Radical Socialist
For thirty four years the CPI(M) was in power in West Bengal, and used all means to continue in power. Defeat in elections has taught it no wisdom but has brought tremendous anger against Mamata Banerjee and the TMC led by her. During the last elections, (April-May,2011) foul language was used against her by ex-MP Anil Bose, who used sexist comments against Mamata Banerjee, comparing her to a sex worker, and in the process also insulting sex workers by using the typical constructs that makes them the butt of abuse. This has followed a consistent pattern over the years, as when CPI(M) leader Benoy Konar had called upon women to show their buttocks to medha patkar, when Medha patkar came to West Bengal to exprerss solidarity with militant peasants. Now that Ms. Banerjee has been landing hard punches against the CPI(M) by opening up inquiries against several of its more unsavoury leaders like Susanto Ghosh, it has become even more aggressive and sexist.
In the last few months the contradictions of the Mamata Banerjee government have started becoming apparent, though at a slow pace. Its refusal to pay DA and its foot-dragging over the rights of unorganised workers show that all its populist rhetoric cannot hide its anti-working class stance. Its reversal of the democratization of the education system show that using the CPI(M)’s undoubted abuse of the democratic principles, she and her government are bent on turning the educational system towards an elitist and anti-democratic direction. Students and non-teaching staff are to be excluded from University governing bodies, and Vice-Chancellors’ powers are to be increased. Ms. Banerjee has even gone on record identifying one of the reasons for this attack – the fact that there are too many radical left elements among the students.
As the disillusionment with the TMC grows, as agitations begin, however, no one can help her as much as the CPI(M). Now it is the turn of Biman Bose, CPI(M) State Secretary and Political Bureau member. Asked about who is dominant, the TMC or the Congress, in their alliance, he responded that he was not able to answer whether the Congress would stay under the TMC’s sari or not. This blatantly obscene and sexually-coloured comment is yet to draw responses from the CPI(M) all-India leadership, which is content with Bose’s remark the next day that he should not have made such a comment. As long as there are still people who decide that the CPI(M) should be the vehicle for opposition to the TMC, the TMC will have little to fear. The CPI(M) leaderships’ persistent cover up for vulgarity not only discredits but also exposes the hollowness of any CPI(M) led opposition to the TMC which on the contrary will be strengthened.
11 November, 2011
The resolution taken by Women Forest Rights Action Committee in two day consultations organized on Women, Livelihood and community rights in Ranchi on 14-15th September 2011
Resolution
A two day intensive consultation on Women, livelihood and community rights was organized in Ranchi on 14-15th September 2011 by Women Forest Rights Action Committee, Jharkhand Women Commission, Shramjivi Mahila Samiti, Center for World Solidarity, National Center for Advocacy Studies and National Forum of Forest People and Forest Worker. In this consultation over 300 women leaders and delegate from 12 states from various organizations took participation. The focus of the consultation was to ensure the community forest rights and control of Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) of women in the forest. On the basis of such intensive consultation a total of 55 resolutions were adopted. These resolutions are in two parts:
1. Resolution for Central and State governments.
2. Resolution to build up strong organizational strategy to strengthen the rights of women over the forest and to strengthen the forest rights movement in the leadership of women.
These resolutions are:
1- Resolution for Central and State governments.
1.1 The recommendation to constitute a commission to formulate the Minimum Support Price by Sh. T. Haque Committee should be immediately implemented.
1.2 To ensure the rights of women in all kind of community forest rights the claims process under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) should be accelerated immediately.
1.3 The provisions of FRA are discriminatory in terms of ST, non ST and other forest dwellers (OTFD) where the cut of date for these communities are different. There is provision of 75yrs of residence proof for OTFD, this provision is causing lot of impediments in the implementation of Act resulting into caste and communal divide among forest people. It can further lead into civil war inside the forests. The cut off date for both the communities depending on forest for their livelihood should be same.
