| Amnesty International to support Tribal Rights Act |
Amnesty International is observing International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples : 9 August 2007 to support the urgent demands for adivasi/indigenous peoples right to full implementation of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)Act, 2006, to a life free of the threat of evictions and displacement, and the release of humanrights defenders.
These demands have come to a head due to the case of Narmada, Kashipur, Singur, Kalinganangar, Nandigram, Chhatisgarh, Rewa and many more, where state repression of movements and their leaders; culture of torture, unlawful killings and impunity have been continuously carried on in the name of development and 'national' interest.
On this day, in the cities of Delhi (New Delhi), Kolkata, Durgapur, Jalpaiguri and Purulia (West Bengal), Jalna, and Aurangabad (Maharashtra) , Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Palakkad and Cochin (Kerela), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Poonch (J&K), Mohali and Nawashar (Punjab), Banda, Amroha, Moradabad, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Jamshedpur, Madhupur and Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Raipur and Durg (Chhatisgarh) , Rourkela, Berhampur (Orissa), Lanka (Manipur), Pauri Garhwal (Uttaranchal) and in other places there will be seminars, round table meetings and press conferences, signature campaigns, silent marches and candle light protests.
In India, we are at a juncture where after a long struggle by adivasi groups and movements, The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, has been passed. The GOI while framing the Forest Rights Act has for the first time admitted the historic injustice done to adivasis. This Act is a result of collective struggles of Peoples' and mass tribal organizations and movements. It draws out the individual and community rights of tenure, rights ofaccess, rights of ownership over forest, right to in situ rehabilitation including alternative land in the case of illegal eviction or displacement.
Firstly, the Act should be implemented fully and immediately. Secondly, the Draft Rule circulated by the Govt. should end its discrimination towards non-S.T populations who are mainly Adivasis (non scheduled in many states), Pastoral communities (O.B.Cs and Muslims) living in forest areas and are being demanded 75 years of proof of residence.
Thirdly, the powers of Gram Sabhas should not be diluted in the Rules while Forest Department is privileged. There are no mechanisms to protect adivasis/indigenous people from the Forest Department utilizing the situation to create divisions among the communities and perpetuating the process of 'Historical Injustice'.
Fourthly, the concern is that the government's ceaseless sanction of SEZs and other industrial projects in the adivasi heartland are bound to conflict with the bundle of rights conferred by the Act. This will force adivasis into confrontation with state, corporates, or any force that government may deem to use. Additionally, in most of the adivasi areas, the free and prior consent of people have not been sought for projects, compensations have not been fair, nor has rehabilitation by the state been legally assured in comprehensive and substantive manner.
In the light of this, we demand an end to further displacement in adivasi areas. Fifthly, adivasi leaders have been beaten, detained, rearrested when released by the court, rallies have been disrupted by corporate sector goondas, adivasi/indigenous women have been sexually assaulted with little action taken against this by the government against perpetrators. These extra-legal activities are having a toll on the right to life, freedom of expression and freedom of association, in adivasi/indigenous areas.
To ensure that adivasi/indigenous people's rights to life, forest, land and rehabilitation, life with dignity and human rights safeguards are assured in practice, SUPPORT the demands for implementing The Scheduled Tribes and OtherTraditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)Act, 2006; demand to stop evictions and to release human rights defenders.
For more information
Amnesty International India
C-1/22, 1st floor, Safdarjung Development Area,
Hauz Khas, New Delhi—110016
Phones: 011-41642501, 268854763.
E-mail:membership@ amnesty.org. in , admin-in@amnesty. org |
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