Let’s talk real: Deep-rooted Racism is what inspired the assault on the Mumbai Journalist

Every North-Easterner living outside North-East, in the varied cities of India, has experienced everyday racism. Whether this racism is in the scale of “all you north-eastern people look alike to me” to “I will not give my house to you people for rent” to “your people are being raped because of their clothes” to even death due to one’s hairstyle is a matter of simple luck regarding who we meet or not meet on the given day. I think that the Mumbai journalist Ushnota Paul, of Bengali origins, had an experience somewhere in between the mid-two measure on the scale. A regular Monday in an Uber pool turned out traumatic when her co-passenger became aggressive and not only verbally abused her but felt comfortable enough to call her a ‘chinky, chinkys**t’ and then physically assault her.

I say ‘comfortable enough’ because I know that the abuser would never be comfortable behaving as such to anyone but of our minority race. Racism is a tricky topic to discuss in India. By ‘tricky’ I mean we refuse to discuss it. As a result of the incident several media portals reported on the same with noteworthy titles like Women Attacked by Uber Pool, tweets ordeal or Mumbai horror: journalist physically attacked by another woman in Uber or Face Scratched and Hair pulled out, Mumbai woman alleges assault by Uber pool co-rider or the rather long Women gets abused and harassed by female co-passengers during Uber Ride in Mumbai! Cab company denies sharing accused information with police. But, notice what is missing in all of them? Yup, you got it right the mention of racism. I can bet all my nonexistent life savings that these outlets are quite comfortable calling out all the racism in the West, like Post Trump, Racism has become a constant reality or Indian Origin-Cambridge lecturer goes on strike after racist snub at London College; there are thousands more where these came from. For the discourse on racism to actually start, one has to be first comfortable putting it main and center for discussion and not serving it as a forgotten side dish.

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“I don’t know where this belief comes from, but I do know it has consequences. When you believe ‘niceness’ disproves the presence of racism. It is easy to start believing that bigotry is rare, and that the label racist should be applied only to mean-spirited, intentional acts of discrimination. The problem with this framework —besides being a gross misunderstanding of how racism operates in systems and structures enables by nice people—is that it obligates me to be nice in return, rather than truthful.”

–Austin Channing Brown (Author, I’m Still Here)

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It will be almost too easy to criticize this piece as playing the ‘racism card’ in what was an isolated ‘bad woman’ incident in a tragic Uber pool. But if you are waiting for our own version of Rosa Parks moment to speak against racism then you will be kept waiting a long time, my friend. Much like gender, caste, and class, racism does not present itself as clear and outright cognizable offenses under the Indian Penal Code. Instead, it comes across as experiences of disrespect, humiliation, and degradation where the way we look is identified, separated from the rest, mocked or attacked. It may or may not result in a crime but in either case, no one talks about it. If disrespected, humiliated or degraded, we are encouraged to let it go because ‘why invite further targeting?’ and if victimized, it is plain old assault so why bring race into it?

For a recent post I wrote about admissions in Delhi, I had sat down with members of the Arunachal Student Union Delhi, when our conversation naturally converged onto the topic of racism, “Oh, you could write a whole other article on it” they said. The boys were pragmatic in their replies, considering I was posting my article publicly, discussing both sides of the arguments and even going on to say “our people should be less egoistic and humbler when approached by them, curious people”. Finding it difficult to concur with them, I asked point blank, “So, does racism exist or not?” Came the quickest of replies, “Of course, it does but we have to figure out ways to survive when we come to their area even with racism?” And that is the bitter truth about racial experiences. It creates ‘our’ area and ‘their’ area. It creates ‘Us’ and ‘Them’. There are young people who are using their mental energy figuring ways of surviving, ways of reducing the number of racial experiences they face, in a society that is already against them based on their looks. In her Facebook live video, Ushnota addressed the incident calling the racial slurs as ‘harrowing’ and clarified that “I am from Kolkata, not technically the North-East but I have many friends from there” cementing the lived experience of racial identity taking precedence over regional ones.

Also, females or rather non-cis-man certainly have a more complex and tougher racial experience. Because while the men still have the privilege of letting people approach them, I think I can speak for most females that I absolutely don’t wish for any stranger to ever approach me just because they are curious about my gender or race. Given the patriarchal climate we all are embedded in, it is difficult to point out exactly where a north-easterners gender and race intersect. Yet, I know for certain that no other female colleague of mine has had a high-ranking police officer when asked about sex trafficking (which I was researching) tell them, “Madam, Aapke jaise log bohut hain yahan pe.” (Madam, there are many women who look like you involved in it). Now, of course, I could have corrected a senior police officer in his own chamber, in an unfamiliar state, all by myself but I had rather take comfort in the fact that he called me ‘madam’ at least.

Ushnota Paul who graciously referenced Harry Potter, when bravely sharing about the scar on her forehead she received due to the assault, has started an important stimulus for discussions on racism in our country. One we must not be shy to grab by the horns. If awareness is key, then addressing it is an excellent place to start. Racism cannot become the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named of our times. Also, as a fellow Potterhead, it is imperative I remind you all that it is the ‘Scar’ that marked Harry as Voldemort’s equal thus setting the prophecy in stone and that the ‘The Girl Who Pushed the Discourse on Racism in India’ certainly has a nice ring to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fight or Flight: The story of Dollungmukh in Arunachal Pradesh

More than four decades of livestock loss, fighting for their lands and constant trauma of booming sounds characterizes the lives of the people of Dollungmukh. The Indian Air Force base located nearby has seven years left in its Fifty-year land lease signed in 1975 and the people of Dollungmukh are demanding that this agreement is annulled tomorrow, if not today. The villagers say that their ancestors were ‘innocent’ and had no idea about the consequences of having an Air Force Base (AIF) next to their village. The protest started in 1992 when Mr. Bini Tabom died during a live bombing. The protest took a renewed life when another bombing on the 5^th of June led to the death of Mithuns followed by another bombing which hurt a local man on the 8^th of June. Mithuns are an animal of great social and cultural importance in the tribal community with a price range of INR 50,000 and above. Any villager with one or more Mithun considers themselves quite secure in times of financial emergencies. The bombing on the 5^th of June killed off three. The villagers have not received any compensation till date for all their loss. Despite continuous protests, any solution seems tangled up in an administrative mess far beyond the reach of the villagers.

