Rich in Endurance - Poor what?
Climate refugee: Astami Chor – Population: 14600 Approx.
One question does arise when I tried to comprehend the endurance of the primeval life style on a harsh sandy wasteland defined as “ Chor” (River Island) in a remote corner of the River Brahmaputra where harvesting is a science, and most of the occupants with little or anything to call their own does survive. While we and others before us visit them and work to find a solution for their basic survival needs, I could not help but wonder that they must have survived the erosion countless times before we intervened.
Global warming is the issue and climate refugee was my assignment. Reaching my destination of “ Astamir Chor” I had no doubt that Global Warming may mean little or nothing to the inhabitants of the island. I expressed my fear to Mr. Rashid a retired school master who grudgingly admitted he knows nothing about it but at the same time wonder – what different it could be from their present condition? Well he continues, we could finally get rehabilitated to the mainland, which seems to him the only solution to their ordeal. Probably but now what could be the total population of the entire Chor people of Bangladesh? – I mused 3 million or is it 5 million. Now where do I start? Now in the context of my soon to be profession there are procedures to be follow through.
My exchange with Mr.Rashid bought home to me a realization. Researching on the origin and background of the river, the extinct plants and animals like fish, birds, frogs and vital earthworm; the changing pattern of the climate effecting their cattle & livelihood could be a resource for any organization. Now that can be done, available and my peers probably had worked hard on them. But right at that moment I decided to learn about the inhabitants of the chor people, and what they think should be done for them.
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As humans had done way long back – the inhabitants of the chor people also make a collective effort to survive. There are no divisions of labor. Children spontaneously pitch in their contribution like collecting grasses, helping mother. |
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And women folk help themselves. |
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And then the vast space also provides the children with a playground and improvise is just a human nature. . And I believe they enjoy it as much as their counterpart elsewhere in the country - be it trying to ride a cow. |
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Fun? Indeed. Risky? Yes. But then hazard is a part of their life. I perceived it as a preparation to endure. |
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Beside a much smaller scale of fishing now (apparently a man made disaster), most of the male population migrate to various part of the country in search of employment. The economy gets a boost, when the migrant labor returns to homeland and spend their earning in Bazaar, Hat and again leave to earn again. |
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Their female counterpart has the sole responsibility of tending, feeding and can look after themselves and others. They even have to travel to mainland for treatment beside most of the necessary supplies are ferried to the Island. |
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Articulate Moeful (Nurur Ma) a widow (w/o Taher Ali)– nearly 70 years old also lives alone in the Island. Inheriting her share of land, she does not remember the exact number of erosion locally dubbed as “ Bhanga “ she endured and home is where she is shifted. Probably hundreds she laments to me. |
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She was forsaken by her only son Nuru because of his own big family. Moeful understands but would have appreciate a visit from him now and then. |
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Her younger daughter Moherun gives her some financial assistant in guise of a sheep ... |
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... or bringing in oder for quilts beside hard cash now & then. |
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Mallika the eldest is unable to do much because of her own much large family but she does visit her often. She also sends her husband to assist his mother in law in collecting & storing firewood’s, refurbish the Jute stick wall of her dwellings etc. |
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The daughters ensures that their mother has a constant supply of her favorite Betal leaves to chew, which also can be irregular depending on their own financial well being. |
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One of Moeful neice, Sujoner Ma (Reluctant to mention her real name) is her neighbor. Mostly alone beside her three children because her husband is a migrant labor, she shares her meal, grief and joy with her favorite Aunt ... |
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... and her Children are constant companion of Moeful. |
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Moeful collects grasses for her only sheep from faraway patches of green. |
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Today she grabbed a spade from her neighbors and started to level the soil in her patch of garden. She expressed her plan to plant ‘Shimul’ (Cotton tree) and eucalyptus which she estimates to sale for 8000/- taka after 5 years. Planning five years ahead at her age seemed beyond belief, when only three years back she had to cut down her favorite Shimul tree when the river encroached very near their dwellings and they were preparing for another ‘ bhanga’ (erosion). |
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And sometimes she only manages to salvage all that she owns in this wooden trunk. |
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‘ Gora ’ (Building) is the opposite of ‘Bhanga’. There are also songs depicting them as a game of nature. But human does play a game with nature and in turn nature retaliates with deadly consequence. The absence of modern changeability generates a strong sense of unity and a bond is inevitable. Describing them as Climate refugee seems appropiate but I believe that the bond is no refugee and it is strong enough to sustain the onslaught of the river Brahmaputra. The smiling nature of the children and Moeful loving glances contradict the anxiety and the uncertain hazy future of the generations to come. |
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The see saw life of erosion & building of the Island people makes them rich in endurance. Handouts only capitulate them as beggars. A steady employment is all these people are asking for. I believe they are quite capable in looking after themselves Educated they are - about Chor, rivers, fish and transporting their valuables during erosion. Additional education in cattle breeding and sustaining resources of nature will augment it. But then we have to treat them as equals and not invalidate them as poor. Let us not replace courage with fear. |
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