Citizens for Justice and Peace
Koli Bhaji: A feast fit for Gods! Unique rain invoking ceremonies involve offering local vegetables, and performing the Kamadi folk dance
15-Sep-2021
“पाण्या देवा येशी कवा ? नारायणा देवा नवस केला” sing a group of Adivasis, praying to the rain gods to bless them. Their song roughly translated into English goes something like this: “Oh rain gods please shower your blessing on us. Don’t be upset we have prayed to Lord Narayan.” For generations tribal communities have…
CJP impact: A fellowship, that encouraged communities to cross communication barriers It has helped open up a window for Van Gujjars, whose stories are now being shared widely
06-Sep-2021
It has been an interesting year to say the least for me, as an activist who works closely on the rights of the Van Gujjar community to which I belong, and on environmental issues. After I was awarded the CJP Grassroots Fellowship and began chronicling the Van Gujjar community’s lifestyle, tradition, migration patterns, and their…
Forest resource rights vs. Land rights under Forest Rights Act Why it is important to understand the distinction
12-Aug-2021
Chhattisgarh has become the first state to recognise forest resource rights in an urban area by bestowing these rights upon residents of Dhamtari district over 4,127 hectares of forests. Apart from that, the state government also recognised community resource rights over 5,544 hectares of forest within the core area of the tiger reserve area, reported Indian…
We are also human beings! The economically deprived Katkari tribe of Maharashtra demands right to a dignified life
09-Aug-2021
The Katkari tribe, which has often been presented as ‘primitive’ or backward, lives together in close-knit groups. The place where these people live is called a Wadi, or locality. Almost all Katkari Wadis are located on the outskirts of a village, and with the exception of a few pucca houses built under the Gharkul housing…
HC order empowers Van Gujjars during Covid-19 The community was finally allowed to enter the meadows of Uttarkashi
03-Aug-2021
The course the Covid-19 pandemic will now take, remains as unpredictable as ever. One the one hand, there is talk of a slowdown of the spread of the disease, one the other, there are also reports of an imminent arrival of the third wave if protocol is not adhered to. However, one cannot ignore the…
No eviction of forest dwellers without resolution of land claims: NHRC Chief J. Arun Mishra (retd.) takes stand against eviction of tribals without resolution of land claims
31-Jul-2021
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Justice (retired) Arun Mishra has said that no Adivasi/tribal should be evicted without the settlement of his/her claim related to land rights, while chairing a webinar organised by the Commission with Human Rights Defenders and Civil Societies on human rights issues. Another suggestion that he gave during the webinar…
West Bengal: Wild elephant attacks and the human dilemma Residents of Ghar Salbani say they are spending days in terror
08-Jul-2021
In the seventies, Rajesh Khanna starrer Haathi Mere Saathi had created a magical image for many Indians, especially children. The emotional relationship between a human and an elephant, living in the forest, was endearing. However, real life is far removed from the fantasy woven on celluloid. Forest dwelling elephants are wild creatures, as wild as the tiger,…
A ray of hope is all we need How Uttarakhand’s Van Gujjars are rebuilding relationships with villagers
04-Jun-2021
Uttarakhand is home to the Van Gujjars, the nomadic community to which I belong. We traditionally breed cows, buffalos of a special breed called Gojri, and even horses, and earn a livelihood by selling milk and milk products. A defining factor of this community is that we migrate according to the season. In the summer…
Bitter sweet lives of honey collectors Surviving crouching tigers, stinging bees and stringent Lockdown restrictions to keep alive a traditional form of livelihood
01-Jun-2021
For centuries the golden floral forest honey from the Sundarbans has travelled across the world, but the stories of those who collect it, just float on the delta and into the Bay of Bengal. There is no typically easy way to get to the world-famous Sundarbans, but even the most difficult journey to this vast…
Bullets and bureaucracy: Van Gujjars of Shivalik hills are caught in the crosshairs At least 4,000 families of the originally nomadic community have settled in the region that is also home to an Army shooting range
17-Apr-2021
The Van Gujjars of Shivalik forests have a curious dilemma. Should they stay put in the middle of a region that is used by the Army for firing practice, or pack up and leave… and then go where? Should they revert to the nomadic life of their ancestors, or start life afresh on rented land?…