Mithuns killed after the bombing on 5th June 2018 (credits: Facebook/Bini Noga)

Settled next to the Dollum river (from which it derives its name), these villages first saw human settlement in the early 70’s by the Peri clan of Nyishi tribe. “The Nyigom (officers/administrators) of Raga came on a tour program to our village and said that while our village (Digi-Lellen) is good and plentiful in harvest, we would all die if we fall sick as the terrain is too tough for medics to come…they advised us to look for a better land with easy access and so a couple of our people went ahead in search of better land along the banks of the Kamle river. Once they found this land, the rest of us made the journey” says Nido Yama. Yama’s late husband Nido Tutum was a signatory to the lease agreement in 1975 and her family is one of the earliest settlers of Dollungmukh. When asked her age, she tells that “I did not have my periods but knew how to do all the farm work when the earthquake came” (in 1950) which puts her above 75 years. Yama has lived most of her life in Dollungmukh working on her fields growing Tem (millet), Kuchu (yam), Aam (paddy) and getting used to the conflict of bombs as part of her normal.

Nido Yama cleaning Tem (Millet) at her home in Dollungmukh

“I don’t even want to remember those difficult times. We did not know which to be more afraid of the Soth (elephant) or the bombs…when they asked us to sign the lease,  Temi (another villager who signed the lease) said that if we let them bomb for a few years the elephants would run from the bombing sounds and we would be safe. But the Air Force started chasing us away from our own lands. We were working on our Aam (Paddy) fields when they came and started tearing our homes. They started burning and tearing our houses and started chasing us away” recalls Yama thus begging the question whether the villagers understood that the lease would last fifty years.

The circle of Dollungmukh is made up of 19 villages with a population of 2944 (Census 2011). These villages are scattered across the river banks, some being upstream while the rest downstream. The 10 upstream villages have more administrative reach but the 9 downstream villages (Kolaptukar, Lumsi, Rigyo, Paro, Tanyo, Bomte, Kherbari, Midpu, and Rajali) are isolated from the rest of Arunachal Pradesh due to the transit via the state of Assam. The government facilities include one Public Health Centre, one secondary school, nine (middle and primary) schools, a defunct electrical line and no water line. The villagers continue to depend on ground, river, and rainwater for drinking and farming purposes. Further, their claim to this lands is challenged by the Assam Forest Department who believe they are encroaching on Assam forest lands.

The growing frustration of people was the reason that led to the creation of Kamle district in December 2017 from the erstwhile eastern and western part of Lower and Upper Subansiri Districts respectively for easy administration. Yet, the solution to the villager’s problems remains caught up in an administrative hula-hoop. The Assam government does not permit the tapping into their electrical lines and electrical lines brought from the hills of Arunachal Pradesh often breaks down during rainfalls (highly common here). Similarly, the discussion on bombing requires the presence and commitment of the Eastern Air Command (A.I.F.) based in Shillong, Meghalaya, the Deputy Commissioner of Demaji and North Lakhimpur districts (since the majority of the base lies in Assam), the DC of Kamle District, the Forest officials and policymakers from both the states.  A very tall order of political will, if you ask me.

“We keep electing MLAs after MLAs with the hopes that one of them would help us. But no, the bombing continues, the threats from forest department continues” shares Yama. “We have lost count of the number of cows we have lost to the bombing” adds her daughter-in-law. Bini Noga, another resident, shared online that “the practice ground which is about 1 km from the villages have sessions day and night making the people unable to visit their fields during the day as well as go to sleep at night due to the heavy shivering just like an earthquake.”

The hundreds of villagers have since protested peacefully and submitted memorandums to all the authorities concerned for the complete removal of the Air Force from their vicinity. Nido Yama’s older son Bhupen Nido was part of the team that recently submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, who met them to discuss the points in the memorandum. The memorandum brought into focus all the problems, related to the Air Force Base, which the villagers face. The frightening unnatural sounds of fighter jets and bursting bombs were innocently categorized under the sub-heading ‘sound pollution’. The Governor, Brig. (Dr.) B.D.Mishra (Retd.), conceded to some of their points regarding safety but told that “a holistic approach has to be found where people and their animals remain safe despite the continued presence of the base near the villages” thus leaving the villagers to place all their hopes in 2025 when the lease is up for renewal.

Since, the base has extreme strategic importance due to the proximity of the state to three international borders (Bhutan, China, and Myanmar) or in the name of national development, I think it very likely that the lease will be renewed again. Once again, making the 1656 men, women and children of the nine villages of Dollungmukh be the moral price of our 1.2 Billion nations safety.

 

 

A quick guide to Admissions in Delhi

In exactly a week from now i.e. on the 19^th of June 2018, the University of Delhi (DU) will announce its first cut-off list much akin to a referee in a race saying “Go!”. Thousands (if not Lacs) of Arunachalis will flock to the national capital to seek admissions for their loved ones. Once in Delhi, these Arunachalis will then face challenges like soaring temperatures (40-degrees average), queues for admissions, documents involved, accommodations, transportation and so many more. I know this because I went through it too when I came seeking admission in DU in the summer of 2011. I came with my mother, first time for both of us, ill-prepared for the chaos in Delhi and ended up being sick for more than a week.

So, as my moral responsibility towards anyone who will be seeking admissions this year I sat down with the members of the Arunachal Students Union Delhi (ASUD) to chalk out guidelines that can help the Arunachali families, visiting Delhi for admissions, deal a little better with the admission stress.

