The unfortunate reality is that human rights violations are part of the fabric of India’s history. From police brutality to unlawful arrests and disappearances, genocide has become normalized. Which is why, if you are a minority, your rights are constantly under threat. As has been the case throughout history, protestors are being painted as terrorists by state-owned news outlets and are being met with government-sanctioned police brutality, tear gas, and water cannons. Citizen journalists are being unlawfully arrested and detained. The police have attempted to cut off access to food and water at protest sites to starve the protestors away. The Internet has been cut off in the area surrounding protest sites and social media is being heavily regulated to make communication amongst protestors and access to outside information more difficult. The United Nations has made it clear that cutting internet connections as a means to stifle dissent is a violation of human rights.
A Note to Impact-Driven Brands + Organizations:
The farmer’s protest is about worker rights, it’s about land rights, it’s about equity, and it’s about justice amongst so much more. If your goal as a business is to advocate for global justice and fair living wages, then standing in solidarity with India’s small farmers and farmworkers is critical because that is exactly what they are standing up for. They are advocating for themselves against a government that is built on systemic oppression rooted in exploiting those who have historically been and continue to be marginalized.
Join in Solidarity: A Statement Championed in Collaboration with Fair World Project
If you are a brand or organization working in the intersection of social, climate, and economic justice, please consider adding your name alongside many others: https://www.artofcitizenry.com/solidarity-statement