Justice in Mining Network

December 2025 Newsletter Justice in Mining Network  South Asia  Message Johar! As we conclude the year 2025, we do so without the comfort of closure. The calendar turns, but the crises that define our times continue—deepening, mutating, and revealing ever more clearly the structures of power that sustain injustice. The news that unfolds in this December issue reminds us that while governments speak the language of reform, sustainability, and development, the lived realities of Adivasi, Dalit, fisher, and working-class communities tell a far more troubling story. This is a year ending not with resolution, but with urgent warnings. A central development this month is the Jharkhand Cabinet’s approval of the PESA Rules, presented as a long-awaited step toward strengthening Gram Sabhas and recognising Adivasi self-governance in Fifth Schedule areas. However, the mixed reactions from Adivasi organisations reveal a deeper concern: empowerment that is partial or diluted risks becoming...