1. Seek Local Support:

Unbeknownst to many, there are institutions (both governmental and voluntary) that can help Arunachalis know better about the admission process. The Gen. Secretary of ASUD, Dewan Natung, is quick to point out that the DU admissions are a ‘Calendar Event’ for the voluntary body. “We assist the officers from the Dept. of Education, who have to make note of every child from Arunachal studying in Delhi. Since it is physically impossible for the few officers to assist the thousands of students, ASUD and its members help them out” he adds. ASUD sets up admission desks in both North Campus and South Campus to handhold the students through the entire admission process.  A recent outreach video conducted by ASUD for the Delhi Admissions lists the contact persons to be – Japken Kena (8860733816) Byabang Tulon (8527485521), Tana Niya Tara (7005912336) and Rikar Dini (8837434121)

Seeking local support is also crucial in determining the validity of other institutions (other than DU). There are many institutions around NCR who are not affiliated to the UGC and give out easy admissions (mostly technical degrees) in return for money. “We recently went to this really isolated institution in the Panipat region where the hostels had only Arunachalis who had come there via brokers” adds Mr Natung.

2. Understand the admission process:

“My experience with admission has been this that our Arunachali people assume that DU admissions will be like that of Dera Natung College or Rajiv Gandhi University where everything happens in one place, but it is not like that,” says Rikar Dini, the Convenor of ASUD. Unlike the local colleges in Arunachal Pradesh, DU has more than 75 colleges affiliated to it which are spread across the National Capital Territory (NCR). While the cut off list is declared online or in the two campuses (North and South) but the admissions of each of these colleges occur in their respective campuses. So, one must be mentally prepared to travel across the city if the location of your preferred colleges demands so.

Further, it is called the ‘first’ cut off because there are going to be ‘second’ and ‘third’ too. One only gets a period of three days to seek admissions under the first cut off list. So, if a student qualifies in the first cut off, it is crucial that the admission is completed within the three-day period.

3. Document verification:

The ASUD members insist that one must carry all the documents uploaded at the time of registration, both original and scanned. These documents are your Class-X and XII pass certificate, Class-X and XII mark sheets, ST certificates, PRC, Migration Certificate, Passport size photos and Income Certificate (if applicable). A strong advice is to carry 5 to 6 scanned copies of all these documents and to self-attest the scanned copies before submissions. Often times, the original documents need to be submitted for verification so one must carry the originals.

4. Accommodation during admissions:

DU admissions are a lengthy process hence one must come with the mental preparation to at least stay for a week if not more. During this time, while the Arunachal Bhavan and Arunachal Houses are existing state services in the NCR, it is extremely hard to get rooms due to the demand. ASUD, as a voluntary body often negotiates with the state government to open the dormitories but even that can only house 20 people. Hence, it is advisable that visiting families stay with relatives (if they have any in Delhi) or seek hotels or lodges from trusted online websites. One must be careful to take a hotel near the north campus or south campus of DU so that travelling becomes a little easier.

5. Travelling within the city:

The Delhi Metro is the easiest way to travel the long distance in the city for an affordable and comfortable ride. One can read more about them on their website(delhimetrorail.com). The metro guarantees that you reach your destination within a particular time and also keeps you sheltered from the Delhi heat. Experiences around autos in Delhi have ranged from okay to worst, so one is advised to stick to online cab services like Ola or Uber. The ASUD members have recently taken a welcome initiative to standardize the cab prices outside the Arunachal Bhavan and Arunachal House areas. A small car will charge INR 1400 (80Kms and 8hours) and a big car would charge anywhere between INR 1800 to 2400 (depending on the size) for the same distance and time.

6. Emergency Contacts:

The only bit of advice the ASUD members have for the incoming families is to not take up any unfortunate matters in their own hands. “Our people must know that the community fabric here is different than that of Arunachal” they add.

Instead, if one finds themselves in the midst of a difficult circumstance remember to call 1093 (the toll-free number of the Special Police Unit for North East Region, SPUNER). In case, if the number is not reachable, call the Delhi Police helpline 100 and ask to be directed to the SPUNER cell or the DPNER (Delhi Police for North East Region). The cell consists of volunteers from all NE state who will come out and help the person concerned.

Further, always keep the number of Arunachal House and Bhavan handy in case of medical emergencies. Arunachal House: 011-26117728,26117729, 26117727 and Arunachal Bhawan: 011-23013915/23013844/23012152/23793449/23793455.

7. Enjoy the process:

Lastly, it is important that the families enjoy their time in Delhi so as to not get caught in the admission stress. Delhi has much to offer in terms of food, art, shopping and cultural events. Places like Majnu Ka Tila (near North Campus) and Safdurjung (near South Campus) are popular places to eat North-Eastern Cuisines when the North Indian cuisines become overwhelming. A personal favourite remains the Naga Stall in Delhi Haat (near INA metro station).  The markets of Sarojini and Lajpat are known nationwide for their affordable fashion. And the historical monuments of Qutab Minar, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Humayun’s Tomb are one for the books.

Finally, remember to keep yourself hydrated in the scorching heat and always seek support in case if you find yourself in some unknown circumstances. Here is wishing everyone happy and easy admission process on behalf of ASUD and yours truly.

 

A look at Child Labour in Arunachal Pradesh

Written in collaboration with John Gangmei (Asst. Professor, Social Work, RGU) for the occasion of Anti-Child Labor Day on June 12, 2018.

This article first appeared in Counter Currents.org (https://countercurrents.org/2018/06/12/child-labour-capability-and-well-being/)

This article has also appeared in Arunachal Times (https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2018/06/13/child-labour-capability-and-wellbeing/)

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“Well, if we don’t recruit the children from Assam they will get into more trouble as who will then feed them. By working for us, at least they get to eat properly” came a sympathetic response from a village in Kimin Block. As part of the team studying Human Trafficking in our state, I visited Kimin block due to its close proximity with Assam in the winter of 2017. Another part of our team in Assam had informed us that almost eighty per cent of the local children (from the Tea-tribes) are recruited in Arunachal Pradesh as child labour for domestic labour, agricultural labourers, daily wage labourers and as an unskilled labour force. These children are spread across the districts of Arunachal Pradesh with a major concentration in the capital complex of Itanagar, Naharlagun and other places.

In Kimin Block, these children were present in hundreds. Few made the transit every day working in the tea gardens while most others were employed in the capacity of domestic help in the houses of the towns. Ranging from the age group of 6 to 14, these children had come to be employed for the meagre salary between rupees 500 to 1500 per month i.e. Rs.16 to Rs. 50 per day. While the salary rates differed in the capital complex, the statistics of prevalence remain the same.

