The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • Page 17

LATIMES.COM/WORLD A21 The pen, sometimes said, is mightier than the sword. For these women, also a ticket to respect. Khabar Lahariya, or is first newspaper written, read and run by tribal women and those from the Dalit, or so-called untouchable, caste. While most readers know only of the politics, crimeor education news in the 8-page weekly, each of the writers has a story of her own about struggling against harsh challenges. Many of the dozen or so women on staff were beaten or sexually abused as children, married off young, endured abusive marriages and fought mightily for an education and a divorce.

Often, the newspaper provides them with a voice on important issues for the first time in their lives along with a sense of confidence and purpose. The paper is also a labor of love. Not only do the women write the stories, which appear in a local minority language, Bundeli, they edit, handle layout, proofread and solicit ads for its two editions. And staff members, paid between $60 and $140 a month, spend several days each week lugging copies to distant villages, some accessible onlyby hiking trails, to flog what produced. take buses, cars, motorcycles until the road stops, then we said Meera, 23, who like many here uses only one name, while sitting beside a whiteboard with the stories mapped out.

hard enough to reach many of these remote areas. Then you have to stay and sell the In the remote communities, they pick up stories from readers or from residents petitioning for justice in courts and government offices. Thus armed, they return to their weekly editorial meeting with a minimum of five ideas and hash out among themselves what stories will make it into print. The recent stories included alleged bribery at health clinics, a bureaucrat reported to be siphoning off money meant for widows and a piece on the brother of a powerful politician who built a house, blocking water that had gone to Dalit farmers nearbyand destroying their livelihood. Afew years ago, the paper did a story on a groom who had refused to marry his fianceebecause her family give him an appliance he wanted.

Their story under the headline you want a wife or a huge attention. Today the couple are happily married and joke about the incident. The 4-cent cover price for Khabar Lahariya may seem like a pittance. But here in rural Uttar Pradesh state, where poverty is widespread and Internet use is not, this often represents ahuge sum. Sometimes the staff members barter copies of the newspaper for food or firewood.

They might even give away free copies if someone is impoverished but seems particularly interested. Staff members estimate that each of the 4,000 weekly copies is read by, or to, at least 10 other people, a function of the limited literacy and extreme poverty. The newsstand price covers less than of the $67,000 annual operating budget. The difference is covered by Nirantar, a New Delhi- based civic groupspecializing in gender, literacy and development issues. The group conceived of the project and believes it can serve as a model for other communities in India.

A few weeks ago, the project won a UNESCO literacy prize. Khabar Lahariya focuses its articles on issues of importance to Dalit, tribal or other underprivileged communities not covered elsewhere. When Dalits are featured in the mainstream press, reporters said, the approach is often sensational and superficial. At the core, the women seek to help their mostly downtrodden readers know their rights, understand what government programs are available and teach them how to apply for assistance. Meera, 38, who has the same name as her fellow editor, said the staff faced huge resistance when the newspaper launched in 2002.

Feudal kingpins long used to subjugating their workers; landlords who want their exploitative practices revealed; corrupt officials; even journalists, who are often part of the old club all resented their appearance on the scene. The younger Meera said she had argued extensively with her father and husband before they let her earn a degree in political science and take the newspaper job. The women say the newsroom structure remains loose and titles are often trumped by a system of respect among equals. A key point in many of the lives came when they realized, usually at some point in primary or middle school, that as Dalits been born at the bottom of social pyramid. For the younger Meera, the painful awareness came when she realized the teacher in her remote village never drank the water she offered himand would accept it only from higher-caste students.

Reporter Mithlesh, 44, remembers noticing that her primary school teacher segregated the or lower-caste, children from the rest, encouraging the higher-caste kids to wash their clothes if a child touched them. Shanti, another staffer, said her family was so poor and of such a low status that she never attended school. At 32, she divorced an alcoholic husband who regularly beat her, taking their five children and starting her education from scratch. Now 40, supporting the family with her newspaper joband ensuring her children are educated. I can read and people cheat me she said.

Caste is a social institution and probably here to stay, the women said. But if educated and know your rights, people are more respectful. As Indian society changes, affected by urbanization and internal migration, a more liberalized economy and political shifts, the grip of this restrictive system is slowly weakening. Dalit women say they can be their own worst enemies given that caste distinctions are ingrained from birth. Then the prevalent belief that individuals somehow deserve their fate because of good or bad karma carrying over from the last life.

think I did anything wrong in my last the younger Meera said. a Disha Nirantar program coordinator based in New Delhi who helps train prospective reporters, said the social pressure to in your extends to those holding staff jobs. In spite of the opportunities that come with working at the newspaper, there is a huge turnover. Many women leave after a few weeks or months, uncomfortable with taking a more assertive role. But for many of them, the very act of doing a job at which they ask challenging questions of high officials, rich locals and derisive politicians is empowering, the women said.

Learning how to use technology is also pretty nifty, some said. job has really helped me stand up and be said Kavita, 30, another co-editor. year ago, I never even imagined something like a computer or the Internet existed. This Google is amazing. You can read other newspapers just like Readers have responded and circulation is growing, up from 2,500 a few years ago.

papers printed in our language and write about local news most interested said Balbir Singh, 36, owner of a small shop in Jauharpur. really feels like our own. I just wish it were more than eight pages so have more to mark.magnier@latimes.com Anshul Rana in The New Delhi Bureau contributed to this report. News for and by oppressed women Dalits in northern India, overcoming social hurdles, run a weekly by themselves. Their own stories are as compelling as the reports.

Mark Magnier reporting from banda, india Mark Magnier Los Angeles Times JOINT EFFORT: Shanti, left, Meera and Prema meet at the office of Khabar Lahariya, first newspaper run by tribal and Dalit women. It recently won a UNESCO award for promoting literacy..