2005 - Indian Social Institute

TRIBALS – 2005
Compiled by
K. Samu, Human Rights Documentation,
Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road, New Delhi
Endangered tribes may have survived (6)
New Delhi, December 31: CLOSEST TO nature and aware perhaps of its fury and the ways to escape it,
most endangered tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Is lands have survived the tsunamis.
Among the aboriginals, the Onges, the Jarawas, the Sentinelese, and the Andamanese are of Negroid
descent. They live on the Andaman Islands. The re maining tribes of Shompen and Nicobarese belong to
the Mongoloid stock, inhab iting the Nicobar Islands. The maximum casualties have been among the Nicobarese,
with a population of 28,653, out of which 656 have died and nearly 3000 are missing. Also unclear
is the fate of the Shompens of the worst hit Great Nicobar. When counted last, they had numbered 398.
As for the most endangered Sentinelese, 32 out of the 39 recorded by the previous cen sus have been
spotted. They live in complete isolation, driving outsiders away with bows and arrows. For this reason, the
Coast Guard used floats to deliver coconuts to them from a safe distance. The Sentinelese, Onges and
Andamanese seem to have survived the killer waves because they live in the deep forests of An-damans.
Of the 96 Onges, 94 are safe in a cluster of Islands in the Little Andamans. Like wise, the 49 Andamanese
and 266 Jarawas have survived. Inhabiting middle and south Andamans, the Jarawas, in fact, have grown
in numbers compared to their 240 count three years ago. (Hindustan Times 1.1.05)
Future of Andaman's 500 Jarawa tribals uncertain (6)
New Delhi: There was no concrete infor mation till late Friday evening about the condition of the 500-odd
Jarawa abo rigines tribe inhabiting the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Of these, at least 260 were reported to
have survived the devastating tsunami by hanging on to the trees. Ac cording to the 2001 census figures,
there were around 250 Jarawas inhabiting the middle-south Andaman Is lands. By the end of this year their
population is ex pected to have more than doubled, a senior govern ment official said. The ministry of tribal
af fairs on Friday said: "Accord ing to latest information, five primitive tribal communi ties are reported to be
safe, including the Sentinelese, who live in North Sentinel Is land. They were sighted dur ing the aerial
surveys." The ministry has an nounced that it had released Rs 2 crore for the rehabilitation of the
primitive tribal communities in Andaman and Nicobar, adding that, if necessary, more funds would be
provided.
The ministry further said it had despatched two officers (including an an thropologist) who will "visit
the habitation of these primitive tribal communities to as sess the damage first hand so that a proper relief
package may be prepared for them. (Times of India 1.1.05)
Some good news, a tribe of 50 survives in Andamans (6)
PORT BLAIR, JANUARY 2: THE king and queen live. So do their 48-odd sub jects. After days of search,
the Great Andamanese— the tiny aboriginal tribe be lieved to have been the first ! to come in direct
contact with the British—have been found. All 50 of them were spot ted sitting huddled together on a
hillock on the desolate Strait Island in the An damans, their little kingdom for decades together, having
miraculously survived the killer tsunamis last Sunday. "They are alive! I can't tell you what a loss it would
have been had they too been lapped up by the surg ing waters," said an elated Tribal Welfare Officer
Shabnam. "An entire chap ter would have been erased from history." An extremely tight-knit tribe that
rarely ventures out of the thickly wooded Strait Island or marries outside the community, the Great
Andamanese have fasci nated anthropologists and researchers worldwide. Ruled by a king and queen, the
tribe however is in dan ger of losing its unique iden tity with its numbers dwin dling and with the modern
world knocking at its doors. Of the 50-odd Great An damanese living today, about 10 are in contractual
jobs with different govern ment agencies. (Indian Express 3.1.05)
Andaman tribes could foresee the disaster (6)
New Delhi, Jan. 2: Scientists might have problem in understanding the tsunami disaster but some tribes
of Andaman and Nicobar have the foresight of the natur al calamity and managed to leave their villages

hours before the tsunami disas ter struck the coastline. JNU researchers, who are in the island studying
the tribals lifestyle, claimed that tribals who were not part of government sponsored welfare pro gramme
suffered less than those tribals who had been rehabilitated by the state. Professor Anvita Abbi, Centre of
Linguistic and English, JNU, who is conducting a research project in these islands said that one of her
research student Pramod Kumar (still in Andaman and Nicobar islands) told her that Jarawa tribe were
able to under stand and interpret the changing pat terns of wave hours before the disaster struck, last
Sunday. "Jarawa tribes then climbed off to higher places and sur vived the devastation," she claims. "One
of the unnamed tribal aged between 65 to 68 years had told Pramod yesterday, that his grandfather has
cau tioned him on the Tsunami during his childhood. When this tribal saw the changing patterns of waves,
he raised an alarm and saved his community from the calamity," she says. The historical facts confirm
that there have been similar Tsunami calamity in 1941 in the same area which had also caused
widespread damage and researchers say that these tribals have developed natural instincts to visualise
such disasters. (Statesman 3.1.05)
Arrows for rescuers say tribals are safe (6)
NEW DELHI, Jan. 3. — In the first con tact between the administration and the endangered Sentelese
aborigines in Sentenel Island in Andaman and Nicobar, the tribals greeted the Coast Guard helicopters by
firing arrows at them, an indication that outsiders are "not welcome."
