DISCUSSION ON TRIBAL EXPLOITATION

DISCUSSION ON TRIBAL EXPLOITATION

KALANTAR, 34 year, 299 volume, 14^th August , 2001, 29^th Sraban 1408, Tuesday, Rs. 2.00

A debate was arranged in the Paschim Bango Bangla Academy on August 13 and 14.  The   program was organized by Khatra Adibasi and Development Center.  All of them criticized the unscrupulous British rulers and the mahajans as well as the role of the Government.  Hikim alleged the tribes were negligent of their problems.  Nikhil Ranjan Majhi described warned those who exploit and torture people and said that the tribal people have to understand their own problems. 

Among the other speakers, there are Gurucharan Murmu, Dr. Arunendu Sarkar, Amalendu Roy, Sushil Mahali, Pradip Har , Pratibha Mondol, Subodh Soren, Mangal Soren, Baleswar Soren , Maheswar Soren, Prabhat Ghosh etc.  The secretary of the Lakshmindra Kumar Sarkar invited everybody to cooperate and announced that a newspaper called “Adibasi Sangbad” will be published.  At the open grounds of Academy of Fine Arts, the tribals performed in a cultural program.  Along with them, Dolon Mitra and Kabita Barui also participated.

DEBATE:  WHY TRIBALS ARE NEGLECTED IN 54 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE?

SATYAJUG …10^th August, 2001…..Friday.

A debate will be organized in the coming Tuesday and Wednesday in the hall of the Bangla Academy.  “Sadhinatar 54 Bochorey Adibasira Abahelito Keno?”  (Why The Tribals are Neglected?) is the topic our debate.  The organizer is Khatra Adibasi Culture and Development Center.  Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar informed that the population of the country is more than 102 crores.  The majority of them is the tribal population.  They have characteristics like cultural flow, feng shui, economics, religion, language , the socio-political method, etc.  They are independent of higher caste Indians.  But most of them are economically backward, very poor , half filled stomach, half naked, illiterate.

                A notable timeline must be created and we need to give them their proper right.  Many initiatives and planning have been made to bring them under the main stream.  All the government planning was spoiled, their minimum requirement is health, education, language, culture and cultural structure and they are deprived from all of them.

                The moneylenders have exploited them during the British rule in India.  Why the neglect is there?  The Minister of Jail and Society Welfare Minister, Biswanath Chowdhury, the head of Nandan, Angsha Sur, the secretary of Bangla Academy Sanat Chattopadhyay , the director in drama Usha Ganguly, journalist Niranjan Haldar, district officer Tapan Sen , Amalendu Ray, etc. are the well known personalities.  From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, a  tribal and folk program will also be organized in front of the Academy of Fine Arts.

OBJECTIVE OF HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION

Despite the direct and indirect benefit of the people accrued from implementation of the Kangsabati Reservoir Project there remains a vast stretch of drought prone area where mostly the SC/ST and other backward class population live with limited means of livelihood and lack of human facilities.  They are anyhow surviving with poor communication, scanty and erratic rainfall, low fertility of soil, absence of capital and entrepreneurial capacity, low technology transfer, low social and per capita income, unemployment and poverty.  For this reason, one of the main problems facing the handicrafts industry is the need for research and technical development, assistance to the craftsman and manufacturers with new ideas in design to suit the taste of the modern consumer in India and abroad.  The shift in demand in domestic and export markets had isolated the small trader and producer from the recruitment of these new markets.  So we need financial assistance and to develop design and technical guidance to rural and scheduled tribes and backward class people to solve their poverty.  

PROPOSAL AND SCHEME OUTLINE OF DESIGN AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME AT KHATRA (DISTRICT BANKURA)

INTRODUCTION: 

Conception of Khatra:

Government of West Bengal has accepted on principle, the creation of an outlying and full fledged subdivision entitled as Khatra subdivision in the district of Bankura.  A cabinet decision followed by formal notification segregating 8 PSs namely Taldangra, Simlipal, Raipur, Sarenga, Ranibandh, Khatra, Hirbandh and Indpur and 8 blocks namely Taldangra, Simlipal, Raipur-I, Raipur-II, Ranibandh, Khatra-I, Hirbandh and Indpur.

KHATRA AT A GLANCE:

1.   Total Population (as per Population Census 1991)                       = 8,08,332.

a)  Scheduled Castes                                                                                      =204,051 (22.24%)

b)  Scheduled Tribes                                                                                       =1,81,245 (22.42%)

2.  Geographical area                                                                                      =2406.90 sq.km.

