By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

Read the SDF report

Dear Friends,

It gives me immense pleasure to inform you that Social Development Foundation has completed the formation of its 10 years in October 30^th 2008.

This is not a routine report of our work but feeling of a person who took this initiative in 1998 after having been part of human rights struggle and understanding of Ambedkarite perspective. That Ambedkar vision of liberty fraternity and equality are precondition for developing any civil society. So this is in no way a traditional report of an organization but an introspection of my own feelings and my sincere thanks to those who have been supporting to our ideas and initiatives. It is not what exactly we did as some of our existing initiatives are being send to you through the attachment.

The journey has been immensely tough but satisfying onefor SDF still has been fighting for basic resources. It could not have continued had some deeply committed individuals came out in open support of some of our initiatives particularly on the 'support for the education of girls from scavenging community' in MohammdabadGhazipur. The second initiative had been at Malwabar village in Deoria district where Mushahar children are getting access to education.

SDF's problem has been of joining the issue of a humanist perspective with that of the developmental issues. In a country of where role of religious charities is dominating our popular discourseit has been a very difficult journey as we did not allow ourselves to be used by any kind of parochial perceptions in the name of nationalismreligious values and regionalism. The issue of caste identities gender and regional identities are new marketing strategies for the NGOs and movements. Unfortunatelywe did not fix in any of them hence for us the only thing was to continue our work with the people and start a parallel movement for understanding broadly what we claim humanist heritage of India.

We start with our human rights education programmes and leadership development programmes. Here importance of freethinking traditions and reasonable attitude was the focal point of debates and discussions. Ideological perceptions build around Dalit Bahujan movement were taken to the people particularly the humanist philosophy of Dr AmbedkarPeriyarPhuleBuddhaBhagat SinghM.N.Roy and others. Also we attempted to look at the regional reform movements with in the Dalit Bahujan movement. Of course the movement is categorized yet for us receiving their message and putting our words is an equally important thing. The practical part of our initiatives was launching of Land Literacy workshops for the activists victim groups and trainers which was well received all over Uttar-Pradesh. It developed a new movement and new leaders who I can say with full conviction we are very proud of for their work commitment and ideological clarity.

Movement can not be build unless there is a vision and a philosophy of life. No social and political movement could develop strong linkage unless they have a philosophy. Movements are not just protest marches sittings or exhibitionism which many of us indulge in for short term gains. Protest marches are our way of showing solidarity with people's causes in democracy. But a movement is a long term initiative to change the system. A movement is build out of conviction and not out of compulsion when your life is endangered. A movement could be for a positive initiative and not just a reaction to some thing happening in our life. And therefore SDF took an initiative to develop an entirely independent initiative on the land rights called as Uttar-Pradesh Land Alliance. And UPLA what is popularly known is spreading land literacy human rights and human dignity. It is a uniquely developed positive movement for self reform also. No movement can develop unless it introspects its own issues and over come its contradictions. Movements fail because the self proclaimed leaders and their interests do not allow the people to interact and meet the other like minded groups. The multiple identities which we have nurtured over the last two decades are now threatening to destroy whatever was built in the past forty years.

SDF decided that it will be there wherever such 'movements' exist yet it will decide on its own on the issues and merits of such a cause. We are against the growing colonization of natural resources for purely private gains. Over the years we have not only participated and raised the issues of farmers land acquisition as well as forest rights. SDF believe in training individual about her own rights so that she can fight of her battle with dignity and courage. At the moment, we sincerely feel movements are built up to strengthen some individuals who push their own agenda on the people.

It is also important for all of us to understand the philosophy behind some of these campaigns and movements. They go parallel as if there is no meeting point and end up becoming camp followers. Hence, there are groups whose only focus is caste, while other focus on so-called economic issues. One claim everything modern is good for the Dalits while other says everything modern is dangerous. One gang the Dalits against the backward communities other make a claim against Brahmins. None of them is interested to speak for women. So virtually every one is now a victim of these multiple identities and the biggest casualty has been free thinking and fight for human rights.