The photographs of the Sentenel trib als firing arrows were displayed to news men here by director general
of Coastguard Vice-Admiral AK Singh who said these were shot when the chopper was about 50 metres
from ground on the island. The Coast Guard helicopters' landing on the island was the first sign that these
aborigines, who are threatened with extinction, have survived 'Sunday's cata strophic tidal waves. Mr Singh
said his personnel had later made a reconnaissance of the island to find that the tribals were safe on the
high grounds. Similarly, Coast Guard teams had come across Onge tribals, who num ber about 100, on
the great Nicobar islands and found that most of them were also safe. He said there were similar reports
on the safety of the other threat ened aborigines inhabiting various islands. (Statesman 4.1.05)
Commission on tribals may be reconstituted (6)
NEW DELHI, Jan. 3.- After fears of the tribals of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands being severely
affected by the tsunami, the Union Cabinet is meeting tomorrow to consider the reconstitution of the
National Commis sion to study different features about tribals. The Centre wants the commission to study
issues re garding a host of tribes spread all over the country. They can be denotified as nomadic and
semi-nomadic tribes. They are spread in different parts of the country includ ing the North-East. The
Andaman and Nicobar Island is host to a large number of tribes including Ongis, Jarewas, Senitalese and
the Great Andamanis. Many of them are small in number, an initial report suggests. They have survived
the tsunami. A host of health related measures will also be placed be fore the Cabinet. They include a
scheme sponsored by the Centre during the Tenth Plan period to provide financial assistance for
upgrading and strengthening emergency ward facilities of state hospitals of town and cities located on
national highways. This would ensure that many people affected would survive as they would get
treatment quick ly. There could be many cases of road accidents as well. (Statesman 4.1.05)
Andaman tribes escape without major damage (6)
New Delhi: Tsunami has not been as big an an thropological disaster for primitive tribes of Andaman &
Nicobar as was being feared, main tains the tribal ministry. Jarawas, a heritage tribe, numbering around
270 are reported safe. But 3,000 Nicobarese are missing, sources said.
Ahead of the Wednesday's crucial meeting in the cabinet secretariat on relief and rehabilita tion, tribal
ministry has prepared a detailed note on the condition of six tribes inhabiting A&N Islands.
Since the Jarawas, who inhabit the middle and south Andaman Islands, have been at the fo cus, ministry
maintains that they have not been affected at all. Ministry also maintains that days before tsunami,
government as part of a national policy on Jarawas had exclusively reserved 1,028 square kilometres of
forest area for them. So far, the worst affected have been 26,000 Nicobarese, who inhabit the Car Nicobar
group of islands, mainly a plain area. But Great Andamanese, part of the Negrito group, who live in Strait
Island in Andaman were not so lucky. Though only 50 in number their habitation has suffered "substantial
dam age." They have been brought to Port Blair and tribal ministry plans to undertake an intensive
rehabilitation project for them. Onges, another tribe of Negrito group, inhabiting Dugong Creek, Hut Bay
and South Bay in little An daman are reported safe. (Times of India 5.1.04)

Return our land, demand tribals (6)
JAIPUR, JAN. 5. Dalits and tribals from southern Rajasthan, who reached here today on the com pletion of
a 10-day-long march from Chittaurgarh, demanded that their land encroached upon and illegally occupied
by the so-called higher castes be set free and restored to them in accord ance with the provisions of the
Tenancy Act. Agricultural land measuring thousands of bighas belonging to Bheel tribals and Dalits in
Chittaurgarh, Baran and Kota districts has been either trans ferred to the influential people of higher castes
allegedly by subterfuge or declared as Gov ernment property by misuse of the legal provisions during the
past two decades. The tribals claim that the provisions for restoration of land rights were hardly ever
implemented. About 400 people traversed a distance of 327 kilometres on foot in ten days to reach Jaipur
today to highlight their plight and demanded at a "Jan Sun-wai" (public hearing) that the il legal transfer of
land owned by •Scheduled Castes and Tribes be stopped forthwith and their land rights be restored.
Among others, noted social activist and member of the Na tional Advisory Council, Aruna Roy, president of
the Rajasthan unit of People's Union for Civil Liberties, Than Singh, and Brah-madev Sharma of Bharat
Jan Andolan, addressed the Jan Sunwai and emphasised the need to protect the land title of tribals and
Dalits. A survey conducted by two non-Government organizations in Chittaurgarh district has re vealed that
1,389-bigha agricul tural land of 415 Bheel families in 92 villages is currently in the possession of higher
castes through mortgage or transfer of title. The total value of the land has been estimated at Rs. 10
crores. (The Hindu 6.1.05)
We are safe, say Jarawas (6)
JIRKATANG, JAN. 6. Carrying bows and arrows, members of the an cient Jarawa tribe emerged on
Thursday from their forest hab itat in the Andaman and Nicobar islands for the first time since the tsunami
tragedy. In a rare interaction with out siders, the larawas said all 250 of their tribe had survived by flee ing
inland. "We are all safe after the earthquake. We are in the forest in Balughat," said Ashu, an
arrow-wielding tribesman. Even though the Jarawas sometimes interact with local of ficials to receive
government-funded supplies, the tribe seemed wary of visitors. "My world is in the forest," Ashu said in
broken Hindi through an in terpreter in a restricted area at the north end of South Andaman island. "Your
world is outside. We don't like people from out side."
There are only an estimated 400 to 1,000 members alive today from the tribes of Jarawas, Great
Andamanese, Onges, Sentinelese and Shompens who live on the islands. Some anthropological
DNA studies indicate that the generations of tribes may have spanned back 70,000 years. They originated
in Africa and migrated to India through Indonesia, an thropologists said. Government officials and anthropologists
believe that an cient knowledge of the movement of wind, sea and birds may have saved the
indigenous tribes from the tsunami. Seven Jarawa men — wearing only un derwear and amulets —
emerged from the forest to meet govern ment officials to say they had all managed to flee to the forest
when the deadly waves came. They said they survived by eating coconuts in the aftermath of the tsunami,
which killed 901 people and left 5,914 missing on the An daman and Nicobar islands. (The Hindu 7.1.05)
Prosperous Nicobarese worst hit: Govt. report (6)
New Delhi: The tsunami waves hit the nu merically large and more prosperous Nicobarese, the largest ST
population living in the Car Nicobar plains, sparing much of the remaining tribal population in the An daman
and Nicobar Islands. Still looking for the 3,000 missing Nico-barese and sending relief to the remaining,
the Union home ministry has based its es timates, made public on Thursday, on the 2001 Census figures
and reports from the is lands. It is still in the midst of surveying the damage in terms of life and property.
