Design & People identify how design can intervene to make a contribution to the ongoing efforts to improve the lives of people disadvantaged by war, disability, and political and environmental conditions. We unite and encourage graphic, industrial and architectural designers to use their experience and skills towards social and humanitarian projects. Mission: Design For People In Need. | Home | Team | Beneficiaries | Campaigns | Activities | Downloads | News | Blog | Contact | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Design & People Campaigns Apart from supporting people's movements and helping non-profit organisations with their campaigns, Design & People runs its own campaigns to bring in social and political changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Save Vaduthala Campaign Sign a Petition to be submitted to the Chief Minister of Kerala state Background: Vaduthala, a densly-populated area of Cochin Corporation has been silently bearing the after-effects of two railway lines that pass through the Vaduthala Crossing, Chittoor Road. This is how Vaduthala has contributed to the growth of Cochin city. Constructing another railway line through the Vaduthala Crossing is more than what the residents can bear. The Vaduthala residents pledge to conserve their land till the last breath. More over the people and their supporters would never allow such a foolish and unscientific proposal to become a reality at Vaduthala.
Prominent artists from various creative fields, human rights activists and environmentalists from various parts of the city participated in the event. The Chief Guest of the evening was Shri KT Ravindran, Architect, Urban Designer and the Head of the Urban Design Department at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. In his Opening address he chose to focus upon the multitude of issues cities of growing economies are faced with in contemporary world amidst a global surge of capital. Taking the particular case of Kochi, he opined that the land acquisition process in connection with the installation of a rail line was only a "small tip of a huge disaster". In its full grown state, the Container Terminal posed a threat to the air quality of the city due to highly increased road traffic, its estuary and related eco-systems and not the least the cityscape as seen along the extensive water edges the city has been blessed with owing to the size of the project. He also inaugurated the online signature campaign.
There were also brief talks by Shri Geo Jose, an experienced human rights campaigner, as well as by Shri Martin, one of the top brass leaders of the Vaduthala Jankeeya Samithi who have managed to sustain this struggle for close to three years now. Geo was particularly critical of the inappropriateness of applying land-use laws introduced in the colonial era to address contemporary issues. He also pointed out that the Social class of intellectuals and cultural activists were largely oblivious to the 'true' happenings around them in their own city. In this context, the work of Design & People becomes significant.
A highlight of the evening was the symbolic "straightening the convoluted line", where the campaign logo "eviction", written with rope, was pulled from both ends by the people who had gathered for the evening. This was followed by an Open Forum where activist groups and individuals involved in this struggle voiced their manifold concerns regarding the same. Especially heartening was the presence of affected families and housewives sharing some of their first-hand experiences in dealing with the high-handedness of the state machinery. The meeting concluded with the screening of Ruzbeh N Bharucha's "Yamuna gently weeps" which portrayed the eradication of the Yamuna Pushta slum in Delhi and its aftermath.
Why Protest? The Cochin Port Trust proposed five different railway alignment proposals for the Vallarpadam terminal. The then Chief minister of Kerala Shri Ummen Chandi had promised in a meeting with Vaduthala Janakeeya Samithi, to take up the proposal that causes the least disturbance to the people. He also promised to maintain transparency in all the deeds relating to the proposal of this railways line. The failure to fulfill this promise has resulted in Vaduthala resident's agitation and protest.
The Railway Alignment Proposals:
Facts: The ERG railway line is presently not in use. If this railway line is regenerated, big companies like Hindustan Lever, Villa's and Apartment's of TATA, Govt properties under Eco township which the political leaders are trying to acquire by a 99 year lease will all get affected. This is a hidden fact. The reason projected is that the Lourde Hospital would need to submit 40 m wide land for this Proposal. But it has been made clear by the railway authority that the hospital has to submit only 4 m wide land.
Proposal 2: Facts: The Port Trust refused to give the original details of this project to the Janakeeya Samithi. But the fact is that this proposal adversely affects some of the houses related to GCDA chairman and it also affects the residences of some port trust employees.
Proposal 3: Facts: A decision was taken by committee with MLA's, MP's, CM as the head, Mayor, Port trust chairman and Collector to take up the Proposal 3 which passes though the most populated area of Vaduthala. This goes against the promise given by Kerala Chief Minister Sri Ummen Chandy. The committee did not consult any railway engineers for any kind of opinion on this proposal and decision. Why did this happen? There is not even a single plot owned by Binami's in this area. The area is thickly populated and most of the families are poor or middle-income people. The proposal is only to provide a single railway line through this area and the proposed width of acquired land is 12M where as the acquired land width in other similar railway line proposal is 80 m. It is strongly stated that this is an intelligent way to show reduced amount of affected families in vaduthala and to acquire more land in the immediate future to make it a multi lined railway. This would result in reducing the Vaduthala residential zone to a railway shunting yard or Marshaling yard. More over the existing land price of Vaduthala (Rs 2 lakh) will drastically reduce in the near future and the government could acquire the land at a much reduced price (Rs 20,000 or Rs 30,000) What happens to Mulavukadu with this Proposal? The land price of Mulavukadu will decrease from Rs 5 Lakh to Rs 50,000. The Mulavu kadu island soil will not be able to bear the heavy container carrying trains. This will create an unstable situation for the buildings nearby. In short this proposal would result in the destruction of two thickly populated areas - Vaduthala and Mulavukadu.
Proposal 4: Facts: This railway line passes through uncultivated agricultural land which is owned by some High officials and political leaders in the name of Binamies. The proposal ruins the wishes and ambitions of this high-end sector. In spite of the fact that this line will not affect even one family, it was rejected because it goes out of the Corporation Limits.
