INSAF Report (April - September 2005)

I. ORGANISATIONAL

· Meeting of Finance Committee, attended by INSAF Gen. Secretary, Vice President and Treasurer. Discussion on future programme plans.

The finance committee convened by the NEC to review programme plans and disburse resources includes the General Secretary Wilfred D, Vice President Ms. Radha P and Treasurer Nanjundiaiah.

The committee met in Mysore during April 2. It discussed the state plans made by the 15 state committees and authorised the General Secretary to organise the necessary disbursements as per plans, requisitions from states and cash flows.

National Executive Committee

· Meeting of National Executive Committee. Discussion on organizational matters, future plans, and interventions.

The NEC met in Chennai on September 13-14. The NEC discussed organisational matters, draft ToR and review team composition, states reporting and plans for next six months, current political scenario, politics of AIDS, etc. A visit to Tsunami areas was also organised on Sept. 15th to acquaint the NEC members with the plight of tsunami victims and the issue of rampant human rights violations in times of disasters.

II. NATIONAL PROGRAMMES

· Public hearings and workshops were organised in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan during September 2005 to build the groundwork for the national consultation on October 5-6, 2005 in Delhi.

Over 150 activists attended the public hearing on ADB & Water Privatisation in MP at Gwalior from various people’s movements, trade unions and mass organisations. They discussed the current scenario of water privatisation in the light of globalisation and ADB projects in Madhya Pradesh and shared their ideas of struggle against privatisation of water.

Almost 100 participants representing 17 social movements & organizations working on various issues and sectors, lawyers, media person and professors along with villagers participated in the workshop on 12 – 13 September 2005 in Chhattisgarh.

The consultation held on 29th September 2005 in Jaipur (Rajasthan) was attended by social activists, writers from different districts. They discussed the water crisis in the State, undemocratic and conspiratorial nature of ADB projects, etc.

This consultation was the first of its kind bringing grassroots activists and anti globalisation networks on a common platform. The national consultation was acknowledged by the ADB Country Director in a fax as an important meeting and they preferred to participate in such civil society consultations (although INSAF believes that discussions with ADB are not possible.)

III. SOUTH ASIA ALLIANCE

· Priscilla Moktan attended Capacity building course on Gender, development and Human Rights, organized by Sangat, in Nepal. Other 6 South Asian Countries also participated in the programme.

· Anil Chaudhary and Wilfred D’ Costa, attended the Jubilee South - Asia Pacific Movement on Debt & Development conferences and Assembly in Bangkok.

· Wilfred participated in the Global Assembly of Jubilee South in Cuba. INSAF was elected to the Asia Pacific Coordination Committee.

IV. Solidarity Actions

• Convention for “Restoration of Democracy in Nepal” and “Struggle for Democratic Republic in Nepal”
• INSAF President gave his statement and views on globalisation for the Venezuelan Media.
• Anti-war demonstrations against illegal occupation of Iraq
• Secretarial support and solidarity action for India – Pakistan Peace March
• Fact Finding on Kashipur mining struggle against Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL) project.
• Involvement in the national initiative to resist water privatisation
• Complete support and active participation in movement for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace through Coalition for nuclear disarmament & peace (CNDP)
• Solidarity with Anti coke – Pepsi movement
• Active in mobilising protest actions against ADB – AGM to be held in Hyderabad in May 2006.

V. PUBLICATION

• Poorvanchal Mein Coke- Pepsi ke Virudh Sangarsh (anti-coke pepsi struggle in Eastern Uttar Pradesh written by Ramchandra Singh. A 52 page booklet on the struggle against Pepsi and coke in Eastern Uttar Pradesh
• America America – anti imperialist video song, directed by KP Sasi.

The VCD was widely distributed and well appreciated in screenings in schools, colleges, NGO meetings, etc.

VI. REGIONAL PROGRAMMES

1. Regional Gender Workshops

In an effort to develop a gender perspective in INSAFs ideology, work and organisation; gender workshops were planned by the NEC. The women members of the NEC felt that this process should first start with exclusive-women workshops to explore patriarchy and forms of gender oppression. The next phase could involve men to develop a gender perspective. Three regional workshops were organised in this phase, the fourth one in East Zone was postponed to November due to unavoidable circumstances.

West Zone: Gender Workshop, attended by State committee members and NEC at Rajasthan. The workshop ended with an action plan to organize more such workshops in future.

