Values of Communal Harmony in Youth

Work amongst the youth on the issue of youth health and fertility has been identified as an important one, as still the age of marriage amongst rural population lies at 15 years. But how do we make the issue a public one? The Jharkhand Youth Policy comprising of focus on livelihood, skill, sports hence was the focus of the Exposure Workshop at Krishi Gram Vikas Kendra, held on 4th to 6th May 2010. Approx 70 youth from Pakur, Deoghar and Ranchi participated. 

Various livelihood programs were visited, this was followed by sharings. Evenings were culturally rich -songs and videos. Kishore Kumar's 'Jeevan Se Na Haar Jeene Wale' and KP Sasi's 'Gaon Chhodab Nahi'. This was followed by 'Kora Rajee', a documetary on the plight of adivasis now living as tea tribes, with no scheduled tribe status. More 

Responses

• The conflict in Assam continues betwee the tribes -Bodo and Santhal. And adivasi girl was beaten and clothes teared off. We know of the incident when the discussion was in the newspaper and in our college hostel.
• While mainstream Bollywood cinema has too much fantasy, there is also some good movies and songs which depict human lives in a different untold way, and those which are also very relevant to our lives, whether youth from urban or rural backdground. Hence there are many relevant songs which inspire us, and can be used in popular ways to communicate to the society, for inspiring change.
• Let us feel pride in our cultural uniqueness, but resist the fundamentalist forces which divide / discriminate on the grounds of caste, race, religion, language and region. Hence let us sing songs of communal harmony and humanity, and promote cross learning / opportunities for cultural exchange.
• Values are very important, these show us the path for collective, sustainable, equity based lifestyles. During young ages these require focus, yet in informal, creative ways which help to educate.

Also check You Tube responses on this Youth Exposure Program at Ranchi here and Channel.

Black Pamphlets ..On Campus Democracy

The screening of Black Pamphlet took place on 13th March 2010 at Satyabharati Auditorium, due to the non-availability of Raam Ke Naam. This was suggested to us as pertaining to the issues of youth policy and leadership. And it did generate quite a discussion!

1. Almost everybody felt that youth's involvement in politics is vital, but also focused on the dangers depicted in the documentary of corruption, bad practices, hooliganism, etc. Discussions moved on to the role of political parties and how student's movement need to be independent.
2. Whether right or left affiliated student bodies, it was felt that brain washing of youngsters is an exercise which goes around all the corners. This also happens in  Ranchi when young people dive into movements and they are guided by various interest groups.
3. The youth needs to interact at various spheres and also have opportunities to get engaged in social movements and get exposed to larger societal questions. For this various programmatic support is required to promote such youth development processes.
4. Youth Policy of Jharkhand has been passed by the Cabinet in Jharkhand, and very few people know about it. It is time that more and more discussions are brought into the forefront, and systems are demanded for implementation of the same. (Akay Minz).

Identity, Fascism and Peace Movement

All are Invited

RANG  DE  BASANTI - Video Festival on Diversity and Aspirations

At SATYA BHARATI (Purulia Road) - 13^th March 2010 Saturday - 12.30 to 5.30

Documentary Screenings

America America (4 min)                -           Against Imperialism

Gaon Chhodab Nahi (4 min)             -           People’s Movement

Prayers for New Gods (29 min)      -           Tribal Religion and Identity

Ram Ke Naam (75 min)                    -           Communal Fascism

Mann Ke Manjeere (4 min)              -           Women’s Liberation

Redefining Peace (58 min)              -           Women’s Movement

 

Discussion Topics

Youth Policy of Jharkhand / Role of Youth in Communal Harmony / Youth and Gender Equality

  

Organised by Open Space

In Collaboration with

Solidarity Centre, Ranchi and

Student Christian Movement of India (Jharkhand).

Contact – On 9430367949 (Praveer Peter) and 9709076151 (Paulus Topno)

or email solidarity.centre.ranchi@gmail.com

www.openspace-ranchi.blogspot.com

Change for the Youth of Jharkhand

Tu Zinda Hai, Zindagi Ki Jeet Pe Yakeen Kar

On 13th February (Saturday) , it is 8 pm and .... Shabnam Virmani's 'Tu Zinda Hai' (Check here and here) was screened amongst a rural health activist audience (approx 80) engaged under the NRHM in 3 districts of Jharkhand. They were basically educated and gave training to the Sahiyas (village level health activists). The documentary proved to be an inspiring piece for these activist with 1-3 years of engagement at the community level.