It is also important to understand that our war should be fought a multiple level. Can a community which has been victim of the indigenous caste system based on hierarchical values where your work was divided and categorized be made proud of our so-called nationalist heritage? Those who did not get a right to education would always like to go to college and universities. This glamorization of Indian villages and Indian society does not hold true for us. We need to work harder and speak candidly on these issues without

concealed prejudices.

Many of the issues that we have raised are at the prime time. In the last 10 years we did not just change our partners but strengthened them on time tested friendship. There are cases which are still pending in the courts including Supreme Court of India. SDF believe that no ideology could be developed without providing a direct support to those who are victim of not only caste prejudices but also economic colonization. If we speak in isolation we can not develop a movement against such parochial forces.

We have succeeded in bringing together like minded people all over the country. We plan to develop humanist Dalit leadership and continue our programme. I am happy to inform you that the silent movement that we are trying to build has got tremendous boost in many parts of the country. I am sure with like minded groups and people joining hands we will see a movement for 'enlightened India'a movement what Ambedkar visualized for the oppressed masses of the country. At the SDFI want to assure that we are just catalysts and do not seek any leadership. We want to make it clear that leadership is not just waving hand from the front but also from the behind and creating new young into the modern thoughts of freedom and individual. SDF is committed to that cause. We will defend individual's right and fight for freedom of expression and freedom of choice. Our fight is against a system which degrade human being an economic order that take away people's fight over resources and parochial values entering to our heart through communalization and identity politics and mobilization.

SDF's initiatives are also being sent to you through an attachments with this mail.

As a person deeply committed to the cause of freedom I would like to thank all of them who have contributed to our scholarship programmes in Ghazipur. I can not name them all yet my sincere thanks to many individuals who have encouraged me to work and did not hesitate in providing their moral technical and financial support. My friend Shiva Shankar has been a constant supporter for the cause of scavenging community. His efforts to galvanize support for scavenging girls need to be applauded. I must thank with this mail Barbara Codispotian other person who was deeply moved seeing the plight of the Mushahar community in Kushingar and was highly impressed the growth of Uttar-Pradesh Land Alliance.

The issue of Muslim has been of greater concern for SDF in the past 10 years. We have found that in our developmental debate Muslims do not exist and there is a hidden apartheid against them in the developmental structure. A majority of the community is still in deep socio-political turmoil while its economy is at the attack. To develop civil

Society initiative among the Muslims community a new movement is being developed with the help of Muslim organization and other like minded organization we have developed Rehnumaa. The struggle is not easier with lots of contradictions and other organizational issues yet we are hopeful that next 10 years will have a strong civil society development in the community.

Individually I could not gained so much of ideas without constant guidance and support from people like Dr R.M.Palwho brought me to human rights circle and guided me develop my ideas and perception Prof. D.Prempatiwatching whom speaking is always a treat and who always extended his moral and physical support wherever needed V.T.Rajshekarwhose writing opened new widows to understand contradictions of Indian society Dr Bhagwan Daswhose anecdotes and writings influenced me  a lot in developing my perceptionwriting of V.Geetha and S.V.Rajdurraiwhose writing on Non Brahmin movement in Tamilnadu gave me new ideasJustice V.M.Tarkundewhose understanding of humanism and human rights remain hall mark for me and who had child like curiosity in learning new things and guiding young activists like us. Admiral Vishnu Bhagwatwho is always there to encourage new ideas and respond to the mailers with great appreciation and critique I remain indebted to them. I might have missed many names and therefore apologize for that.

I am also thankful to Dr Manzoor Alamchairman of the Institute of Objective Studies Delhiand a witness to my growth in the civil society movement from the very beginning and shared his ideas with us also. I feel at the social movements you not only through go through your ideological allies but also personal warm relations who are ready to spare their time and energy for developing positive energy among the people.

Friends like Joan Paytonne spared her precious time for developing our attached folder while John Dayal has been appreciative of the work and ideas that we have been providing through our mails. My friends and colleagues like D.Leena who did not mind providing her time to SDF and its training programmes. Friends like Alison Jane Kunal Barwa, from London have been great support for our initiatives.

