In this interview, Adv. Girish Raut talks about his journey as an activist. He emphasises on the harms of the industrial system and of the growth-based economic system. The industrial system needs to be stopped. It requires all of us coming to terms with the unsustainability of the numerous benefits we are repeaning of the industrial system. He talks about the necessity to respect all life forms on Earth.
Editor’s note: In Nepal, as in many parts of the world, male violence against women is relatively common, yet often goes unreported and unpunished. Today we bring you an interview with Ruby Khan, a working-class Nepali woman who marched 520km (320 miles) and helped launch a grassroots uprising for concrete policy and cultural change in response to two incidents of violence against Nepali women. As an eco-feminist organization, Deep Green Resistance recognizes the links between the destruction of the planet and the oppression of women. Not least importantly, when women have greater autonomy and control over their lives, they chose to have fewer children, on average. Therefore, the liberation of women is not only the right path to justice, it is a necessity for reversing population growth and defending the living planet. More broadly, the same philosophical roots underpin both patriarchy and the destruction of the planet, which creates the potential for synergistic positive effects when addressing these issues. This interview, conducted by DGR organizer Salonika in Nepal, gives us a fascinating glimpse into the discipline, sacrifice, and hard work that goes into grassroots organizing.
This news article describes the impact of corrupt legislation on ordinary working people. The organised protests and solidarity of the public with farmers is an excellent example of how coordinated resistance can enable change. Editor’s note: DGR strongly opposes the three new farm laws that have inspired the farmer’s protests in India. However, we do not necessarily agree with all of the demands of the protestors.
On 14th Sepetember 2020, an adolescent woman was brutally gang raped in India. This article examines the gender- and caste-based hiearchies, and how it has affected the case.
Godwin Vasanth Bosco reports on extreme precipitation that has fallen on the Nilgiri plateau of southern India the last few years. These extreme and unprecedented rain events have led to massive landslides and other ecological damage. Little has been done to address the crisis. Featured image: A massive landslide in one of the largest sholas in the Avalanche region of the Nilgiris, with hundreds of native trees and the stream ecology washed away.
In this piece, Suresh discusses the impact of civilization on endemic communities and their right to live in isolation. Suresh tells us how these indigenous people have had their land, rights and identities stripped by encroaching industrial civilization.
On August 8th, DGR Asia-Pacific conducted a discussion on Women’s Role in Environment Conservation. Women activists and organizers from Nepal and the Philippines participated in the discussion.
On July 18th, 2020, DGR Asia-Pacific held a closed discussion with organizers from the Philippines and Nepal. State repression and security culture were discussed in relation to the situation in the two states. Learn more about state repression and security culture.
As part of our effort to strengthen the relationship among activists and organizers in the Asia-Pacific region, DGR Asia-Pacific started an online ecological conference.
Are indigenous people backwards? Do they really need to be ‘rescued’ from their primitive way of life and introduced to this wonder of human civilization? Or is this a racist simplification? In this piece Chris challenges the notion that civilization is the ultimate way of life — a notion that has been used to justify genocide against indigenous people for a long time.