Proposal 5: Facts: As stated earlier this Proposal does not affect any of the families though the total cost is on the higher side. This railway line would pass through Cheranelloor, Kothaadu, Kadamakkudi, Pizhala, Moolambilli. In this way it helps the railway to run passenger trains connecting these places. There are many companies on the sides of the proposed railway. This railway line will also serve for the transportation of goods to these companies. The only obstacle which could prevent the acceptance of this path by the commettee is that there are properties owned by some binamies on either side of the proposed railway line.
Demands:
"The planning of this project is not only against policy, but is therefore a farce against people. Use of force to push the project can only create problems as it is known from projects and struggles from Narmada to Nandigram. History of rehabilitation is infested with or is full of problems which indicate that avoiding displacement should be the foremost goal in planning development."
"Eviction of poor people in various parts of ernakulam district is to help the major corporates."
To know more about the campaign, or to get involved, call: 9847044248, 9387301912 or email: support@designandpeople.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A Travelling Film-Festival from Design & People
"In such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people,
not to be on the side of the executioners"
Fahrenheit 9/11:
One of the most controversial and provocative films of 2004, Fahrenheit 9/11 is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's searing examination of Bush administration's actions in the wake of the tragic events of Sept 11. With his characteristic humor and dogged commitment to uncovering the facts, Moore considers the presidency of George W Bush and where it has led us. He looks at how - and why - Bush and his inner circle avoided pursuing the Saudi connection to 9/11, despite the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and Saudi money had funded Al-Qaeda. Fahrenheit 9/11 shows us a nation kept in constant fear by FBI alerts and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the USA Patriot Act, that infringes on basic civil rights. It is in this atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread that the Bush Administration makes its headlong rush towards war in Iraq - and Fahrenheit 9/11 takes us inside that war to tell the stories we haven't heard, illustrating the awful human cost to US soldiers and their families.
Miles to Go:
A bus journey across India - 7 states, 6000 kilometres in just 60 days. But this would be unlike any other journey. The chosen destinations will never feature in a tourist brochure of "must-see's" - this is the story of India's forgotten backyards, of people brushed under the carpet of indifference and apathy; a story of individuals fighting all odds for their basic rights - a story of a thousand revolutions in a thousand Bhopals. The same journey revealed something else - something far more important. Filmed in 24 locations, over 60 days by a 2-member crew, Miles To Go is the story of what may well be one of the most important journeys ever made in this country. Miles To Go is a film commissioned by Greenpeace, produced by Elephant Corridor Films.
She Write:
'She Write' weaves together the narratives and work of four Tamil women poets. Salma negotiates subversive expression within the tightly circumscribed space allotted to women in the small town of Thuvarankurichi; for Chennai-based Kuttirevathi, solitude is a crucial creative space from where her work resonates; Malathy Maitri, who lives in Pondicherry and has been a Dalit and Marxist activist, attempts to explore and express feminine power; and Sukirtharani, a schoolteacher in Lalapet, writes of desire and longing, celebrating the body in a way that affirms feminine empowerment and a rejection of male centered discourse.
Conflicts: Tibet:
Locked away in the mountains of the Himalayas, Tibet has a mesmerising hold on the Western imagination, but the country has a long history of turmoil. The troubles date back to the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1950, when they claimed they were 're-unifying' China. Since his subsequent exile to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama - the political and spiritual leader of Tibet - has been fighting for autonomy for Tibet. He has referred to China's policies as 'a cultural genocide' for the Tibetan people.
The programme combines archive footage with the views of both the Tibetans and the Chinese. Personal stories from Tibetans in exile tell of the Chinese policy of patriotic re-education under which monks have been persecuted and have had to renounce the Dalai Lama. Yet the Chinese honestly believe that China has saved the Tibetans from feudalism, They say that they have built schools, hospitals and roads, and that 50 years after it 'liberated' Tibet, there has been 'great social progress' in the region, a view contested by the Tibetans in exile.
Basque Ball: The Skin Against the Stone: This fascinating and thought-provoking documentary from internationally acclaimed filmmaker Julio Medem explores the unique language and long-held traditions of the mythical land of the Basques, and details the region's intricate and painful political reality. Featuring a mixture of archive footage and film extracts (including Orson Welles' Around the World travelogue piece) as well as a remarkably varied range of participants - from poets and musicians to terrorists and the many people whose lives have been indelibly marked by violence - this remarkable film offers a fascinating insight into a universal subject that we can ill afford to ignore. Mature, complex, and startlingly brave, The Basque Ball was the highest grossing Spanish documentary of all time. Its intelligent juxtapositions help to underline the dangers of allowing a situation to reach political deadlock, while its balanced and informed treatment ensures that the film will stand as one of the most absorbing, and controversial, of all modern documentaries.
Sandstorm:
Sandstorm was made to help reveal the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners currently occurring in China. The persecution is well-documented by Human Rights organizations and various governments around the world, but it is very difficult to get information out of China, as there are extensive methods utilized to block information from getting to the outside world and to the citizens within China. Falun Gong practitioners in China have been risking their lives to provide the outside world with specifics of various persecution methods, torture techniques and death cases. All incidents, persecution methods and exchanges in dialogue portrayed in the movie are based on first-hand accounts that have been relayed by the practitioners from within China. The story is fiction, based on these first-hand reports.
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"In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia."
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Naata, The Bond:
'Naata' is about Bhau Korde and Waqar Khan, two activists and friends, who have been involved in conflict resolution, working with neighbourhood peace committees in Dharavi, reputedly, the largest 'slum' in Asia. This film explores their work, which has included the collective production and use of visual media for ethnic amity. Naata is also about us; among other things, it is an attempt to reflect on how we relate to spaces of the other, spaces like Dharavi. It is, above all, about Mumbai, the city that encompasses Bhau, Waqar and us. 
