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Vision
of AISWACS is to build a just and egalitarian society; a society
based on Adivasis culture and values of caring and sharing,
co-operation, community ownership, practising direct democracy
(consensus) and human spirituality and living in harmony with
nature. AISWACS believes that these values are the fundamental
human values which the so-called mainstream society has forgotten
and stopped practising. The Adivasis (indigenous Communities)
the world over however continue to live by these values and
continue to be the torch bearers of social transformation.
In fact, the Adivasis are the real heritage people with potentials
to redeem the world community from the shackles of racism,
casteism classism patriarchism etc.
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The
mission of AISWACS is to facilitate the process of socio-political
economic and cultural empowerment of the Adivasis in Jharkhand
and in the adjacent States of West Bengal, Orissa, Assam and
Bihar. The present socio-political, economic and cultural
situation of the Adivasi Communities in these States are deplorable.
The dominant class brand the social system (comprising of
socio-political, economic and cultural values) of the Adivasis
as 'primitive', 'uncivilized' and 'backward'. The mission
of AISWACS is to enable the Adivasis to rediscover their potentials
and resources (socio-political, cultural and historical heritage)
leading to re-strengthening/revitalisation of their self-esteem
and dignity, so vital for a holistic re-empowerment
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The
fundamental objective of AISWACS is to build Santal/Adivasi
model villages totally governed under Adivasi self-rule and
through inculcation of Adivasi culture and values. These model
villages then can be replicated through out the Adivasi regions.
These model villages envisaged would be totally self-reliant
in every aspect e. i. the villagers would take care of their
basic necessities like food, shelter, clothing, medicines
etc. The local system of governance (administrative and judiciary)
would take care of law and order, security and dispute resolutions.
The local village organisations/institutions would also co-ordinate
with appropriate Govt. and Non-Govt. service providers. To
address the social needs of Health, Education, Drinking water,
Sanitation, Electricity, Roads, Irrigation etc. The Provisions
of Panchayat (Extended to the Scheduled Areas) Act 1996 (PESA-96
Act) enacted by the Govt. of India and ratified by the Concerned
States provides the basics and gives the Constitutional sanctity
to develop these model villages in accordance with peoples
(Adivasis) traditions as culture.
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We
aim at achieving our Mission and objective by adopting a holistic
approach and address the socio-political, economic and cultural
issues as a whole and not in isolation.
Our
objective of developing model Adivasi villages are through
the process of Capacity Building and promoting Peoples PSP
(Participatory and Strategic Planning) involving our own grass-root
organisations/institutions (Peoples Organisations).
The
santals have from time immemorial been governed locally by
their own traditional Institutions called Manjhi-Pargana System
(MPS). This unique and powerful peoples institutions have
over the years been severely weakened by exploitative forces/factors.
AISWACS aims at revival and revitalization of these institutions,
so that they once again became strong and vibrant instruments
for socio-political, cultural and economic empowerment of
the santals/Adivasis.
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Critical
Issues/Problems Identified
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AISWACS
has identified exploitation and domination due to structural
deprivation as the critical issues/problems of the Adivasis.
This has systematically deprived the Adivasis from their own
system of self-governance, livelihood (resources for survival)
and culture.
Over a decade of involvement of AISWACS among the Santals
has enabled us to identify the problems/context areas. These
context areas can be classified as given below:
Political
Context
Economic Context
Socio-Cultural
Context
Environmental
Context
Legal Context
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