to follow Farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and commit suicide. They tell you all the time till your ears go deaf that you have to go to make way, you have to sacrifice to get development, and you have to die to give life to super rich. You have to.

Options before Youth

Now you are a youth and you have an option to think. You have an option to relate and know. You have an option to choose as where you are going to put your next step. You have an option either to put you step ahead or choose to be coward and offer your self as sacrificial goat at the development alter. You have an option to lead a life with courage and valor, or to succumb meekly before the World’s super rich. If you do succumb then the super rich will pay you rich tributes of contempt. They will write their history and record that this was a land inhabited by bunch of cowards. They will show your bones if they are around, to their grand children and point you must never become like them, or they may tell their great grand children that there was no one staying in this land and we – the super rich of the world are the first settlers here. They will erase your history just the way they are seeking to erase your present existence. Your Existence is threat to them. Your existence in dignity is threat to them, they may exercise yet another option – enslave you and declare themselves as masters and you’ll- the servants. If you make any fuss then you will be treated according.

What if you choose the option to resist your erasure as community? What about if you tell them that your land and sea is precious and the money bags hold no taste? What if you decide and tell the super rich of World that we are the super rich in our way of life and their invasion is most undesirable thing to happen in the history of their generations of living? What if you decide to take cue from Elephant and Ant story and bite hard the ears of the State? What if you feel it is worthless to get enslaved and it is better to live on our feet than crawl on our knees? What if all these questions become reality in 21st century Goa? What about if earthquake currents generate tsunami tides and wash away all the super rich from Goa’s surface and reclaim its mountains, land, rights over fishing in Arabian Sea never again to go in the hands of State and landlords not in the control of People? What preparations are you making in case that moment of reckoning visits us all?

You are young and you have a style. You are young and you have sizzling blood in your veins. You are young and you are full of courage and compassion. You are young and you have a job at hand. You are young and you are smart. You are young and you have an option. Option, either to follow your ancestors, or take up life’s challenge or Option to succumb to the fear of Super rich of the world and there by descent into life of humiliation and insults. I hope you are going to make the brave options. And you will make it soon before we are run over by forceful take over of our land and our livelihood.

Movements all over the world are confronting super rich take over of the planet earth. There are numerous ways in which communities are asserting themselves. Hundreds of youth have made option to dare, confront and plunge into great fight for survival. Depending upon the background from where youth comes, they have made options. Super rich youth are trained to control the planet earth and in the process exploit nature as well as People. Youth like me coming from receiving end of development process have made an option to challenge the notions and practices of development that hands over control of land to super rich of the world. Now it is your turn. Opt now!


Sebastian Rodrigues

THREE MOVEMENTS THAT INFLUENCED MY CHILDHOOD

By Sebastian Rodrigues

Introduction

The first ten years of my life between 1973 to 1983 three movements moved my childhood. Toddy tapers movement through my father Luis Rodrigues, Fisherman’s movement, popularly known as Ramponkar’s movement through my mother Claudina Rodrigues, and Church employees movement through my grand uncle Assis Fernanades. This paper is brief recounting of my childhood memory and contextualizing the same in the wider complex canvas of Social Movements in Goa.

Toddy Taper’s Movement

The late Seventies and early Eighties saw Toddy tapers movement at its peak. Movement began soon after Goa’s liberation with Rahul Bose[1] and Fulgence Rodrigues taking lead in organizing the Toddy Tapers community of Goa whose life and economy revolves around the coconut tree. My father Luis Rodrigues began his taping coconut trees in Bardez Taluka’s Siolim and Badem Villages in 1967[2]. My father came in touch joined Toddy Tapers Union in later seventies. The main reason for joining the union was security of his job as land lady was putting pressure to stop taping of coconut trees that were leased out to him. Union activities gave much wider expose to him as he participated in various union activities including morchas and rallies in Panjim. Rahul Bose used to visit our house to meet my father in early eighties. He used to speak to me too. I remember him discussion the issue of medium of instruction with me then after he realized that I was studying in Marathi medium at Government primary school. He was the first to influence my life. My father along with two other Toddy tapers from tapped the coconut trees on the force of Union Power for nearly six years without paying taxes to the State as Landlady from Siolim refused to accept yearly fees meant for her. The movement that was defending right to tap coconut trees did left impressions on my childhood memories. Mathany Saldhana and Christopher Fonseca were the names that I heard repeatedly in my childhood.