3.  Forest Land                                                                                                   =464.42 sq. km.(19.30%)

4.  Agricultural land                                                                                          =1172.05 sq.km. (48.70%)

5.  Average annually                                                                                       =1500 mm.

6.  Police Station                                                                                               =7.

7.  Block Development and Panchayat Samiti                                       =8.

8.  Gram Panchayet                                                                                         =59.

9.  M.P.                                                                                                 =1 (Small Reserve for Scheduled).

10.  Assembly Member                                                                                 =4.

a)  Scheduled Tribe reservation                                                 =2

b)  Scheduled Caste Reservation                                                               =1.

c)  Ordinary                                                                                         =1.

11)  Zilla Parishad Members                                                         =16.

At present, KACDC have organized the following courses.  They are as follows:

1.       Six Months’ Course on Training on Handloom Weaving -

Sponsored by West Bengal Women Development undertaking Government of West Bengal.  50 SC, ST, OBC and Muslim Women under this sponsored course and other 50 women also engaged in this training.

2.        Training on Handicraft.

a)       Training on Jute Diversification.

b)      Woolen Products by Curush.

c)       Date Palm Leaf products.

d)      Kantha Stitch.

e)      Hand Embroidery.

f)       Bamboo.

g)      Terracotta, etc.

3.        Income generating production.

a)       (Candle) Agarbati.

b)      Detergent powder.

c)       Mushroom.

POET SARADAPRASAD KISKU MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND RESEARCH CENTRE

POET SARADAPRASAD KISKU MEMORIAL LIBRARY AND RESEARCH CENTRE

In the Santal Palli of Mosleha Village of Bankura District

LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR

A popular writer in Santali language , a pioneer in anti-witch movement of Purulia and freedom fighter, President Award winner “Ideal Teacher”,  who got many prizes, translated Rabindrath’s Gitanjali in Santali language, wrote many books, international human rights protest Amnesty International, People’s Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL), and chairman of Santali Writers Association of Purulia, advisor of many organizations, enterpriser and entrepreuner , social reformer,  active member of Indian Language Commission, poet Sarada Prasad Kisku’s name is not unknown to people of Bihar, Bengal ,Orissa.  This reputed person died on March 28, 1996 at 11 p.m.  while suffering from a heart attack at his Darikadoba village in Purulia.

                The sad story is that this talented person with his flair for writing and he took his risk of life for reforming the society through his writing, and he has shown his objectives to the intellectuals in our society.  The evaluation of his work still has not been done properly.  Had it been done properly, he would have got the Nobel Prize, Magsaysay prize, Indian government’s best prize Bharat Ratna award.  Due to the lack of translation, he failed to get the Magsaysay Award.  In spite of less work, many high class authors are getting Magsaysay Awards.

                In reality, Saradababu was born in Santal society.  In that society ,people had the conception that the Santal society or the tribal society has no culture and literature.  They are wild people, live in jungles  having neither culture or literature.

                In spite of this, one class of people is doing research on language , culture, literature, writing books, doing  business with their culture.  They are so selfish that they are concerned only about themselves.  If these people had done something for the upliftment of the culture and literature through cooperation.  We do not need to say anything if somebody had taken the initiative.

                The two poets who gained reputation at the time of Saradaprasad Kisku are the great poet Sadhu Ramchand Murmu and Scholar Raghunath Murmu.  He was a disciple of Sadhu Ramchand Murmu.  We were connected with the poet for 16 to 17 years.  I was a member in his protest of anti-witch movement.  Presently I am trying to start this protest with various types of work for 10 to 12 years through a survey of the tribal society, literature and culture. 

                If you want to bring the tribals from darkness to light, the primary need is proper education (not only education based on books) and to make the health facilities available in every village.  Human development will stop due to lack of spread of education and they will not be free from superstition if the health facilities are not provided to them.

                From this firm belief, a library will be set up and the tribals will become educated.  They will be identified as a ‘human being’ not as a ‘tribal.’

                THE OBJECTIVES OF POET SARADA PRASAD KISKU LIBRARY AND RESEARCH CENTRE

1.        The publicity of Santali language-literature.

2.       The evaluation of expired and living poets, writer-artists.

3.       The village boys and girls who wander around aimlessly can gather and talk together, creation of character, to make the person aware of the society and his responsibility towards it, to make the person acquaint with it leaving the village and the society, one must be responsible for the society and the country.