According to International Labor Organization (ILO) “child labour” is often defined as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that: is mental, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children; and interferes with their schooling by a) depriving them of the opportunity to attend school; b) obliging them to leave school prematurely; c) or requiring them to attempt to combine school attendance with excessively long and heavy work. In its most extreme forms, child labour involves children being enslaved, separated from their families, exposed to serious hazards and illnesses and/or left to fend for themselves on the streets of large cities – often at a very early age. Child Labour is engaged in agriculture, industries and services sectors. The worst forms of child labour are sale or trafficking, pornography, debt-bonded labour, child soldiers.

“It is not just the Assamese children, even local tribal children from the villages come to study in the towns and often stay with their relatives. However, they don’t do much studying as they become cheap labour for their relatives in return for food and shelter” said one of the school teacher when I asked about the migrant children in their town.

“They wake up the earliest, finish all the work first and then come to school. After school, they go back and do whatever their relative asks of them at that time. Thus, we have to take longer classes so that most of these children finish their homework in the school itself as we know most of them won’t get to study at home” added another teacher.

According to ILO, globally 152 million children between the ages of 5-17 are child labour, of whom 73 million are engaged in hazardous work. Based on 2011 census India does along have 5.6 million child labour. Laws and legislation are in place to fight against these practices but it requires collective and integrated efforts in ending child labour and promotes safe and healthy work for young people.

“It is quite difficult to find ‘bontis’ (here it refer to domestic helpers) these days” my uncle proclaimed the other day. “Why?” I asked. “Well, you have to pay the person who brings the bonti, the person who finds the bonti, the person who made the connection between the first two people and the bontis family. Too many payments have to be made for just one bontis.”

The increasing numbers of child labour (CL) in Arunachal Pradesh need an urgent introspection on the capability and well-being of the future pillars of the nation. Our dailies have reported a couple of cases on physical, emotional and sexual abuses of CL. Diverse perspective and assumption float when we discuss child labour. Are we shaping (CL) or slashing their future? How can we stop this inhuman practice in our state? Can they have books instead of tools in their young hands? These are some of the questions that bother us. On 12^th June 2018, ILO is celebrating the World Day Against Child Labour (WDACL), it will focus on the need to end child labour and prove the safety and health of the young workers.

What is required in our state is a culture to stop engaging child labour in our homes, hotel and other places as an apprentice, janitor, babysitter, farms, mining and so on. Imagine the future and well-being of those young minds, denied education and childhood (freedom, pleasures, play, and socialization). We have failed to provide free education, childhood, and freedom in their impressionable ages.

We need to envision the future well-being of our children, where they grow up with capability and function as a self-reliant person. In order to achieve it, we have to give the best opportunities to our children. The laws have to be followed in their true spirit as well as securing livelihoods of parents and family members, thereby helping prevent child labour. Not an easy task at but not an impossible task either; with the collected and integrated efforts of individuals, civil society, and the state in particular. These pillars are essential in upholding the spirit of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1992): Survival, Development, Protection and Participation Rights of the children.

Eight ways we can protect the natural environment of Arunachal Pradesh ​

If you are reading this article, thank you for believing that [our] environment needs protecting. However, if you are someone, who still needs convincing please read our previous articles here and here. The first article mentions that ‘accepting we have a problem’ is the first battle. So, congratulations to each one of us, who are reading this, on winning that particular battle. But now comes the second one of ‘committing oneself to protect it’. While individual habits (like using less plastic) can go a long way, there are other broader issues we need to be aware of, for longer sustainability of Arunachal’s Environment. We, at the Dawn-Lit stories, have gathered eight ways in which we can protect our environment.

1. By demanding a better Public Transport system:

A friend of mine likes to joke that ‘he should create a make-shift kitchen in his car trunk’ so that he would not go hungry during the day-long traffic jams. The sudden boom in the number of vehicles is easy to understand. We have no public transport. The reason why public transport is crucial for the environment is simple math. One public bus might hold hundreds of commuters which otherwise would mean hundreds of vehicles on the road. Thus, reducing the congestion on the road as well as air pollution emitted by the hundreds of vehicles. Also, it is a great money saver. Since our public transport is basically null and with the elections rights around the corner, public transport needs to become a central topic of discussion. Our entire election is fought on the basis of ‘development’. We must make space for ‘public transportation’ in our developmental discourse.

2. By demanding a better Sewage System:

Almost all of Itanagar and Naharlagun disposes their septic tanks wastes into the open drains of the towns. This information makes me feel particularly bad for the low-lying colonies of Abotani Colony, Chimpu, Chandanagar, H-Sector, FNG Sector and others. I hate to break it to them but you are all living next to a drain (previously a small river) filled with human faeces from all of Itanagar. Not just an environmental issue, this is a public health concern. This deserves our attention as this river body then goes on to merge and contaminate bigger river bodies.

Remember, how we all got so worried, last year, when the water of Siang river became murky and birds started dying? That turned out to be an earthquake upstream or a probable dam. However, a slow poisoning by human faeces and waste is not going to look pretty for our rivers either.

3. By demanding better Water management:

We are so rich in natural streams and rivers, and yet the average household in Itanagar and Naharlagun struggles for potable water. Recently, Shimla (another hilly town) suffered from acute water shortage where the government asked tourists to go back and had to cut off water supplies to hotels. “Tourism” is an industry that is actually included in our ‘development’ agenda. So, there is a lot to learn from the ‘Shimla’ incident. With the onset of more tourists, are our water sources ready to bear the brunt of more population?

Reports about the Shimla incident say that there are three causes to it. Firstly, the number of tourist leading to a bigger demand. Secondly, climate change in Shimla triggered by extreme deforestation and pollution (Point 1). Thirdly, building plans for Shimla where the lack of drains leads to loss of natural recharging of water bodies. The report also states the lack of water as due to the outbreak of Jaundice in one of the source river bodies (Point 2).

