Bhoomi Yatra

Land Foot march  

August 25 – 29, 2006

From Keelaiyur to Nagapattinam 

Ekta Parishad is a non-violent mass movement working on the issues of land and livelihoods in eights states of India for last more than fifteen years. During its course of struggle, Ekta Parishad has been organizing Padyatras in different parts of the country to raise crucial issues of land and livelihoods.  There is no difference of opinion that in this globalizing world, poor people are loosing their control over land and livelihood resources, whereas powerful lobbies are taking control over the same.

Ekta Parishad is committed to use non-violent Gandhian methods to address issues of poverty, deprivation and marginalization. During last 20 years, Ekta Parishad has demonstrated that people’s unity is much more powerful than any other power. 

There are serious problems in the state of Tamil Nadu also as well as in other parts of the country. Tamil Nadu faces acute poverty, high level of unemployment and also increasing migration that uproots people from their land. In this scenario, it is absolutely necessary that all of us should work together to discuss and understand the gravity of these issues and adopt a common strategy for collective action. Recently, the present government in power has announced distribution of two acres of land to the landless peasants in Tamil Nadu. This is a positive step in the right direction but we need common strategy and collective action to make this announcement a reality.

In addition, there are other problems like problems of the Tsunami affected people and the erstwhile bonded labourers. Also, the child labour remains an unsolved problem in the state even after 59 years of Independence. Livelihoods options are being reduced, particularly in the rural areas with increasing marketisation and urbanization that is supporting mindless and cut-throat competition.

In the continuation of its struggle in India for land and livelihoods rights, Ekta Parishad has given a call for Janadesh 2007 where more than 25,000 landless would walk from Gwalior to Delhi to demand their legitimate rights over land, water, forest and other livelihood resources.

In this series to strengthen the Janadesh 2007, Ekta Parishad is launching a Padayatra with the slogan “If you want to remove poverty, address the livelihood issues of the poor”. The Padayatra will commence on August 25, 2006 from Keelaiyur in Poompuhar block, led by Rajagopal P.V.and will culminate in Nagapattinam on August 29, 2006 followed by a National Convention on Land, Livelihoods and Labour Rights on August 30-31, 2006. This Consultation is being organised jointly by National Campaign Committee of Rural Workers (NCCRW), Bharat Nirman Pratisthan (BNP), National Campaign Committee on Land and Livelihood Rights (NCCL), Khadi Mission and Ekta Parishad. Many Gandhian friends and social workers from the various parts of the country have expressed their solidarity and support for the Padyatra and Consultation and would be joining us during this collective action.   

We need your support. Please join the yatra and join hands to raise the issues related to the weak, the marginalized and the deprived communities. 

You can help us by informing your friends about the yatra, by sending your journalist friends to cover the event, by writing to the chief minister to implement the land distribution agenda etc.

Your support and encouragement will motivate 100 young people who will be participating in the yatra.   

In Solidarity,

BHOOMI YATRA

Route Chart