The story is about women activists who worked to organise the community aganist alcoholism and land grabbing by external forces. It is a documentation of their journey as an activist and how the change is being felt by them and the community. It is a powerful statement against patriarchy !!

In the background the Shailendra's song ....Tu zinda hai, tu zindagi ki jeet pe yakeen kar ,

Agar kahin hai swarg to utar la zameen par, Ye gam ke aur char din situm ke aur char din

Ye din bhi jaenge guzar, guzar gaye hazaar din .. is immensely powerful and motivating. About lyricist Shailendra here

The documentary was followed by Gaon Chhodab Nahi and Kora Rajee, which helped the audience re-live the plight of livelihood scarcity, and the only way to struggle with a belief in life. 

Standing in Defence of Human Rights - Support to Irom Sharmila

During the fortnight to end gender based violence various events took place in Ranchi in support of Irom Sharmila's struggle against Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Manipur.

 

  

 

 

Some of the events were 

• Screening of Sharmila - The Iron Lady in Student Christian Movement's workshop on Human Rights organised in Don Bosco on 29th Nov 2009.
• Screening of Kavita Joshi's Tales from the Margins amongst the Education students of St Xavier's College on 4th Dec 2009.
• Signature Campaign amongst students of rural management in XISS Ranchi during the Quiz-Elocution organised on the issue of violence against women on 5th Dec 2009.
• Film Screenings on Human Rights Day in HPDC Bahu Bazar during the Women's Rights Convention organised by Mahila Hinsa Pratirodh Pakhwara Aayojan Samiti (Speakers - Prof Rose Kerketta and Malancha Ghosh) and in International Library organised by the Ranchi Film Club (Speakers - Stan Lourdswamy and Dayamani Barla) on 10th Dec 2009.

Fragrance of Peace - Irom Sharmila

When life comes to its end
You, please transport, My lifeless body
Place it on the soil of Father Koubru
To reduce my dead body, To cinders amidst the flames
Chopping it with axe and spade, Fills my mind with revulsion
The outer cover is sure to dry out, Let it rot under the ground
Let it be of some use to future generations
Let it transform into ore in the mine
I'll spread the fragrance of peace
From Kanglei, my birthplace, In the ages to come
It will spread all over the world.

How many more rapes, how many more killings, how much more suffering would it take? And more importantly, how much more patience are the people of the northeast expected to have? “I must be patient”, says Irom Sharmila , “For the time being, I must endure.” Already in her tenth year of fast, she displays the endurance and patience of a true yogi. In her poems she writes in an almost mystical vein of a “place with no birth and death"; a “place where truth is lucid and pure.”Engaging an immoral State in moral battle, Irom Sharmila has today become a symbol of hope not only for the people of Manipur but for people everywhere suffering State tyranny.

(Please go to www.manipurfreedom.org to know more about the movement against AFSPA)

Redefining Peace - Young Women and Men Countering VAW / GBV

The 16 Days Fortnight event at Xavier's institute of Social Sciences (XISS) on 5th Dec 2009 comprised of Film Screening, Quiz and Elocution.

KP Sasi's Redefining Peace a documentary was screened on Indian women leaders who were nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 2005- Medha Patkar, Teesta Seetalwad, CK Janu, Irom Sharmila etc

The inaugural Address was given by Shravani and Dr Rose Kerketta, who have been part of the women's movement in Jharkhand and bring out a women magazine 'Adhi Duniya'.

Quiz Contest on Women and Violence Issues. There were five teams - Peace, Justice, Freedom, Equality, and Development. The Peace team comprising of Aastha Singh and Abhishek Chakravorty won.

Elocution Contest on the issue of 'My Perspective and Strategy for Countering Violence against Women' had 12 speakers, belonging to different streams of the Institute like rural management, marketing, personnel management and information management. The winners were Soumya Rani Gouda (first), Soumyojjwal Dutta (second), Reeti, Isha and Anupam.