4. By demanding community consensus in Development Projects:

A recent opinion piece in the Arunachal Times stated that-

“Unlike states like Nagaland and Mizoram in which the indigenous people have constitutional rights over their natural resources, the people of Arunachal Pradesh don’t have constitutional rights over the resources of the state, all thanks to the defective Statehood Act of Arunachal Pradesh.
What does it mean? It means that few politicians sitting in AC rooms in Delhi can decide what to do with our natural resources. Unlike states like Nagaland and Mizoram, in which the permission of the indigenous people is necessary to give green light to projects, the government does not need to take the permission of our people for the same. And that is exactly what has happened. So many Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs/MoAs) has been signed by our previous state governments with the central government and companies without permission or even knowledge of the indigenous people.”

-Mr. Kaling Jerang (Gen. Secretary, PPA)

Regardless of which side of the political spectrum you are in, it is impossible to deny that development projects come with severe deforestation, submerging of forest areas (in cases of dams) and displacement of local population (both human and wildlife). The term ‘development’ has been used as a magic wand to cover all sorts of losses for decades now. After all that has happened, we need to seek community consensus for development projects henceforth especially those that come at the price of our natural resources.

5. Wildlife-Conservation:

While there are reports of Arunachal’s sanctuaries (11 at last count) being under constant threat from hunter, poachers and cattle grazers from the fringe villages. All hope is not lost as more and more communities become aware of the importance of conserving.

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“Arunachal is one of the last strongholds for the conservation of biodiversity in India, the rest of which is succumbing to pressures of development at an alarming rate. I think a lot of praise and respect is due to the people of Arunachal, right from the Nyishis of Seijosa who have given up hunting hornbills and are now assisting the forest department and the Nature Conservation Foundation with protecting the birds to the Mishmis of Dibang, who are working to conserve the rare monals and gibbons of Dibang Valley, despite the odds they face: pressure from hydel power projects, slash and burn agriculture, deforestation, logging, and a prevalent culture of hunting for bushmeat. This comic from my weekend column with Mid-day speaks about the spirit of conservation in Arunachal Pradesh. I hope this spirit not only remains intact, but flourishes in the coming days.”

-Rohan Chakravarty, Wildlife Cartoonist (Green Humour)

 

Spirit of Conservation in Arunachal Pradesh

 

6. Shift to organic farming in your own backyards: 

The Arunachali Horticulture scientist Mr. Tape Gab, in his latest research, argues that ‘plant diversity’ is key to saving the agricultural biodiversity of our communities. He continues that the national structure of Public Distribution System, often forces the production of rice and wheat which will have adverse effects on our forest lands since they would have to be cleared in large scale. Instead, he suggests that we conserve the plant diversity we have in Arunachal Pradesh to ensure food security. A total of 482 agri-horticultural crops were recorded in AP (458 identified and 24 unidentified) in which seven were IUCN red-list species but are actually very common in AP.

While Mr. Gab goes on to suggest the collection and conservation of all these horticulture species in gene banks, the simplest thing that an individual can do is to continue growing them in your backyards.

 

Illustration of Chili and Tomato farms in the village of Tungri

 

7. Demand a better Waste Disposal System

The recycling plant at Hollongi is non-functional while the landfill next to it overflows. Along with plastic, we also produce electronic and medical waste. All of them get dumped at the same landfill. We need better waste disposal systems not just for the sake of our environment but for the sake of common sense.

8. Awareness about our Environment

Every time we switch on the TV, there is news about an environmental disaster. Be it the lack of water in South Africa, Bengaluru or Shimla, or the floods of Chennai, Gujarat, Assam, Uttarakhand. Whilst there is lack of water in the former, there is too much water in the latter. Yet, the chaos caused is the same. There is the loss of lives on both extremes and we are left asking- why did it happen? Mostly it’s because early warning signs had been neglected time and again. We believe, in Arunachal, we are seeing the warning signs of an impending calamity in the forms of heavier rainfalls, harsher summers and frequent landslides. And thus, we need more people to understand these warnings and commit ourselves towards creating a healthier environment so that even the next generations of Arunachalis have an environment which they can cherish and celebrate. As part of our tribal heritage, we have forever sung about the glory of our nature. That glory is slowly at risk and the time to act is now.

 

 

Authors note: All illustration credits go to Green Humour (www.greenhumour.com).  

 

 

 

(In stories and pictures) ‘KachraNagar’of Arunachal Pradesh: our plastic problem

To read the corresponding article to these stories, please click here. We only hope that these stories make you aware of different ways to reduce our harmful impact on the environment via the use of plastic. And if you are someone, who is already conscious about the environment but feel a sense of hopelessness, then we want to remind you that ‘you are not alone’. There are others who care too. Remind yourself and continue the fight. We are all in this together!!

All picture credits are to the Team of KachraNagar: a garbage art installation and Environmental Protection Society Greenheads, Tawang.

“I had the most diverse group of people. We had an environmental scientist, few artists, a businessman, an interior designer and a trained physicist. These were people who had never made an art installation and yet they gave two months of their time just cause they connected with the issue of bringing awareness about our environment.”

“All the garbage was collected from the public spaces of Itanagar and Naharlagun. The dress of our centerpiece was made by plastic ‘Taash’ (playing cards) found from the Tracker Stands of Itanagar and Naharlagun”.

“I just want to remind people that becoming consciousness towards the environment often has its share of disappointment. It was so disappointing that when we would collect garbage from the overfilling roadsides, there were people who would come and throw some more right in front us. Some people would even encourage us saying ‘shabash, shabash’ but never contribute their time or effort. However, there is also beauty in that disappointment. It makes you become extra conscious about all the ways we are hurting our environment and sometimes even Art comes out of it. It did for me, at least.”