Fishermen’s Movement

My mother Claudina Rodrigues comes from the family in Pernem Taluka’s coastal village of Mandrem. They followed occupations of toddy tapping as well as Rampons- indigenous method of collective fishing in non-mechanized manner. Late Seventies and early eighties witnessed introduction of mechanized fishing – trawlers. This brought about clashes with the traditional fishermen – Ramponars. Again fishermen were united though the efforts of Mathany Saldhana. Organisation called Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott was formed and agitation was launched. While the agitation was on, number of violent clashes did take place between the Ramponkars and Trawler owners. Pernem Coast was one of the sites of these clashes. On one occasion Trawler tied Rampon boat with team of around ten fishermen on board from Mandrem and taken in the deeper waters and there violent clashes took place. Number of Ramponkars was injured. Amongst those injured was my Mother’s brother-in-law Custodio Fernandes from Mandrem. Soon after this clash the State leaders of the Fishermen’s movement visited the Mandrem village. I, that time a child happened to be there in Mandrem along with my Mother and witnessed the tense situation in the village. Very soon after few weeks Ramponkars of the neighboring village of Harmal captured another trawler and burnt it. The tension further intensified. The tension continued some years as Trawlers continued to violate 5 Kms from coast ban on fishing in routine manner.

Church Employees Movement

In 1983 I left my family and my village of Siolim to study in standard V at a school then was called Dr. Agusto Souza High School at Assagao. I was sent to stay with family of my grand uncles in Assagao. I stayed entire one year in Assagao with weekly visits to Siolim. This year is another important year in my life; it witnessed yet another movement enter my life – this time Church employees movement. One of my youngest grand uncle Assis Fernandes[3] was working in St. Cajetan’s Church in Assagao. At that time church employees from different parts of Goa were being organized. Assis was one of the active persons involved in organizing work. He involved me in lot of church work- both inside the cemetery as well as in the liturgical services. On evenings he would take me on his cycle on touring different churches in Bardez. I remember my visits with him to Churches such as Badem, Vagathore, Anjuna, Parra, Arpora, Calangute, Tropa, Sodiem, Mapusa and Candolim. I witnessed him speaking about need to organize church employees. Church in Goa was not paying wages that was able to support the livelihood of its workers, and also there was no job security. Around this time Chistopher Fonseca stages hunger strike in Panjim to press for the demands of the church employees. The whole one year did bring me another first hand experience of a labour struggle within the Institutional Church.

Conclusion

The three movements not just provide me early exposure to variety of movements but more importantly it went to shape my life and options I would make in life. This experience can be best summarized as first the movements entered my life and then I moved into movements. This of movements is not just my personal case but the phenomena that generation in Goa witnessed - those born in early seventies. One only needs to value this experience and enter history as its subjects as against objects.[4]

Note: This paper was presented at two days National History Seminar on Struggle for Assertion, Civil Liberties, Integration, Liberation and Rights in Goa Through the Ages” at CES College, Cuncolim, Goa on March 13-14 2007.

---

[1] Rahul Bose is from Bangladesh settled in Canacona Taluka’s Loliem Village. According to Sushila Mendes, Lectures in History at Government College, Quepem, He was involved in founding of All Goa Toddy Tapers’ Association. He was associated with Sushila Mendes' father who was a lawyer in organizing Toddy Tapers since 1962. Sushila Mendes disclosed this while intervening in a discussion on this paper at History seminar at Cuncolim College on March 14 2007.

[2] Luis Rodrigues has been a Toddy Taper for the past 40 years. He continues to Tap the coconut trees till date but in different land and different land lord in Siolim.

[3] He retired after working for 50 years in St. Cajetan’s Church, Assagao.

[4] Idea of Subjects and Objects is from Paulo Freire’s ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’.

It will be proved that the killed animal was a tiger: Kerkar

Villgers of Keri-Sattari want to maul him for throwing light on an issue, which was dead months ago. Rajendra Kerkar, environmentalist and founder of Vivekananda Environmental Awareness Brigade, who exposed the alleged killing of a tiger in the village says he won’t buckle under pressure and would not stop his mission and that he would continue to take up issues affecting the environment including the proposed Charvanem dam.

VITHALDAS HEGDE gets an insight into the ‘Green’ man.

GT: Why is that you have been at the receiving end ever since you exposed the alleged killing of a tiger at Keri-Sattari?
Rajendra Kerkar (RK): It all started after a tiger was killed on a hillock at Keri. The tiger was killed somewhere in February and I came to know about it only a fortnight ago. The son of the main suspect had stored the photograph of the slain tiger on his computer and sent photo messages to his friends on cell phones.

