Citizens for Justice and Peace
How can you ever ‘resettle’ an ancient way of life? Resettlement not always constructive rehabilitation, forest dwellers face the loss of identity
27-Mar-2021
CJP Fellow Mohammed Meer Hamza travels to the resettlement area of Gendikhata, in Uttarakhand, and meets a rehabilitated Van Gujjar, and learns that resettlement does not always mean constructive rehabilitation for forest dwellers, who now face the loss of identity. The rehabilitation of Uttarakhand’s Van Gujjar families from Rajaji National Park to Gendikhata, is not…
Our life is linked to the forests we call home: Van Gujjars Receding forest cover and forced 'rehabilitation' is imperiling their existence
20-Feb-2021
They are often hailed as eco warriors, as they take care of the forests, they live next to. For the Van Gujjar community taking the health of the forest is a top priority. But now, their very existence, as a community is in peril, as the forest cover is shrinking across the land, and the…
Who sprayed chemicals in an eco-sensitive forest area in Haldwani? Brave Van Gujjar woman’s video recording reveals atrocities by Forest Department officials
02-Feb-2021
“Hit me, I dare you… Do what you want, don’t you have stomachs,” a woman belonging to the forest dwelling Van Gujjar community is heard confronting a man, reportedly a Forest Department guard who can be heard threatening her. She was recording a video of the guards attacking a group of her fellow Van Gujjar community members who were resisting the department’s plan to…
Don’t miss out on CJP Grassroots Fellows’ stories This #CJPWednesdays let's take a look at stories documented by our Grassroots fellows
13-Jan-2021
CJP grassroots fellows are bringing out stories of communities that are often ignored by the mainstream media. From protests in solidarity with farmers in Bengal to daily wage workers’ concerns, from lives of the indigenous tribes to sharing traditional music of the communities that we work with, they have been busy documenting the world around…
They call us Jamatis, no longer buy milk from us: Van Gujjars Nomadic community faces discrimination and economic boycott
26-Dec-2020
Here Mohammed Meer Hamza interviews Baniyabeen, a Van Gujjar who hails from Gauhri Range Kunou, Chaurd Pauri, Garhwal, and is currently camping at Gari Shyampur, near Rishikesh, Dehradun. They discuss the long-lasting impact that the Covid-19 pandemic on the community, and how despite facing discrimination, Van Gujjar’s hold no resentment. All they want is the safety of their…
Revealed! An ancient migration route that may vanish soon Tracking the path taken by Van Gujjar nomads
10-Dec-2020
In this interview, 40-year-old Shamshad, a Van Gujjar, reveals the unique seasonal migration of the community. Shamshad hails from Kumau Chaurd, Gohri Range, Pauri Garhwal, and undertakes the seasonal migration to the river plains of Ganga Naur near Muzaffarnagar and then onto the grasslands on the Bijnor border. He leads his herd of 15 Cows,…
पराली ख़रीद कर वायु प्रदूषण से लड़ रहें है वन गुज्जर उत्तराखण्ड राज्य में पराली जलाई नहीं जाती, बल्कि उचित मूल्य में खरीद लेते हैं वन गुज्जर समुदाय
21-Nov-2020
यह रिपोर्ट CJP के ग्रासरूट फ़ेलोशिप प्रोग्राम का हिस्सा है, और वन गुज्जर समुदाय के युवा नेता अमीर हमज़ा ने इस रिपोर्ट को तैयार किया है। वन गुज्जर एक घुमन्तु समुदाय है, जो पशुपालन कर के अपना जीवन व्यापन करता है। इस लेख में अमीर हमज़ा ने इस बात पर प्रकाश डाला है कि, किस…
Van Gujjars emerge as Air Pollution Warriors Buy stubble from Uttarakhand farmers so it doesn’t need to be burnt
18-Nov-2020
The work of conservation and preservation of forests has been going on for centuries. For the last few years, the Van Gujjar community has played a symbiotic role in increasing the income of the farmers and preventing air pollution. Earlier, farmers polluted the air by burning stubble, while livestock rearing communities had to gather stubble…
Meet Ameer Hamza, a CJP fellow CJP 's grassroots fellowships are meant to enable young men and women document the world around them
27-Oct-2020
CJP’s fellowships are meant to bring into focus young men and women from the communities we work with. Ameer Hamza, a young van Gujjar leader is now a CJP fellow. Watch him introduce himself and his community CJP Grassroots Fellowship: Meet Ripon Sheikh who documents rural Bengal