Adivasi Lives Matter: On indigenous rights and justice

For the final episode of Season 2 I am joined by Ashish Birulee, photojournalist, activist and founding member of Adivasi Lives Matter (ALM) and Isha C content strategist, documentary filmmaker, senior editor and co-creator of ALM. On August 9 it was the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. These are the people whose way of life has always been sustainable and has hugely inspired and encouraged our own choices, behaviour and consumption patterns and that’s great. We should look to them who have been the custodians of nature for so long. But is following in their footsteps and striving for zero waste living or circular economy models enough? Is eating plant-based, buying secondhand, upcycling/recycling sufficient in and of itself to move towards a more environmentally just future? Not really. Because If we talk about growing and eating local but not about stolen forests and lands and displaced indigenous communities, if we talk about switching to electric cars and bikes but not about how specific communities become dumping grounds for waste then our sustainability is performative. To live and act sustainably is to unlearn and criticise current systems that exist and actively, constructively agitate for better, more equitable systems instead. It’s a verb, it’ a practice, it’s imperfect and it’s a long journey. So for this episode I am speaking to Adhivasi Lives Matter movement in India to talk about some of the key issues of EIA Draft 2020, land rights, displacement, environmental racism that affect indigenous communities directly and understand what we can do to amplify their voices. Listen, share, subscribe to the podcast and follow ALM's work on: https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/adivasilivesmatter/#about and on Instagram @adivasilivesmatter. Stay tuned for more on @amplifypodcast.