“The Himalayan clean-up was a voluntary drive organized in the 12 hill states across the country on May 26. The drive was focused on plastic waste as per the objective of the World Environment Day on June-5, whose theme this year is ‘beat plastic pollution’. We organized the same here in our community. We started at the monastery as Tawang Monastery is the face of Tawang and a great pride of Arunachal too. So, we felt that it was necessary for the event to be flagged off from there as its symbolic of us. The monks were very supportive in the drive and it was great to have them involved as we were able to make them aware of the plastic pollution. Locals and tourists visit the monastery on a daily basis and they always leave behind wastes of plastic origin. So, not only cleaning up the place but also making its guardians aware was an important part of our clean-up.” (1/4)

“Another group of people that played a crucial role on the day were the youth and students. They are our future and saviors of the planet so we knew it was very important to involve them. Fortunately, Padmashree Lama Thupten Phuntsok, the Director of Manjushree Vidyapith supported us and encouraged all his students to participate. Thus, we saw a healthy number of students participating on the day. On the clean-up day, we introduced the concept of ZERO waste to the students and encouraged them to take it up as a habit. The young eco-warriors zeal was overwhelming.” (2/4)

“The concept of ZERO waste is to not create waste at all. The common practice at home is this that we stuff all the waste together in one plastic and then throw them. We don’t segregate our waste. Also, we don’t care about where these wastes go later on. But we fail to realize that all these wastes will come back to us if we don’t care about their disposal. Managing our waste is our own responsibility. The government can create systems for disposal but creating waste and segregating waste is our own. Hence we must try to create ZERO waste if possible. Carry your own reusable water bottle, flasks, cups, bags, plates etc. It is estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in our ocean than fishes. Hence, the time to act is now or else it would truly be too late.” (3/4)

“In the clean-up, we also did a segregation of wastes and did a brand audit. We wanted to know the types of waste that pollute our environment. Most of the wastes were multi-layers plastics (chips wrappers, chewing gums etc) and single-use plastics like bags, plates, cups and plastic PET bottles like Pepsi, coke bottles etc. We want you to know the items which are polluting our environment. So that next time you buy things, you can be aware and buy glass bottles, use reusable plates, cups, and organic packaging. We cannot afford to do more harm to our environment.” (4/4)

‘KachraNagar’of Arunachal Pradesh: Our plastic problem.

“In Arunachal Pradesh, the Third World War may be held in the name of Water” declared Mr. Nabam Rebia (Minister Environment and Land Management) painting a dooming picture if our environment is not protected. While it looks like there is a third war on the horizon, sadly, we have yet to win even our first two environmental wars. The first war against ‘accepting that we have a problem’ and the second war against ‘committing ourselves to do something about it’.  While the communal awakening is yet to come, individual efforts are plenty. One such individual is Ms. Kompi Riba, an artist, whose work ‘KachraNagar’ displayed at the Statehood Day, 2017 was meant to educate and spread awareness about the ‘Plastic Problem’ we have in Itanagar. The following is an excerpt from our conversation.

 

TDLS: How did the idea of ‘KachraNagar’ come about?

Kompi Riba(KR): Well, in the summer of 2016, Mr. Techi Karda volunteered to clean up a road in Naharlagun on his own. He was just another ordinary citizen of Naharlagun with an extraordinary dedication. Many people then decided to join him and they took to cleaning up the streets. I was impressed by all these stories and joined his volunteering group in October 2016. We would go around collecting the garbage from overfilled public dustbins near Chandni Hotel (Naharlagun). It was during this time of volunteering that I started collecting the plastic tea cups thrown all around. As an artist, I love shapes and designs, so the plastic cups appealed to me and I was struck with an idea to make an artwork out of it. When I shared my idea, my volunteer group was really supportive and that’s how we began collecting all the disposed plastic tea cups from across the capital complex. ‘KachraNagar’ as a title came about later while discussing names with my team.

TDLS: Who were your teammates?

KR: I had the most diverse group of people on my team. While initially, it was a group effort of lot more people but due to the time commitments, only six of us remained till the end. I met Gyamar Nanam, another Arunachali artist, in January 2017. While we shared conversations about our works, I told him about my idea for an artwork around the plastic waste. He loved the idea and came onboard bringing along people like Jene Hai (a self-taught Arunachali artist). The other members included Nengkar Tumpi (an environmental scientist), Osley Joram (an interior designer), Habung Napa (a businessman) and Hage Kaku (a trained physicist from IIT, Guwahati).  These were people who had never made an installation but willingly gave about 2 months of their time just because they connected to the issue.

 

TDLS: So why an installation and not any other medium? Also, why ‘Kachra-Nagar’?

 KR: An installation because I think the concept needed that medium. I have a specialization in Printmaking and I sometimes do Painting too. However, I think every concept demands its own medium. For my installation, I wanted to make a ‘Hill’ out of plastics as Arunachal Pradesh is known worldwide for its hills. We may not be known worldwide for our cuisines or crafts, but our hills are world renowned. On the other hand, we are also the third dirtiest city in India. A completely striking contrast. While brainstorming a name for the installation with the team, I casually said, “Our capitals name is Itanagar but we hardly see ‘Ita’ and instead mostly see ‘Kachra’” and that is how the title ‘KachraNagar’ came to be. 

TDLS: Why did you choose Statehood Day for the display? How was the process to get the space for display?

 KR: In my January meeting with Nanam, we had decided that Statehood Day would be ideal as the Arunachal festival (conducted on the day) sees a heavy public footfall. Since the festival lasts three days, it would be a major platform to spread our message about the environment and the role of plastic in it. We had to make many rounds of the DC office to get a space for display. However, when we finally got an appointment, the DC (Mr. Sandeep Kumar) was very supportive and directed us to the concerned EAC. The concerned EAC was a little reluctant as they thought we were looking for sponsorships but once they realized that we were not, it was an easy path from there. The officers were actually very supportive of our cause and we were given the necessary space for display for the three-day fest.

TDLS: How was the piece received at the Festival?

 KR: I had gotten an early taste of probable feedbacks about my installation from the team itself. I was using a simple line structure when my team told me that the general Arunachali people would not understand its aesthetics. So, with the feedback of the team, we changed the structure to appeal to the public. I was still not prepared for what laid ahead though.

On the first day of the exhibition, we chose to not interact with the public so that they could interpret the artwork themselves. Many of them thought it to be a ‘school science project’ and moved ahead. I was truly heartbroken. That’s when I decided to change things up. On the second day, we started explaining the pieces to the people. We told them the origin of our materials like the plastic ‘taash'(playing cards) from the tracker stands of Itanagar and Naharlagun. We even put up a placard outside our stall saying “Do you want Itanagar or KuchraNagar?”

 

TDLS: That sounds really challenging. What other challenges did you face?

