A-Infos (en) UK, ACG: Free Hidme Markam!

On 9 March 2021, woman human rights defender, Hidme Markam, was arrested by 
Chhattisgarh police on several charges, including charges under the Unlawful 
Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) anti-terrorism law in relation to her alleged 
involvement in Maoist activities. She was arrested during an event in Dantewada 
in the State of Chhattisharh to mark International Working Women's Day, and to 
protest the custodial torture and sexual violence by police against Adivasi women 
in the State. Later that day, following her arrest, Hidme Markam appeared before 
a Magistrate and was remanded for 14 days in Jagadalapur prison.
Hidme Markam is an Adivasi human rights defender, advocating for indigenous 
rights against police and state violence, and the impact of mining in the State 
of Chhattisgarh. She is also the convenor of the Jail Bandi Rihai Committee, a 
platform which advocates for the release of thousands of Adivasi persons, 
particularly youths, criminalized and branded as Naxals (Maoists) and held in 
pre-trial detention. Hidme Markam is an anti-mining campaigner, focusing on 
projects led by large corporations such as Adani Pvt Ltd., which threaten to 
destroy a sacred Adivasi hill, considered a local deity by the community. She 
also campaigns against the detrimental ecological impact of mining for the local 
area, resulting in the degradation of land and large bodies of water, and the 
destruction of forests in the region.

Last month, a solidarity meeting for Hidme Markam with the topic of Women, Mining 
and Human Rights in India was organised by IndiaMatters UK, a UK based solidarity 
group standing for human rights, justice and equality for all in India.In this 
meeting we met Soni Sori, herself a former Amnesty US prisoner of conscience, a 
survivor of police brutality and imprisonment under false charges and now a 
prominent community organiser. It was an eye-opening event and whilst it was 
harrowing to hear the violence these communities are experiencing; it is so 
important to raise awareness of what is going on. Here I will relay some of the 
information learnt about Hidme's life and struggles.

Hidme comes from a village that is deep inside the forest and though she is not 
literate, she is very wise. It is her wisdom that is her strength. Her people 
have been fighting against Adani's capture of Nandaraj hill. When they started 
their peaceful resistance to mining here, Adani had already illegally cut down 
around 20,000 trees. 5 young boys who stood against this mobilised along with 
Hidme about 200-300 people who stood vigil around the Nandaraj hills for about a 
week and did not allow further cutting down of trees. They are opposed to mining 
because they are dependent on the land for their livelihoods, including food 
sovereignty and security, and understand that non-renewable resource extraction 
"leaves barren toxic void spaces destroying the prior places and lived 
environments, causes extreme inequalities and is non-developmental".

Hidme was also in the forefront of resisting the setting up of a border security 
force paramilitary camp in Potali village. She has criticised the expanding 
presence of military, police and paramilitary in the State. In 2019, she 
participated in a public campaign against the establishment of a police camp in 
Potali by the Special Task Force and District Reserve Guards. She led a huge 
group of 10,000 Adivasi who rallied with the government and were beaten and 
assaulted as a result. They said we are secure; we do not want your camp to feel 
secure. The State and the police work to uphold the ruling class ideology through 
violence and fear. Indigenous people continually have their working rights, land 
rights, and welfare rights undermined and attacked. Recent reports* describe 
further India's deeply disturbing descent into authoritarianism. Soni relays how 
Hidme cried to her on the phone every time they cut down trees that bear their 
fruit (their sources of food), to set up this camp. It was our elders, our 
ancestors who planted these trees for us. She asks, how are we supposed to live 
without these trees (used for food and small income)?

Advocating for the promotion of women's rights and against physical and sexual 
violence against women by police and military officers is also central to Hidme 
Markam's work. Women in the State, especially from Adivasi communities, have been 
disproportionately affected by violence and discrimination by officials. She has 
fought on every matter. The system of patriarchy and capitalism go hand in hand, 
with the oppression and abuse of women being perpetuated throughout every faction 
of society, especially by those in positions of power.

Soni once asked Hidme what makes her take up this fight. Hidme told her "From 
childhood I have grown up here - amongst the rivers, mountains, lands and 
forests. I love these so how can I allow its destruction. I will give my life in 
resistance to its destruction". Hidme knew that one day because of her fighting 
or resistance she would be either jailed or killed. Soni says today it pains her 
to see how brutally the police kidnapped Hidme. We stand in solidarity with those 
who have experienced violence at the hands of the State. The police exist to 
protect the ruling class and enforce a system that is inherently racist, 
authoritarian and exploitative. A tool used to oppress working class people and 
minorities. The continuing brutality is painful to see, although not unexpected. 
She never fought for herself, but for her people and for this country. Soni, like 
many others are unable to move freely. They are being tailed and hounded by 
police. Adivasis are even being pitted against each other and incited into 
violence against their own people.

Destroying the mountains, forests and building big buildings is not "development" 
for the Adivasi people and when we raise our voices together against this we are 
being jailed and killed in dozens and thousands. This cannot continue. Soni 
requests we must all put our strength together to fight for freeing Hidme. She 
says it is important to have these meetings and keep raising our voices for 
front-line defenders who are being hounded, arrested and being killed by police. 
They are facing a silent but very violent genocide. She says they will not give 
up their forests, they will continue to fight. Standing by an oath to fight till 
the end.

Please let IndiaMatters UK know (at indiamattersuk@protonmail.com) if you would 
like be part of further solidarity activity. So far there has been a Twitter 
storm on April 1st organised by the Free Hidme campaign in India. India Matters 
UK request people write to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh requesting Hidme 
Markam's immediate release and an end to the persecution of Adivasi women and 
their communities. This is the Chief Minister's email address - Chief Minister of 
Chhattisgarhcgpccryp.2013@gmail.com.

Information used in this article is from:

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/sites/default/files/ua_india_hidme_markam_10032021_eng_intl.pdf
India matters UK
Dr Markus Kroeger, author - Iron Will: Global Extractivism and Mining Resistance 
in Brazil and India

* a. The annual report by the United States Commission on International Religious 
Freedom (USCIRF) places India alongside Pakistan, China and North Korea 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-52467564

b. Earlier this month, in its annual report on global political rights and 
liberties, US-based non-profit Freedom House downgraded India from a free 
democracy to a "partially free democracy".

c. Last week, Sweden-based V-Dem Institute was harsher in its latest report on 
democracy. It said India India had become an "electoral autocracy".

d. And last month, India, described as a "flawed democracy", slipped two places 
to 53rd position in the latest Democracy Index published by The Economist 
Intelligence Unit.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-56393944

https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2021/05/08/free-hidme-markham
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