Minutes of the Ekta Parishad Tamilnadu Adivasi Program Planning Committee Meeting held on 22nd May 2010 at CESCI Centre

EKTA PARISHAD, TAMILNADU


Minutes of the Ekta Parishad Tamilnadu Adivasi Program Planning Committee Meeting held on 22nd May 2010 at CESCI Centre.


• Main Agenda
To develop a Adivasi land Rights Movement in Tamilnadu in support to Janasatyagraha 2012 action

The Following Persons were present

1. R. Kalimuthu, Tribal Activist, Theni
2. P. R. Raja, Member, Taminadu Ekta Parishad
3. G. Nagalingam, Tamilnadu Ekta Parishad
4. A. P. Mayandi, Social Activist, Madurai
5. V. Muniyasamy, Organic Farming Activist, Ramanathapuram
6. S. Jegadesan, Tribal Activist, Pollachi
7. R. Rajaraman, Advocate, Dalit Human Right Activist, Nagai
8. S. Dhanaraj, Tribal Activist, Madurai
9. T. Marirajan, Tribal Research cum Activist, Madurai

Apology for absent:
Ms.Pappathi, Women Leader from Paliyan Tribes, Theni informed over phone to Mr. Raja her inability to participate the meeting.

1. Mr. P. Raja, member Ekta Parishad Tamilnadu, welcomed the participants and gave introductory note about the founder P.V.Rajagopalji and Ekta Parishad. In his introduction he said, Ekta Parishad is a people’s movement dedicated to non-violent principles of action. Ekta Parishad working in 11 states of India on the issue of land and livelihood rights of the marginalized communities such as tribals, Dalits, nomadic communities, agricultural labourers, small and marginal farmers, etc. Ekta Parishad is a federation of approximately 11,000 community based organizations and has thousands of individual members. Today Ekta Parishad has become a national mass movement for land rights. P.V. Rajagopal Founder of Ekta Parishad, left his village in Kerala very early in his life, to do agricultural studies at Seva Gram. In the early 70s he worked in the violence-ridden area of Chambal (Madhya Pradesh) helping to rehabilitate dacoits. In the years that followed, Rajagopal traveled to several tribal areas and developed an understanding of plight and needs of India's tribal people. Their cause became part of his lifetime mission. His initial efforts to support various grassroots initiatives resulted in two organizations, PARIVARTAN ("Change") and LEHAR ("Waves"). Later these organisations became important institutes in supporting Ekta Parishad ("United Forum"). In Ekta-Parishad, Rajagopal has helped to create an important social mass movement for the past twenty years in Madhya Pradesh and other central India states. The movement consists of over 100,000 poor people, mostly made up of landless and tribal people who have been alienated from their land or marginalized by industrialization. He believes that through ahimasak sangharsh (non-violent struggle) the rural communities of India can secure Gandhi’s vision of gram swaraj. Srijan, or the creation of a self-reliant society, is possible when community ties are strengthened through mutual respect and social equity. He is a well known Sarvodaya leader and the follower of Vinoba and JP. Presently he is a member of the National Land Reforms Council of India.
2. After the introductory note, Mr.T.Marirajan explained the objective of the meeting and its process to the participants. Mr.Dhanaraj, gave presentation about adivasi situation in Tamilnadu and the importance of implementation of Forest Right Act 2006. Mr.Mayandi facilitated the discussions and plan of actions. The following decision were taken;
a. It was decided to create new forum under Ekta Parishad Tamilnadu in-order to work among only the adivasi peoples in the Tamilnadu state by empowering them and also develop a people’s movement in the state. The group has decided to name it as “Tamilandu Adivasi Land Rights Movement” (TALRM)
b. Areas of work: Mr.Dhanaraj, explained the demographic details and the eco regions of Tamilnadu in which tribal people are scattered living in the 18 eco regions. The names of the Eco Region are as follows Eco regions in Western Ghats: 1. Pachiparai 2. Manimutharu, Kalakkadu, Mundanthurai 3. Sathurakiri, Sirumalai 4. Kuthiraimalai 5. Varusanadu 6. Bodi – Agamalai 7. Uppar and Lower Palani Hills 8. Valparai, Top Slip 9. Thirumoorthimalai, Amaravathi, Thalinchi 10. Sathiyamangalam 11. Thalavadi, Yanaikatti 12. Ooty, Kothakiri, Gudaloor, Eco Regions in Eastern ghats: 13. Kollimalai 14. Kalrayan hills 15. Pachamalai 16. Javathu Hills 17. Erkadu 18. Ellakiri hills. Based on this presentation the team had brief discussion and decided to concentrate community based eco region approach for future work plan to build work among adivasis in Tamilnadu.
c. Selection of separate Adivasi Program team for Ekta Parishad Tamilnadu: Mr. Nagalingam raised question about the structure of tribal team among existing Ekta Parisad, Tamilnadu setup. He also suggested that to form a separate Adivasi Program team from the participants who took part in this meeting today. The suggestion was well received by the participants. The following persons were elected as members, namely P.R.Raja, G.Nagalingam, S.Dhanaraj, S.Jegadesan, T.Marirajan and Pappathi (Women Leader from Paliyan Tribes). Mr.P.R.Raja elected as convener of the Committee. The committee authorized Mr. Raja to report to this development to State committee of Ekta Parishad Tamilnadu for their approval and to get their concern officially.
d. Preparation of Work Plan for 2010 – 2011 for Tamilandu Adivasi Land Rights Movement” (TALRM): Based in the discussion the team requested Mr. Marirajan to develop the work plan and circulated to the member for correction and further improvement before submission to Ekta Parishad
The meeting came to an end with vote of thanks by Mr.Jegadesan.