La Licorne
ADDRESS in KOHISTAN
Meanwhile all of us realized that this
comfortable way of life could not go on forever. Swat Valley was not targetted
for the project and served only as a fact finding in-between.
So on Wednesday the third of June, again
without Mehjabeen, we drove down to Malakand to cross the Swat River by bridge
at Chakdara and to drive up to Sheringal where we arrived just before dinner.
The Forest Department resthouse was rather basic as compared to what we had
become used to.
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Whether driven by curiosity or
appetite I soon found myself back in the kitchen chatting with the cook and
servants. Of course we didn't share a common language but for them it was a
rare happening to find a stranger in their domain and for me it gave a
picturesque view of the housekeeping. So when we sat down for dinner, I found
the stain on the table linen and somewhat sticky dishes wonderfully toning in
the entire setting. What counted was that the food tasted and became us well. |
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The next day we traveled to Thall, the
northernmost village in the valley that could be reached by four-wheel drive
vehicle. On our way we saw lots of
stacked-up lumber. From the looks, it had been lying there for some
time, perhaps for years. After patiently inquiring we learned about the
struggles of the population against poverty. That evening we did a lot of
talking and I became impressed by the professionalism of the entire team. This
was of great help for the speech that was to follow the next morning.
Peoples of Kohistan. Referring to the assembled crowd in
plural was done in Pakistani English; besides they were from different clans.
Delivering a speech to them was not too difficult, since the interpreter
elaborated freely on the one-sentence statements, allowing the speaker to
prepare for the next utterance. Also, the people expected us forengies
to bring goodies, instead of taking loot out. Forgotten were the times of
foreign invaders; now they were rather on guard for their own kinfolk.
Men of Kohistan! Most farmers were sitting on the
grass in front of us, chairs only being provided for the members of our team
and the Maliks [local Elders], in that sequence. Women were not around.
I am grateful to the
Council of Maliks for permitting us to join your meeting. The day before we had made several
stops to attend to gatherings of the village people rounded up to meet us. Now
we were in the last and biggest meeting: with the Elders and farmers of
Sheringal and surrounding. There followed the obligatory introduction of
ourselves, the purpose of our visit etceteras.
We have heard of your
great deeds in the past. Notice that their deeds were heard
of, not admired. The latter might
have brought them in a state to take up their arms right again. The Kohistan
live remote and isolated. Geographically this is reflected in the terrain,
which is rugged with high mountains and little soil available for agriculture. 'Kohistan' means in Urdu: 'Country
of the Hills'. As rough the terrain as tough the people up there.
The Kohistanis are settlers of the area from pre-Islamic times. A long time the
rich forests were sufficient in providing nuts, fruits, wood and crops for the
small communities, as well as grazing for their herd. With the growth of the
population disputes arose about the land belonging to the different villages.
Reports of unrest broke out in the early part of the twentieth century, when
local rulers sold forests to outsiders for financing internal warfare. The
British Indian Government, fearing floods and siltation from the forest
denudation on the lower irrigation systems, tried to stop the cutting, but the
Kohistanis managed to defend their independence until 1960 when the Government
of Pakistan succeeded in putting the forests under the control of the Forest
Department. It is doubtful whether this has improved the situation, because the
depletion of the forests seems to have accelerated ever since. Certainly the
matter escalated once more when the government proclaimed all the forests state
property. This wouldn't work anywhere, and definitely not with the Kohistanis
who once again set aside their internal differences and united against the
rival from outside. The state of restlessness and confusion came to a head in
1976 when the Kohistanis were up in arms against government troops. As a result
they were promised a 60% share of the forest proceeds. However, disputes
continued about the value of the timber, the rate of felling, damage
compensation, recruitment of local personnel, etceteras.
We have traveled over your beautiful territory. It was quite pretentious to
investigate their world in a one-day trip, but they would not question our
competence.
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Going to the north we had climbed from an
elevation of 1350 meters to 2200 meters above sea level. On our way we had seen hillsides with oak
shrub as left-overs from forests incessantly lopped for wood and leaf-fodder,
or burned away altogether for a few years' cultivation. Continuing we had
seen richer stands gradually evolve into forests, and ultimately the road end
in thick wood of pure Deodar. |
We spoke with the
neighboring clans.
The aged stockpiles of logs we had noticed were silent witnesses of the ongoing
conflicts between the rightholders. Property boundaries are not properly
demarcated on the ground, with the result that forests are burdened with claims
from different quarters. In an effort to ensure that the other clan does not
reap the benefit, ruthless felling for own sake takes place.
Today we have come to
listen to your needs.
Not that the needs of these people were much different from those we had met
yesterday. The majority of them are illiterate and poor. Their source of
economic strength is their forest resource.
When we look at the
hills around us.