 KR: One of the major challenges was the design of the stalls. Since most of these stalls are tiny spaces (4×4) in order to buy and sell, this size was not ideal to showcase an installation. Also, it rained heavily that year and most of our pieces were made from waste, so it was a challenge to keep our artwork dry and safe.

Another significant challenge was to get our message across as not many people knew how to look at art but we learned a lot from the exercise in how to present our artwork too. A major disappointment that we faced was this that none of the policymakers came to visit us. We knew that most of the ministers often inspects the stalls at the festivals and so were eagerly waiting for them to come. We knew that it was them we had to target our message to. However, they never did. Most of them just sat in their cars and moved around.

TDLS: That is really sad to hear. What can the common public do instead to contribute to the environment?

 KR: That’s a really tough question because I genuinely don’t know how to change people’s mind. But the most important thing one needs to do is ‘be conscious’ about your own plastic consumption. In the exhibition, a gentleman gave us a strong feedback that everything is plastic these days so how can we avoid it. I agree with him since everything is already plastic, that’s why we need to become more conscious about what we consume. We are anyways going to pollute so please do it responsibly. Start with your own family and then go to your next-door neighbors. Stop throwing waste in the open. Avoid plastic bags wherever you can, carry ‘Jholas’. Avoid plastic bottles, whenever you can.

The change has to be consistent and permanent. Don’t do these things only for a few days. As for our policymakers, they need to give the public better resources to take care of the environment. Recently, there was a one-day workshop conducted by the Government to figure out plans to stop the integration of plastic in the overflowing landfills of Karsingsa. That is a welcome step as our community direly needs it. However, after years of steady neglect, we urgently need to pick up our pace.

TDLS: Any last words?

 KR: I just want to remind people that becoming consciousness towards the environment often has its share of disappointment. It was so disappointing that when we would collect garbage from the overfilling roadsides, there were people who would come and throw some more right in front us. Some people would even encourage us saying ‘shabash, shabash’ but never contribute their time or effort. However, there is also beauty in that disappointment. It makes you become extra conscious about all the ways we are hurting our environment and sometimes even Art comes out of it. It did for me, at least.

Note: All pictures are credited to the team of KachraNagar: a garbage art installation.

 

 

 

 

(In Stories and Pics) Looking beyond Medicine and Engineering: a case for other subjects in Arunachal Pradesh.

If you have not read the corresponding article to these stories. We recommend you do that here. Below are all the powerful stories of Arunachali people who are making their own rules in defining what is a successful career.

“Until Class-X exams, I too wanted to become a doctor but things changed after the exams. I realized that I did not have the orientation for Science. Also, I did not like Math and taking science without Math felt like a discredit. Luckily, I had teachers who kept counselling us that there were opportunities beyond Engineering and Doctor. So, I took Arts despite oppositions as I was the first child and my parents had dreams and aspirations. A guilt I always felt was that of sacrificing my parents dream. However, once I got into a good school and progressed rapidly, my parents noticed my progress and started supporting me. In college, I joined Literature but I realized that I did not enjoy the classic style of literature. I wanted to study something more applied and practical so when an optional paper ‘linguistics’ was offered, I took to it like ‘duck to water’. On completing my undergraduate, I applied for Masters in Literature in Pune and in Linguistics in JNU. I got through the course in Literature but when I got through Linguistics, I knew what I truly wanted to do. My supportive parents had no idea what Linguistics was but they had confidence in me that I will make something of my life. I have had my ups and downs with the subjects but studying linguistics has brought me so much closer to my own roots. Throughout our early education, we are taught to ‘mainstream’ ourselves with education in English and Hindi. Then we go outside the state and are met with such identity crisis where we belong nowhere. Studying linguistics has given me a sense of belonging in my own community, to do something for my own people and that has been a joy for a scholar like me. A part of my scholarly journey was this summer where I took a lecture on ‘Endangered Languages and Communities of Arunachal Pradesh’ at the University of South Florida, Tampa, USA.” (1/2)

“I think students should stop lying to themselves. We know deep down as to what we want. I had a goal and I knew my potential and frankly, I did not want to waste time. Further, I did not want an expensive education. I think students should be confident about what they want. They should not take up subjects just to fulfill someone else’s dream. You must be realistic about the monetary aspect of education too. Once you do well, I am certain that your parents will support you regardless of subjects. I know I have been lucky to find parents and teachers who were so supportive. Because ultimately, for a girl child, supportive parents are key or else one is often asked to get married after her MA.” (2/2)

“I had no clue what I was going to do after my Class-XII. I just knew I wanted to go outside Arunachal Pradesh. During my higher secondary days, I used to attend fine arts classes conducted by a senior artist in the Department of Information and Public Relations, Arunachal Pradesh. During these classes, he would often encourage me to pursue fine arts. So, I applied for a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Shanti Niketan, West Bengal. The initial years at Shanti Niketan were spend developing my foundation of fine arts but during my third or fourth year, I was introduced to the subject ‘Sculpture’. I fell in love with the subject to the extent where I went ahead and ended up doing a Masters in ‘Sculpting’ from Hyderabad. I am a reserved person by nature. So, the most joyful thing about sculpting for me is the fact that while sculpting, I can get lost in my own company. I find sculpting or any other passion one has, to be a means to feel happy. It’s just like when someone enjoys singing and singing a few songs makes them feel better about everything. I have met few people who compare this feeling which I am talking about, to that of alcohols but I think they are completely different. Alcohol helps you in masking what you are feeling but practicing your passion does the opposite. Your passion instead helps you think deeply about your feelings and that process can be very therapeutic.” (1/2)

“It actually reminded of my childhood, when we friends used to go to the riverside, where the police practiced firing. And when finished, we dig out the bullets from the mountain walls and sell it in the shops for pocket money.” (2/2)

“Well, I love food. I always have. So, it is no surprise that I ended up making a career in food. Who does not love food though? Most people just done like making it. I liked making it, however, I ended up taking a longer route to it. I wanted to take up a course in culinary art during my undergraduate only but felt a guilt to not do it as my father had sent me all the way to Delhi. On completing my degree, I knew I had to do it. Since I loved baking I took up a diploma course in baking and Pastry making. Although, when I look back, the major spark for cooking was there when I was in Class-XI and XII only.” (1/2)

