Biju report for the month of September 2010

Report for the month of September 2010- By K. Biju

1. In the first week of September I was invited to participate the Ekta Parishad National Management Committee meeting at Bhopal for two days. The meeting was chaired by Rajaji and Ransingh ji. In this meeting I was requested to present progress of the south Indian activities in connection with JS 2012 and I was also given an additional responsibility to organize a Kalamanch meeting in Katni, Madhya Pradesh.

2. Had a brief discussion with Mr. Aneesh about the advocacy activities and he shared some of the information’s about the progress of Land reform Committee and its present status. From the discussion I understand that the planning commission is making some progress in terms of taking some of the recommendations given by EP to the Land Reform Council.

3. Had a small meeting with Mr. Mael and Jill behan in connection with the use of cyber space in promotion to EP activities. Mael was not happy to have more Blogs and sites in the Internet world. But after the discussion he has agreed to and understood that it is important to have more information’s in the website and cyber space about the organization and the leaders.

4. After the Bhopal meeting, I was invited to Bangalore to participate in the SIAF (South Indian Adivasi Federation) meeting. It was an invitation form KAF (Kerala Adivasi Forum). In Kerala EP is working with KAF and they want introduce EP in to their larger circle. In Bangalore partners from all the four south India was participated. I am thankful to Fr. Stephen for introducing EP in to this large circle and for giving the opportunity to introduce about Jansatyagraha 2012. In this meeting SIAF was doing the process organization development (OD) along with SWOT analysis. It is a right way and important training in terms of developing their organizations and activities.

5. In the month of September Rajaji visited Kerala and Tamilnadu and had few important meetings. Rajaji got a viral fever and he has decided to postpone some of the programs he has planned already. In Kerala he was invited for a Gandhian Award by the poornodaya group at Thrissur on the 18^th. On the 23^rd he had a meeting with EP Kerala team along with KAF team. The three different regional coordinators will closely work with KAF in terms of JS 12 mobilization work. Mr. Suresh of KGNS will coordinate this process and KGNS office will be the base for the JS coordination work.

6. Participated a public hearing on atrocities against tribal in the state jointly organized by Evidence Madurai and Tamilnadu Adivasi Forum (TAF) at Madurai on the 18^th. It was a good program and they brought 25 case studies form different tribal regions in the public for hearing. It was hard to listen some of the cases even after 63 years of freedom tribals are suffering a lot. Organizations in south India need to come together to work among adivasis and their livelihood issues. Mr. Dhanraj of Tamilnadu Adivasi Forest Right Act movement participated another meeting in Trichy organized Tamilnadu Mannurimai Iyyakkam and action aid (TN land rights movement). In this meeting he understands that, the organizations in the state are interested to join the JS 12 action organized by EP. And they are keen to organize a consultation with Rajaji in the direction of bringing more organizations and people from Tamilnadu to participate JS 2012. Similarly Mr. Vinod of Chennai spoke with the Action aid Chennai office and they also want to have some time to discuss with EP about the JS 2012 support activities.

7. Due to the bad health condition of Rajaji we have decided to postpone the proposed ToT program for Tamilnadu from September to October 7,8,9 at CESCI Madurai and intimated the leaders the change of new date.

8. Mr. P.A. Raja of Theni and Mr. Jagadisan from Pollachi went to Madhya Pradesh to participate the 10 days jeep yatra program under the leadership of Rajaji. This was a good opportunity for peoples like Jagadisan and Raja to understand the work of EP.

Jai Jagat