Mailamma,An obituary

" Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children.We do not inherit the earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."This an ancient American Indian proverb.American Indians were one of the first communities affected by modern industrial civilisation.Mark the similarity of feeling when Mailamma,the spirited woman leader of Plachimada cautions us about the future dangers of the water guzzling Coke plant and says,'If so much destruction has occurred in these three years, imagine the situation after ten-fifteen years!Our children would then curse us and would be forced to live on a barren land!' The marathon dharna in small 'samar manadapam' in front of the giant MNC,spread in 200-odd countries by the adivasi women of Plachimada,shall be recorded in golden letters in the history of Nonviolence Direct Action. 'Who has the right over natural resources?' 'Is it the right of a giant MNC?''Or the local community has the right over the resources?''Who shall lead this 'fight against the might'?I had these questions in my mind when I first visitedPlachimada on 21,22,23 January ,2004 on invitation of parliamentarian Shri M.P. Veerendrakumar,Managing Director of leading Malayalam daily,Matrubhumi as participant in the People's World Water Congress.Anti-Globalisation Farmer-leader;influenced by Gandhi,Jose Bove from France,Maud Barlow the author of 'The Blue Gold',the book which opened the world's eyes over the exploitation of water by MNCs,member of Parliament of EU,Senior literary figures,VT Vasudevan,Sara Joseph,Sukumar Azhikod andleader of the opposition in Kerala Assembly Shri Achutanandan(Present CM of Kerala) were a few of the dignitaries who participated in the Congress.One of the major element of attraction of these national-international figures to this remote village in Palghat was Mailamma's leadership.'One affected shall lead the struggle'-
This basic criteria of any people's struggle was satisfied in Placimada Movement through leaders like Mailamma.
Movement against Coke at Mehdiganj drew inspiration from Plachimada.Sathi Mailamma has taught us :
1. The local community has the primary right over natural resources.
2.The fight for this right shall be lead by the local leadership.
Rights over resources are decided by politics and Mailamma of Plachimada shall be remembered as a leader of Contemporary-Alternative-Politics.
This basic criteria of any people's struggle was satisfied in Plachimada Movement through leaders like Mailamma.
Movement against Coke at Mehdiganj drew inspiration from Plachimada.Sathi Mailamma has taught us :
1. The local community has the primary right over natural resources.
2.The fight for this right shall be lead by the local leadership.
Rights over resources are decided by politics and Mailamma of Plachimada shall be remembered as a leader of Contemporary-Alternative-Politics.
-By Aflatoon,State President,Samajwadi Janparishad,Uttar Pradesh