International Human Rights Day celebrated with PVTGs: Peaceful struggle is the alternative to assert constitutional rights
Dr.Badal Tah,Odishabarta
Rayagada, December 11: International Human Rights Day was celebrated with great pomp and show at the Lions Club premises located in Rayagada by the South Western Zone of the International Human Rights Council. Hundreds of Dangaria tribal women, men from PVTG, Dalit leaders participated in this conference and narrated their stories of struggle. They vividly described how they were being oppressed by the police and mining companies as they raised their voices for the protection of their water, forests and land. Arjun Kumar, who spent 12 years in prison for raising his voice against injustice, narrated his grief over how the mining company had turned his villages into a valley of migration, showing dreams of building a second Bombay in his area. “If you give money to the tribals, the money will run out. If you give them jobs, the jobs will run out after one generation. But this land has provided them with livelihood for generations and will continue to provide jobs for generations. So, is it not ridiculous to say that tribals will be developed by giving them some money, a small house or distributing some medicines ?” asked the tribal woman youth leader Kabita. Similarly, Ram Praska, President of the Nilayagiri Surakhya Trust, told the crowd present that they should continue their peaceful struggle and reject those who are trying to provoke them from outside. The speech about the movement of the woman tribal leader from Kalyasinghpur block captivated everyone.
Discussing the theme of the day, the chief guest Dr. Badal Kumar Tah said that “Right to basic necessities”, such as food, cloth, shelter and right to dignity are the rights of all of us, especially the oppressed and the downtrodden, which are enshrined in the Indian Constitution. The fact that many poor people are not recognized for their rights in the name of duty is very worrying and a threat to democracy. The wealth of hills is the health of the plains. Today, the tribals, dalit youth and women who are raising their voices to protect their hills and mountains are the ones who are giving real protection to the Constitution and are the ones who shape the fate of human society.
The chief speaker of the meeting, Subhra Panda, Vice-Chairperson of Rayagada Municipality, said that only a casteless society can boost the rights of everyone. She said that only a peaceful struggle can ensure the assertion of human rights.
The meeting was chaired by Anubrat Bara, President of the South-West Zone of the International Human Rights Council. Senior journalists Deepak Prusty, Niranjan Palo, Durga Padhi, Tushar Ranjan and many other intellectuals participated. The vote of thanks was given by senior human rights defender Nalini Pani.
