Comments on: India: A wave of suicides among farmers http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/ The world is talking. Are you listening? Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:38:13 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: opit http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1579959 opit Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:11:55 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1579959 Before the British came, farm villages were wealthy. The UK's legal system has its roots in land serfdom : open slavery. Now years down the road 'religions' - Hindi and Islam - are thrown up as the root cause of desperate acts by farmers. There's an old joke : de Nile ( denial ) is a river in Egypt. http://opitslinkfest.blogspot.com/2009/07/corporate-farming.html Before the British came, farm villages were wealthy. The UK’s legal system has its roots in land serfdom : open slavery. Now years down the road ‘religions’ – Hindi and Islam – are thrown up as the root cause of desperate acts by farmers.
There’s an old joke : de Nile ( denial ) is a river in Egypt.
http://opitslinkfest.blogspot.com/2009/07/corporate-farming.html

]]> By: azmat http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1579793 azmat Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:47:53 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1579793 Vikas, "Believe it or not" True, there are many other factors that are resposible for these suisides but both Islam and Hinduism clearly stand out alone, above all as the main fellow culprits responsible for dishing out atrocities ( cruel and subhuman treatment) against the poor and the weak of our human race that cause these suisides. Almost all the problems we face in India and Pakistan have to do with religious fanatisim. Please do some soul searching on this: even one case of suiside in any region is one too many. Vikas,
“Believe it or not”
True, there are many other factors that are resposible for these suisides but both Islam and Hinduism clearly stand out alone, above all as the main fellow culprits responsible for dishing out atrocities ( cruel and subhuman treatment) against the poor and the weak of our human race that cause these suisides. Almost all the problems we face in India and Pakistan have to do with religious fanatisim. Please do some soul searching on this: even one case of suiside in any region is one too many.

]]> By: Vikas http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1578950 Vikas Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:14:54 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1578950 Thanks for covering my blog here. Interesting to read few comments here. I don't know if religion is really to blame. I have few related post on "blog.savevillage.org" Read the original blog covered in this article, Indian monsoon, economy and farmers’ suicide… http://blog.savevillage.org/?p=20 Effect of draught and political game http://blog.savevillage.org/?p=106 Land distribution in Bihar: political or social issue http://blog.savevillage.org/?p=18 There are many factors and one very important factor is socio-economic and cultural factors which often have not been discussed in media. If you look Indian scenario, most of the suicide are in southern states which comparatively better off than northern states. Interestingly there are very or no cases of suicides in some of the most deprived state of India. I guess we need to analyse it properly before jumping on some media hyped conclusion... Vikas Thanks for covering my blog here.
Interesting to read few comments here. I don’t know if religion is really to blame.

I have few related post on “blog.savevillage.org”
Read the original blog covered in this article,

Indian monsoon, economy and farmers’ suicide…
http://blog.savevillage.org/?p=20

Effect of draught and political game
http://blog.savevillage.org/?p=106

Land distribution in Bihar: political or social issue
http://blog.savevillage.org/?p=18

There are many factors and one very important factor is socio-economic and cultural factors which often have not been discussed in media.
If you look Indian scenario, most of the suicide are in southern states which comparatively better off than northern states. Interestingly there are very or no cases of suicides in some of the most deprived state of India. I guess we need to analyse it properly before jumping on some media hyped conclusion…

Vikas

]]> By: Conversations with Dina » “The Internet for the Next Million” - Mobile Innovations in Rural India http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1578270 Conversations with Dina » “The Internet for the Next Million” - Mobile Innovations in Rural India Mon, 31 Aug 2009 07:12:55 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1578270 [...] the ability to make choices, I do hope these sorts of initiatives will help alleviate some of the strife our farmers face, often leading to suicides, especially among poorer [...] [...] the ability to make choices, I do hope these sorts of initiatives will help alleviate some of the strife our farmers face, often leading to suicides, especially among poorer [...]