The others — Andamanese (43), Jarawas (240), Onges (96), Sentinese (39), all primi tive tribes of people
who belong to the Negrito group and Shorn Pens (398), who are of Mongloid extract — are either not affected
or reported safe.
The Census figures show that the STs, numbering 29,469, constitute only 8.27 per cent of the total
3,56,152 population as on March 1, 2001. The actual numbers have registered marginal increase in the
last three years. The islands in the popular perceptions are the home to several tribes, some of them
endangered. But they have under gone demographic changes, particularly since Independence, when
people from the mainland and refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan settled there. Only about ten per
cent of the STs live in the Andamans district, while the remain ing 90 per cent live in the Nicobars. Of the
total Andamanese population of 43, (24 men and 19 women), inhabiting mainly Straits Island in Rangat
tehsil, nine were found to be living in Port Blair town. Their habitats have suffered substantial damage and

they require rehabilitation.
The internationally famous Jarawas, numbering 240 (125 men and 115 women) have settlements in six
villages of An damans district. They live in the jungles and on highlands and are also reported safe. (Times
of India 7.1.05)
Tribal dev plan revamp soon (6)
New Delhi: ADMITTING THAT the three-decade-old Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) strategy has failed thor oughly,
pushing these communities in the arms of the Naxalites, the Centre is con templating a major overhaul of
the existing developmental schemes in tribal areas. A high-level standing committee set up recently by the
PMO is likely to come out shortly with "viable and effective alterna tives" with the objective of assuaging the
feeling of neglect and alienation among the tribals and checking the growing Naxal in fluence among them.
According to official sources, the PMO's tribal panel will hold its second meeting this month to discuss,
among other things, the Naxalite challenge in tribal areas and the corrective measures. Home Secretary
Dhirendra Singh, a member of the com mittee, is likely to brief the panel on the is sue, sources confirmed.
In its first meeting last month, the pan el had set the nation's top mandarins in self-introspection mode on
how the Governmental failures had resulted in a deep sense of exclusion among tribals who had,
therefore, increasingly opted for Naxalism and oth3r forms of insurgency. While its Chairman, Dr
Bhalachandra Mungekar, told those attending the first meeting of the PMO's panel that "the Prime Minister
is not quite convinced with the ef ficacy of the ongoing development schemesunder the TSP", PM's Special
Advisor MK Narayanan — another member of the com mittee — felt that there had always been a direct
link between under-development of tribal areas and their propensity to being attracted to join Naxalite
groups. (Pioneer 8.1.05)
Tribal students want grant restoration for school (6)
VIKAS NAGAR (DEHRA DUN) JAN. 9. The 300-odd tribal girl students of Ashok Ashram, the oldest
central Himalayan Gandhian institution, here have urged the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to
intervene and restore the annual grant from the cen tral Tribal Welfare Department which was stopped
abruptly at the behest of the Uttaranchal Social Welfare Department.
"If the grant is not restored this school which topped in the Uttaranchal High School Board examination by
securing cent percent results last year may have to fold up for want of funds", the students said. This
institution established in 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi boasts of being the cradle for education among the
extreme ly poor Jaunsari, Bhoxa, Tharu and Bhotia tribals of the region. It has played a vital role in curbing
trafficking of women and rescuing girls from red light areas in the major cities of the country. Today, it
provides education with an ashram type atmosphere where the students and teachers are provided food,
clothes and other necessities. (The Hindu 10.1.05)
Andaman tribals reject govt rehab plan (6)
New Delhi, January 14: DESPITE THE havoc caused by the killer tsunami, the aboriginals of Andaman
and Nicobar have refused government help in reconstruction. The Andaman and Nicobar ad ministration
has informed the Union Home Ministry that the abo riginals were willing to accept only "construction
material" but insisted on reconstructing everything themselves.
This issue was discussed at length on Friday during a review meeting on relief and rehabilitation chaired
by home minister Shivraj Patil. Both Patil and home secretary Dhirendra Singh felt the "privacy and
reluctance of the tribes to mix with the outside world must be re spected".
These tribes include the Onges, Jarawas, Sentinelese, Shompen and Andamanese.
"The aboriginals have been extremely reluctant to take any help. Even food had to be sent to them on
floats from a safe distance," a senior ministry official said. However, the ministry feels that since Andaman
and Nicobar islands fall in seismic zone V and is ex tremely prone to earthquakes, the administration must
ensure that the endangered tribes get good quality houses.
The Home Ministry has asked the local administration to try and es tablish contact with the aboriginals
through intermediaries who can in volve the tribes in re-construction. If the tribes are still opposed to any
interference, the ministry will pro vide them just the construction material.
"Everything — right from the de sign of houses to construction — will be done according to their requirement
and specification. The idea is to make sure that these tribes don't suffer in case of another
calamity," the official said. (Hindustan Times 15.1.05)

Tsunamis: 1,400 island tribals died (6)
New Delhi, Jan. 14: The government on Friday said that the total of 1,400 tribals have lost their lives in the
tsunami devastation which struck the Indian coastal towns and Andaman and Nicobar Islands on
December 26 last year. "The aborigines of A&N Islands are however, safe. Though some tribes, including
the Nicobaris, Sentinelese and Shompen, had been hit by the deadly
tsunami waves, all primi tive tribes, including Ongei, Sentinel and Jarwa in the Andaman and Nico bar
Islands, are safe. There is no question of extinction of any tribe," the Union tribal affairs minister P.R.
