Dear Friends,
Ekta Parishad along with many other Gandhian and Sarvodaya organizations are taking up a large-scale action for rebuilding Kerala in December 2004 to January 2005. This will be known as the Youth against Violence and will cover through Cycle Rally about 74 college campuses in 13 districts of Kerala during a five-week period passing through hundreds of villages. Specific programs will be held in 37 villages. The major focus of the Campaign is to join hands with youth across the state to stage a struggle against the negligence of the Kerala Government and its halfhearted attempt to carry out genuine and effective strategies against the growing violence in all parts of the state. Ekta Parishad, a people’s movement based on Gandhian ideology will start the Cycle Yatra beginning from Kasargode (Northern district) on December 7th, 2004 and ends at Gandhi maidan, Trivandrum (capital of state) on January 12th, 2005. (Route chart enclosed.)
Kerala is undergoing tremendous social change that is leading towards a negative trend of development. There are serious problems of social violence, violence against women, unemployment, (particularly of the educated youth), landless people, tribals who are facing eviction, etc.. There is no check on the growing incidences of violence and no proper strategy for employment generation for youth in the State. For instance in the Waynad area the main reason of deprivation is that 25 percent of the population which is actually indigenous, is squeezed onto marginal land by settlers, and they have been ignored over the years by the state government. There have been land reforms and distribution elsewhere in Kerala but it is not evenly distributed for about 30 percent of tribal families are still landless.
Kerala has the worst record of unemployment in the country. With less than 4 percent of India's population, still Kerala accounts for nearly 16 percent of the unemployed in the country. Here high levels of unemployment co-exist with a widely reported "shortage" of labour.
Padmashri K. J. Yesudas will flag off the Cycle Yatra at Manthoppu maiden at Kanjangad, Kasargode district on December 7th, 2004 and the yatra will cover about 800 kilometers during this period. The yatra would be supported by a combination of jeep and foot-march.
It is time to press government to stand up for democracy, good governance, and bringing peace into the sate along with poverty eradication. There is also need for emphasizing livelihood rights and protection. This will certainly reduce social violence in the state.
We invite all people to express solidarity in the forthcoming Cycle yatra in Kerala. Through your solidarity action, our campaign will have national and international impact. Please join in some of the following ways.
· Drive/walk with 20 activists, local villagers, and college students to raise the issue on Violence in the state.
· Write and speak about the Cycle Yatra in the media and also in various forums as a way to express solidarity.
· Participate in a letter writing campaign addressing your concerns to the Chief Minister of Kerala (Mock letter is attached)
· Mobilize resources to support the Cycle Yatra and so as to facilitate follow up works in terms of developing Shanthi Sena, (Peace Brigade), training of youths etc.
To assist Ekta Parishad with this action, we call on other people’s organizations from Kerala and all other states. Through the national networks and international solidarity, we hope that there will be a wide coverage of these issues. For those who are interested to support/participate the Cycle Yatra the contact address are follows.
Ekta Parishad
Ramassery Road, Pudussery P.O.
Palakkad, Kerala –678 623
Ph: (0491) 3092588
Cell: 09447 483106
Email: epkerala@yahoo.com
CESCI Training Centre
At: Majagram, Village Kadavoor, New Natham Road
(P.O)Chatrapatti, Madurai, 625014
Phone: 0452 –2478359, 2478255
Email: majacesci@yahoo.com
Looking forward to your participation, solidarity and engagement.
With thanks and regards,
Ransingh Parmar Puthussery Sreenivasan Bharat Nirman Pratishthan
Ekta Parishad Ekta Parishad Kerala
National Convener State Convener, Kerala