PEOPLE assert our rights and to be strong. We CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC should stay connected. We will fight together,” said Shinta. Jakasika agreed. The film festival, which travelled from to Puri and ended in Kurli, a Dongria Kondh village in The guardians of district, showcased the anguish and struggle of indigenous communities in India and around the world. A small group of indigenous filmmakers and tribal communities exchanged notes and drew inspiration from each other at the festival. For the Dongria Kondhs, the film festival was an important occasion to recount the community’s travails over Niyamgiri the last decade, and debate what the ‘correct’ model of development could be. Till the early 2000s, Dongria Kondhs lived peacefully in quiet and We would rather die than lead a life outside the hills, say the inaccessible hamlets on the slopes of Dongria Kondhs of , as they continue to fight bauxite the Niyamgiri range, in the , Muniguda and Kalyansingpur mining in the forests where they’ve lived for centuries blocks of and in the Lanjigarh block of . Trouble began to brew when in 2004 A SATYASUNDAR BARIK nothing in common — nationality, Aluminium to mine the Niyamgiri hills Vedanta set up a pit-head alumina Odisha has attire or language. What united them for bauxite in 2013, it has found itself refinery at Lanjigarh, a nondescript 700 million t the first international were their indigenous roots and a long in the cross hairs of the State village on the foothills of Niyamgiri. indigenous film festivalin history of struggle. government. Bauxite is the raw material for tonnes of Bhubaneswar last month, two Shinta, who belongs to Indonesia’s alumina and aluminum, and Odisha known Ayoung women who lived an Dayak community, which is being Finding connections has 700 million tonnes of known bauxite ocean apart and barely knew each rapidly marginalised by the local Shinta first metJakasika two years ago, bauxite reserves, of which 88 million reserves, other euphorically embraced, much to government’s policy on at an indigenous film festival in tonnes are estimated to be found in of which the amusement of the audience. transmigration and by expansive oil Kalimantan. “When I met Dinja and Niyamgiri. In the rush to acquire Emmanuela Shinta, 26, an companies, could instantly relate to got to know about their struggle, I was mining rights, stringent 88 million independent filmmaker from Jakasika’s struggle. Jakasika belongs to stunned. Wherever I go, I meet environmental laws were violated, and tonnes are Indonesia’s Kalimantan rainforest, and the Dongria Kondh community, one of indigenous people and find the Dongria’s consent was not sought. estimated to Dinja Jakasika, a 30-year-old village Odisha’s few remaining tribal groups. connections even though we don’t Court cases and local opposition did be found in sarpanch from the foothills of Odisha’s Ever since the community turned know each other or each other’s not deter the company. Then, on April Niyamgiri picturesque Niyamgiri Hills, had down a proposal from Vedanta language. It is very important for us to 18, 2013, the Supreme Court gave a

clear direction that mining clearance under the pretext that it will be useful the government is not ready to listen were roped in to carry supplementary can only be given if gram sabhas, during a health emergency. But we to us, why should we care for them?” food to the children. I hope the comprising Dongrias, agreed to the don’t want forests razed to the ground The State government’s first programme continues,” said Guha project. In what is perhaps India’s first for a wide road. The government attempt at development in this region Poonam Tapas Kumar, until recently environmental referendum, all 12 insists on concrete houses. This for was in the 80s when it came up with the collector of Rayagada. villages selected by the government the Dongrias means that all building three micro-projects: two Dongria There are four government health voted against the project. material will have to be laboriously Kondh Development Agencies, in centres in Trilochanpur, Muniguda Activists say the Dongria’s transported to the hilltops.” and Parsali, and the Kutia and Bissamcuttack, to reach which the opposition to mining has led to them Kondh Development Agency. Dongrias have to trek three hours. being perceived as a ‘roadblock’ to Why care? But, like all well-meaning projects Apart from this, Vedanta Alumina development in a region known for The Dongrias say that the process of that find little resonance on ground, Refinery runs a private hospital as CSR grinding poverty and starvation selecting beneficiaries for old age, they could not lift the literacy rate, an activity. Several deaths have taken deaths. “The government has not widow and disability pensions is a abysmal 33% among a population of place, although there is no mention of forgotten its defeat by a tribal group. It farce. “How many government 11,551. The community said there are this in any government records. wants to dominate the discourse of officials have ever visited our villages? barely any schools or anganwadis in Dongria Kondhs also feel development in the region and muzzle How do they identify the the 100-odd hamlets scattered across persecuted by security forces. They local voices,” said Lingaraj Azad, beneficiaries? Theyhave no idea how the Niyamgiri slopes, though the are suspected of being ‘sympathetic’ convenor of Niyamgiri Suraksha many of our people live in the forest,” government claims otherwise. to Maoists in the area. “I was abruptly Samiti (NSS), which has been said Dadhi Pushika, a Dongria elder. “Crèches were opened in bundled into a police jeep last October spearheading agitation against mining Sikaka said: “Once we convened a partnership with non-government and beaten up in custody. I was asked in Niyamgiri. meeting at Trilochanpur in the organisations. Efforts were made to a volley of questions on my alleged Today a huge gulf in trust has foothills of Niyamgiri. Members of propagate the Kui language in 30 links with left-wing extremists. When emerged between the government and each village gathered and a charter of centres. The topography of the area their egos were satisfied, I was let go,” the Dongria Kondhs. demands was finalised. But no made it impossible to reach each Nobody exemplifiesthis deep government official turned up. When village. Committees from each village ĪCONTINUED ON PAGE 8 divide better than Lada Sikaka, NSS president and once an important voice of the Dongrias. Today, he is distraught. Sikaka’s call for 5 ft roads to the villages rather than the government-prescribed 30 ft roads, primary schools that teach in the Dongria tongue rather than large residential schools, and Indira Awas Yojana houses that incorporate tribal traditions have either been laughed off or ignored by government officials. On the sidelines of the annual Niyamraja Festival held recently on the hills, 5,000 ft above sea level, Sikaka vented his anguish. “The government is offering us a 30 ft road

