FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2007

Contact: Jigyasa Jyotika
jyotika [at] wisc.edu
413-687-5767

Website: http://www.ashanet.org/madison/events/agrarian_crisis_1002.html
Local Vigil: 6 PM on Tuesday, October 2^nd
At UW Library Mall, 711 State Street, Madison WI 53703
At 1227 Engineering Hall, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison WI 53706 (in the event of rain)

Even as the central and state governments of India continue to give them a cold shoulder, India's long-suffering farmers will hopefully find warmth and solidarity in the thousands of candles that will light up around the world on October 2^nd.

The chosen date is not arbitrary - It is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, whose birth anniversary was recently declared as International Non-Violence Day by the United Nations.

On October 2nd, thousands of concerned Indians and world citizens will gather in vigils in more than 50 locations in the US, India and other countries. They seek to bring urgency and immediate attention to the shocking crisis being faced by India's agricultural community of 600 million people – more than double the size of the population of the entire United States.

Following the initiative from Association for India's Development (AID), a volunteer movement based in the US and India, individuals and organizations from around the world have joined hands to participate in this unique global solidarity event.

ASHA is one such volunteer organization based in the US, India and a few other countries with 45 chapters country-wide and 66 chapters world-wide.

The vigil locations range from cities like Washington, San Diego, Seattle and Austin in the US to New Delhi, Kolkata and other metros of India to small towns and rural areas of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and other states.

All are invited to the candlelight vigil at Madison, WI which begins at 6 p.m. at the UW Library Mall. The vigil will be marked by reading of farmer names, exchange of ideas, petition signing by participants to support farmers followed by screening of a PBS documentary on farmer suicides in India. The UW Indian community consists of 850-odd Indian students, faculty and staff.

Mahatma Gandhi’s first non-violence initiatives in India were in Champaran, Bihar and Kheda, Gujarat during 1917-18, exactly 90 years ago to highlight the plight of exploited peasants. The British government was compelled to recognize the agrarian crisis of that time and conceded to the demand of canceling taxes paid by the farmers.

In contrast, despite non-violent action by groups such as the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti for the present crisis, the Indian government has not addressed their core demands. The website of the Ministry of Agriculture of India does not even mention the agrarian crisis and farmer suicides. That our Prime Minister Manmohan Singh knows about the crisis is clear from his words: "Agriculture in many parts of the country is in a state of crisis...The fact that farmers are compelled to resort to suicides is a matter of deep concern for all," (Economic Times, 3 August 2007). However the Prime Minister's package for the Maharashtra farmers ignored many key demands of the farmers and has proved ineffective. Neither did the government waive the debts of the farmers in crisis areas like Vidarbha nor did it ensure that cotton farmers there got a minimum support price of Rs 2750 per quintal that was promised by his party during elections.

Even as the organizers are deeply moved by the continuing spate of farmer suicides – 836 in Vidarbha alone in 2007 – they strongly believe that the underlying causes need be addressed to find a long-term solution. Eminent Indian journalist P. Sainath, who was awarded the 2007 Magsaysay Award, says, "The tragic farmers' suicides are, finally, an extreme symptom of a much deeper rural distress. The result of a decade-long onslaught on the livelihoods of millions. The crisis now goes way beyond the families ravaged by the suicides."

The government policies in the past fifteen years have consistently removed support structures for Indian farmers while promoting unsustainable, high-input agriculture which farmers, especially in dry areas, cannot afford to practice. "Through this global action, we would like to send a strong signal to the Indian government that the farmers' crisis has knocked the conscience of people around the world, and that they should immediately start implementing genuinely pro-farmer policies," says Somu Kumar, one of the chief AID organizers of the global event. The demands include strengthening the minimum support price system to cover the real cost of production, waiver of debt and proactive support to low-input sustainable agriculture especially in rainfed areas.

Here it must be mentioned that countries like USA subsidize farming. In a recent interview aired by PBS, Dr Sudhir Goel, a Commissioner of the Maharashtra government says: "$3.2 billion subsidy in America for roughly 25,000 cotton growers has certainly suppressed the cotton prices world over." If the American government can act for its farmers, why is the Indian government allowing our farmers to kill themselves?

Concerned people from around the world are encouraged to contact the organizers to participate in a nearby vigil or organize a vigil in their own locality. A collective online petition from all the participants will be sent to the Indian government and various states. The event will be followed up by more sustained action in conjunction with farmers' groups, NGOs and movements in India.

About ASHA: A secular non-profit organization and volunteer movement dedicated to catalyzing socio-economic change in India through education of underprivileged children. AHSA has 45 chapters in the US, 14 in India and seven in Europe, Singapore and Australia.

About Association for India's Development (AID): A non-profit organization and volunteer movement committed to promoting sustainable and equitable development in India, working with NGOs and movements in India in the areas of people's rights, livelihood generation, education, agriculture, water management, environment, primary health and appropriate technology. A.I.D. has about 35 chapters in the US, 10 in India, and a few in Australia, Canada, Singapore and so on.

References:

• Website for Global Vigil (http://agri.aidindia.org/october2)
• Website for AID Press Release (http://aidindia.org/main/content/view/525/86/)
• PBS Film "Dying Fields": http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/vidarbha/index.html
• Website for ASHA’s Madison Chapter Vigil (http://www.ashanet.org/madison/events/agrarian_crisis_1002.html)
• Online Petition to Support Farmers (http://petitions.aidindia.org/october2/index.php)
• List of vigil locations: See Attached Table
• Indian PM statement in Economic Times: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2253321.cms

Farmers Vigil Locations (confirmed till date)

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