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| A tale retold, yet unheard |
NEW DELHI: A special film about the struggle of the Adivasis against mining and land grabbing was screened at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here earlier this week.
Made by Grass Roots Media Pvt. Ltd in partnership with Equations, 'Mahua Memoirs' takes viewers on a journey through the lives of the many Adivasi communities who live in the mountain tracts and forests of the Eastern Ghats across Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
Laying bare the hollow claims of some policymakers that mining brings in employment and prosperity to their region, the documentary showcases the loosing battle that indigenous tribals have been fighting against the private companies, which acquire their land for exploiting rich mining reserves.
The film was seen by Union Tribal Affairs Minister P. R. Kyndiah, the chief guest at the function. Speaking about the thought-provoking film, Mr. Kyndiah said it would go a long way in creating awareness among people about the sufferings of Adivasis. "There is lack of awareness about the problems and challenges faced by the tribals. I know this because I come from the Northeast," said Mr. Kyndiah, adding that Members of Parliament have been raising their voices against exploitation of the tribal people.
Mr. Kyndiah expressed concern over displacement of the tribes from their ancestral land. ``The land in which the tribals have been residing for centuries is now being taken away from them.
The Government will soon formulate a national tribal policy that will bring about changes in the life of the tribal people. We are still in the process of finalising the policy."
Since the early 1990s thousands of mining leases across the country have been issued, giving away prime Adivasi lands to national and global private mining corporations.
This happened despite there being a number of Constitutional safeguards to protect the interests of these vulnerable communities and their ecologically rich environs with which they share a symbiotic relationship.
http://www.hindu. com/2007/ 08/11/stories/ 2007081161171100 .htm |
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