Invitation for Dialogue with Media and Social Activists

[Grassroots Media Initiative]

From: Aneesh kumar <ektaa...@hotmail.com>
Date: Dec 27, 2006 4:36 PM
Subject: Invitation for Dialogue with Media and Social Activists


                   December 26, 2006




Subject: Invitation for Dialogue with Media and Social Activists on December
30, 2006 at India International Centre, New Delhi

Dear

As you are aware that Ekta Parishad has given a call for a significant
non-violent mass action, called Janadesh 2007 (People's Verdict 2007) for
launching New Vision for Land Reforms to address the pivotal issues of
poverty, social distress, violence and inequitable distribution of
resources.

People have decided to pick up the non-violent collective action (that was
successfully invoked by Gandhi ji during the Freedom Struggle) and in this
direction, more than 400 activists and landless people foot marched from
Gwalior to Delhi in October 2006 to press for their demands. This collective
action was called the Chetawni Yatra. The activists met with Union
ministers, policy makers, politicians and media persons to raise their
demands.

This action also kicked off a year-long non-violent collective action,
called the Janadesh 2007 (People's Verdict 2007) that would culminate during
October 2007. During this action, more than 25,000 landless people (the
majority of them would be adivasis and dalits) will walk from Gwalior to
Delhi. This will take twenty days and cover a distance of approximately 350
km to reach Delhi.

Simultaneously, about 500 landless people from all over India staged Fast
and Dharna (Sit-ins) at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from October 16 to 20, 2006
under the leadership of Rajagopal P.V . This Dharna was organised in
solidarity with the people and highlight their issues so that governments
can take appropriate steps to resolve land and livelihoods rights issues.

During the above actions, Ekta Parishad along with many other like minded
organisations met with the Union Minister of Rural Development, Union
Minister of Human Resource Development and Union Minister for Tribal Welfare
Affairs to press for their demands. We have got concrete assurances from
these ministers and we are doing continuous follow up with respective
ministries and departments.

In this series, it is being felt necessary that a DIALOGUE WITH MEDIA
PERSONS AND SOCIAL ACTIVISTS is extremely crucial and important so as to
keep people's pressure on the policy makers intact that could lead to
grievance redress and pro-poor policies. Keeping in view this urgency and
necessity, I would like to invite you for a day-long Dialogue that would be
organised at the India International Centre, 40, Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi
110 003 from 10:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on December 30, 2006.

The Dialogue would be initiated by senior journalist Kuldeep Nayyar followed
by discussion with   senior journalists and social activists from across the
country


Looking forward to welcome you


In Solidarity


Aneesh Thillenkery
Co-ordinator
9910164514


Detail programme would be sent to you very soon.

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GRASSROOTS MEDIA INITIATIVE
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Tel: 011-26935452, 9868466401 Fax: +91-11-26936366
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Contact: Hasrat Arjjumend, Secretary & Director
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GMI promotes application of media & communication in development of poor and eradication of poverty and hunger through capacity building, research and mainstreaming of voices of voiceless.