In past December we received from India a request of solidariety and help from the rural-tribal communities of Bastar District, part of the Chattisgarh Indian State. As the appeal states, in wide areas of that State there is a historically active popular movement fighting for the emancipation from landlords' tyranny, backed by the central government and by local Hindu extremists (who refuse any attempt to break the old cast and brahaminic system). This emancipation movement is supported by the maoist (“naxalite”) guerrilla, which is subdued to the brutal and indiscriminate repression of the Indian Army.
We are very concerned about the war drums beaten by the Indian government against its own people. While the global economic crisis clearly shows that the liberalist receipts of free reign to the multinationals and banks does not lead to the promised development of “India shining”. Actually New Delhi is setting the thief to catch the thief. By selling of vast swathes of land to capitalist enterprises to exploit the mineral riches, to build giant hydropower dams and for the sake of savage industrialisation they instead are destroying not only the livelihood of millions but also their way of live which does not fit to the capitalism.
We set out to spread the Adivasi resistance in the world, show their alternative way of development based on their own culture and resources without wasting them as capitalism does. The Adivasi are completely right if they do not want to end up in the slums of cities like Cairo, Sao Paulo or Jakarta where they do not even serve as industrial reserve army.
Our idea is to start a solidarity movement similar to the one of the Zapatists in Mexico in the 1990s in support of the indigenous rebellion against the devastating impact of the free trade regime. Thousand and thousands of Europeans came to see and support carrying back the fire of protest. Thus the anti-globalisation movement was born. Now we have reached already a higher stage – a global anti-imperialist movement.
It is also a morale imperative which is driving us. It were the European capitalist settlers who in the name of civilisation and development extinguished the native people of North America eventually creating the big monster of the American Empire. Now it is our duty to support the indigenous people of India fighting for survival against the onslaught of capitalist imperialism still fuelled by the Western oligarchy.
So, the next Sumud mission will probably be aimed at supporting these communities.
If you are interested in knowing more about this, you can read the appeal sent by the Indian Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF).