Hills on both sides of narrow valleys dominate the landscape. The flatter parts
have been occupied since long ago, so that new farmers are forced to go higher
and higher for land to make terraces on ever steeper slopes. Looking up to
these lots it doesn't take much imagination to visualize reports about hundreds
of victims from landslides during heavy rain. The shallow soils are saturated
by a few inches of rainfall and any excess turns them into a muddy mass prone
to downslide. When this moves it includes everything vested on it -vegetation,
animal stock, building and populace- to bury all under a thick mass at the foot
of the mountain. The area left for rangeland serves for fodder and firewood,
but is also being degraded. Trees were only seen near the crest of the hills.
The older ones among
you remember that those hills were under forest from the base down there right
up to the top. In
their appetite for cash, department and population alike have been in a hurry
to sell the timber, without taking proper measures for regrowth.
While the trees
disappeared the number of children increased. The royalties of the wood sales are allocated
in equal portions to the rightholders, which are: all the males belonging to
the clan. This means that each newly born male in the family adds to the
household income and is welcome already on that account.
Deodar fruit
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Today more mouths have
to be fed than ever.
The yield of staple food, such as wheat, maize and potatoes stays at a low
level. Walnut, apple, apricot, plums and peaches supply the diet. The poor
fodder position of the over-populated livestock keeps the return from animal
husbandry low. For additional income the people depend on the royalties, the
illicit sale of wood and labor opportunities. Under the present circumstances
the population in number has surpassed the carrying capacity of the land, but
there is potential to increase the productivity.
We want to discuss
what should be done about it. On the cultivable land, improved irrigation, farm supplies and
agricultural practices could boost the yields. Rotational grazing by a
rejuvenated herd could elevate animal produce. Extension to the village women
-who play a dominant role in rearing the animals- would be needed. As for the
forests, reversal of the over-exploitation is needed if this source of income
is to last. All this can only be achieved when the benefits of the changes are
enjoyed by the local population and not by outsiders.
Don't expect much
outside help. Up to
now the government institutions have not been able to protect the forests from
cutback, nor to bring agriculture and animal husbandry above the traditional
level. The local population is aware of its bleak future and, knowing that it
is not able to rectify the situation on its own, is looking out for genuine
support. Confidence in what the government has to offer remains low all the
same. Giving the forests back to their original owners could restore this. By
admitting that it is the forests that are the people's main asset for the
future, it can be demanded that the trees be exploited in a durable manner.
This can only be achieved when the land titles are settled once and for all.
The Government could reach out its hand by forfeiting its share of the forest
proceeds. Such a move would entitle the Government to ask assurances from the
population. It would also be wise to do away with the anomaly of each newly
born male generating a new share on the forests.
Deodar branch
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This originates from the times of forest
abundance and low population. Under the present circumstances the rule delutes
the income per head and drives the population in a competition for
reproduction. Remains the question whether the government budget can do without
the royalties? Those close to the Treasury are probably tempted to object, but
may realize that the future returns of the lumber are decreasing anyway, given
the rising costs of exploitation and the lowering returns of the forests.
The destiny is in your
own hands. On the
individually owned land the people can farm as they like, but when it comes to
the irrigated land, the rangelands and the forests they have to work together
in order to make things work. Irrigation systems serve several of farms, and
require co-operation. For rotational grazing of the commonly owned rangelands
the villagers should agree on the tracks to be grazed, respectively to be
preserved for re-growth. In a similar way the cutting for wood on the
rangelands and in the forests has to be regulated, and measures for re-growth
taken. Altogether there is a lot to be gained when the villagers manage to work
in a common direction. Natural resource management by the villagers themselves
enables them to combine their knowledge of the terrain with their actual needs
and sense of responsibility for their future. However, knowing what should be done,
does not warrant effectuation. The people will value any proposal for change on
its immediate result and will come only into action when they expect benefits
from it.
All the while Jens stood somewhere beside the
crowd. With his head at a slight angle, he was carefully listening. From time
to time I had looked into his direction as to ask confirmation of my utterings,
for it had been he who had instructed me the night before about the state of the
forests. Finding his lips in a faint smile I knew I did all right.
Then the moment came to make a closing
statement. During the speech my face had been stern as that of a Kohistani
elder. Now I made it brighten, while I reached out my hands and walked over to
the Elder in Chief. Surprised, the latter came up from his chair and laid his
furrowed hands into mine. Making sure to hold my grip onto him, I vowed: Let the people of our generation take the
proper decisions to make sure that these men, our sons, work for the future of
these youngsters, our grand children. While articulating, I gestured from
the elders, including myself, to the adult men sitting around us, and finally
to the children all over.
Upon those words the interpreter hesitated,
which made a figure in white camiz come to his feet. I continued holding the
Chief's hands firmly and looking him deeply into the eyes. In this position we
heard the Regional Conservator of Forest in sonorous voice give an impressive
translation of my closing remark. That signaled the crowd to applaud
enthusiastically, and to start shuffling in our direction for grabbing hands.
read on about DIR FORTRESS