[ Because, for centuries, and even today, land has been a degree to various rights. With this belief, DAMAN Development Organization is, currently engaged with the indigenous minorities of Indus (IMI), for their land and livelihood rights and hence the political and cultural rights. DAMAAN is facilitating these communities to have National Identity Cards and get registered as voters. These communities are not only marginalized but also remain neglected even by the non-governmental sector. The communities demand allotment of, control over or right of use on riverine lands. ].

DAMAAN – GEP Action Research on Livelihood, Cultural and Political Rights of indigenous minorities of Indus (IMI) 2005 – 2006.

The tale of indigenous minorities of Indus (IMI)

Project Area: Wetlands of Indus downstream Chashma barrage and parts of Thal desert in District Layaah (Southern Punjab, Pakistan).

Background:

At surface, the colonization of Indian subcontinent, each time since the time of Aryans, seems a history of change of kings and crowns, and shift in power among local tribes, rajas, maharajas and feudal. However, at deep it is an endless account of exploitation of local resources as well as disappearance of indigenous population groups, their cultures, knowledge and their rights over lands and resources they lived on for centuries.

Whether it was the British exploitation of local resources and/or the politics of ‘property claims’ after partition of Indian subcontinent, the commons in the form of land and forests were the ultimate target. These commons, land and forests, were in fact the livelihood base of the indigenous people scattered in formation. The same happened with the indigenous minorities of Indus, of which the Kihals, Ode and Musaly are few to name:

Kihals are riverine people who live on the sides of river Indus and depend on fishing and the forests on Indus delta. They introduce themselves as Sheikhs (the converts) and Khokhar (a sub-caste of Muslims).

Musali, on the other hand, used to live in the Thal desert on the east of river Indus and made their living from toys and household items made of sar, telian and kaney (straw-like bushes). Due to TDA canal, Musalis had to shift to urban slums.

Ode - The third focus of this action research project is the Ode people, who introduce themselves as Ode Rajpoot and live in Thal desert. While the first two communities are the natives, the Ode communities migrated from India. They used to keep livestock and lived a pastoral life. After partition in 1947, this pastoral group shifted to Pakistan. However, unlike other immigrants, they had no claims on the property here in Pakistan. Compared to Kihals and Musalis, the majority of Odes are well established. They have bought lands and learned cultivation.

The vulnerability of indigenous people increased further in the development activities by the state. Allotment of lands to immigrants, development of irrigation systems i.e. canal and dams, clearing of forests and shift to inorganic farming deprived these indigenous minorities of their rights over natural resources.

The water conflict between India and Pakistan, soon after partition, was a direct blow to the livelihoods of these indigenous communities. The conflict over water resources was resolved through the Indus Basin Treaty in 1960s which was followed by a series of canals:

i. The Mangla Dam Project, completed in 1968.

ii. Construction of Chashma Barrage around the same period.

iii. Chashma-Jehlum Link Canal, from Chashma Barrage, 1971.

iv. Construction of Tarbela Dam in 1974.

v. Chashma Right Bank Canal from the Chashma Barrage.

vi. Greater Thal Canal, from Chashma Jehlum Link Canal, February 2002.

vii. Kachhi Canal from Taunsa Barrage, started in October 2002.

Development of dams, canals, barrages and felling of forests for cultivation deprived these indigenous minorities of their rights over natural resources. So far, the indigenous minorities of Indus have lost almost 60-70 % of their livelihood in term of river-food (varieties of fish, wild-duck etc) and forests.

