The Geography of Flooding

Thailand is currently in the grip of widespread flooding owing to prolonged, intense Monsoon rains. Creating the worst floods experienced in the country for fifty years, 373 people have been killed, over two million people have been displaced, and at its peak, 30 out of 77 districts in the country were flooded. The floods are the outcome of an extreme weather event associated with climate change, government incompetence (including poor communication of risks to the public), poor flood management, and inappropriate development priorities. There has been a distinct geography to the flooding. Owing to excessive rainfall, dammed rivers have filled up and flood waters had to be released from the dams to prevent them from bursting. During the early stages of the crisis, while the countryside was flooded, the capital, Bangkok, remained untouched. Flood waters were intentionally diverted away from the city and its elites into surrounding districts. However, the volume of water that has been released from the North finally had nowhere else to go but to be carried south towards the Sea of Thailand through the river and other water systems. This has meant that slowly, Bangkok has finally had to experience its share of the crisis. However, even within the city some districts seem more protected than others. The government ‘sacrificed East Bangkok’ according to the Bangkok Post. As the Chao Phraya river overflowed its banks, the international airport must be spared at all costs; so too the Royal properties and as much of the business district as possible. The poor brace themselves for the flooding, while along the Chao Phraya river banks fish swim through the living rooms of people’s homes. A walk down a city side-street is instructive of a certain micro-geography of the flood. Along one soi, the Buddhist temple Wat Sam Phraya pumps water out of the temple grounds and into the streets of the local residents, flooding their homes.

Climate Justice Caravan in Bangladesh

Hi Folks:

Two excellent farmer’s movements in Bangladesh: the Bangladesh Krishok Federation BKF, (peasant farmer’s federation) and Bangladesh Kishani Sabha (BKS, peasant women's organization) the largest rural based peasant movement in the country, working on behalf of landless men and women. They have organized a 20 day “Climate, gender, food sovereignty caravan” in November and they’re inviting everyone to join them in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is considered to be one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change and sea level rise. Land degradation and scarcity have been growing in Bangladesh since the 1950s. Most Bangladeshis are poor and dependent on agriculture, and are thus more vulnerable to tropical cyclones, storm surges, floods, and droughts associated with climate change.
The purpose of the caravan will be to deepen and extend networks of grassroots movements in South and Southeast Asia and build international solidarity concerning issues of climate change and food sovereignty. Food sovereignty is one of the most important practices that enables peasant communities to both mitigate, and adapt to, the effects of climate change. Moreover, it also represents one of the most important solutions to the threats that climate change poses for the planet. The caravan will include a gender perspective on these issues throughout its duration.
The focus of the caravan will be on (i) movement to movement communication, learning, and the sharing of experiences, skills and strategies, for example concerning sustainable farming practices, and traditional and indigenous knowledges; (ii) education of communities about the effects of climate change; and (iii) holding trainings and workshops.

You can find out more about the caravan at http://www.krishok.org/uploads/3/7/5/9/3759913/all.pdf

Please try and support this fantastic initiative.

In solidarity
Pablo

Final Message from the Streets

Convergence Space: The People's Assembly

Activists gather outside the fences of the Bella Center to hold the People's Assembly.

On the morning of the 16th December, 2009, I cycled through a snowstorm to meet up with my affinity group – the Santa Swarm – to participate in the Bike Bloc, part of the global day of direct actions against the UN Climate talks being held in the Bella Center. The motto of the Bloc was to “put the fun between your legs”, and the Bloc formed part of the protests in Copenhagen. Resistance consisted of the Blue Bloc ( a police-approved march that would culminate in the People’s Assembly [see below]}; the Green Bloc ( a mobile demonstration following its own logic); the Bike Bloc ( a series of mobile swarms (affinity groups) on bikes; and an Autonomous Bloc who would pursue their own tactics.

The main purpose was for the Blue Bloc to march to the Bella Center and hold a people’s assembly, by which global southern delegates at the UN climate talks would disrupt the talks and make a mass walk-out to join the protestors on the outside in a people’s assembly. Here there would be a convergence of mass movements from the global south; NGOs’; government representatives from poor global southern states; and direct actionists. There were few Unions however. The people’s assembly was to be a show of solidarity between Global North and Global South activists. However, unsurprisingly 200 delegates were stopped from leaving the Bella Center and were then not allowed back in. Meanwhile legal protesters were met with pepper spray and police violence.

On reflection, mixing direct action with the people’s assembly seemed like a strategic mistake. Symbolically powerful, if it had worked, but in a sense we were all seduced by this particular narrative. It would have been more effective to have conducted direct action but to have had the UN delegates announce to the media the day before that they were going to boycott the talks on the 16th in order to come to the Klimaforum (where the alternative climate justice workshops, talks, films etc were taking place) in order to have a people’s assembly.

Naomi Klein and Michael Hardt (amongst others) were there and there was a lot of talk about this being the next wave of a global movement, building on the alter-globalisation mobilisations. No doubt there is a wave rising, but it appears to be one of overlapping, interacting, competing, and resourced networks rather than a coherent 'movement of movements'.