Our volunteers of Vivekananda Environment Awareness Brigade also got his photo message and I immediately informed the Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) Shashi Kumar. When the incident was reported in newspapers it created ripples in the village. The officials of the forest department rushed to Keri and started investigations even as there were political pressures to hush up the case.

VH: Was tiger really killed in the village?
RK: Yes. Our volunteers saw the carcass lying on the hillock after animal was shot dead. Once the news of forest officials visiting the village spread, the suspects immediately buried the carcass.

The animal was killed after it got entangled in a trap laid by the poachers to nab wild animals. Entangled, the tiger which must have come in search of its prey, started frantically running to the village making rattling noise much to the fear of the villagers.

The forest department officials first quizzed me and told them to try and locate the carcass. They later nabbed five suspects and during the course of investigations they broke down and showed them the place where the carcass was buried.

Forest officials found tiger bones and collected specimen of other parts like jaws, teeth, fur and bones from the site and sent it to Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun for forensic test.

VH: But the forensic report indicates that the teeth and blood samples do not belong to a tiger. Comment
RK: It is a preliminary report sent by the Wildlife Institute of India, which states that the teeth and blood samples found on leaves do not match with the tiger. The forest officials had sent 10 to 12 samples of the tiger remnants to the Wildlife Institute of India for forensic test. I am hopeful that the report of forensic test of other parts, which are yet to be received, would prove that they belong to that of tiger.

The Chief Conservator of Forests has also said that it is a preliminary report and and full-fledged report is awaited.

VH: Are you optimistic about the pending report?
RK: yes. I am very much hopeful that the reports of other samples would prove that the killed animal was a tiger. For me there is no issue of the parts of the animal found there, what is more important is that a national animal – tiger was killed in the village. Unfortunately, there are some forest officials (having vested interests) who do not believe that tigers exist in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary. This is mainly because the tiger sightings would come under the Project Tiger launched by the Government of India and headed by the Prime Minister.

They are not working in the interest of Wildlife.

VH: What is your future plan of action in combating the poaching of animals in wildlife areas?
RK: The rampant poaching incidents have become a major concern for us and they try to ruin other species. There is presence of a tiger, a tigress and a cub in wildlife area and they should be protected.

The forest department should take stringent steps to curb the poaching of herbivorous animals and curtail deforestation activities. The government launched the Social Forestry project in a most unscientific manner and without understanding the topography of the area and floral density. They planted exotic species like acacia in the wildlife area when it was not required.

The government should also increase the staff of the forest department, provide mobile squad to deal with wildlife cases and conduct awareness on environment education.

VH: How would you react to the decision of some of the villagers denouncing you for taking up the tiger killing issue?
RK: In a democracy everybody has a right to make his point. But they are raising baseless arguments without having proper knowledge. I won’t be deterred by their decisions. We have dedicated and devoted volunteers in the Vivekananda Environment Awareness Brigade who are working for the environment cause. I will not stop my mission and would continue to take up issues affecting the environment including the proposed Charvanem dam, which has been stopped now.


Gomantak Times, September 21, 2009, Panaji.

Lage raho Rajendra-bab!

Rajendra Kerkar, the green activist who exposed the killing of a tiger in Keri and forced the forest department to investigate the incident is now at the receiving end. The forest department is doing its best to prove that animal that was killed is not a tiger. The villagers of Keri, with prodding from powerful politicians, have moved against Kerkar. They have adopted a belligerent stance threatened to take him to court for defaming the village. Things can’t get worse for this dedicated green activist.

Rajendra-bab, when will you learn that honesty is not best policy? Why do you have to be so honest in a State that does not appreciate it? Why do you have to be so dedicated to saving the environment? Why do you have to fight night and day to save the foothills of the Western ghats from the ravages of mining? Why do you tax yourself with the job of saving the forests of Goa? Why do you waste your time fighting against Karnataka to save the Mhadei River from drying up? Why do you want to save tigers, barking deers, and panthers when you could easily find a job in the city? We warn you that if you continue like this no political party will consider you as a candidate for the next Assembly election. You will never be able to make friends in high places. Those entrusted with job of protecting the State will hound you till you stop.

Rajendra-bab, you must give up the mantle of protection and wear the cloak of poachers. Give up your pen, pick up a gun and go hunting. Stop all the talk about protecting forests and wildlife. Instead learn the art of cutting trees in the dead of the night. For a moment consider the amount of money you can make by selling the skin of a tiger or the meat of a deer. If you do not know, the scent of wild boar roast will bring tears to your eye. Have you ever thought of the money there is to be made by siding with the mine owners instead of the villagers? And, do you know how profitable it is to run a barge instead of soiling your entire being in the rough and tumble of the green movement?