Kyndiah said. Addressing a press con ference here after coming back from A&N Islands, Mr Kyndiah said,
"The natural instinct of the local tribes also helped them find safe shelter just before the tsunami waves
struck." The Nicobaris tribe were the worst hit with 26,156 of the total population of 42,068 taking shelter in
camps, the minister said, adding in Andaman, out of a total of three lakh, 37,264 were now living in
camps. "We have now fine-tuned and streamlined the entire relief operations in the Islands," he said
adding the main concern of the central government and local administration was to rehabilitate the
affected people before the onset of monsoon which usually starts at the end of April. Mr Kyndiah said a
total of 1,400 tribals had lost their lives while about 5,000 were still missing, of whom 4,354 were from
Katchal Island alone. (Asian Age 15.1.05)
Tribal teachers face humiliation (6)
Bhubaneswar, January 25: THOUGH A number of teaching posts reserved for the ST community lie vacant
in Orissa due to lack of suitable candidates, the few who are selected by the gov ernment face hostile
recep tions in schools, especially in the coastal districts. The culprit: caste discrimina tion. When two tribal
teachers joined a school in Jagatsinghpur district recently, they were asked by locals to write their names
correctly on the blackboard as proof of their professional competence. The teachers — Kalandi Padhan
and Purna Chandra Padhan — refused to do so after which they were warned not to set foot on the
Odisho Balipatna Primary School again. Orissa's school and mass education minister Nagen-dra Pradhan
told HT: "The government has taken a se rious view of the incident. I have ordered the district in spector of
schools to direct the headmistress of the con cerned school to accept the joining reports of the two
teachers". The teachers have told the district inspector of schools that they were as saulted, harassed and
were forced to sit on the floor af ter running into trouble with one Mrutyunjay Das, who claims to be the
presi dent of a local parent-teacher association. (Hindustan Times 26.1.05)
Wedlock does not change caste: Court (6)
New Delhi, Jan. 30: Recognition of a forward caste woman to be one among the Scheduled Caste or
Sched uled Tribe community on the basis of her marriage cannot entitle her to contest an electipn from a
con stituency reserved for SC or ST, the Supreme Court has ruled. A bench of Chief Justice R.C. Lahoti,
Justice G.P. Mathur and Justice P.K. Balasubramanyan said "to permit a non-tribal under the cover of a
marriage to contest such a seat would tend to defeat the very object of such a reservation." This ruling
was given by the bench while upholding an Andhra Pradesh high court order setting aside the election of
Sobha Hymavathi Devi to the Assembly from a reserved constituency in the state. (Asian Age 31.1.05)
PM’s securitymen frisk tribal woman (6)
New Delhi: A controversy is brew ing over male security personnel al legedly frisking a tribal woman who
had gone to meet PM Manmohan Singh at his residence, 7 Race Course Road, as part of a delegation.
Though the Special Protection Group (SPG) has denied the incident, the tribal welfare director at the Centre
said he has got a complaint and was looking into the matter.
Karikka, 34, a member of the primitive Chola Naikan tribal com munity which numbers about 280 and lives
in caves in Kerala’s rain forests, went to the Prime Minister’s house on January 27, with her hus band
Mathan, to meet Singh. They were taken by the tribal wel fare ministry with other tribals from all over the
country to meet the PM on the occasion of the Republic Day celebrations.
Mathan was cleared by the securi ty persons. But when Karikka’s turn came, she was checked by the male
security persons, said a tribal wel fare officer of the Integrated Tribal Welfare Project who accompanied the
tribals. The securitymen found a piece of arecanut and tobacco, which the trib als chew, from Karikka. The
securitymen then sent mes sages around and Karikka was not given permission to go with her hus band to
meet the PM. (Times of India 31.1.05)
FEBRUARY 2005

PM’s security had no role in tribal’s frisking (6)
New Delhi: The PMO on Monday denied that the Prime Minister's security had any role in the reported
incident of frisking of a tribal woman by male security personnel. The PMO also clarified that there was no
function either at the PM's residence or his office on January 27 for meeting Republic Day participants. A
PMO spokesperson said the PM had, however, gone to the Teen Murti House lawns to meet R-Day
participants. "But the PM's security — the SPG — had no role there," he said. "Security for that function
was handled by Delhi Police. It's wrong to say that PM's security was involved or that this happened at the
PM's residence." (Times of India 1.2.05)
For Jhabua tribals, Sangh dams come with a check: Shivlings first (6)
JHABUA, FEBRUARY 7: DEEP inside Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua, where the Sangh Parivar battles
Christian missionaries for the attention of tribals, a new factor has been thrown into the equation: check
dams. On March 8, Shivratri day, Vanvasi Kaiyan Parishad, a Sangh affiliate, will launch its Shivganga
project to set up talavs (ponds), check dams and stop dams in 131 tribal villages. On the surface, it looks
like another well-intentioned scheme to manage rainwater better.
But this one comes with a catch. Each village that launches the project must first instal a Shivling—so
what if the local administration says these villages already have enough talavs
and dams. Says Mahesh Sharma, general secretary of the Parishad: "The Ganga flowed through the jata
(mane) of Lord Shiva. We want the rainwater to stop here and the jata of Lord Shiva will stop the water
from flowing out of the villages." However, the project organisers are silent on whether Christian tribals will
be allowed to reap its benefits. (Indian Express 8.2.05)
Construction in tribal areas gets Govt green signal (6)
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 13: FOR the first time, the Ministry of Environment and Forest has allowed
construction activity in tribal areas and villages on the fringe of forests. The Ministry has issued a fresh set
of guidelines allowing a variety of "developmental" construction activity. In a letter dated January 3, sent to
state principal secretaries (forests), the Ministry has asked them to clear construction of schools,
hospitals, minor irrigation canals, rainwater harvesting structures, overhead electric and communication
lines, power sub-stations, vocational training centres and even police stations and outposts in "tribal
villages/forest fringe villages." The, letter lists 11 construction activities. The only stipulation is that the
forest land diverted for these activities should be less than one hectare and should not involve felling of
more than 50 trees per hectare. But it does not limit the number of projects, paving the way for a slew of
construction activity. The forest land will be handed over to government departments and then proposals
will be invited from agencies. "The government is committed to delegating more powers to the state
government for developmental activity for the larger good. If necessary, in consultation with state
governments and subject to judicial pendency, we will also look at amending the law," said Environment
Minister A Raja. (Indian Express 14.2.05)
Rs. 23 crores for 201 tribal families (6)
BANGALORE, FEB. 17. To prevent the people living in the reserve forests of the Western Ghats in the
State from being lured by naxalites, the State Cabinet decided to enlist the support of the Centre and take
up on a war footing their rehabilitation. Briefing presspersons on the decisions taken at the Cabinet
meeting held here today, the Minister for Information, B. Shivaram, said the Cabinet, however, refrained
from taking a decision on posting the Special Task Force to comb the hill ranges of the Western Ghats
and track down naxalites. The Chief Minister, N. Dha-ram Singh, had recently announced the constitution
of two special police squads to comb the hill ranges and the plains. The Cabinet also did not taken a
decision on the names of two senior police officers to head the special squads although the Chief Minister
had categorically stated that each squad will be headed by an officer of the rank of Deputy
Inspector-General of Police. At the Cabinet meeting, it was decided to obtain the support of the Centre
which has said that it will contribute for the rehabilitation of the people residing in the forests. Of the nearly
1,300 families residing in forest areas in and around the Kudremukh National Park, 201 families have
given their consent to settle down away from the forests and the cost of their rehabilitation has been
estimated at Rs. 23 crores at the rate of Rs. 11 lakhs a family. These families will be allotted agricultural
land with a house to reside. The children of those families will be provided education and each family will
also be eligible for free health-care facilities. (The Hindu 18.2.05)

Forbidden by church, priest looks for God in Jharkhand polls (6)
SHIKARIPARA, FEBRUARY 17: FOR. Albinus Murmu, this fight is for God though the Church is against it.