Convergence space: Indymedia

The indymedia center at Solidaritets Huset. One of a range of convergence spaces set up around Copenhagen to house and feed activists; construct bicycles; provide information; and produce media.

Message from the Corporate State

Climate Justice protests were largely peaceful and law abiding. However, the levels of police violence, provocation and intimidation were excessive. On the Climate Justice demonstration on 12th December 2009, 100,000 people marched demanding major systemic change rather than climate change. The police waded into the march, split off a section of the crowd and arrested them en masse irrespective of whether they had committed anything illegal or not (usually they had not). There were 968 arrests with virtually no-one charged. Activists were handcuffed and forced to sit on the ground in cold temperatures and in uncomfortable positions, Guantanamo style, for hours. Activists were also held en masse in cages. There were incidents of police pepper-spraying activists while they were in the cages, because they had the temerity of sing to keep their spirits up. Elsewhere, activist convergence spaces were raided by police and hundreds of activists detained. The autonomous district of Cristiana – where Reclaim Power had organised a range of legal events and meetings – was surrounded by police, and tear gassed. The place was shut down with free movement in or out prohibited. The Candy factor – where the Bike Bloc were repairing and constructing bicycles for the global day of action on the 16th December - was raided by police and those dangerous terrorist weapons, bicycles, were confiscated. Legal marches were pepper-sprayed. The message was clear. Buy the Hopenhagen brand or you will be punished.

The Message from the Streets

Hopenhagen: the business of hope

In the square opposite Tivoli gardens in Copenhagen, a giant illuminated globe slowly turns. Superimposed on the map of the earth, a tally of the global virtual protesters that have signed up to give hope a chance at the UN climate talks. A stage has been set up for bands and a guest appearance from the Yes men. Green illuminated booths explain the dynamics of climate change and renewable energy. Go to the Hopenhagen website and learn about the ‘The business of hope’. “Hopenhagen is built on more than just wishful thinking. In fact, there are already companies out there today that are committed to change. Our corporate citizens are doing more than just supporting the movement. They're incorporating it into their business practices”. Businesses such as Coca Cola; Siemens; and German software corporation, SAP. Sponsors of the Hopenhagen greenwash initiative.

In the Flood

In the Flood:
Meat Market Chai
Beneath a cow’s severed head.
In the teeth of the cyclone:
Khas land, flooded land
Land of goonda attack
“They attack us with fire and gun
The rich and their musclemen”.
Between rain and Ramadan
Torch light and whistle warning
Marble sling-shot and lathi
In the flood -
Water everywhere
But not a drop to drink

River's Edge, Barguna District

After the Cyclone, the Flood

On the river's edge, Barguna District, southern Bangladesh, sandbags attempt to stall the inundation of the water. Damaged huts tilt towards the river. Whereas Cyclone Sidr caused devastation with very strong winds, in this area, Cyclone Aila brought with it massive water damage through inundation from nearby rivers and from the Bay of Bengal. Moreover, the Monsoon is altering with climate change: it commenced in Bangladesh this year at the time it normally concludes. Less predictable than before, the character of the Monsoon is also changing, disrupting traditional farming practices.

Khas Land Occupation

In the Kaliganj area - the poorest in Satkhira district in southern Bangladesh - shrimp nets lay idle on the khas land occupied by 12,000 families. Organised by the BKF, and occupied since 1998, families survive on fish and shrimp fishing. Cyclone Aila - an extreme weather event - damaged homes and inundated the land with salt water. As a result women have to travel for four hours a day to collect fresh water. Alerted by blowing whistles and flashing torches, families defend the island from goonda attacks using glass marbles fired from catapults and wielding bamboo lathis (sticks). In one of the attacks, Kisani Sabha leader, Jayada was killed. The government has yet to grant legal title to the poor and so the occupation continues.

Islands of the Occupation

Fishing boats at the tip of an occupied char. For a successful land occupation, the movement needs a strong occupation committe, whose leaders can withstand attacks by the landlords' goondas (hired thugs); a strong mass mobilization; a medical team who can provide medical treatment to those who suffer physical attacks; and a legal team to fight the legal cases brought by landlords in the local courts in an attempt to stop the occupation.

Monsoon Flooding

During the Monsoon, the river inundates the low lying land of the occupied islands (chars), creating problems in terms of protecting grazing cattle, growing food etc.

Ganges Delta

Travelling south through the Monsoon-swollen rivers of the Ganges delta. Peasant homes cling to the small crops of land not yet inundated by the river's swell.

Bangladesh Kisani Sabha

Members of the Lisani Sabha (Landless peasant women's association) in a meeting in Kurigram district, northern Bangladesh.

Rain Comes, then River

Meeting of the BKF and BKS, Kurigram District. Picture by Pathak Lal Golder.

