5) Description of initiative: There is a significant population of indigenous groups living along the Indus River in Pakistan. The historical evidence and life histories of the indigenous groups suggest that they were once well-off people because of the diversity and richness of their livelihoods based on the use of commons. They were main service providers in the vast navigation which was the main source of transportation and trade across the Indus River in the pre- colonial era, and had full access to such critical natural resources as forests, fish, etc. However, the colonial policies and post-colonial paradigm of development caused their resource dispossession and political marginalization. Area: These indigenous communities namely the Kihals, and Mors live along river Indus and make their livelihoods from fishing, crafting and seasonal harvesting. The territory and livelihoods of these peoples lies within the 170km long, 15km wide strip of Indus basin between latitude 30-- 32˚ N and longitude 71--72˚ E in the districts of Dera Ismail Khan (NWFP), Layaah and Dera Ghazi Khan (South Punjab).

The can be rightly termed as one of the This pioneer research and advocacy initiative is set to support the survival of these indigenous peoples, and envisages following parallel but well connected entry points: 1. Their registration as citizens and voters. 2. Their organization and mobilization for their historical rights and coping with immediate threats. 3. Undertaking research and disseminating this in civil society to influence the policy making. 4. Documenting their oral testimonies, case studies, and studying colonial records. 5. Attending and promoting their social and cultural events, marriages, Satth (their own courts). 6. Involving socio-political actors, district government, and arranging radio talks. 7. Capacity building of selected community members through PRAs and crafts training. 8. Celebrating their diversities and holding cultural festivals.

6) Description of innovation: i. We used singing, dancing and oral testimonies as entry point as well as confidence building of the community. ii. We learned and promoted the indigenous knowledge and traditions about rivers, fish and forests as sustainable livelihoods and practices. iii. We challenged the citizenship criteria of the Government of Pakistan, the census and maps, which counts only those population which own lands or the settled communities. iv. The men of the community were reluctant to introduce their women. DAMAAN staff, thus, brought their families in contact with the community, which immediately earned trust from community and brought women and children in this struggle for rights.

7) Delivery model: i. Registration as citizens and voters make way for allocation of resources (lands) and development opportunities to these indigenous minorities. ii. Women’s participation in local government systems at union council, tehsil and district level, would organize the community as a right-based group. iii. Raising the issue of minorities in the settled community would reduce the violence against the women of these groups. iv. The linkages established during the project would attract researchers, analysts and gender activist to the issues of indigenous minorities. v. This initiative would leave good impact on children of target community in terms of confidence building and possibility of education in future. vi. Participation in the electoral politics would result in establishing separate constituencies for these indigenous peoples.

8) Key operational partnerships: DAMAAN established following partnerships (in fact networking) at local, national and international level: Local level: i. Women councilors at district government level. ii. Local media (newspapers and radio). iii. Local citizens, which came forward to support the education of indigenous children (two schools-under-shed, with one teacher each). National level: i. Human rights organizations e.g. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). ii. Right based movements like ‘Affectees of Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project’. iii. NGOs – Actionaid Pakistan, SUNGI Development Foundation, Pakistan Network of Rivers, Dams and People (PNRDP), Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (SAAG), Pakistan NGO Forum, UNDP, Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum, Society for Alternative Media and Research (SAMAR), Aurat Foundation. International level: i. CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizens Participation, (ii) Survival International, (iii) ILO, & (iv) South Asian Association of Rivers & Peoples (SARP).

Some organizations also put indigenous people’s issues at their websites:

a) CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizens: www.civicus.org/new/media/BriefonIndigenousMinoritiesofIndu s.doc. & www.civicus.org/new/media/report_people_indus.doc b) Indus Asia Online http://www.indus-asia- online.blogspot.com/. c) Ride for Education: http://www.r4e.org/DAMAAN.htm d) Brief on Indigenous Minorities of Indus’ at www.sedc.org.pk/portal/reports/index.php

9) Financial model: Currently, this initiative sustains with the help of volunteers from the community, human rights activists, individuals from the neighbouring communities, and collaborative activities (demonstrations, seminars and publications).

          • Costs as percentage of income: nil

          • Financing: From 2000 to 2004, the initiative was financed with the help of local human rights activists and organization, and DAMAAN's savings. From February 2005 to March 2006, DFID provided funding for one year research and advocacy (amounting Pak Rs.1,551,000/- (Pak Rs.60.65 = $1).

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: In general, we estimate that over seven hundred indigenous peoples have benefited from this initiative in terms of information, social organization and their linkages with the neighbouring communities and line departments since 2000, while equal number of human rights activists benefited in terms of learning about indigenous peoples cultures and livelihoods.

          • Number of clients in past year: In specific terms, during the last one year following number of indigenous people have benefited in specific terms: i. Five hundred Kihal women and men became registered citizens with National Identity Cards (the basic citizenship document in Pakistan) and voters. ii. Thirty Kihal and Mor women got training in updating their crafts to the market. iii. One hundred Kihal children are getting primary education in school-under-shed with one teacher. iv. Ten young activist from the community whom DAMAAN involves in almost all its activities for their capacity building / training.

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Scaling Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: So far, due to lack of resources, we have not planned anything for more than one years. We will definitely extend our work, and would plan if offered resources.

12) Origin of the initiative: It all started from an informal relationship with these riverine peoples i.e. from singing, dancing on the riverbank to story telling. In 2000, DAMAAN started holding informal meetings with the communities. In 2002, DAMAAN did a micro research study on the plight of these peoples, funded by Minority Rights Group (MRG) International. In 2005, DAMAAN took a one year intensive research and advocacy project with the Gender Equality Programme of DFID. This programme enabled DAMAAN to register 500 of the Kihals and Mors with the Government as citizens and voters, held public discussions, seminars and festival at local and national level. Contact person: Wasim Wagha Research & Advocacy – Indigenous Peoples of Indus, & Tribal of Suleiman Mountains, Hosue-723, Street-74, G- 10/4, Islamabad (Pakistan). Tel: +92-51-2292284; Email: wasim_wagha@yahoo.com, damaan123@yahoo.com

Contact Information:
Wasim  Wagha
Executive Officer
DAMAAN Developmetn Organization
(NGO)
House-723, Street-74, G-10/4, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-2292284.
Fax: ni.
Email: wasim_wagha@yahoo.com
Website: nil