So leaving behind his white robe and the serene comfort of the cathedral, the priest, wearing kurta-pyjama
and a sleeveless overcoat, is out on the street, campaigning. "Have a new passion, new joy, confidence to
do something new. Only we can change the fate of Shikaripara," read posters carrying life-size
photographs of the Independent candidate from Shikaripara in Santhal Parganas. The 35-year-old
priest—who till the other Sunday spoke to his parishioners at the church in Dumka only about Jesus and
the Holy Bible—is seeking votes from them. The Roman Catholic church is not happy. Father Julius
Marandi, the Bishop, has suspended him, confirms Shikaripara-based St.Rita's Church in-charge
Sylverius Kujur. But Albinus, the philosophy graduate, stands like a rock. "Nothing moves without the will
of God. I am contesting because of His will," says Albinus. "The Bishop asked me not to contest. I told him
I will pray and decide. I did just that." (Indian Express 18.2.05)
FEBRUARY 22: AFTER years of legal battles, when the Ra-jasthan High Court acquitted Dhola Gameti
and his four brothers of murder charges, they thought their ordeal was over. But their Panchayat had a
different fate in store for them. Refusing to acknowledge the judgment, the Morela panchayat of Salumbar
in Udaipur looted their property, butchered their livestock and ostracised the Gametis. Today, the
Gametis, a clan comprising 132members of 27 families, are on the run from their own people. Most of
them have taken refuge in the hills of Salumbar; others have fled to relatives in far away villages. "Their
tormentors believe in the ancient tribal rule of a life for a life. The rehabilitation of the Gametis would come
at a huge cost—the sacrifice of a life," said Udaipur University professor C.D. Ola. Also the spokesperson
for the local unit of the CPI(ML), Ola has been fighting with the local administration for the rights of the
displaced Gametis. There are 40 kids and nearly 50 women in the clan. With food and water available 4-5
km from their hideout, life has become miserable for the gametes. The kids have been forced to terminate
their education, he said. (Indian Express 23.2.05)
Tribal babies married off to puppies (6)
Jamshedpur, Feb. 24: Every dog has its day — and what better than tying the knot with a human
Two baby boys and two baby girls were married to puppies at Kuluptang village in Saraikela-Kharswan
district, inhabited by tribals, to ward off the evil eye. District officials said that "kukur vibaha" or dog's
marriage, performed on the last day of Maghe Parvan, an important festival for tribals, had been a
long-time practice with villagers in many Jharkhand districts.
For the tribals the marriage is no different from any general marriage, as 54-year-old Sonamuni, who
blessed her three-year-old granddaughter Priya in one such marriage, yesterday said.
All customs which are normally associated with a marriage were discreetly followed. After a proper bath in
the nearby river, the children are taken to Jaherasthan, a place of worship of the tribals, in a procession
accompanied by a and in which neighbours and relatives dance with abandon before solemnising the
marriage with a puppy of the opposite sex. Sushila, mother of one-year-old son Durga, who was among
the four infants, said that if the first tooth of a baby boy or girl came out in the upper jaw, it was considered
inauspicious for the child and the family. In such cases, "kukur vibaha" is "one of the ways to ward off the
evil," she claimed. (Asian Age 25/2/05)
March 2005
The importance of being Enos Ekka (6)
Ranchi, March 4: JHARKHAND PARTY legislator Enos Ekka — one of the NDA's 41 prized MLAs who
were whisked away to Rajasthan — may be enjoying Rajasthani hospitality at the moment but his
supporters back home say he has been abducted and want him back. Close on the heels of Jharakhand
Party chief N.E. Horo threatening to sit on dharna if Ekka was not 'recovered1 soon, the people of Kolebira
(Ekka's constituency) have written to President Abdul Kalam about the "abduction". "We fear for the life of
our legislator. We are unable to contact him. We urge you to direct the administration to produce our
legislator," the letter reads. A new 'Enos Bulao Manch' has been set up to aid efforts to locate the MLA.
The manch will meet on Saturday to launch a campaign for Ekka. So what is the importance of being
Enos Ekka He holds the key to government formation. His decision may tilt the balance either way.

(Hindustan Times 5/3/05)
Tribals demand CBI probe (6)
NEW DELHI, MARCH 16. Alleging that the Kerala Government and the Central Bureau of Investigation
were trying to kill the tribal movement, members of the Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha today demanded
quashing of a CBI report on the Muthanga incident. "In 2001, the then Kerala Chief Minister, A.K. Antony,
had signed a land agreement with the adivasis. We thought it was a historic moment that marked the
success of the adivasi movement in South India. But in complete violation of the so-called accord, nothing
was implemented. And so the adivasis decided to resume their protest," said a leader of AGMS, C.K.