'The sky has gone to bed" commented Pathak-bhai as we trundled by rickshaw down the dirt road from Bhurungamari, in Bangladesh's northern Kurigram district. Cloud filled, silver grey sky is reflected in the turgid river's flow. The Monsoon has finally arrived late, but with typical torrential elan: "Rain comes, then river" he adds, as roads become rivers before us. The border town - 3km from West Bengal in India - shelters from the rain. Jute rope hangs over bridges. Jute sticks are stacked in teepee cones. Jungle green and humid heat. The cadres of the Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF) move through the rain and the mud and the jungle. Past river, and padi, flooded field and peasant huts with their corrugated metal roofs, the resistance travels from village to village, meeting to meeting. And I move with them.

We stay in the simple homes of the landless peasants. Eat fiery chicken and fish curry with the peasant staple, rice. We drink well water turned muddy red with oxidizing iron, and black chai (tea) scented with cloves. At meetings I speak about food security and the changing climate: "Brothers and sisters, peace be to you.....". The mobile is the crucial activist organising tool of choice, and BKF activist mobiles ring-tone to the tunes of Bollywood and political songs: "The land is fertile, but there is no land for the peasant".

The BKF organise peasants for land occupations so that they may legitimately live lives of dignity, but they face constant attacks from landlords and their private goondas (armed thugs). Peasant activists are attacked, beaten, burned, jailed, and their homes burned. As Pathak bhai says: "That is the reality that we face. We need a strong organising committee, with leaders who can fight the goondas. We need a strong mobilization, with not just the peasants of the BKF and the Bangladesh Kisani Sabha (BKS), but also medical teams to treat those who are attacked, and a legal team to fight the legal cases brought by the landlords against our movement". The BKF will use strikes, and sit ins, gheraos (surrounding offices and local politicians), hunger strikes and mass actions...prior to the invasion of the land. And remember: the land occupied is khas land, i.e. land that was fallow and to which the landless are legally entitled according to the country's constitution.

The cadres of the BKF and BKS move through the rain and the mud and the jungle. And I move with them.

Bangladesh Krishok Federation

Barisal District Conference (2009) of BKF and BKS demanding khas land for the landless. Photo by Pathak Lal Golder, BKF.

The Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF), is the largest rural based peasant movement in the country, and was established in 1976. Since its inception it has been actively involved in land occupation struggles. From 1977 until 1991 the BKF conducted various types of struggles and movements e.g. hunger strikes, sit-in strikes, public meetings, the encirclements of the local administrative offices (gherao), demonstrations, and road blocks. Through different agitation programs, the BKF has been able to compel local government officials, at different times, to make commitments about the distribution of land amongst landless men and women. Despite these commitments no concrete action was taken. However, in 1987 the government introduced a land law called the "Land Administration Manual" which enabled landless people to occupy and farm fallow (khas) land. Because of this new land law, the movement gained momentum.

Since 1987 the BKF has demanded the distribution of khas land among landless men and women as stated in the land law. Because of ongoing government refusal to take any initiative on behalf of the landless, since 1992 the BKF has organised landless people to occupy khas land. This time over 22,000 acres of land on 4 chars (small islands) in the southern coastal belt were occupied. During the occupation movement, the BKF has encountered many impediments from the local big landowners and their goondas (armed thugs), and some local bureaucrats working in the Land Revenue Department. Local large landowners have made several attacks on the landless people's settlements on the chars. Every time, the landowners were defeated, but the landless people had to shed blood for their victories. In remaining in their settlements, the people have built their homes, cultivated their land, and grown different indigenous crops (e.g. rice, vegetables, and fruits). Since 1992, the land occupation movement has continued, and so far, under the leadership of the BKF, the landless people have been able to occupy approximately 80,000 acres of khas land, across Bangladesh. Most of the occupations are concentrated in the south of the country and land has been distributed to more than 107,000 of the poorest men and women living in the countryside. Currently 27 chars are occupied throughout Bangladesh.


The BKF now has 700,000 members and it belongs to the Aaht Sangathan (the Eight Organisations) which includes the Bangladesh Kisani Sabha (BKS, peasant women's organisation, 800,000 members); Floating Labour Union (100,000 members; Floating Women's Labour Union (150,000 members); Bangladesh Adivasi Samiti (indigenous committee, 50,000 members); Rural Intellectual Front (5,000 members); Ganasaya Cultural Centre (200 members); and the Revolutionary Youth Association 5,000 members). The total membership of the Aaht Sangathan is now close to 2 million members.

Dhaka Landing

Monsoon rains fall in the humid heat of Bangladesh's capital. We travel by bicycle rickshaw through the traffic past the highrise apartment horizon of speculative capital, now crashed like the rest of the global economy. In Bangladesh, the garment industry has been badly hit by the recesssion, as too those middle classes who gambled on the stock market, and the state sector. Food prices have risen, felt especially by the poor. For the rickshaw wallah, another day amongst traffic horns and exhaust fumes, dodging buses and traffic cops. For me, a meeting with the Bangladesh Krishok Federation (the landless peasants movement) to discuss issues of food sovereignty and climate change and to plan a programme for my visit.

Assembly of the Poor

In Northern Thailand, a meeting of members of the Assembly of the Poor - a network of farmers, anti-dam protesters, indigenous activists, students, and unions.