Rajendra-bab, you are a law abiding citizen. You believe in saving the natural heritage of the State for future generations. You believe in saving the tiger and the fox. You believe in protecting natural resources. You want to save the Western Ghats and Mhadei river. You want to protect wild sanctuaries. You have a respect for all the God’s creatures and believe in reserving some space for them to flourish. But, when will you realize that all these ideals of yours place you on what wrong side of the establishment. Give up all these stupid beliefs of yours and one day you will get elected to the State Assembly. Shun these ideal of yours and you might rise to become a minister. Sell the green badge which you wear so proudly on your chest and one day you will be made Chief Conservator of Forests.

Rajendra-bab, you will not compromise. You will walk with a straight back and your head held high. You will continue to fight the good fight. We thank you for choosing the path of courage. It doesn’t matter if the animal shot was a tiger or an ass. The magicians in the forest department will take care of that. We are grateful that people of your caliber still walk the red soil of Goa.

Lage raho Rajendra-bab!

Opinion on edit page of Gomantak Times September 19, 2009, Panaji

Call me, call my family: my home phone is tapped!

Today is August 02, 2009. More importantly it is Sunday. I got a call at around 10.00 am on my home BSNL landline 2272164 from someone did not identify with his name but only said that he is from Telephone department wanting to know if my phone was working properly. I said it is working but then asked as to whether anyone from my family had complained to department that it is not working. He replied that nobody complained but the department is checking if it is working on their own. Then I said there is no problem with my landline and then the caller hooked off the phone. Then within few seconds of me keeping the phone it began ringing again. I received the phone and then after about 5 seconds the line was cut without anyone uttering a word. My
hello' went in vain!

Then I pondered and discussed with my family members at home if anyone had lodged complaint at our Sioilm Telephone exchange? I got negative response at here. Then after few seconds I wondered that how come Siolim Telephone exchange is open on Sunday that is weekly holiday for the government staff? Our earlier experiences with Telephone repairing when it went dead have been very delayed response that would take always more then a week to attend to my landmine. At one incident one of my family members even had to get involved in heated discussion with the Telephone exchange officials in Siolim. Now what a turn around in the situation: feel like Goa's golden era has been ushered in Goa today morning in terms of giving quick services to the consumers all over Goa; when the department has began monitoring the phones round the clock; and its employees has no more weekly off on Sundays from today; let the labour laws fly to the winds! If this is not the case then this is a case of violation of my and my families right to privacy. Telephone department has to explain this situation or it is guilty of colluding with vested interests in tapping my private home landline and monitoring of information that is exchanged while in telephonic conversations which it has no right to do.

My mobile number 9923336347 too is tapped very often. One instance that was detected was in the evening of October 10, 2008 when I called up Rama Velip at his landlines in Colamb someone unknown Hindi speaking male voice received it. When I confronted him he hang up the line. Then, surprisingly on the same evening when Rama Velip called me up at my cell number also someone unknown Hindi speaking male voice received it!

Recently around two weeks ago my cell number and Rama Velip's cell number; whenever there is connection it is tapped. There is clear background voice to authenticate this. By now I know something about tapping of phones and in case any one want to meet me or meet my family or meet any person that I am in touch with there is no need at all to eve drop. I carry aversions towards none and me and my family based in Siolim will always welcome you as our most precious visitor, shower you with all the Love, Compassion, Goodwill, Peace and I will definitely share all my merits - that me and my family is abundantly blessed by universe - with you. I and my family is blessed abundantly and we are lavish when we share. So whoever you are, from whatever background please be fearless. I will never insult you and turn my head away from you but will receive you with my wide open arms. Also be sure that me and my family stands for truth and justice steadfastly, historically and that is one of our pristine family virtues.

Sebastian Rodrigues

The Body as a site of resistance: activism in an era of neoliberalism

By H.Bedi

Underlying much Indian organizing around industrialization and development issues are concerns about the changing political and economic regimes promoted locally, nationally, and globally. The rise of neoliberal forces has created a different context for organizing and activism in India. With the encouragement of capitalism in particular, many communities and broader struggles question who is gaining from market liberalization. Protest against economic liberalization has been partially shaped through actions where the body of affected communities and other concerned citizens have been used as sites of resistance. The body as a site of resistance has proved to be a particularly poignant and charged form of protest, particularly when examined from a gendered perspective. Activists have used their bodies in a range of ways to represent their opposition. They have physically blocked industrial construction, undergone hunger strikes, walked hundreds of kilometres in padyatra, sat in dharna, and placed their emotional and physical bodies at risk in a myriad of other forms.

