During the Memorial Day weekend of May 24-26, 2003, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Chapter of Association for India's Development (AID) hosted the 5th annual AID conference at Carnegie Mellon University. The conference brought together more than 200 people from across the US and some from India, committed to working on grassroots development for the underprivileged in rural and urban India.
The conference opened with an address by Ravi Kuchimanchi, one of the founders of AID who spearheads AIDs activities in India, where he discussed AID-Indias activities including updates on the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save the Narmada Movement) and initiatives of All India Peoples Science Network. Volunteers took a pledge to commit themselves to nirman (development), sangharsh (struggle) and seva (service) in memory of Shobha Wagh, an activist from the Narmada Valley, who recently lost her life at the young age of 25, trapped in the silt accumulating as a result of the Sardar Sarovar dam. The highlight of the conference was the powerful and moving talks by the keynote and guest speakers.
In one moving keynote speech, Champa Devi, Rashida Bi (survivors of the Dow/Union Carbide gas leak in Bhopal) and Satinath Sarangi (an activist who has dedicated his life to bringing justice to the victims of the tragedy) presented personal accounts of the disaster caused in 1984 by the negligence of safety policies by Union Carbide (now part of Dow Chemicals). The session looked at the continuing aftermath of the Bhopal tragedy and the complete indifference of Dow, Union Carbide and the Indian Government towards the victims of the disaster. While AID has worked to help bring legal and social pressure on Dow and the Indian Government in the past few years, there remains a need for continuing such activism as well as efforts to provide sustainable employment and health care to the people of the region who have now suffered for two decades and over three generations. AID passed a resolution during this session expressing solidarity with the affected people of Bhopal and their struggle for justice.
Another keynote speaker, Swati Desai, an environmental and social activist and an AID Saathi (special collaborator), focused on grassroots development work in the tribal Juna-Mozda region of Gujarat, environmental activism in Gujarats Golden Corridor, post-earthquake rebuilding and communal harmony efforts. Various sustainable development efforts were discussed including soil and water conservation, women's co-operative setup to process organically grown grain, a savings program, a small dairy of indigenously bred cows and primary health care. Through shocking photographs, she highlighted the severe pollution of local river and soil by industrial effluents coming out of the Common Effluent Treatment Plant financed by an expensive World Bank loan.
Guest speaker Nishrin Jafri gave a heartrending account of her familys horrifying experience during the communal riots in Gujarat and reminded us of the legacy of her father, Ahsan Jafri, a poet and sociopolitical activist, whose brutal murder along with thousands of others implores us to reclaim social harmony & justice from the evil of communalism. This talk was part of a session that included reflections through pictures taken in the field by AID activist Gautam Desai during his work in Gujarats riot-affected areas. The talk connected the audience to the human suffering involved, going beyond ideology and rhetoric. The conference issued a statement expressing horror at the consequences of the communalism and hatred being spread in India, and affirming the need to categorically oppose communalism and refrain from supporting groups that directly or indirectly promote such activities.
Guest speaker Nafisaben Barot of Utthan talked about the grassroots water management initiatives in the drylands of Gujarat as well as water policy issues and campaigns. This session asserted the role of water as a basic human right and highlighted the merits of people-centered approaches as opposed to mega-projects such as the Narmada canal. The session also raised critical issues regarding two major initiatives being promoted in India - the privatization of water and the inter-linking of rivers.
Several other sessions were dedicated to the discussion of the responsibilities of AID volunteers, analysis of specific projects being supported by AID such as the Hundred Block Plan, and exploration of topics such as Holistic Living, Gender Issues, Pluralism and Moving to India. Additionally, there were workshops where the volunteers were able to interactively participate in discussions involving the function of different facets of the organization such as administration, treasury, fund raising, project management etc. The conference also featured displays of books and posters detailing the various projects AID is involved in. Documentaries on various topics concerning several social and environmental issues in India were screened. The enthusiasm and dedication of the AID volunteer base was evident from the fact that the conference room was packed for 15 hours every day of the conference and most of the sessions ended with both the speakers and audience wishing for more time. The second evening of the conference showcased the talents of the various AID chapters that presented skits, songs and dances to wholehearted applause from the audience.
The 5th AID Conference generated tremendous enthusiasm and momentum for the participation of the Indian community in the US in developmental efforts in India. AID volunteers would like to urge more people from the community to join their efforts by volunteering and contributing money and skills.
