| |||
| [ Devi Interview ] | |||
Mahasweta Devi on Tribal
Welfare July 8, 1998 in Calcutta The subject is Mahasweta's work with the Denotified and Nomadic Tribal Rights Action Group and a court case the group had just won against the police. The clip begins mid-sentence. Passage 1 (Video) - Terrible torture of them by the society and the police went on and from that time until today the police and the stolen goods receivers keep these tribals engaged in criminal activities so that out of their robberies, dacoities, etcetera, they can make money. They usually do. All over India. But Government of India and the state governments never punish the stolen goods receivers or the police. Passage 2 (Video) - There are about two and a half crores [25 million] of such people who still live in bondage. Because 1871 Criminal Tribes Notification Act was repealed, but Government of India re-introduced a Habitual Offenders Act in 1959 for every state, which is nothing but a repetition of that British myth, Criminal Tribes Act. So, what happened before-that continues. Passage 3 (Video) - And I am working for the criminal tribes of West Bengal for the last twenty years. Very closely. No one else in India works for these criminal tribes. Because, they are so unfortunate that even other tribals believe that they are criminals. They also kill them. So, with one tribe I am especially close. The Kheria Sabar tribals of Purulia. Last February-this year's February-one of my tribals, Budhan Sabar, was brutally killed by the police and the jail authorities. The police almost killed him, then sent him to jail, where he expired. So I had filed a case, public interest case, with the Calcutta High Court in February. Passage 4 (Video) - And I am very proud to say that . . . And from that time I was . . . uh . . . absolutely, I thought, "Why did I not do it before? Why did I not file cases before?" Because whenever there have been cases of atrocity, or killing, I have always run there. Anyway, I filed this case, and then we wait. Passage 5 (Video) - And I had other co-thinkers who joined hands. We formed an all-India forum, the Denotified and Nomadic Tribal Rights Action Group. We formed that group. And from March, I am running all over India with my group--to see where these tribals are, what atrocities they're undergoing. And in June, between June and July, in Maharastra, they have killed, the police have killed, at least three to five human beings. Passage 6 (Video) - So my case, in this case, the case I filed in Calcutta High Court, in this case, we have gloriously won. The counselor appointed by the High Court, Pradeep Ray-I mention Pradeep Ray's name with great respect because he's the architect of this case--he conducted this case absolutely beautifully. Passage 7 (Video) - So for the first time, a person belonging to a denotified tribe has received justice; his wife has received compensation; High Court has ordered all the offending officials and others different types of punishment and inquiry and things like that. Passage 8 - It is very important for me, and for the other two and a half crores of people all over India, because very soon I'll be leaving Calcutta and this is going to become a national news. Passage 9 (Video)- This is the first victory ever. This is a historical judgment. This is a historical case. So we will spread the message. I will make it national news, so that from now onwards, any denotified tribal person killed anywhere, a case can be filed, citing this case. Passage 10 - It's a great victory, for Budhan Sabar. His name was Budhan--he was born on Wed-nes-day; "Wednesday" is "Bud" in Bengali, so he was named Budhan. Budhan died, so many denotified tribals die. But Budhan's death, you know, is like a martyr's death. Becaue he was killed that way, so much was achieved for the two and a half crores of people belonging to hundred and fifty denotified tribes all over India. Passage 11 (Video) - [Are you challenging Habitual Offender's Act as law?] Definitely. Definitely. We have challenged the Government of India. We have placed our . . . demands that this Habitual Offenders' Act must be removed from Indian Police Academy textbooks. Such cruelty and torture and atrocity must be stopped. These people must be seen as common Indian citizens. All the amenities of the minimum human rights--like education, housing, electricity, water, and many training programs for men and women--those things should benefit them. And police and stolen goods receivers must be stopped permanently from engaging them into criminal activities. Passage 12 - [You said that in Kerela there are programs that seem to be working to help?] No, I did not say that. I only said that in Kerela there are very few tribals. The tribal concentration is only in one district that's known as Wayanad. What happened in Kerala is very bad, because in that tribal and forest district, the Kerala ministers--as it was reported in the newspapers--they opened an ice cream parlor. And they went and molested and raped these tribal women. About twenty-one tribal women were pregnant. One case of suicide also has been reported. And a group has gone there. They are fighting this case. They have placed this case with the Human Rights Commission. Passage 13 - Since some three to five of us are going from this place--we are going from this end of India to that end; we are going to the villages; we are climbing hills; we are crossing rivers; we are going to the remote regions--our organization of Denotified and Nomadic Tribal Rights Action Group needs monetary help, sent with sympathy. Passage 14 - All such help should be sent to our secretary G.N. Devy, D - E - V - Y, 6 United Avenue, Baroda three nine triple zero seven. We are also publishing our group journal, Budhan. One may become subscriber to it. For people living in America, they should send hundred dollars for twelve numbers. That also should go to G.N. Devy who is secretary of our group, also editor of this journal. Passage 15 - We are fighting a great war. War against superstition (you see, the society thinks of them as criminals); war against atrocity (because police and public both kill them cruelly); war against a system which allows these things to happen. So, this is really a war of liberation. My reading is, India cannot be called really independent because these people have been kept in bondage. Also because this basic war was not fought. That is why this so-called image of India is crumbling down on all fronts. That's all. |