4.       To show the ways of self-employment.

5.       To pay respect to the respected people.

6.       To provide training in journalist so that they can do their work on their own.

Other than this, you will get:

The relevant information on the folk culture and tribal culture.  Tribal writer,  poet,  about the writers, journals, books (English, Bengali, Hindi and Santali), the news on tribal news, pictures, other  than songs, neighbouring Bengali and Hindi songs, story books, little magazine, the news on developmental work, the directions on how to do developmental work, news on the modern methods of agriculture and necessary information, information on the whereabouts of self-employment,  paper clippings on the news of the country, protest on human rights, women protests , information on child labour.

And along with it, all kinds of assistance for the education institutions concerned with tribal and folk culture, field work with individuals and students.  The local people are the girls and boys of the region who is going to stay always on our side.

How it was formed:

The Mosleha village is in the number 2 Hirbandh block of Khatra of Bankura district.  The Mosleha village is the door to the tribal belt of the South-West corner.  He left the job of Aajkaal newspaper on April 1, 1993.  He became intimate with the tribals as he started working with the girls and boys of the region.

Fifteen years ago, an organization called South Hirbandh Adibasi Club was set up.  This club at Hirbandh block had full of cultural and sports activities.  The officials of the club wanted to set up a library.  For this reason , Sushila Tudu donated 3 bighas of land for building the club.  He wanted to give more lands adjoining it.  A wall was constructed for the library.   Due to lack of initiative and money, this project was accidentally stopped.  The room that was filled with bushes and shrubs for 15 years were cleared for this library.  To give enthusiasm, me and my father Manindra Kumar Sarkar’s collection of 2500 books , journals, Santali poet, writer’s picture, book shelves donated a cash of Rs. 15,000, my brother, a national level football player Bratin Sarkar have promised to donate money.  At the initial period , sister Kabita have taken a loan of Rs. 3000 from his office.  In total, I have started this project with Rs. 70000-75000.  Along with it, two typewriters are given.  The primary objective is to make them self-employed and teach them without taking any tuition fees.  The typewriters were purchased by Kabita’s brother, Bratin.  The villagers are working as labourers  helping  us construct the room.  They are also collecting money.   Those who cannot give 1 rupee for fund raising, they are generous enough to give some rice grains.  But the requirement is Rs. 60000 to Rs. 70000.  Books and journals.

APPEAL TO THE COUNTRYMEN:

I appeal to the countrymen for financial support to the wellwishers of the country, writer, poet, organization, and political parties .  I hope that we can build up this structure provided you give enough financial support.

 

               

PROBLEM OF THE TRIBALS OF BANKURA AND PURULIA

PROBLEM OF THE TRIBALS OF BANKURA AND PURULIA

LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR

Published in Aajkaal Patrika, Kolkata

The Bankura and Purulia is a drought prone region of West Bengal.  These regions get more affected in drought than other regions of West Bengal. 

I have travelled the villages in the foothills of the mountains are Bagmundi, Bandowan, Mukundapur , Jhilimili and have understood the problems of the tribals.

The tribals mainly live in Purulia, Saturia police station and Neturia police station, in the south Kayra, Maanbazaar has 7 regions, kurbandh ,  Jamteria, Borgoria, Borokhari, Aakro, Dighi etc.  and east of east of Burrabazar, Hura and Prishna.  Other than this , some tribes also live in the west.

                The communication system is very poor in South Purulia.  The undivided region of Malbhum came under West Bengal  in 1974.  Bidhan Chandra Roy by the request of TATA , seven miles of road in Purulia have come under Bihar.  Since it is of no use to the Bihar government, they neglect it.  The government of West Bengal do not want to build the road from Bundwan to Purulia.  So a traveler needs to walk 3 miles to go from Bundwan to Purulia.  If someone has to go to Jaanbazar, then he has to take a bus to Purulia.  Other than this there are many rivers but there are no bridge on those rivers.

                It is not possible to say where the ration’s wheat, sugar , rice goes.  There is problem in transport communication. 

