maraa

From Rajnandgaon to Bangalore

“We want to tell people our story. We want to trigger dialogues. We want people to think and ask questions.” says Ajeet Bahadur, member of Jurmil Morcha.

Jurmil Morcha, a people’s front from Rajnandgaon district in Chhattisgarh travelled across Bangalore tirelessly from the 3^rd to 5^th of December doing precisely this.  Using a traditional folk form Pandavani, Budan Bhai, leader of Jurmil Morcha  says, “Pandavani was used to tell the Mahabharat in ancient times. I will use it to tell people today’s Mahabharat, our fight and struggle with the Kauravas, the State.” They understand that their fight is a long battle with massive forces but they also believe that in this new age Mahabharata, there are 100 Pandavas and only five Kauravas. So if there are more Pandavas (the preservers of righteousness), this collective voice of the people can move towards justice and peace. Jurmil Morcha resorts to folk forms like Paandvani, puppetry and storytelling, as tools in their ‘fight’ for justice and peace.

Brutal and merciless killing of adivasis, land grabbing, rapes, lack of educational and health facilities in their district has hurled up this expression within them.   Sangwari Parivar was formed in January 2009 as a culmination of a ten day workshop conducted by Nirmal Agrah Abhiyan in Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh. Sangwari Parivar became instrumental in the emergence of Jurmil Morcha, as a response to injustice villagers faced directly and on a personal level. From 250 women who attended a workshop, five women stuck on and today live together in an ashram in Paangri, a small adivasi village of Tatekasa, close to Ambagarh Chouki town. Paangari has a picturesque location, surrounded by dense forests and hills. It also has a river also, which remains dry except in the rainy season. “Like the river, the drops of development have dried up to reach this remote area, Paangri is not an exception, there are many such villages like ours.” says Ajeet.

Supported by people’s contributions in cash and kind, they have sustained this movement. They have been actively engaged in demanding for implementation of Famine Code in all drought hit areas of Chhattisgarh, delayed payments of wages under NREGA scheme, women and child rights.  They have celebrated freedom of women and children through a Padyatra led by children on 2^nd October.  They have reflected upon their problems pertaining to migration, health and land. “All we ask for are basic necessities of modest livelihood, our right of survival, our right to life,” says Budhan Bhai.

State repression on people’s voices of rights and justice is the prime concern. Jurmil Morcha is a founder member of Chhattisgarh Visthaapan Virodhi Manch, a State level for joint action against displacement which had organized Raipur rally on 6^th Oct last. Since then they have been voicing their concern against both State and the Maoist violence in that region. “If we demand for our rights, we are branded as Maoists. If we stay quiet, we are with the state. Either ways adivasis in our area are getting caught in between the two. People are scared to live in their own homes and have started leaving their villages,” says Bhan Sahu, leader of Sangwaari Pariwaar and a member of Jurmil Morcha, disappointedly.

“Even though the Maoists do not persecute adivasis in the way that State does; we still don’t take sides. We stand for people, and we have our own point of view,” says Budhan Bhai.

In Bangalore, they participated and led the Campaign for Peace and Justice (Karnataka). They expressed the plight of adivasis who were being displaced after the implementation of Operation Greenhunt. “What a name they have chosen for their task. Hunters of green forests. They want to replace our forests with glass palaces when people don’t have food to eat in our villages. We don’t want more than we need,” says Budhan Bhai determinedly.

Jurmil Morcha travelled across different public spaces, streets, colleges and met various civil society groups in Bangalore to share this story. To ask for support, to be aware and informed that these are not far away stories.  “It is all connected. If we, as a people become conscious of this disparity between the rampant pursuit for development and the dilemma of adivasis who have been preserving forests for centuries is striking. After all, what is this kind of development? Development for whom? And at what cost?” asserts Budhan Bhai.

They spoke from a position of strength, where they expressed that they too can afford to buy rice for Rs. 20/- They don’t need to eat rice for Rs. 2/-  We do not want to bow down to everything the Government lays down before us. We too want to live healthy and respectable lives. If they give us jobs, we too can earn and live a quality life,” says Yashwantha, member of Jurmil Morcha.

After Operation Greenhunt has come into play, the Salwa Judum, Special Police Officers and other military forces has been attempting to “purify” the region off Maoists. They have license to kill and shoot at sight. This has led to creating a fear psychosis and a repressive environment, resulting in rampant migration, displacement, gruesome violence and atrocities against the people living in these areas. The rage is augmented further when instead of rehabilitating them and providing for better living conditions, they are being attacked, taken to camps and are being treated as slaves. How long can one bear this kind of injustice? “Ye dharti, Ye jungle, Ye nadiya hamrai hai,iInhe chhodiye poonjipatiyo kyun jae kyun jaye hum?” (These lands, these forests, these rivers are ours. Leave them, O industrialists, why should we go, why should we go, why should we go?), they question.

In an attempt to reach out to as many people in Bangalore, spread the word, get people thinking and act upon it, Jurmil Morcha put their heart and soul in every interaction, conveying the need to empathise, internalise and join hands in solidarity to support this movement.  “We have come all the way from Chhattisgarh to  strengthen our voice against such violence – where rapes, deaths, displacement, lack of basic necessities have become redundant – where people’s identities are reduced to numbers and facts, devoid of emotion and feeling,” says Budhan Bhai. Despite a hectic schedule, their conviction and determination at every single interaction was consistent. Always smiling and raring to go, they passed on hope, inspiration and strength to carry on. Shades of grey to grapple with and the will to pursue this quest for justice…

No one taught us to sing these songs. They are our own songs, from our own lives. “Ye dharti, ye jungle, ye nadiyan hamari hain. Chup na rahenge, Chup narehnge, Chup na rahenge hum. Ladte rahenge, Ladte rahenge, Ladte rahenge hum.”(These lands, these forests, these rivers are ours. We won’t be silent, we won’t silent, we won’t be silent. We will keep on fighting, fighting, fighting.)

Jurmil Morcha is keen to visit any part of country to spread. Host them in your city, district, village. Contact them on jurmilmorcha@gmail.com