National Campaign & Consultation

Jharkhand 2010
Who are the barbarians on our homeland?

Declaration
This declaration is being made by us delegates attending the National
Campaign & Consultation: Who are the barbarians on our Homeland?
at Bagachia Conference Centre Namkum Ranchi Jharkhand1.

We have chosen to assemble here on 8 June 2010 a day before the

109th martyrdom anniversary of our Saheed Birsa Munda. On the eve
of this historical day we with all due respect to all would like to
declare:

I. That we are individuals and representatives of over 30 a number

of peoples, social and labour organisations, all Adivasi rights
centered, have sat in council to discuss the mayhem and
slaughter of our peace loving people, that has been spiraling in
the past two years (2010).

II. That we have just passed by majority vote the Concept Note and
its contents and now present it to our people in the far corners
of our land for their study & consideration. The Concept Note
will now be called:

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN JHARKHAND DISHUM TODAY 2010?

(See annexure i)

III. We affirm what we Adivasi people experience from our very birth:
that due to massive industrial expansion in particular the mining
and its allied industries

a. Adivasis are migrating out in thousands as bonded contract

labour to farms construction sites and domestic labour.

b. Outsiders are flowing in to take up jobs including

government jobs reducing us to a minority in our own land.

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Called by Bindrai Institute for Research Study & Action B.I.R.S.A. & DELHI FORUM
 Who are the barbarians on our homeland? Declaration 8th June 2010

c. Many of our people face morbidity and decreased longevity,

and all too often, an early, cruel, death. Destruction of
our forest and water sources has brought in drought
causing hunger and malnutrition.

IV. Irrespective of how the outside world wants to describe the

consequences of their acts on us, we the delegates assembled
her consider it an ongoing genocide. Therefore we kindly
request all those concerned not to Trivialise this violence to
merely polemical discourses, or arguments about models of
development.

V. As citizens of this country we would like to believe that the

Indian State through its various Institutions especially that of
the Vth and VIth Schedule as well as its endorsement of various
UN declarations, is committed to our rights.

VI. But when we see that the Indian state, from the time of its
formation, has decided not to keep any record of the number of
our people evicted from their rightly owned land, or that of the
genocidal consequences of such action, we forced to doubt its
seriousness.

VII. For when we see that whatever the State has done in this region
has been to facilitate the expropriation of our common wealth
and transfer it to Industry/Corporations, then our suspicions
get confirmed.

VIII. We the Adivasis and Dalit communities of India have been the
single largest community with whom the state has duped and
looted for the so called growth of India. By way of free land,
free forest produce, free minerals including 80% of the
country’s energy needs and 100% of its uranium needs, free
water and above all, almost free labour.

IX. We feel that besides race and caste the above point no Viii is the
next biggest reason why we are not being treated as full citizens.
For, it would entail the ruling high caste and class to
acknowledgement the importance of our crucial role in the
development of India.

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 Who are the barbarians on our homeland? Declaration 8th June 2010

X. The continuation of slaughter and mayhem and dismantling of

civilian democratic structures is therefore tantamount to
continuance of the above expropriation of resources

XI. We the Adivasis who have been living an economy that produces
peace will never swerve our very basic respect for life and living
and we commit ourselves to continuing in the spiritual tradition
our ancestors.

XII. We call all peace loving people to question an economic system

that exploits its citizens, and requests them to join us by
supporting this call.

Our demands

1. We demand reparations, criminal charges and justice in all cases

of corporate crime.

2. We therefore call for a twenty year moratorium on all new

mining leases or extension of licenses for such purposes.

3. We call for an audit of all land minerals and forest resources

taken from us post independence (1947).

4. We demand that the State gives an account of where all our

evicted and lost people are.

For the past seven years the people of Jharkhand have organised
themselves to successfully resist any new mega mine or industry on
their land. We want to salute these brave Women Children and Men
who are proving that they are the true children of our ancestors who
fought and gave their lives to save that what it means to be called an
Adivasi child.

Jharkhand Ranchi June 8th 2010