At the entrance of Khatra in Bankura district , the government has created a concrete structure.  It has been constructed in such a low position that the waters of the river Kangsabati have immersed the concrete structure.  Beside that the concrete structures are lying there.  A school was constructed in the land at the starting of 1981.  The land allotted for the school building has been used but only a small portion and the rest of it has been divided under 3 persons.  In the Jamrai village of Maanbazaar police station, Ananta Soren has taken a patta on someone else’s land.  They want to show the legal documents in the different places of Purulia.  If they cannot take care of them , then the land has been distributed among the tribals. 

                The tribals are taken off of everything.  The illiterate tribes are duped and the lands are taken away from them.  22 bighas of land have been taken and the tribals have started protesting.  On the month of September in 1980, 6000 tribals have protested in a meeting where the punishment for the molestation of the tribal women and the cancellation of license of the liquor shops in Purulia.

                The government have provided free education and providing stipend to the tribal students.  Though there are schools in the tribal village, the teachers do not know Santali language.  As a result, the girls and boys stop going to school.  The recruitment of the teachers have stopped.  So the teachers are not getting employed in the tribal villages.  The population in the tribal village of Mukundapur is 800 but no school can be built.  It is accused that the money of the stipend of the tribal students are stolen by the teachers.  The Agrikil School of Purulia keep the students for 2 months in hostel and the rest of the money is stolen away.  A protest is going on.  While working in Burdwan, a stipend has been arranged from 5^th to 8^th class.

The right value is not given

The tribals do not get the right value.  At Jhilimili of Bankura, there is a  “Charaku Large Size Multipurpose Company Cooperative Society.”   I heard that homeopathy doctor is there who lives in Srirampur.  He comes to the health centre once a week.  Even when there is a crucial stage of some patient, he is not found.  He cleans and purifies the place where the tribals stand with cow dung, tulsi leaves and water from the Ganges just in front of them.

                Deforestation

The forests of South Bengal are located in Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore, Jhargram subdivision.  From these areas, a lot of woods are collected.  But at present some selfish people are

TRIBAL JOURNAL LOOKS FOR FUNDS, NEW LEASE OF LIFE

TRIBAL JOURNAL LOOKS FOR FUNDS, NEW LEASE OF LIFE

[The Asian Age “An English Daily published from Calcutta to revived Adibasi  Sambad coverage anchor story for Adibasi Sambad in the year of 1997]

(After 3 issues closed down, Adibasi Sambad due to financial crisis, KACDC organized and All India Conference to revive Adibasi Sambd at Khatra Tennis Court Premises in 6 and 7^th August 1994).

By Sonali Majumdar

Calcutta , July 18:

A 49-year-old journalist, Mr. Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar, is in Calcutta to save Adibasi Sangbad – India’s first newspaper for tribals.  Mr. Sarkar is confident that a monetary grant will be enough to get the newspaper back in circulation.

                Adibasi Sangbad , published from Khatra sub-division, Bankura, folded up in October 1993 after only 3 issues.  Mr. Sarkar, the editor has also applied for a 6 lakh loan from the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Finance Corporation.  “I am yet to receive a reply from the corporation,”  says Mr. Sarkar.

                A correspondent with a Bengali daily, Mr. Sarkar gave up his job in 1992 to start a newspaper for tribals.  “I felt the city’s dailies are not doing justice to the tribals,” he says.  Therefore, in August 1993, he launched the monthly Adibasi Sangbad from Khatra with much fanfare.  Mr.  Mahadev Hansda, an adibasi, was the assistant editor of the paper.  Writer Mahasweta Devi and eminent Santhal poets Saradaprasad Kisku and Rupchand Hembram were present on the occasion.  Mr. Ranjit Chatterjee provided the financial support during those three months.

                The eight-page newspaper priced at Rs. 4 was unique because for the first time, tribals had a platform from which they could voice their opinion.  “Articles from adibasis simply poured in, Mr. Sarkar recalls.  They wrote on the poor state of the irrigation system in the villages, sociocultural problems like witch-hunting and many other issues.

                There were a few success stories as well.  The October issue, carried a story about their adibasi girl, Neoti Hembram, who became a state level champion in weightlifting.  It also had drawn by adibasis.

                Five thousand copies of the newspaper were circulated in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa and the response was overwhelming.    About a thousand letters poured in from various states.

                However, Mr. Sarkar had to close down the newspaper due to a funds crunch.  He had even proposed to Bengali dailies to circulate two pages of Adibasi Sangbad for mutual benefit.  The daily incorporating the Sangbad can rest assured that it will notch up the circulation of a few lakhs more. “  He  says confidently. 