Of course, I can not ignore the full and silent support provided by friends like Prof D.Prempati Namita Rawat Yoginder Sikand Shiva Shankar and Surepally Sujatha who became part of SDF family despite their own tight schedule and works.

There are many names who I can not write here because of their positions and I would like to create unnecessary impression of problem for them. We have already mentioned name of the organizations supporting our initiatives. Some of them have also supported us individually and appreciated our work and concerns. I am equally thankful to our friends like Benjamin Kaila who decided to support through Ambedkar Scholarship programme. Friends like Dr Bachchu Lal Guru Bakhs Singh Baggha have shown deep interest in our work and I am sure it will give a new impetus to our work and initiative in India.

International land CoalitionRomehas been supporting our land related initiatives and have constantly supported our work for the past ten years. International Humanist and Ethical UnionLondon also supported our initiatives to develop humanist leadership programmes and science promotion in India. They are also supporting our initiative under 'Adopt a Village' programme. We are thankful to them for their unhesitant support to our initiatives.

We are equally thankful to Ms Hina Goyal MCKSFood for Hungary FoundationDelhi for supporting our mid day meal initiative in Malwabar and now supporting economic empowerment initiatives for the Mushahar women in the same village.

Development Alternative ( DFID) also supported some of our work under their Poorest Areas Civil Society ( PACS) programmes. Global Grant Fund supported our environmental initiatives. IFAD officer's funds and FAO officer's hunger funds supported our initiatives for Mushahar and scavenger girls. Action Aid Delhi also supported to us for small initiative in the slums of Delhi. We are thankful to them all.

There are many friends who are not on the internet and they are the real strength. They have been working at the ground taking our message of liberty and freedom. Our friends like Ram Chandra Prasad who is working in the Muhahar community Mr Raj Kapoor Rawatwho is leading the movement against elimination of scavenging Ms Deep Mala who is enormously talented girl in the 12^th standard Rehana Khanwho has tirelessly waged war against the parochial forces in Saharanpur district Sehroj Khan who is working with women in ChitrakootKishan Balmiki and numerous other from the Valmiki community who are fighting their battle of dignity in Kolkata fishermen of Maryadpur who worked for their dignity and freedom the young Mushahar children who are studying at our schools the girls from scavenging community who are learning various new things including Ambedkar's vision at our centres in Ghazipur need special mention here.

The one man who still ignites me despite the failure of our system to provide justice to the community is Subedar Jasraman 80 years old man who is still struggling for his right and that of his 150 families in Shaheed Udham Singh Nagardistrict of Uttarakhand. The battle for the land rights of these families for past 15 years is still going on at the last phase in the Supreme Court of Indiain the form of SDF's petition. I have closely seen the anguish and agony of these families since the beginning and felt as a member of the community.

These 10 years have been life long experience.  As an individual, I have learnt a lot. My complaint has been lack of resources for us but at the same timeit gave me immense opportunity to strengthen my linkages with communities all over the country. TodayI am devoted to the communities and enjoy interacting with them and learning from the vast treasure of their knowledge. It has given me strength to live and fight continuously. So more than our giving the communitywe receive a lot from the community. The spark in the eyes of the childrenlooking with great Aasha ( hope) to us give us strength to fight on.

The battle for dignity and human rights continue. These 10 years we build up grassroots alliance now time for you to pitch in. You have organization and structure to develop your perspectives. You will feel the strength of working with the communities. SDF is your organization please join hand with us in these initiatives or start something in your areas and do not bother about technicalities. You can also contribute through your time resources linkages as well as writing about the work. Of course any one of you want to work and share her time with us is most welcome.

We will continue to generate information and share it with you. We assure you that everything that you do for the community would be used for the communities and for their development. I invite you to join our movement and implement your dreams to help communities and I can assure you will get smiles on your faces. Even if you are not present we look forward to receive your inputs to better our work.