1.4 In all the states the list of NTFP should be made available to village forest rights committee. The women should also make the list of NTFP available in their nearby forests. The women participation should be ensured in the FRC’s.
1-1 The list of NTFP should be compiled state wise as large population especially women are dependent on these NTFP and the control of forest corporation and middle men should be removed. The control of NTFP should rest with the community. In order to make list of NTFP the working plan document of forest department should be consulted.
1-2 The monopoly of forest department and state on Tendu-Kendu leaves and bamboo should be removed.
1-3 In order to determine the minimum support price of NTFP the help of Trade union organization and social organization like New Trade Union Initiative, Sharmjivi Mahila Samiti and National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers should be taken.
1-4 In order to collect NTFP the role of Forest Corporation and contractors should be completely eliminated and in every village the collection of the forest produce should be done by forming women cooperatives. Women should be given training and awareness regarding this new institutional building.
1-5 Training and awareness should be imparted especially to single women for collection of NTFP and efforts should be done to strengthen their organization.
1-6 In all the states the transit permit is not given to forest people to take their forest produce from one place to other, the old transit rules should be terminated. New rules should be formed in consultation with FRC’s in the context of FRA so that the loot of forest produce by contractors and mafia could be stopped.
1-7 The state should intervene to ensure appropriate value for the forest products. In order to empower women the control and management of NTFP should be given to women.
1-8 In the light of enforcement of FRA, the Indian Forest Act 1927 (IFA) has no relevance. The preamble of FRA clearly states that the Act has been enacted to mitigate the ‘historical injustices’ inflicted to forest people during colonial times and there after. The historical injustices can’t be undone until and unless the colonial Act IFA is repealed.
1-9 The Forest Rights Act and PESA ( Panchayat Extension in Scheduled Areas) are reciprocal to each other hence both these Acts should be implemented in coordination.
1-10 Any official working against or misleading against the FRA should be punished and criminal case should be filed against such official according to section 7 of FRA. The judiciary from the session Courts to Supreme Court should be sensitized regarding these provisions of the special Act.
1-11 The traditional health system that was based on the herbs and medicinal plants should be revived again and the health of women and forest dwellers should be ensured in the forest area by reviving the old health system.
1-12 Traditional healers should be encouraged and empowered to treat small ailments in the villages. Women in the forest area should be trained to take care of gynea related problems. The traditional health system should be used for preventing diseases among women and forest community.
1-13 In order to prevent various killer diseases inside forest regions, the medicinal plants should be planted more rather than commercial plantation funded by either World Bank or Japan International Cooperation.
1-14 The formation of Forest Rights Committees should be done at the hamlet level and not at the level of Panchayat.
1-15 The responsibility of management and protection of forest should be given to Village council or FRC’s, equally represented by women and no interference should be allowed by forest department.
1-16 In order to promote the forest based industry and forest based products the products made by multinational companies should be banned in local haat and markets.
1-17 The Center and State governments should build a special provision for promotion and empowerment of traditional healers in their budget plan.
1-18 Special provisions should be made for women from the forest areas in the gender budgeting.
1-19 Strong measures should be taken by Central government to stop the interference of forest department in the forest. But there should be minimum interference from the government also.
1-20 In light of the “ historical injustice’ enshrined in the preamble of Forest Rights Act, all big projects resulting into displacement that is resulting into destruction of rivers, forest, flora and fauna should not be implemented at all.
1-21 The forest people especially dalits, adivasis, women victimized and intimidated in name of ‘maoist’ should be immediately stopped. The false cases filed on them by forest and police department should be withdrawn immediately in order to honor the FRA that talks about mitigating the historical injustices inflicted by state on forest people.
1-22 In agriculture also the rights should be given to grow the herbs and medicinal plants to traditional healers, they should be provided training for this. The traditional healers should also be given right to treat birds, wild animals and government should equip them with all facilities.
1-23 The government should also give recognition to traditional knowledge system.