Janu, at a press conference here today.
Recalling the Muthanga incident in 2003, she said: "The adivasis had organised a peaceful protest at
Muthanga. But the police arrived there and started firing indiscriminately. Many were put behind bars even
though they had not done anything." (The Hindu 17/3/05)
April 2004
Land rights: Environment, tribal ministries slug it out (6)
New Delhi: A new law being framed to give rights over forests to tribals is caught in a fresh controversy
with the environment ministry virtually rejecting the draft Bill prepared by the tribal affairs ministry The
conflict is set to escalate, with the tribal affairs ministry planning to take its proposal to the Cabinet. Last
week, the environment ministry is learnt to have gone to the extent of telling the tribal affairs ministry it
really has no business piloting — or administering — a Bill which seeks to provide rights to tribals in forest
areas. The environment ministry is understood to have indicated there is no real need for the Scheduled
Tribe (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill. Existing rules and guidelines are more than adequate. In fact, it is
learnt to have indicated that the Bill in its present shape could cause irreparable ecological damage, with
the government losing control over nearly two-thirds of all forest land. There is even a suggestion that this
move is aimed at hiding inadequacies in development work. Eschewing controversy, environment ministry
officials are only willing to say that the new law would require "careful drafting". There is a need, they say,
to harmonise the rules of the two ministries so they don't end up working at "cross-purposes". The final
shape of any law, they argue, has to be consistent with the Forest Conservation Act and the forest policy
The bone of contention between the two ministries is about the definition of "ownership rights" to tribals.
While the tribal affairs ministry is in favour of granting them farming rights as well as rights over minor
forest produce, the environment ministry is much more circumspect. (Times of India 5/4/05)
Madhya Pradesh to crack down on forest encroachments (9)
BHOPAL, APRIL 4. The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet headed by the Chief Minister, Babulal Gaur, today
approved the new State Forest Policy which lays special emphasis on the need to check forest
encroachments as well as efforts to curb forest-related crimes. As per the new policy the revenue being
generated from the felling of timber and collection of minor forest produce should not be treated "only as
profit" but used for meeting the hopes and expectations of the forest dwellers. This specific thrust is
significant as the previous Congress Government under Digvijay Singh had decided to distribute the entire
profit accruing from exploitation of forests among the Van Samitis (forest committees). While focusing on
the need to go for optimum exploitation of forest resources, the new policy spells out guidelines to improve
the degraded forests through intense afforestation. Tree plantation should also be encouraged on barren
and fallow private land by rationalising the forest rules, the Policy adds. For the sake of improving
environment, the State Government even proposes to plant trees along highways and railway tracks. The
forest policy also spells out the need to ensure a proper security mechanism for forests. It talks of the
urgent need to complete the demarcation of all forest land and a speedy initiative to convert the existing
forest villages into revenue villages. There is also a proposal to set up special courts to try forest related
crimes. The policy underlines the, need to curb grazing on forest land and goes on to emphasise that
non-forest activities would not be allowed on forest land. (The Hindu 5/4/05)
Implement welfare policies for tribals (6)

NEW DELHI, APRIL 10. Carrying forward its pledge to organise continuous struggle by the scheduled
tribes against all forms of exploitation, social oppression and discrimination, the Communist Party of India
(Marxist) today decided to force the Government to implement welfare policies for tribal people. The
ongoing party congress adopted a resolution demanding that the Policy Document prepared by the
previous National Democratic Alliance Government be scrapped and the eviction of tribals from the land
they were living on for ages be stopped. The focus was part of the programme adopted by the last party
congress through a 13-point tribal people's charter of demands. The party noted that its capacity to
emerge as the representative of the toiling scheduled tribes was illustrated in Tripura and West Bengal.
The resolution demanded that the land from which the tribals were alienated through fraudulent means be
restored to them through fresh enactment and that the loopholes that permitted such fraud be plugged. It
also wanted the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act of 1988 to be amended, the implementation of a
comprehensive rehabilitation package for those displaced before undertaking any development project in
tribal areas, the enforcement of the Samata judgment of the Supreme Court and amendments to the Fifth
and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution to provide more autonomy to these areas. It wanted the
Government to provide wage employment, institutional credit, universal school education, health facilities
and social welfare schemes in the tribal areas and the implementation of reservation policies for all
categories of education and employment. (The Hindu 11.4.05)
Tribals raid police station (6)
6. WARANGAL, APRIL 11. Scores of Tribals in Maripeda mandal went berserk and raided a police
station, accusing the police of beating to death a tribal youth here today. According to information reaching
here, the police summoned one Cherupula Srinu of Jarpula thanda on the charge of a theft on Sunday
night. After making enquiries, they let him off. Feeling insulted for being accused of theft, he reportedly
consumed pesticide and died in front of the police station today. The tribals reached the police station and
staged a dharna keeping the body in front of the station. They burnt used tyres and threw stones at
policemen. They allegedly forced their way into the station and beat up the policemen. Two constables
were reportedly injured. Meanwhile, the police suspect that a Kakatiya University employee, Ramdas, had
allegedly provoked the tribals and have launched a manhunt for him. (The Hindu 12/4/05)
Ministries differ on tribal’s rights (6)
THIS IS a tough decision but one the government has to take. The ministry of tribal affairs wants to
de-notify large tracts of forest land and distribute it, at a rate of 2.5 hectares, to landless tribals in
recognition of their traditional right over the forests. Along with the land, those allotted plots would have
the right to convert their property into agricultural land. The ministry of environment and forests has
suggested that while the tribals' traditional rights need to be preserved and protected, this doesn't
necessarily translate into permanently giving away 16 per cent of forest land. Ministry officials say
traditional rights vary from place to place and that while an attempt was made earlier to get the states to
individually notify traditional rights in their respective territories, the matter went to court and the process
was stayed. Officials further point out: "Historically, tribals didn't have the right to fell trees in forest areas
to carry out agricultural activity. What they did have was rights over minor forest produce like mushrooms,
honey and fruit. They had rights over small game but this too was restricted to only those animals not
protected under various schedules. In addition, they had rights to water holes. To some extent, tribals in
some states have enjoyed cultivation rights but only in natural clearings and not by felling trees".