c The government is offering us a 30 ft road under the pretext that it will be useful during a health emergency. But we don’t want forests razed to the ground for a wide road

Tradition and tenacity (Clockwise from facing page) Dongria women in traditional attire in Lanjigarh; village leader Lada Sikaka; tribal elder Dadhi Pushika, in a traditional Dongria shawl; a group of women on their way to the Niyamraja festival; a woman painting a traditional house ahead of a national fair in Bhubaneswar. Cover photo: Young community leader Drenzoo at the Niyamraja festival. BISWARANJAN ROUT

All dressed up A group of Dongria women gathered atop the Niyamgiri hills during the annual Niyamraja festival near Lanjigarh in Odisha. BISWARANJAN ROUT

the tribe even know what the FRA is. “Forest dwellers across the country The guardians got temporary relief when the Supreme Court stayed its eviction order. But the community continues to feel threatened,” said Chauhan. of Niyamgiri The NSS sees a larger conspiracy. “What we are hearing from other activists is that the Supreme Court CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 whose applications for regularisation order has presented a golden of occupation had been rejected. As opportunity for the government to said Sikaka. In the same month, Dadhi per official records onregularisation reject applications regarding Pushika was subjected to physical of titles under the Forest Rights Act individual forest rights, community assault after Rayagada police picked (FRA) 2006, only 252 applications forest rights and habitat rights and him up from the village. There was no were not approved in Kutia Kondh wrest control of Niyamgiri. It will open concrete allegation against him. Jamu Development Agency, Lanjigarh the doors for bauxite mining in the Gauda, another villager, faced similar jurisdiction. Though the hills,” said Azad, who was recently police action. administration has promised to review arrested for leading protests against “Allegations of police intimidation all applications, confusion prevails in Vedanta and later released on bail. and ill-treatment of the community the community. Not all members of At the annual festival, Dongria are deeply disturbing. Innocent tribals Kondhs resolved not to yield an inch if are being branded as Maoists,” said A the government resorts to forced Manohar Chauhan, a forest rights Dongria Kondhs also feel eviction. “No force on earth can drive activist and former campaigner of persecuted by security forces. us from Niyamgiri. Where will we go? Amnesty International. Where will we grow pineapples, They are suspected of being The Dongria’s simmering anger banana, oranges, turmeric, cereals against the government was stoked ‘sympathetic’ to Maoists. “I was and pulses? We would rather die than further this month when the Supreme abruptly bundled into a police think of leading a life outside the Court directed all State governments jeep last October and beaten up hills,” raged Kunuji Kutruga, 60, from to evict from the forests all those in custody,” said Sikaka Khambesi village.

Red, gold and green turmeric and peace, a smile, togetherness, health and happiness of the community. And red is the he Dongrias have largely stayed secluded. colour of blood, energy, power, revenge, TTheir distinctive Kapadaganda shawl, aggression,” said Purusottam Pattanaik, a researcher however, has captured the attention of art with SC & ST Research and Training Institute. The lovers worldwide. The embroidery involves embroidery on a shawl can take months to some very intricate needlework, and the shawl complete. has a special place in Dongria tradition. Dongria women love ornaments, hair accessories The fabric for the shawl is a handwoven and flowers. “But the shawl gives us prestige when cloth made by Dalit families. The traditional we go to fairs or social events,” said Lakmi Sikaka, a green, yellow and red embroidery threads Dongria woman. The Rayagada district are bought from the market. “Green administration has tried to improve the quality of symbolises the endless chain of the base fabric and the embroidery threads, and also mountains and fields. Yellow invokes to get a GI tag for the unique garment.