This piece will look at a specific form of bodily protest in relation to a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Orissa. Seen as a part of the economic liberalization of India, SEZs are spaces owned and managed by private entities within a sovereign nation that abide by a special set of trade and economic laws, provide sophisticated infrastructure and tax incentives, and are designed to promote economic growth (Seminar 2008). In the protest against these zones, the body becomes a source of power, but what are the ramifications for those involved, particularly women? What are the gendered connotations when women occupy a site and are met by a private security force that is entirely or predominantly male? There is a particular vulnerability for some women using their body as a site of resistance. This has been painfully evident when women protesting SEZs in Nandigram endured brutal sexual violence.

This thought piece is based on reflections from on-going fieldwork and secondary resources. Through a review of media information, and qualitative interviews with activists and communities affected by industrialization, certain patterns of protest and themes of injustice have emerged. Respondents describe that they feel as though the threat of displacement and disenfranchisement, particularly among agrarian communities, is occurring on a new scale as industrialization is promoted. Some also describe heightened aggression and violence against communities and other protestors when they physically stop or block industrial activities. Despite this perceived threat, communities, including women, actively use their bodies as a medium to display their discontent with exclusionary industrialization. In doing so, women actively engage in the struggle and at times this intimate form of protest renders them vulnerable and may further existing marginalization related to class and gender. Recent protest related to the promotion of Special Economic Zones reveal how and why women chose to protest with their bodies, desperation associated with the struggles, and the particular ramifications they face as a result of their decisions.

As quoted in Business standard, an affected villager, Sulachana Dei, explains, "we are ready to give our land but not leave one inch of land for Posco steel project" (Business Standard 2008). The South Korean Pohang Steel Company (POSCO)’s plans to establish a steel plant, mines, and a port in Orissa state have led to much civil unrest, violence, and political maneuvering. POSCO applied for SEZ status, and while the status was delayed, moved forward with alternate environmental clearances. Posco’s survey teams attempted to enter Dhinika village in February 2008. Their movement was halted by hundreds of women, children, and other villagers who created fences around the circumference of the village. This collective monitored the fence using bows and arrows, lathis and other weapons to ensure that the teams could not enter the site. Women stood shoulder to shoulder with men and children armed only with bows and arrows to defend themselves against the power of the company and the state.

The head of a local organizing movement states, "village women have taken oath near village Goddess not to give one inch of land to the said project." The villagers prefer not to face the uncertainty of displacement, and have actively used their bodies as a virtual shield from the land encroachment. Occupation of any industrial site is potentially dangerous for anyone, but entry into a special economic zone can be particularly perilous because these zones do not have local or national police guards. Instead they operate under a distinct set of laws, and are governed by private security forces employed by corporations. Although police accountability in India can be questionable in many instances, SEZ private security firms have even less accountability to protect the welfare of local community members- particularly women who may not usually be so visible in an industrial site.

For the women protestors, there is also a level of social exposure and uncertainty associated with this form of resistance. How will male security forces respond to their body shield? How will their community view them after they have spent time in physical protest? Despite their sacrifice, in August 2008 the Indian Supreme Court ruled to allow Posco to use large amounts of forest land, possibly displacing 20,000 people. In September, affected community members continued to protest, carrying bows, arrows and sticks, against the plant.

In Orissa, affected villagers directly used their bodies as sites of resistance to demonstrate their rejection of this form of industrialization. Streaming through this example is personal and collective conviction, threats of violence, a strong connection to land, and a willingness to place the individual body in harms way to protect their land and dignity. Through these actions, some women occupy new spaces that are usually predominantly masculine areas of work. The presence of women in what may be considered masculine spaces is quite remarkable in the local cultural context. In this way, they go from being invisible or not present in these industrial spaces to visible protestors, and in certain instances at risk of social or physical scrutiny. They were susceptible to violence, and the potential post-protest social ramifications.

This example is illustrative of the extent that communities feel pushed by economic liberalization and industrialization that is not aligned with their connection to agriculture and land. The strain of this threat has pushed many women to protest in this manner, exposing them to physical risk and possible social repercussions. Some of these women have never protested in their life, and to lay their emotional and physical bodies on the line to protect their families and land is an extreme display of their personal convictions. As this is research in progress many questions remain unanswered, and there continues to be much to learn and understand about women and how they use their bodies as sites of resistance to SEZs.