Kihals’ Means of Livelihood

Fishing, basket weaving and agricultural labour are major sources of livelihood for Kihals. All the three sources entirely depend on river Indus. Since the decrease in these traditional livelihood sources, Kihals are swiftly switching to an other source i.e. begging alms.

a) Sea Food - an all time source

Compared to mainstream societies, Kihals had wider food diversity and choices; apart from fish and murghabi (wild-duck), they used to eat some reiverine food that was prohibited in mainstream societies e.g. sisar (crocodile) and kumi (tortoise). This diverse food base which helps them sustain life is, however, continuously shrinking mainly for four reasons:

i. Licensing the fishing to contractors has directly deprived Kihals of their right over fish and other riverine food.

ii. Contamination of the river near urban centres that reduces the fish population. For example the total effluent discharge of D I Khan city falls into the river through four big drains just before Kihals’ abode. Chashma Sugar Mill, near D I Khan city, is another potential source of river contamination.

iii. Development of dams, canal and barrages is drying up the river in the downstream, which abates the fish and other river food.

b) Seasonal Labour

In early summer i.e. April-May, Kihals go for harvesting to the kutcha (the low-lying areas). In late summer i.e. June-August they cut, clean and dry Kaanb (lai plant or Tamarez dioca) from deltas and make tokarey (baskets), cages and ropes for the markets. Kaanb forests in the deltas are lifeline for Kihals. They equate the forests with the wheat - “Kaanb for Kihals is what wheat is for farmers”, said Khandi, an elderly Kihal of bbeit Baloo Ram.

These forests are nevertheless disappearing frequently, mainly due to water cuts on Indus, while the rest is taken over by the neighbouring landlords who claim the riverine land and forests as their ancestral right, and take no time in clearing these forests as weeds.

c) Begging Alms

Although begging alms has existed in Kihal community since long but not as a full livelihood source. However, due to decrease in traditional livelihood sources, Kihals now increasingly depend on begging alms as major ‘livelihood source’. Previously, begging was not fixed for women, neither it was spread over the whole years but limited to season when there were no forests, no harvesting, no work. But now it is purely women’s job and spread over the whole year.

Shift in livelihood and belief system and its impact on women

“We are confirm Muslim just like you and recite the same Qalma. If you (Sarkar, the government) provide us education, we will recite and understand Quran. Please provide our women and children with education, and also please don’t pollute the river with the city effluent and shift the affluent drains to somewhere else ”, said Sona Kihal in an emotional but confident tone during the first ever meeting of Kihals with the concerned councilor, on 30.4.2005, Rose Hotel, D. I. Khan.

Instead of following one single religion in strict, the Kihals kept to a flexible system of believes. For example, they believe in Hazrat Imam Shaafi, founder of Shaafi sect which, in case of prolonged hunger, consent their believers to eat that sea food which is prohibited in routine. Kihals women, compared to women in neighbouring Muslim communities, enjoyed equal status with their men.

Due to their increasing dependence on neighboring Muslim population, however, Kihals are fast converting into Muslims and adapting to Muslim life styles and traditions. They now call themselves as Sheikhs (new Muslims), and want their women to put scarf and be at home.

Similarly, the cut on Indus and hence decrease in Kihals livelihood has turned Kihal women into street beggars and thus exposed them to discrimination and violence in the markets and streets.

Registration of National Identity Cards (NIC)

“ We used to shift along / across the river Indus, and Thal desert, but the dams, barrages and canals have locked us in little pockets (areas). Now we can not shift a great deal; instead we usually remain in union councils, tehsil council and district council boundaries. Thus we need National Identity Cards, to participate in elections”, said Ghulam Haider Kihals, Thala Baloo Ram, D I Khan.

While the government of Pakistan claim success towards women's political empowerment (17% representation in assemblies and 33% representation in districts governments), the Kihal women, and men too, are still deprived of their right to vote and opinion.  Although this community live there for centuries, but they are never registered as citizens and never counted during elections. 

Registration of National Identity Cards of the indigenous minorities is a bit tricky. National Database Regulatory Authority (NADRA) usually ask for some documentary proof of residence or some certificate e.g. school leaving certificate, birth certificate etc - the indigenous minorities have none of such documents. Some of NADRA staff even claimed that because the indigenous minorities have been living a pastoral life, therefore, they can not get NICs. DAMAAN Development Organization did following to resolve the issue:

i. Argued with the NADRA staff at D I Khan and Taunsa centres.

ii. Wrote letter to NADRA officials at Multan and Peshawar regions to waive off some formalities for the Kihals.

iii. Discussed with the concerned councilors, women councilors, local NGOs and local human rights activists.

iv. Wrote a letter, jointly signed by the concerned councilors, NGOs representatives etc, and sent to the regional offices of NADRA.