1-24 The attempt by capitalist countries to patent the NTFP should not be allowed at all by our government.
1-25 Single women in the forest areas should be identified and listed. They should be encouraged to file both individual and community rights.
1-26 Women in the forest areas are most affected due to forcible displacement and loot of forest as a result they are subjected to immoral trafficking. The destruction of forest and displacement should be stopped in order to protect the dignity of women.
1-27 The individual and community forest rights of single women should also be recognized so that their livelihood is protected and ensured for the future generation.
1-28 The family headed by single women’s ownership title to forest land and resources should be recognized under FRA.
1-29 The government should promote forest based industry in which single women should be given priority.
1-30 The PTG (primitive tribal groups) groups that have not been identified as PTG yet, who have been forced to move out from the forest in the historical process due to deforestation should be identified, listed and brought under the purview of FRA.
1-31 The PTG groups in our country are yet to be identified properly, their specific problem should be understood and their number should be listed out.
1-32 A special budget plan should be made for PTG groups for their development.
1-33 The habitat rights of PTG groups should be recognized according to FRA as the habitat rights are not restricted to 4 hectare limit.
1-34 The community should have mining rights, all rights related to mining should also be brought under purview of FRA and any mining lease should not be given without the consent of gram sabha.
1-35 To establish NTFP based industry in our country and to bring livelihood benefits to forest based population a consultation should be organized across the country. There should be amendment in cooperative laws to eliminate the control of government in cooperatives.
1-36 Private companies operating in the forest areas should also be punished for violating the environmental laws. These companies have taken control over the forest and in many areas are providing funds to Maoists. They have created a civil war like situation in the forest regions, criminal cases and sedition cases should be filed against such erring companies.
1-37 In order to build up the women leadership and to empower them, they should be imparted training and knowledge to come in the forefront. They should be educated through radio and TV.
1-38 The recommendation of N.C Saxena Joint Review Committee on Forest Rights Act jointly formed by Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Environment and Forest should be immediately implemented.
4. The strategy to strengthen the women organization around forest rights:
2-1 In order to strengthen the women rights over the forest and natural resources strong women organization should be build up in forest regions. In all area women forest rights action committee should be built up to take the future challenge of forest rights movement.
2-2 A federation of forest rights committees should be formed in the leadership of women.
2-3 It is through struggle that women leadership will emerge. The issues of struggle should be identified such as control of women over the natural resources and the struggle should be intensified in the forest areas.
2-4 More and more knowledge imparting training should be given to women to enhance their leadership skills. There critical political consciousness should be raised by various programmes such as pad yatra and programmes should be built up with them by reaching out to them in far flung forest areas.
2-5 Entire plantation should be carried out by women as a movement, they should challenge the state promoted corporate funded commercial plantation. As a movement the plantation of medicinal plants, environment friendly and other trees used by the community should be started in the forest area.
2-6 In contemporary context there is big challenge in front of forest movement to save the forest from all the vested interests, to save it to from becoming carbon dumps and save it from various climatic negotiations imposed by the capitalist world. Strong strategy needs to evolve in each forest areas to fight the onslaught by international agencies.
2-7 In order to form women cooperatives an intense discussions and consultation should be organized. For this process the help of various independent trade union organizations like NTUI and social movement like NFFPFW should be taken.
Once again the protests were met with a brutal police crackdown. All the militants of the movement should offer their warmest condolences to the family and comrades of Dimitris Kotsaridis who was assassinated by police repression at a demonstration, organized against the government of social cannibalism and blind obedience in the service of national and international capitalism. The overthrow of the existing system and the victory of the workers will be the only effective retaliation for the loss of this fighter, and it will honor his memory.
Unfortunately the ANTARSYA statement shows a certain lack of understanding regarding the real objectives of the KKE leadership. The united action and the united front of workers’ movement must not be formed under conditions projected by PAME. The fighting that preceded the general strike has shown that this united front can and must emerge out of the essential qualitative development of the mass movement itself. The statement of the ANTARSYA Central Coordination Committee, in contrast, represents a retreat in the face of the policy pursued by the KKE leadership, and is therefore inadequate.