The guests who also judged during the competitions were Dr Usha (Psychologist), Dr Kiran (Sambhava Women magazine) and Sarjeet Singh.The program was organised under the banner of Mahila Hinsa Pratirodh Pakhwara Aayojan Samiti which is collective of many women organisation and networks (GLRF, NAWO, Mahila Garima Abhiyan, etc)

Dr Kiran said it is very much wrong to say that domestic violence is promoted by women, as it is the patriarchal attitudes in which the society has been cultured. We need to hit at patriarchy, which might be present in women too, not solely a men issue.
Students expressed various opinions ...

• It is time for men and women to act beyond just talking about it. Boman Irani's (Bell Bajao) video spot which showed how people in one neighbourhood knock the door of someone engaging in domestic violence, need to be implemented.
• Men have looked at women just with eyes (concentrating on her beauty aspect) but now they have to use brains to look at women's other mental qualities too, which has been shown by Kiran Bedi and Arundhati Roy.
• Women should have the freedom to choose what they want to do as an individual, she should get dignity as a human being.
• There should be a policy of 'zero tolerance'. At least we students should feel it from our hearts and hope this effort kindles a new ray of hope amongst women.
• To counter violence against women, men need to be sensitised. Young men need to stand for women's human rights. 
• The film has helped asserted and help us realise that women issues are beyond 'reproduction', to contribution in production and efforts to create peace.
  

The Quiz involved questions related to Syeda Hameed, Smita Patil, Mother Teresa, Sarojini Naidu, Meerabai, Roop Kanwar (Sati), film Provoked (on Kiranjeet Ahluwalia case in England), Seema Biswas (Bandit Queen), Arundhati Roy, Aruna Roy, Pandita Ramabai, Simone De Beauvoir, Deepa Mehta film Water (on widows), Mahasweta Devi, Kalpana Lajmi's Rudaali, Aung San Suu Kyi (Burma), PCPNDT Act, Vishakha Sexual Harassment Guidelines, Tasleema Nasreen's book Lajja, Jharkhand Archer Dola Banerjee, etc

The event was coordinated by Elina Horo, Vandana Tete, Sweta Kujur, Praveer Peter, Anima Baa, Shravani and Prabha Lakra. INTREND, the XISS club of students with Anupam, Anupriya, Rajat, Tuhin and Khushboo expressed that they would like to have more of such student activities and be in touch through blogs www.lifeatxiss.blogspot.com and www.openspace-ranchi.blogspot.com.

Using Media Tools for Strengthening the 16 Days International Campaign Against Gender Based Violence

Open Space has joined the 16 days fortnight being celebrated collectively by women organisation and groups working on gender issues, with its inputs on media & communications. The collective Mahila Hinsa Pratirodh Pakhwara Aayojan Samiti, comprises of various groups like National Alliance of Women (NAWO), Gender Livelihoods and Resources Forum (GLRF), Adivasi Women's Network, etc. There will be hosting of various events in Ranchi and nearby districts in Jharkhand, in communities, schools and colleges. 

The use of following media packs will be done ..

• Buru Gara - A PSBT documentary by Sriprakash, based on the lives of two tribal women writers of Jharkhand, Dayamani Barla and Nirmala Putul.Check news
  
• Video Spots on Women, prepared by Jagori and Breakthrough like Mann ke Manjeere, Babul, Bell Bajao (Milk), Don't Suffer in Silence and Beauty Myth. Check site
  
• Sharmila - The Iron Lady - A 30 minutes CNN-IBN production on the struggle of Irom Sharmila against the Armed Forces Special Protection Act (AFSPA) in Manipur, which has turned the civilian life havoc, with human rights violations by the armed forces (catching youth in the name of extremism, and rape of women). Check site
  
• Redefining Peace - This 58 minutes documentary by KP Sasi is about the Indian women leaders whose names were sent as a group of 1000 women to the Nobel Peace prize committee in 2005. Amongst those depicted are feminist Kamla Bhasin, anti-displacement activist Medha Patkar and adivasi woman of Kerela CK Janu, fighting for land rights. Check site
  

Some of the screening and discussion events are scheduled with ..

• Graduation and Inter students in Nirmala College on 30th Nov 2009.
• Education students in St Xavier's College on 4th Dec 2009.
• Rural Management students in Xavier's Institute of Social Sciences (XISS) on 5th Dec 2009.
• Matriculate muslim students in City Public School on 8th Dec 2009.
  
• Civil society representatives in HRDC on 10th Dec 2009.