]]> By: azmat http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1578018 azmat Sat, 29 Aug 2009 03:26:19 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1578018 Blame the religion please Same ol' story same ol' game in Pakistan and in India. The sad story of suicides makes me throw up. The villagers/farmers have been starving themselves to death for thousands of years. Only thing different now is these mass suicides. In Pakistan they do it for Allah the most merciful; usually the desperate poor are chosen to committ suicides to settle their outstanding debts with the elite or the poor elect to die and sell their souls so that others in the family can live a few more days. You don't see mullas killing themselves for any cause, do ya? The situation in India is no different. The culprit again is despotism of class system of Hiduism. Poor are considered as "birth of rebirth" of dirty dogs. Their lives don't mean much yet poor are supportive of religion and willingly serve the harsh and cruel religious minority. In desporation the poor people have to sell theirbody parts such as kidneys to make a little money for their starving families. What other choices do they have? Slim and none. In these countries the the govt. always looks the other way. There is no true democracy anywhere in the world, I don't think. The slogan of democracy seems to say, "screw the poor and support the rich." Even in the U.S the poor pay a heavy debt to the society with nothing in return. The white house was built by the sweat and blood of the African slaves. Its the fundamentalist elite that get away with everything everywhere, I mean the conservative right are the most hypocritical people on earth. Their "Holier than thou attitude:" They consider its their God given right to be served and not be criticized for anything. They guard this right with 'reckless abandon'. We urgently need radical changes in Pakistan and in India; a revolution of reformation of some sort is warranted, otherwise the situation in these countries could get even worse. Blame the religion please
Same ol’ story same ol’ game in Pakistan and in India. The sad story of suicides makes me throw up. The villagers/farmers have been starving themselves to death for thousands of years. Only thing different now is these mass suicides. In Pakistan they do it for Allah the most merciful; usually the desperate poor are chosen to committ suicides to settle their outstanding debts with the elite or the poor elect to die and sell their souls so that others in the family can live a few more days. You don’t see mullas killing themselves for any cause, do ya? The situation in India is no different. The culprit again is despotism of class system of Hiduism. Poor are considered as “birth of rebirth” of dirty dogs. Their lives don’t mean much yet poor are supportive of religion and willingly serve the harsh and cruel religious minority. In desporation the poor people have to sell theirbody parts such as kidneys to make a little money for their starving families. What other choices do they have? Slim and none. In these countries the the govt. always looks the other way. There is no true democracy anywhere in the world, I don’t think. The slogan of democracy seems to say, “screw the poor and support the rich.” Even in the U.S the poor pay a heavy debt to the society with nothing in return. The white house was built by the sweat and blood of the African slaves. Its the fundamentalist elite that get away with everything everywhere, I mean the conservative right are the most hypocritical people on earth. Their “Holier than thou attitude:” They consider its their God given right to be served and not be criticized for anything. They guard this right with ‘reckless abandon’. We urgently need radical changes in Pakistan and in India; a revolution of reformation of some sort is warranted, otherwise the situation in these countries could get even worse.

]]> By: Georgia Popplewell http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1577960 Georgia Popplewell Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:11:18 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1577960 For a fictional treatment of the issue, see Mira Nair's short film "Migration", which is part of AIDS Jaago, a series of films about HIV/AIDS in India directed by major Indian directors and funded by the Gates Foundation. The film can be rented for free at jaman.com - http://www.jaman.com/movie/Mira-Nair-AIDS-Jaago-Films/05_VFYrxYIaI/ For a fictional treatment of the issue, see Mira Nair’s short film “Migration”, which is part of AIDS Jaago, a series of films about HIV/AIDS in India directed by major Indian directors and funded by the Gates Foundation.

The film can be rented for free at jaman.com – http://www.jaman.com/movie/Mira-Nair-AIDS-Jaago-Films/05_VFYrxYIaI/

]]> By: kombizz http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1577904 kombizz Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:15:01 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1577904 What a sad story. I hope the Indian Government instead of dealling with military business, take care od her own people. What a sad story. I hope the Indian Government instead of dealling with military business, take care od her own people.

]]> By: opit http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1577648 opit Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:41:44 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1577648 Once the growers of food are gone...how will you eat ? The Panelist had a wonderful piece on Iraq and Monsanto a while back. India has the same problem with the so called Green Revolution and GM Foods with the seeds that must be bought season after season...eventually failing to bring in a crop. Indian farmers have been committing suicide for years. The reasons lie in a financial trap in which they become enmeshed. One of the most famous suicide pacts was at an African cult settlement called Jonestown. They drank poisoned Kool Aid. Rebellion! Easier said than done. If you haven't followed policies designed to give corporations control of agriculture - nor know what disasters follow their operation - check http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2006/05/corporate_agric.html and http://opitslinkfest.blogspot.com/2009/07/corporate-farming.html In Africa, farmers are also falling into a debt/drought trap. Once the growers of food are gone…how will you eat ?
The Panelist had a wonderful piece on Iraq and Monsanto a while back. India has the same problem with the so called Green Revolution and GM Foods with the seeds that must be bought season after season…eventually failing to bring in a crop.
Indian farmers have been committing suicide for years. The reasons lie in a financial trap in which they become enmeshed.
One of the most famous suicide pacts was at an African cult settlement called Jonestown. They drank poisoned Kool Aid.
Rebellion! Easier said than done.
If you haven’t followed policies designed to give corporations control of agriculture – nor know what disasters follow their operation – check http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2006/05/corporate_agric.html and http://opitslinkfest.blogspot.com/2009/07/corporate-farming.html
In Africa, farmers are also falling into a debt/drought trap.

]]> By: Juliette.Qu http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1577644 Juliette.Qu Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:41:54 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1577644 While you are in a desperate situation, look around to see if you can find a solution or if others are in the same situation with you. Once a bunch of you are all in a desperate edge, what is more to lose? rebellion! While you are in a desperate situation, look around to see if you can find a solution or if others are in the same situation with you.
Once a bunch of you are all in a desperate edge, what is more to lose?
rebellion!

]]> By: Solana Larsen http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/08/25/india-a-wave-of-suicides-among-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-1577542 Solana Larsen Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:17:34 +0000 http://globalvoicesonline.org/?p=92026#comment-1577542 wow, I had never heard of such a thing as a "suicide pact" wow, I had never heard of such a thing as a “suicide pact”

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