(Athens, October 29th, 2011
Leftwing political parties, trade unions, social activists and student groups at a press conference in the Labour Party office on Wednesday 19 October invited people to join them in an Occupy Lahore: Anti-Capitalist camp at 1 pm Nasir Bagh. The camp shall continue for at least two days. A program for the camp will be announced soon.
The camp is being set up in solidarity with the worldwide Occupy Movement and the growing unrest amongst people’s caused by the global economic recession.
Addressing the press conference, Progressive Youth Front representative Ammar Ali Jaan honoured October 15 the world stood against the capitalist financial system . This unrest has been developing since 2008 here people believed governments would take to task those responsible for causing the global financial crisis. However, governments gave billions of dollars to bail out financial institutions and corporations at the cost of the masses. In the context of Pakistan which is facing numerous ordeals like price hikes, electricity and gas shortages, and at a structural level feudalism, and capitalism, the security state and there is a global realisation that the system that was preserved by governments has failed us in Pakistan as well and must be overturned.
Lawyer Misha Rehman said, “Very rarely do moments arise when we can get together as a community for dialogue. The purpose of the camp is to provide that space where people can discuss everyday issues, criticize existing systems and find solutions through sustainable engagements.”
“One of the slogans the Occupy movements has taken up is, ‘We, the 99% of the world, stand up against the 1%.’ We understand that the 99% needs to formulate its political voice and this will be an opportunity for the people to formulate a political voice,” she said.
Workers’ Party Pakistan Vice President Naeem Shakir stated that almost 50 per cent of the general population has been swallowed by impoverishment. “Our view is that this space will give the silenced a voice and the hope is to find a long term plan and vision for Pakistanis who are suffering at the hands of status quo mainstream parties,” he said. He said, “the camp hopes to encourage people to leave their house and discuss the issues in a progressive environment.”
Labour Party spokesperson Farooq Tariq appealed to the residents of Lahore and its neighboring localities to join the camp at Nasir Bagh. He said the National Trade Union Federation, Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Railway workers, PTCL, Katchi Abadi alliances, the National Student Federation, Muttahida Labour Federation, the Progressive Youth Forum and other progressive groups have confirmed participation.
The speakers announced discussions were already underway in Islamabad, Karachi, Faisalabad, Mianwali and Okara to hold similar events.
Dear Friends,
This is to invite you all for the Anti-Capitalism Camp to be set up at Nasir Bagh on Saturday, 22nd Oct at 12:00 noon. Progressive forces in Lahore are uniting to express their solidarity with the protesters at Wall Street and around the world who are expressing their anger and their disgust at current crisis of capitalism. It is clear that capitalism has become an impediment to a dignified life for a vast majority of people around the world. These global protests are a way to let our policy-makers know that enough is enough and that this system based on the exploitation of ordinary people will no longer be tolerated. It is a way of reclaiming the political space that had almost been completely taking over by financiers and industrialists with little regard for the interests of the common people. But most importantly, it is a movement that identifies capitalism as the central problem and challenges us to think of alternatives to the current system that has worked wonders for the rich but has miserably failed for ordinary people around the world.
We in Lahore wish to become part of this global upsurge against Capital. Of course, we have our own issues and context in Pakistan which we would like to highlight. Here, the failures of the system are far too obvious; Hunger, unemployment, load shedding, unequal land distribution, price hike, dictatorial attitude of the IMF and World bank, religious fundamentalism, military oligarchy and US imperialism are some of the more obvious problems caused by capitalism. What connects us to the struggles taking place all over the world is the universal category of Capital that structures our lives and it is time we try to move beyond it.
