Thursday, August 31, 2006

Farmers, Tribals and the Poor

Very slowly but surely the land, the meager possessions of farmers, tribals and the poor are being taken away. There is no looting or snatching, nothing so crude or visible. There is gradual burden of loans, loans to pay off old loans, insidious coercion to give up their land at throwaway prices.

If you want to see it yourself, just go down to a few villages or tribal areas in your neighborhood. You will find them living at the edge of desperation.

All of us who sit comfortably in our imaginary cocoons of security must know that today it is the farmers, tribals and the poor. Tomorrow it will be the turn of lower middle class, the middle middle class, and the upper middle class.

All of us need to think about this and find solutions that work.

These links may give you some idea of what is happening.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1049554
http://andolan.blogspot.com/
http://farmwage.blogspot.com/
http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Action/press864.htm
http://www.indiatogether.org/2003/mar/vu-triballands.htm