Citizens for Justice and Peace
जल, जंगल, जमीन हमारा था, है और हमारा ही रहेगा – राम सूरत सिंह बुजुर्ग आदिवासी की जुबानी, वन विभाग के उत्पीड़न की कहानी
14-Oct-2020
आदिवासी अपनी जल, जंगल जमीन को बचाने की जद्दोजहद में निरंतर जुटे हैं। बिहार के अधौरा के बरडीह गांव निवासी 65 वर्षीय बुजुर्ग आदिवासी राम सूरत सिंह ने अपनी पीड़ा CJP के साथ शेयर की है। इस दौरान उन्होंने बड़े ही मार्मिक तरीके से बताया कि वे अपनी आजीविका चलाने के लिए किस तरह का…
A Day in the Life of Van Gujjars Photo Feature
19-Sep-2019
The Van Gujjars are a transhumance tribe of pastoralists belonging to the Himalayas. Their livelihood and subsistence depends primarily on their cattle. During summer they walk upto and beyond 12,500 ft in the mountains and trek down on the onset of winter. Ghulam Mustafa Chopra and I started our journey from Dehradun to Sakhri on…
Will sacrifice life, but not give up land: Adivasis of Sonbhadra Blog by Special Invitation
13-Aug-2019
“Jaan de denge lekin zamin nahi denge” (We will sacrifice our lives, but not give up our land) continues to be the echo from the Adivasis of Sonbhadra, 24 days after the brute firing at Village Umbha, Ghorawal Block by sections of the upper castes of the region. These were the words on the lips of…
UP’s Sonbhadra killing of 10 tribals highlights ‘failure’ to implement Forest Rights Act Counterview
21-Jul-2019
On July 17, as many as 10 people, including three women, were killed and 28 injured when a village head and his supporters opened fire on a group of tribal farmers in Ubha village of Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh. While the firing took place following a clash between over a land ownership dispute, it reportedly highlights failure of…
FRA 2006 can’t be diluted, needs to become political issue Public Hearing on Forest Rights highlights lacunae in implementation
19-Jul-2019
Public Hearing records grave incidents of atrocities on forest dwelling communities and argues for a rigorous implementation of the FRA 2006, a systematic and scientific mapping of land dubbed as ‘forests’, argues for a political programme for the implementation of the law and appointment of Court Commissioners to oversee this implementation. A public hearing…
Mahua coloured dreams Forest produce and its relevance in the lives of forest dwelling communities in Sonbhadra, UP
10-Jul-2019
Mahua, which has found mention in folk poetry, songs and stories is rightly called the “gift of Gods.” Flowering in summer, especially during March and April, the flowers provide respite to the lands and peoples stricken by drought and summers. These deciduous trees flower even as all other trees lie bare. It’s a revered tree…
A Commitment to Forest Rights could change the course of the 2019 General Election A campaign for implementation of the FRA could capture 133 seats
20-Mar-2019
Poor implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) which legalises the land rights of India’s 200 million forest dwellers, could be, if made into a vibrant election issue, become a deciding factor in how a fourth, i.e. 25 per cent (133 of 543) constituencies vote in the coming general election. A detailed analysis by the…
A Campaign for Forest Rights could affect these Constituencies in 2019 Some key areas are in Maharashtra, Odisha and Gujarat
17-Mar-2019
In tables, the study shows where the Constituencies where a Campaign for Forest Rights could impact. The earlier part of this series revealed how an analytical study by Community Forest resource-Learning and Advocacy Network shows how the forest and land rights of India’s 200 million forest dwellers, could be, if made into a vibrant election…
What should a Campaign for Forest Rights demand in 2019? Strengthening conservation efforts and transforming forest management are key focus areas
16-Mar-2019
Evidence from the ground shows that rights holders that have rigorously used FRA 2006, specially its community rights provisions, to achieve the following goals: Transforming forest management to meet local livelihood and cultural needs; Ensuring food security and poverty alleviation; Securing gender justice and rights of women over land and forest; Strengthening conservation efforts and…
Forest Rights: A daughter awaits her father’s return in Sonbhadra’s Lilasi Nexus of UP Police, Forest Dept. officials and brokers destroy Nandu Gond’s home
28-Feb-2019
It was a windy day with fragmented, asymmetrical clouds spread across the sky. Yellow mustard plants swayed with the force of the wind, as did the wheat crops. We visited Lilasi village, a site of bitter conflict, even bloodshed, between state forces, the forest department and the forest dwelling community (Gond Adivasis). It was February…