(Hindustan Times 15/4/05)
Tribal convention to focus on culture (6)
NEW DELHI: It is probably the best introduction that the Tribal Land Rights Bill - that is expected to be
tabled in Parliament during the current session -could have hoped for as 1,200 tribals and nomads gather
in the corridors of power here in the Capital to tell their story this coming week.
While they might not have politics on their minds, more than 80 communities of tribals and nomads that
have been left behind in the race for development will let their culture lead the way. Coming together at the
National Convention of Nomads and Adivasis being held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
(IGNCA) here from April 21 to 23, the event aims at going beyond just adding to their archives to get these
isolated groups to actually talk. "This is not just a village fair. The idea is not to get all these people to the
Capital so that researchers can benefit from documentation of their lives. The convention is to help the
tribal and nomadic communities. We hope to act as a catalyst, so that these communities from different

parts of the country get to meet for the first time and share their experiences," said the IGNCA
member-secretary, Ka-lyan Chakravarty, on Saturday. Bridging the boundaries of language between
communities, the convention hopes to make a tangible difference to their lives. "These communities have
their own literature, music as well as history. We want to record their stories and put their names on it so
that it is theirs. History in this country is usually about dynastic overthrows and we have bypassed groups
in the hinterland. At the convention, we hope to be able to change that and record their history," stated Dr.
Chakravarty. The convention that begins in the Capital this coming Thursday will set off a dialogue among
communities on sustenance strategies. It will also explore close connections between intangible tribal
culture and tangible heritage as well as the link between their art and crafts and resource management
methods. (The Hindu 17/4/05)
The battle for bauxite in Orissa (6)
THE BATTLELINES are drawn, rather unequally, in Kashipur, southern Orissa, one of the poorest
regions of the country. About 70 per cent of India's bauxite reserves are located here, some of it signed
away by the Government to mining companies. The State is determined to intensify its industrial
character and any hitches are dealt with summarily. For over 10 years, the Paraja and Kondl Adivasis of
Kashipur and the surroundint regions of Rayagada district have opposec1 the bauxite mining project by
Utkal Alumina. Consequently, the region has witnessed state terror in all its forms. Non-governmental
organisations supporting the Adivasis were blacklisted by the State Government in 1998 for waging a
"proxy-war" against the State and their funds cut off. Since last year, the State has revived the use of force
to curb the people's struggle and support groups are being formed in various parts of the country,
including Mumbai. Meetings are being initiated by students and activist groups to highlight the agitation in
Kashipur and more recently, in Lanjigarh. Support for the struggling Adivasis has come from as far away
as Canada where Alcan Inc.'s major smelting operations are located. Alcan Inc. has a 45 per cent stake in
Utkal Alumina's Rs. 4,000-crore, hundred per cent export-oriented alumina project. Last week, a press
release by a Montreal-based group, "Alcan't in India," which has been organising protests against the
Kashipur project, said that another demonstration was planned on April 28, when Alcan's annual meeting
will be held. Employees of two of Alcan's smelters have passed resolutions supporting the opposition to
the mining. It said that workers would refuse to smelt any alumina from Alcan's operations in Orissa. Past
protests against the project were met with lathicharges and even firing, in which three persons were killed
on December 16, 2000. An inquiry commission, headed by Justice P.K. Mishra, which probed the firing at
Maikanch, held the police and the district administration guilty but stressed the need for a bauxite project
for the uplift of the region. (The Hindu 20/4/05)
A tribe called Brahmin (6)
Darjeeling, April 18: Subash Ghisingh has officially demanded that all Gorkha communities, including
Brahmins, be declared Schedule Tribes. In a letter to Run war Singh, the chairman of the National
Commission of Scheduled Tribes, days before he left for Delhi to attend a tripartite meeting to end the
Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council impasse, Ghisingh demanded ST status for "other Gorkha tribes". He wrote
on April 9 selective granting of the status to some tribes had "created confusion, controversy and ill
feeling" among the hill people. The Government of India had through a notification on January 8, 2003,
granted ST status to the Tamangs and Limboos, which led to demands from other hill communities, for
the same status. The Lepchas and the Bhutias were earlier granted the ST status. Ghisingh has, however,
gone a step ahead and demanded that all other communities be declared Scheduled Tribes in India.
These communities, along with the Tamangs and Limboos, will constitute about 90 per cent of the hill
population.
The GNLF leader pressed for his claim saying all the Gorkha tribes shared their culture and religious
beliefs and were counted among "bonbo" worshippers (people who consider stones, rivers and trees their
deity). Sources said during his recent week-long stay in Delhi, Ghisingh raised the demand with the
departments concerned. Over the past few years, the DGHC has been holding the annual Bonbo National
Tourist Festival in the hills. Observers said the demand has the possibility of putting all other issues raised
by his rivals in the backburner and could also sway mass support in the coming days. (Telegraph 19/4/05)
Forest officials fear tribal Bill could create havoc (6)
New Delhi: Worried forest officials have sought a meeting with the PM to explain why a tribal forest rights
Bill now being drafted could lead to the "massive destruction of forests by inducing large-scale fresh

encroachments on forest land in the garb of tribals and forest dwellers". In fact, claim officials, they are
already getting reports of fresh encroachment from Maharashtra.
So far, they have got no response from the PM's office. What has come out is a response from the
Campaign for Survival and Dignity, which officially espouses the tribal cause. It condemns the
"misinformation" and "false alarm" and claims that the best forests are in tribal areas, while 60% of the
forests under the environment and forest ministry's charge has been reduced to wastelands. Within the
ministry, however, genuine concerns forced the unprecedented hardline stance of completely rejecting the
draft Bill. In a recent representation to the PM, the Indian Forest Service Association's Delhi unit followed it
up and sought a relook at the Bill. They say it will mean the country can never hope to achieve its target of
33% forest and tree cover and it will lead to a further loss of prime wildlife habitat, putting a question mark
even on national parks and sanctuaries — a sensitive issue since concerns on the tiger brought it to the
fore. (Times of India 23/4/05)
UPA's Tribal Bill: Tiger’s death warrant (6)
New Delhi: IF THE PMO and UPA have their way and The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest
Rights) Bill, 2005, is passed this Parliament session, India stands to lose 60 per cent of its forest cover.