North Zone: Gender Workshop, at Uttarakhand. A follow up of the workshop was decided.

South Zone: Gender workshop at Chennai. Participants decided to have follow-up workshops in future.

2. Regional Youth & Culture Programmes

Two regional youth programmes in East & West zones were organised during this period. The objective of this program is to mobilise youth and promote INSAF ideology among them. The effort also promotes political culture and use of cultural tools effectively.

West Zone (Ahmedabad): The cultural programme from different states and the meet instilled a secular spirit among the youth, and acquainted them with the dangers of communal fascism from the experiences in Gujarat.

East Zone (Aurangabad, Bihar): There was a rally, public meeting, seminar, presentations, cultural programmes, and poetry recitals. Many activists from trade unions, local activists, leaders and students from AISF were present to discuss the Alternative Youth Policy.

VII. STATE ACTIVITIES

1. ANDHRA PRADESH

Programmes organised:

• Workshop on land rights and globalisation, in collaboration with Vvasaya Vrudhidharula.
• Water policy meeting, with ANTHRA
• Protest of WTO ministerial meeting to be held in December, with all state civil organizations.
• Printing and distribution of posters on water policy and women’s land rights.

There is an understanding on the issue of globalisation and its impact on the lives of common people. Various discussions were held and people are ready to resist globalisation. Rally and protest, displaying of pictures, are done by the people to demonstrate resistance. People are aware of their rights and entitlements. There was a tremendous support from other civil organization too.

2. BIHAR

Programmes organised:

• A state level training on “Education, Employment and Government”- for students, with AISF
• Meeting/ discussion on “Democracy and Right to Information”, with Jan Bigyan Samiti.
• Meeting / discussion on “Nuclear Disarmaments and Peace”, in collaboration with CNDP.
• Commemorate 125^th Anniversary of Munsi Premchand (renowned secular Hindi novelist)
• Commemorate “Hiroshima and Nagasaki week”

Communities are informed of the political governance and issues. The youths are motivated to take part in the politics and governance of the country. People felt the need to generate and disseminate awareness of rights and information.

3. CHHATTISGARH

Programmes organised:

• Farmer’ action period: a seminar was organized on the topic “ varieties of rice and farmers: condition put forward by WTO” and a discussion on the research paper of Dr Richharia.

Farmers of Chhattisgarh stage a dharna to return the variety of seeds collected at the Indira Gandhi Agriculture University.

• Protest against setting up of industry, and demand for development according to model recommended by the local panchayat and gram sabha.
• Mahila Adalat - formation of women’s court to check violence against women.

There is strong sense of solidarity among the people. The collective efforts of the people brought many changes in the area. The people also gain many successful results in their demands for their rights.

4. GUJARAT

Programmes organised:

• Seminar on “ globalisation and its impact on economy & development policies”
• A literary discourse on “alternative literature in Gujarat; with special reference to Dalit and Feminist literature’

Various Dalit and feminist literatures brings out many contextual issues and gives insights to many contemporary problems. The people realized its impact and utility on the role of literature.

5. JHARKHAND

Programmes organised:

• Public hearing: tribal communities of Jharkhand held a public hearing to bring out their grievances and injustices done to them.

Tribals were empowered to bring out and discuss their issues of livelihood, discrimination and issue related to women. More discussion and public hearings are planned in future to bring their issue to the authorities.

6. KARNATAKA

Karnataka INSAF chapter undertook networking and alliance building with various civil organizations during this period. This was also in an attempt to strengthen the perspective of INSAF. Programmes organised:

• Tribal gram sabhas organized in 120 tribal hadis of Mysore, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar and Bangalore.
• Protest against tribal forest bill 2005. Representations send to PM, Forest Minister, MPs and Karnataka CM.
• Workshops conducted on empowerment of backward classes and women.
• Leaflet on traditional farming distributed.

INSAF received support and cooperation from other organizations in the state. They are in solidarity with the activities and perspective of INSAF.

7. KERALA

Programmes organised:

• Youth and Secular Action, at Kozikode, in collaboration with TDVVS.
• Youth and Secular action, at Kottarakkara, in collaboration with REDSM.
• Youth and Secularism at Kasargodu, with YATRA
• Youth and Action, at Chagannacherry, with YILT

Youth programme

• Youth leadership camp on Secularism at Kalpatta in collaboration w