The Independent, 14 October 2003
http://independent-bangladesh.com/news/oct/14/14102003pd.htm#A2
JEROME SARKAR
Indigenous or tribal communities are a few of the microscopic societies in Bangladesh. Judging by the helpless condition of the society in general, one can easily comprehend how much more miserably indigenous population live in uncertain, unsafe and unpredictable circumstances. Reports of tribals suffering forcible eviction, land grabbing, abduction, villages burnt down appear every now and then in the daily newspapers almost every other day. Indigenous people of Dinajpur very recently demonstrated against the officials of forest department for what they complained was grabbing of their land in the name of social forestry and depriving them of their promised benefits. On top of it, cases have been initiated against the ethnic tribals by the forest department. These incidents evidently compel them to live subdued and gagged under constant threats from the larger communities.
Reasons for all these activities can be divided into two distinct groups: internal and external. The communities being backward have a few basic weaknesses: illiteracy, ignorance, economic backwardness, lack of cohesion and extraneous lack of justice and protection from the law enforcing authorities and apathy in general towards safeguarding the vulnerable tribals. The law, as it appears, fails to respond at all for the dispensation of justice to the victims, in this case the tribals, in spite of repeated appeals and earnest entreaties from the victims and those who have taken up the cudgels on their behalf.
The situation of the ethnic minorities, living in small clusters in the northwestern part of Bangladesh is on the surface a bit different but all the more worse. Indigenous people here are socially neglected, economically deprived and devastated, displaced and remain underprivileged. In the true sense, they are left totally outside the mainstream development programme and thus they are the most vulnerable community in the area particularly and in the country at large.
In order to restore and instil confidence and to give them vision, hope and sense of development, a project called "Empowering Disadvantaged Tribal Poor in Northern Bangladesh" was aptly launched by RDRS in the year 2001 for a period of five years with the financial support from Stromme Foundation. The main objective was to bring sustainable growth in the livelihood of the ethnic minority communities through effective social, economic and cultural activities and also to make them aware of their civic rights, arm them with more knowledge of social and legal issues, help them gain marketable skills to undertake visible income generation activities.
The report of assessment of performance of last two years, that is, 2001 to 2002 has revealed a tangible progress in all aspects of their life. A positive trend is set for management and improvement of their living standard. Their hardship of poverty is gradually declining, on the other hand, their access to education is increasing and their access to basic amenities has also risen. Their inherent vibrant and colourful cultural activities are being revived and freely practised.
It has been widely observed that in acute poverty and when there is lack of resources, the indigenous people would borrow money by mortgaging their land (usually their only tangible asset) to the moneylenders to meet their day-to-day basic needs. In the process, many of them have lost their cultivable land, even homesteads. Some of them have now started to plough the lands of others and have ended up living on a meagre income.
In order to achieve a meaningful living and sustainable betterment, it has become imperative that they redeem their lands from the hands of the moneylenders and begin to live in permanent domiciles and continually promote their means of livelihood through various interventions. So the release of these lands is of utmost importance.
The land redemption credit support programme was introduced under the tribal project to provide necessary money to release these mortgaged lands. According to the strategy, the project disbursed necessary money to the victims to repossess the land. Prior to granting loans for the purpose, they were given orientation about the bad effects of mortgaging lands and they were also advised to cultivate the redeemed land properly for good harvest so that with the sale proceeds of crops, they could repay the loan instalments to the project which were in soft terms.
The land redemption project has already borne tremendous positive impacts. One such success story is narrated below to vindicate the improvement of the living condition of the indigenous people and their salvation from the curse of being landlessness.
Right after her marriage, Malati Toppo had to shoulder all responsibilities of running a family. Her husband Noren Tigga, was a casual labour and sharecropper. They lived in South Jhal Jhali village of Polash Bari Union under Birganj Upazila. Many a time Malati went out to sell her labour with her husband in addition to taking care of her household chores. They passed some days without any work, resulting in no sustainable family income. Hence she had to borrow money from others to feed her family. Over and above, various kind of illness sometimes prevented them from going out to work. Poverty pervaded their life in all respects. Under such circumstances, they were, in fact, bogged down in a quagmire. They could not imagine any way out from this vicious circle. Moreover, the need for food and medical treatment was pressing. So, the circumstances forced them to approach the money-sharks and thus small amounts borrowed snowballed with interest into a terribly big figure.
The moneylenders frequently approached Malati to get back the money including excessively high interest. They could not return such a big amount at a time. Moneylenders started to eye their land.
Malati owned 1.25 acre of land including her homestead. To save their necks, they mortgaged 50 decimal land for Taka 6,000 to one Md. Shahjahan, a moneylender in the year 1998. Using the modern method of cultivation Md. Shahjahan was harvesting record quantity of crops. q
On the other hand, Malati's family was still groaning under economic pressures. In the face of continuous poverty, Malati was forced to mortgage another 50 decimal of land to another moneylender, one Md. Ataur Rahman. Malati's only asset left, the little piece of homestead was likely to go out of her possession and she was thus drowning in debts and could not find any way out of her dilemmas.
While conversing with her fellow members, Malati learnt about the land redemption programme. She was delighted and decided to apply for loan to release her lands from the moneylenders.
This opportunity appeared as a beacon of hope for the tribal community. On 26 December 2002, Malati took loan from the project at 8 per cent service charge and released the 50 decimal land from Md. Shahjahan by paying back Taka 6,000. Malati cultivated the land for growing IRRI Paddy and the harvest was very encouraging and the sale proceeds fetched her Taka 10,000. After repaying the loan, Malati took fresh loan and released the other land. Thus Malati got back her lands and utilised the land to an optimum degree and repaid the loans. Now the living condition of Malati and their family has tremendously changed. All worries disappeared and peace and happiness emerged in the family.
The project has been life-saving bill to the victims who were indebted to moneylenders. This has been a stepping-stone for the community. Advocacy conducted by the project has created awareness and the credit facility available has helped the tribals redeem their mortgaged lands. The project has been a blessing to the indigenous community. Larger community members also extended cooperation and positive attitude towards the minority community, the tribals.
Upto June 2003, 151 members of the tribal project received about Taka 11.8 lakh and around 65.00 acres of land were redeemed from the moneylenders. Many applications have since poured in for scrutiny. The main impediment in the way for redemption of lands is that the most of the people have little or no valid evidence or supporting papers or documents against the mortgaged land. Ignorance about the legal procedures is the main cause that made the passage of releasing the lands a difficult task. However, in many cases, through discussions with the people around and arbitrations, the relevant reconciliation was managed and lands were released amicably. Indigenous people admitted that this project emerged as a blessing to them and without which the redemption of lands would have not been possible. It was observed that many good meaning members of the larger community extended sincere cooperation and showed positive attitude towards the solution of the land disputes.
Considering the proportion of dislocation and displacement of indigenous population in the event of losing their land to moneylenders and land-grabbers, this land redemption programme may not look all encompassing in being effective but without this programme the last vestige of the tribal community will disappear from the face of the Earth. It is certainly the moral duty of all of us to support this land redemption programme. If we neglect the indigenous people, it will be equivalent to committing ourselves to losing interest in life itself. Besides Mother Nature will also curse us because it is we who have spoilt the virgin lands, those belonging to these tribal people. Let us stand by the tribals and quell the anger of Mother Nature and live in the peace and tranquillity gifted to us by the Almighty.