                Although newspaper was a thing of the past, Mr. Sarkar has started a programme of initiating young boys into journalism.  About 250 children from Purulia, Midnapur  and Ranchi have taught the basic tenets.  “Now they can run a newspaper on their own,” Mr. Sarkar saves with pride.

BOOK REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Lokoshilpey o Ganajagaroney Grambangla (Village of Bengal in the light of folk art and public awareness)

Shanti Sinha, Sakalbela Rabibar, 22 january, 2012, 7 magh, 1418, Page 4.

Getting the book on “Anti-Witch Movement of Purulia,” living in Purulia for 41 years, a special chapter came up in my mind.  The dense forests that encircle the mountains from Bandowan to  Maanbazaar, Hurakashipur, Baghmundi, Jhalda, Raghunathpur, Hetjari, Ragoonkodor, Barabazar, etc. and other remote areas, the densely populated area have superstitions of the Middle Age lifestyle.  It is a preplanned story of calling a woman as a witch and pointing some men as wizard in the public life.  We are against the dangerous social evil and a protest has been started once by Saradaprasad Kisku in Darikadoba village who was a teacher and poet.  Mahadev Hansda became their co-warrior, teacher-poet Gomosta Prasad Soren, Poet  Kalendra Mandi, Maheswar Besra, poet-dramatist Rupchand Hansda, teacher Manmoth Baskey, poet Baleswar Soren, etc. are the creative minded citizens.  Mahasweta Devi, a writer and a social worker from Kolkata, journalist Niranjan Haldar, in the style of a journalist Bikraman Nayar , journalist Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar went to the spot many times.  Then the exploited tribals required support and he gave resignation and worked in the tribal regions of Purulia, Bankura and devoted his life in this work.  These incidences occurred 20 years ago.

Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar was connected with the tribal development since then.  A service center has been set up in the red soils.  I have seen his social work through my own eyes.  He has written a documentary book  on anti-witch movement.   On the basis of a population census and by interviewing those who were exploited as witches, this is a true account.  In the trial of the murder of Lakshman Tudu, the verdict of Sudhir Milan Tudu in the court of Purulia, the leader of the anti-witch movement, the social unrest leading to the news  of Jagaran Soren, the biography of sarada Prasad Kisku and his letters have been  compiled in the book.  At the beginning of the book, the emergence of the Santals and their migration, hunting festival, folk belief on witch cult, the women’s right in Santal society and the history of the anti-witch movement has been explained in simple words along with photographs has been discussed.  Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar   has been connected with tribal population for a long time and on the basis of population census, he wrote this book.  His dedication, honesty and personal touch is really praiseworthy.  In this type of primary source book, many editions are really painful.  I feel the future editions of the book will be better.  

PURULIAR DAINI BIRODHI ANDOLAN (THE ANTI-WITCH MOVEMENT OF PURULIA), LAKSHIMDRA KUMAR SARKAR, SANCHAYAN PRAKASHANI, Rs. 200.

ADIBASI SANGBAD-FIRST TRIBAL NEWSPAPER IN INDIA

ADIBASI SANGBAD

Reported by Pranab Hazra, Bankura.

Aajkaal

Edition 13, volume 166, Thursday 18 Bhadra, 1915, Shakabda, 23 Bhadra 1400 Bangabdo, 9^th September 1993

It’s a great news that the news of the first tribal newspaper in India called “Adibasi Sangbad” was published from Khatra in South Bankura got an importance in your newspaper.  Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar motivated the tribal families.  Three types of reactions can be observed from this initiative.  They are suspicion, enthusiasm and fear.  There is suspicion that before the researchers usurped money of the government in the name of tribal research and book publication.  They got their reputation.  But there was no communication between the educated people, researchers and the tribals.  There was no development of the tribals.  The innocent tribals have understood that this is a betrayal from the educated society.  For a few years, some work was going on with the tribal society, though there was suspicion, there is interest and enthusiasm in the publication of “Adibasi Sangbad.”  I have not seen such an enthusiasm just from the second day after the birth of a newspaper.  On the other hand, this enthusiasm has created a fear.  There is an adequate natural resources in the forests of these tribals.  The valuable natural resources get depleted due to the traders of the city.  One section of the tribals are immersed in superstitious beliefs.  They are satisfying their own needs.  They are afraid that the “Adibasi Sangbad” will enter the society and create awareness.  As a result, the vicious circle will be exposed.  These people are always busy planning to stab the infant.