For over 200 years, the advent and consolidation of capitalism in our region has ruined the lives of millions of peasants, workers and students. It is these forces that are today uniting to initiate a struggle against this decadent system. Our decision to set-up a camp at Nasir Bagh is a first step in that direction. We invite progressive forces to come to these anti-capitalist camp and raise their own issues so that Nasir bagh turns into a festival of the resurgent Pakistani left. We know that overcoming capitalism is no easy task and it will require a much larger and prolonged struggle to fight. But its a task that we must undertake or else accept our miserable fate as being inevitable and eternal. This camp gives us the opportunity to intervene in public discourse and to ignite a public debate on the need for an alternative system. It will be the first step towards a greater movement for a fundamental break with capitalism.
All Power to the People! Down with Capitalism and Imperialism.
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Since February 2003, this is the first time a call for an international action on a specific date has met with such an echo. In Spain, where the Indignados movement began, almost 500 000 demonstrators marched through the streets of around 80 different cities, including 200 000 or more in Madrid from which I am writing these lines.
Actions have taken place on five continents. More than 80 countries and almost one thousand different towns have seen hundreds of thousands of youth and adults on the march, protesting against the management of the international economic crisis by governments rushing to bail out the private institutions responsible for the collapse and who are taking advantage of it to strengthen neoliberal policies: massive layoffs in public services, clear-cutting of social spending, massive privatizations, attacks on social solidarity measures (public pension systems, unemployment benefits, collective bargaining…). Everywhere, repayment of the public debt is the pretext used to strengthen austerity measures. Everywhere, demonstrators are accusing the banks.
In February 2003, we saw the broadest international mobilization to try to prevent a war: the invasion of Iraq. More than 10 million people gathered in countless demonstrations all over the planet. Since then, the dynamics of the global justice movement born in the 1990s has gradually faded but never entirely died out. On 15 October 2011, slightly fewer than one million people took to the streets. Nevertheless, it was a huge victory, because it was the first large demonstration carried out in a 24-hour period around the planet against the people responsible for the capitalist crisis, which has created tens of millions of victims.
The financial and economic crisis, which started in the US in 2007, has spread, above all in Europe, from 2008. The debt crisis faced by developing countries has spread to the North. It is interconnected with the food crisis, which has hit many developing regions since 2007-2008. Not to forget the climate crisis, above all affecting the peoples of the South of the planet.
This systemic crisis is also expressed at an institutional level: the leaders of the G8 member countries know they do not have the means to manage the international crisis. Thus, they have convened the G20. For three years now, the latter has proven incapable of coming up with valid solutions. This crisis also involves a crisis of civilization. There are challenges raised to consumerism, generalized commoditisation, the failure to take the environmental impacts of economic activities into account, productivism, the search to satisfy private interests at the expense of the public interest, goods and services, major powers’ systematic recourse to violence, the denial of the basic human rights of peoples such as the Palestinians… Often capitalism is the heart of what is being challenged.
No centralized organization had called this mobilization. The Indignados ("Outraged") movement was born in Spain in May 2011 in the wake of the Tunisian and Egyptian rebellions in the previous months. It spread to Greece in June 2011 and to other European countries. It has crossed the North Atlantic since September 2011 [it became the Occupy movement, after Occupy Wall Street the first of its kind - trans].
Of course, a series of radical political organizations and organized social movements support the movement but are not leading it. Their influence is limited. It is a broadly spontaneous movement, mostly made up of young people, with an enormous potential to develop that is very disturbing to political leaders, the heads of major firms and all police forces on the planet. It could die out like a flash in the pan or be the spark that sets off the fire. Nobody knows.
On 15 October 2011, the call to mobilize mostly rallied demonstrators in cities and towns in countries of the North including the planet’s financial centres, which is very promising. The outraged ’occupy’ movements have sparked very creative and emancipatory dynamics. If you are not yet a involved, try to join, or launch it if it does not yet exist where you live. Link up and take part in an authentic emancipation.
Translated by Marie Lagatta
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Radical Socialist is an internationalist Marxist organisation based in India.