Issues raised by Indigenous minorities of Indus:

During a recent cultural and livelihood festival and a meeting between councilor and indigenous minorities, these groups raised following issues:

i. The government shall abolish the contract system on fishing, and acknowledge Kihals’ right over fish.

ii. Construction of dams and canals is continuously looting Kihals of their livelihood sources, mainly fish and forests. Therefore, no further cut on Inuds.

iii. The local landlords encroach the riverine lands and do not allow the community to set kulis (huts) and harvest kaanb to make tokery.

iv. The government should allot the riverine and desert land to Kihals who live on river OR al least declare 3-4 km of lands on each side of the river as commons mainly for indigenous minorities.

v. The indigenous minorities should have their own members / councilors / representatives in assemblies.

vi. The sanitation waste from the cities is contaminating our river, and our drinking water; Now we can not drink the same river-water flowing in-front of us; we have to go far away to fetch water from hand-pumps.

vii. The indigenous minorities need schools for their children.

Livelihood and cultural festival was successful in terms of perceived output:

i. An opportunity to bring various indigenous minorities groups together, mainly Kihals, Odes, Musali, Ddakhney etc.

ii. The festival provided an opportunity of life-sharing with non-target groups, like Ddakhney, Musali, Bhand and many more.

iii. The most important, that the festival established a trust among the indigenous minorities in terms of Identity Card registration and other initiatives from DAMAAN.

Constraints so far:

i. The indigenous groups look scared of written words / laws, and of urbanites, and therefore, take quite some time to trust the visitors and mix with.

ii. The Kihals live 6 – 10 km far from the mainstream (roads etc) towards rivers. It is difficult to approach them as travels cost huge budget.

iii. Although, DAMAAN has been successful so far in approaching Kihals and Ode women and inviting them in the meetings along with their men, however, the men usually hesitate to get their women mix, talk about their problems etc.

Observation:

i. Kihals appear more margninalized and vulnerable in terms of livelihood and culture, while Odes look comparatively established and have some land.

ii. The Kihals are very fast converting into Muslims.

iii. The women look more interested in education. Most of the women wish that if they were able to give their girls some different lives by giving them education.

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Brief on DAMAAN Development Organiztion

DAMAAN is a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, registered in 1996 under Societies Registration Act. XXI of 1860;

DAMAAN remains the only NGO obliged to address many issues a civil society organization is expected to. DAMAAN is mainly focusing on:

i. Gender Equality.

ii. Conservation of Biodervsity.

iii. Advocacy for marginalized and development-affected people.

iv. Active peace in Damaan area.

DAMAAN initiated its programmes back in 1995-96 by inviting few philanthropist doctors from London who during their 3 days in village Paritevala DAMAAN’s Area Office) held intensive health check of about 300 rural women.

DAMAAN established five ‘Primary Schools for Girls’ funded by the communities and Trust for Voluntary Organizations (TVO) in 2001 - 2004. This project has become DAMAAN’s mark of success. Through this project, we actually worked for sowing the seeds of gender equity in the communities.

DAMAAN has run a three years programme of ‘Conservation of Bio-Diversity’, a UNDP funded programme, 2001-2004. Women remained a equal focus of this project.

DAMAAN has actively initiated the advocacy campaign of Affectees of Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBIP).

In year 2002, DAMAAN held a series of public discussion on ‘Active Peace’ in D I Khan and D G Khan and the area between. The significant features of these discussion was a huge participation of women. The women participants argued that ‘peace’ starts from homes.

Contact:

Wasim Wagha

DAMAAN Development Organization

House-723, Street-74, G-10/4, Islamabad (Pak.)

Damaan123@yahoo.com, wasim_wagha@yahoo.com