“They had a Home science subject in my school for Class-XI and I took it as I enjoyed cooking. We were only 5 to 6 boys in a room full of female classmates and my teacher, Geeta Ma’am, was really supportive of my skills. Geeta ma’am would keep telling me that the shape of my ‘rotis’ were even more round than the girls [laughs]..and she kept giving me ‘Stars’ for excellence in my report cards. Even at home, my enterprising father would keep calling all his friends to try my cooking. So looking back, I really think, that’s where it all began.” (2/2)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking beyond Medicine and Engineering: a case for other subjects in Arunachal Pradesh

Another round of board exams hit the dust leaving behind turmoil, to be borne solely by the young students. Slowly the children will gather, with their families, to make sense of what lies ahead in the wake of the results. As tensions run high with choices to be made (schools, streams, and subjects) or the lack of it, it is too easy to lose perspectives in this madness.

Photo by Rebecca Zaal on Pexels.com

The perspective that particular schools, streams or subjects do not define a child’s worth. The perspective that, a little into the future, the best use of a Class-X certificate is only as an age proof document (mostly for government jobs). The perspective that there are grown-ups, other than Engineers and Doctors, who are successful in their own fields and contributing to the development of the state as equals.

•••••

“It’s because, in Delhi, they don’t look down upon humanities as they do here in Itanagar”, my baby sister responds with wisdom much beyond her fifteen years.

“How do they look down upon humanities here?”

“Well, they keep asking you to take science even if you don’t want to.” 

•••••

 A study carried out by scientists from the National Institute of Mental health, the USA in 1967 titled ‘Social Reinforcements under Natural Conditions’, where the subject was a four-year-old child, came to the conclusion that-

‘Under experimental conditions of adult social reinforcement, positive responses were emitted with increasing frequency; the opposite occurred when the experimental manipulation of adult reinforcements was withdrawn ’. Simply put, it means when the parent encouraged the child, the child kept doing more and more positive things. If the encouragement stopped, the number of positive actions stopped too.

On a similar tangent Robert Fulgham in his 1988 book All I Really Need To Know I learned in Kindergarten, a collection of essays, popularized the unique practice of logging in the Solomon Islands. Made popular nationally by the feature film Taare Zameen Par, the story goes that “If a tree is too large to felled with an axe, the natives cut it down by yelling at it…the hollering kills the spirit of the tree”.

A quick perusal of Arunachali personalities known nationwide leads you to an eclectic list of people. In the realm of present-day politics, both Pema Khandu and Kiren Rijiju are a product of Delhi University (arguably the most popular humanities university in India). In the field of administration, Mr. Jomin Tayeng (the first direct recruit IAS officer of Arunachal) had a degree in BA and LLB. Late Smt. Bini Yanga and Mr.Nabam Atum are well known for their works in social activism. Ms. Mamang Dai has been awarded the Padma Shree for her contribution to Literature. In the field of defense, Group Captain (Rtd) Mohonto Panging was honored with the Presidential Award- the Vayu Sena Medal. In the field of sports, Mr. Tapi Mra reached the highest peak (literally) and became the first Arunachali to scale Mount Everest in 2009. A similar height was then achieved by Mrs. Anshu Jamsenpa, not once but twice, as she became the first woman to scale Everest twice in 2014. Yet, for all the generational pressure that exists around Medicine and Engineering in Arunachal, the lack of role models in these fields is pretty palpable.

The greatest feat in technological advancement in Arunachal was made by Anang Tadar, a Class-XI student when he developed a Goggle for the Blind in 2017, reminding us once again the power of nurturing the passion within children.

•••••

“Kids are never the problem. They are born explorers. The problem is always the adults. They beat the curiosity out of kids. They outnumber kids. They vote. That’s why my public focus is primarily adults”. 

-Dr.Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist, Hayden Planetarium, New York

•••••

The human, economic and social landscape of Arunachal Pradesh is changing every day. From a traditional tribal society, we are transitioning into a post-colonial modern statehood. These changes are significant and fundamental. Luzelle Naude in the Journal of Psychology in Africa (Vol 27, No 2) writes that ‘transitional societies create opportunities for re-imagining the intra and interpersonal dimensions of life’. This power to re-imagine comes from the fact that at this stage, we have the ‘choice’ to determine the kind of society we want to transform into. Do we want to continue producing engineers/doctors with limited job opportunities? Or do we realize that for the next step of growth in AP, we need ‘visionaries’ from all disciplines?

The Fuzzy and the Techie, a book by Scott Hartley, describes the relevant roles of both the ‘Fuzzy’ (students of humanities and social sciences) and the ‘Techie’ (students of engineering and hard sciences) in tomorrow’s tech economy. Hartley stresses that we need policymakers, educators, parents, and students to recognize this false divide between becoming technically literate and building on our most important skills as a human.

•••••

“Those schooled in the humanities and social sciences play an important role in advancing data literacy because they are especially attuned to the types of social issues and psychological biases that must be factored into the assessment of how data sets have been created, and also because they are well trained in the methods necessary for clearly presenting the findings of the data.”

-Leslie Bradshaw, President and Co-founder JESS3

•••••

Despite its exasperated tone, my words are no mud-slinging exercise on the noble works of engineering and medicine. They are, without doubt, valued professions in any society. Rather, these words are an attempt to highlight all the other valued but forgotten professions. For every engineer and doctor, we also need historians, political and social scientists, linguists, anthropologists, writers, poets, painters, singers, dancers, researchers, economists, lawyers, designers, managers, counselors, entrepreneurs, pilots, geologists, archeologists, architects, social workers, athletes, botanists and so many more.

So, at its core, what I am trying to say is if you have a relative (sibling, child, friend, neighbor, cousin, nephew, nieces) who has just appeared for their Class-X and XII exams, remind them it is all going to be okay. More significantly, encourage them to study whatever they want. Otherwise, come tomorrow all the budding Arunachali historians, linguists, anthropologists, writers, poets, painters, singers, dancers, economists and many others will be forced to live through the pressure of an imposed career or bear the shame of choosing differently.