Dayamani Barla - The voice of the voiceless

by Shivani Saxena

The main attraction in the kick-off conference call of Beejh cell was conversation with recent AID Saathi Dayamani Barla, a journalist working in Jharkhand. Dayamani shared her story of how she has come to be who she is today. She studied at Ranchi University and has been writing articles in Hindi in regular magazines and newspapers like Prabhat Khabhar for the last ten years. Her writings powerfully articulate the exploitation faced by tribal communities and discuss issues ranging from eviction of tribals due to hydel projects to hazards of uranium mining to forced prostitution of tribal women. She received the Counter Media Award for Better Rural Journalism in 2000 and a National Foundation for India Fellowship in 2004.

In her early childhood in Kinra village of Gumla district, Dayamani saw her family home taken away by a money lender using bribes and threats. Her family was forced into bonded agricultural labor and she started to work at the young age of nine. Unable to make ends meet, her mother and one brother moved to Ranchi city for better employment prospects. From Ranchi, they sent Rs. 25 per month to support the family in the village. Despite these circumstances, Dayamani continued to go to school.

By the time she completed eighth class, her remaining family moved from Kinra to Ranchi and became domestic workers. In Ranchi, Dayamani tutored school children and did typing work for which she was paid Re.1 per hour. While the family was still struggling to make ends meet, her mother developed tuberculosis. This illness meant substantial costs for the family but fortunately she recovered with treatment and started her own tea stall. At this time, Dayamani had completed her Masters in Commerce ( M.Com.) from Ranchi University but with limited success - she could not qualify in the oral exam since she was not fluent in English.

After her M. Com., she tried to find a job through government recruitment agencies. It was then that one of her former teachers took her as an apprentice and paid her Rs. 5 an hour to do accounting work for a few hours every day which, according to Dayamani, "was enough money to live comfortably." Soon, she got a job with Alternative for India Development, a prominent NGO in the area, that worked with tribals at a salary of Rs. 800 per month. Dayamani connected with the village and tribal people and took personal interest in her work since, "I was born and raised with them so it was natural to understand their concerns."

While working with tribal people, she realized that tribal welfare is contingent upon protection of natural resources, Jal, Jungle, aur Jameen. She also became aware of the ways in which these community assets are under constant threat from profit-driven corporate interests and apathetic government policies. This was in 1994 when the Koel Karo movement was gaining momentum. This movement protested the Koel-Karo Hydel Power project which if implemented, would submerge 135 villages and 66000 acres of land and displace 135,000 tribals. It is important not look at these numbers in Koel-Karo project as mere figures and dissociate ourselves and think of it as 'their' problem. How would we feel if we were forcefully displaced against our will or if our family homes were submerged under water and had no say in the decision?

Even though her work was greatly appreciated and she was offered a Rs.3000 salary with perks, there was increasing disagreement between Dayamani and the NGO she was employed with about the ways in which adivasi issues must be addressed. After heated arguments with and under constant threats from her supervisor, she quit her job. Dayamani and one other person borrowed Rs.25,000 as personal loan from a bank to start a local newspaper to voice the concerns of tribal people. The paper became very popular but could not last long.

It was then that she started writing for Prabhat Khabar- a local newspaper for which she continues to write till today. As other people in her group accepted job offers from more popular newspapers, she stayed with Prabhat Khabar because of a great working relationship with the team. In her words, "I wouldn't leave this newspaper for a more popular paper - this was the paper that welcomed me when no other paper accepted to publish my work. Here I have the freedom to write about whatever I like and however long an article I may have." Dayamaniji also runs a local tea-shop for her regular living. She claims this location is also one of the best places to listen to the 'voices of the people'!

I wonder about the magnitude of courage in this woman who gave up a secure and well paying job because it was against her principles. Imagine the value of a stable income after spending all her life in struggles and destitution. Her determination to dedicate her life to a cause larger than herself is truly admirable. If her education provided her with the intellect and insight, then it is time to question our education system which failed to provide her a degree because she was not competent in a certain language by their standard. Anyone who has read her work would find it remarkable in content and language. Her articles such as 'Vyvastha mein badlao lana zaorrori hai' (The system must be changed) and 'Mahilayain har kaam mein saksham hoti hain' (Women are capable to do every kind of work) are a clear _expression of the feelings, concerns, and just demands of the people she works with. At a time when interest groups are eager to 'develop' mineral-rich Jharkhand state, she dares to question their motives and the benefits for the local people. She and her group continue to face lathicharges and threats but have continued their struggles with determination and optimism.

During our conversation, Dayamani was enthusiastic, optimistic and informative. She talked about her experiences in a matter-of-fact style and answered all our questions in detail. When the call ended at about midnight, we were actually refreshed after listening to her. She invited AID members to visit her and work with her, ending with the words, "When you are so concerned about these issues being so far away, imagine the wonders we could do together if you actually come in the field and work with us. So come here soon, we wait for you."