Elections in Batang, a symbol of hope for farmers
Six out of nine candidates elected! The representatives of landless farmers have done fantastically. With massive participation (at times more than 90%) the local elections held on the 9th of September, in the Bantang district on the island of Java, constituted a fundamental stake concerning access to land. The term of office of a mayor is 6 years, and his signature is necessary to renew the attribution of farming rights.

The Indian farmers of Janadesh Act II: Fight and win!
“The water, the forest, and the land must belong to the people!” This was the order given to the Indian government by the 25 000 landless farmers of Janadesh (jan = people, adesh = order, command) as they walked towards Delhi on National Motorway 3. Farmers from 11 Indian tribes had assembled at Gwalior on the 2nd October and set off to arrive at the capital on the 28th. 350km on foot, often without shoes, in 39˚ Celsius heat and on blistering tarmac, the marchers sacrificed everything to make their needs known. It was not rare to see people passing-out. It all added up to, in Jean-Pierre Dardaud’s words, an emotionally disturbing image of “the violence of poverty”.

Fedina fights the explosion of shanty towns in high-tech Bangalore
Helping the shanty towns’ inhabitants claim their rights, that is the meaning of a day at the office for Fedina (Federation for Educational Innovations in Asia), an Indian partner of Frères des Hommes. In Bangalore, a south Indian city and capital of the state of Karnataka, Fedina campaigns to favour the access to property for inhabitants of the slums, to energise communities and micro financial relations. It brings, in addition to this, by means of its new Senior Citizen programme, precious help to the aged. Every week, social workers from the association take to the streets in order to talk with inhabitants about their problems, inform them of their rights and co-ordinate their activism.

A grassroots political movement created by a coming together of countryside and city.
Almost 500 Indonesian political activists came together this 5th July 2007 to speak out against the law on investments enacted by the Indonesian parliament in March. Such a protest might, statistically-speaking, appear modest. It embodies nevertheless a new alliance between social movements made possible by the nation’s movement towards democracy. Indonesia, ruled by a military dictatorship between 1966 and 1998, is increasingly opening its doors to democracy. The population has seized upon this opening and these last few years have seen the blossoming of numerous grassroots organisations dedicated to the defence of the most impoverished.

An award-winning radio broadcast reinforces the influence of Piler
Congratulations to Piler, Pakistan Institute of Labour, Education and Research, which has successfully reached awareness of the complex situation of workers. This aim was realised last summer thanks to a radio documentary, transmitted throughout the country. In Pakistan, more than 80% of labour is made up of small trades in areas as varied as fishing, small services and also work in the informal sector. This is a “prosperous” and very developed domain. For 25 years, Piler has fought on behalf of these workers, so that they can avail of employment rights as well as social rights.

Masipag Rice Technology also works for freedom
To produce more rice, of a better quality, at a lower cost while respecting the environment. Is it an impossible challenge? Not for Masipag, the farmer-scientist partnership for development who after twenty years of surveys and experiments has come up with an answer for the small Philippine farmers. The partnership involved three types of actors. The farmers themselves, through farmers’ associations, were involved at the first level. The scientists gave technical support. Philippine non governmental organisations took over the organisation and coordination. This rich partnership led to the implementation of the Masipag Rice Technology, i.e. a new type of farming and a new way of life.

Ana Châ, the Portuguese Brazilian walking with the Indians
Ana Châ, who is an activist from the Landless Farmers’ Movement (MST) in Brazil, is just back from India, where she took part in the Janadesh walk on the peasants’ side. Exhausted by long days of walk, but happy to have had such a rich experience, she tells us about her adventure.