Under the proposed Act, each nuclear family of a forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes will be given land up to
2.5 hectares. It's estimated that once the land is doled out, over 60 per cent of India's forests would be
handed over to 8.2 per cent of its population. In January, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had chaired a
meeting approving the Bill. If passed, Scheduled Tribes will have access to and ownership of minor forest
produce, rights of grazing and access to traditional seasonal resources. Besides, they will have the right to
self-cultivation. All of the above, cautions the Bill, can be exercised for 'bonafide' livelihood needs, though
how this will be ascertained and policed remains questionable. The rationale being offered is that the Bill
will 'correct the historical injustice.' It argues that forest rights on ancestral lands and habitat were not
recognised when lands were consolidated under forest areas during the colonial period as well as in
independent India. The proposed Act will override the Forest Conservation Act (FCA), 1980
and the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972 — measures that were initiated and piloted by then Prime
Minister, Indira Gandhi. The powers of policing will vest with Gram Sabhas, making the Forest Department
redundant. "The Indian Forest Service might as weE pack up," says a highly-placed source in the Ministry
of Environment and Forests (MoEF). (Pioneer 24/4/05)
Tribals all set to gain rights over forests (6)
New Delhi: It could well become the ' Magna Carta for forest dwelling tribals. Cleared by the law ministry
late on Tuesday night after months of turf war between the ministries of environment and forest and tribal
affairs, the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill lives up to the initial promise of
resuscitating the manki munda raj (rule of tribal chiefs). Proclaiming correction of "historical injustice
before it is too late to save our forests from becoming the abode of undesirable elements", the Bill at one
stroke seeks to return to the tribals their traditional rights on a host of issues which have been at the heart
of the conservation debate. It proposes 12 specific rights — "heritable but not alienable or transferable" —
to tribals of forest villages. These include: Right to hold and live in the forest land under the individual or
common occupation for habitation or for self-cultivation for livelihood , Right of access, use or disposal of
minor forest produce
Rights of entitlement such as grazing and traditional seasonal resource access of nomadic or pastoralist
communities, Rights in or over disputed lands under any nomenclature in any state where claims are
disputed * Rights for conversion of pattas or leases or grants issued by any local authority or any state
government on forest lands to titles * Rights of settlement of old habitations and unsurveyed villages,
whether notified or not, Right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage any community forest
resource which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving. (Times of India 28/4/05)
May – 2005
"Tribal Rights Bill could lead to societal division" (6)
NEW DELHI: The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005 has drawn criticism from
various quarters. Social groups and environmentalists believe that the Bill, if implemented in the present

form, could lead to social division while wildlife enthusiasts fear that access to the forest would harm
wildlife. "The draft Act drops forest-dwellers, including tribes not scheduled in some areas, Dalits and
other backward communities who are linked to the forest, for livelihood needs. "This can create conflict
among the forest people," says Souparno Lahiri of the Delhi Forum. How can you give rights to one
community in a forest village and ask the other to leave, if it fails to verify it's claim of being
forest-dwellers, asks Sanjay Bosu Mullick of the Jharkhand-based Jungle Bachao Andolan. It will create a
social division in a village where different communities have been living in peace for decades. " The
Government would take away the right to food and work from the people who would be asked to leave
their habitat," he adds. For Soumitra Ghosh, an activist from North Bengal, by conferring all rights to the
Gram Sabha, it makes the draft Act almost impossible to implement in all non-scheduled areas and even
in the scheduled areas where the Gram Sabha has not been constituted properly or not formed.
The draft is also not clear on how common property resources like pastures and forests suitable for "jhum"
cultivation would be recorded, and protected within the framework of 2.5 hectares per family, Mr. Ghosh
says. "In fact, the biggest drawback of the draft is that it confuses Scheduled Tribes with adivasis and
forest-dwelling populations of traditional communities that include large number of non-scheduled
populations as well. The end result would be that the Bill, in its present form, would be thoroughly
unacceptable to a large section of India's forest communities, and unimplementable in other areas. (The
Hindu 2/5/05)
Kerala leads the way in tribal forest rights crusade (6)
New Delhi : IT COULD be a small but significant victory for the green brigade, vindicating years of
struggle. As the debate rages whether tribals should be granted residency rights in forests, Kerala could
show the way. The Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee in its report said forest land
could be transferred if compensated with afforestation programmes. The apex court will hear the matter
on Tuesday. In a report submitted to the SC on April 29, the committee said the State Government can
transfer forest land to tribals so that it is used only for forestry.
In effect, it has waived the earlier condition of payment of net present value of land by the State
Governments. "We have suggested an alternative proposal" is all that a committee member was willing to
confirm. Kerala has been eagerly waiting for the apex court's decision. After a violent struggle by tribals for
their traditional rights, the State Government is making efforts to resettle 53,000 tribal families in the
forests of Muthanga Sanctuary by transferring nearly 7,000 hectares of forest land. If it comes through,
this will be the first victory for tribal rights in the country. In early 2003, the State Government faced violent
protests from the Muthanga tribals when it forcibly attempted
to evict them from their traditional homes. To quell the uprising, then Chief Minister AK Antony
had approached the Ministry of Environment and Forests to convert the forest to non-forest use so that it
could be handed over to the tribals. Though it agreed, the empowered committee asked the state
government to pay net present value of the land, which amounted to Rs 577 crore. (Pioneer 3/5/05)
For Rs 20000, cousin sells tribal woman (6)
Bhopal: IN YET another tale of greed and lust from the hinterland, a 22-year-old tribal woman was sold to
three men in return for Rs 20,000 by her own cousin at Arolia village in Ujjain district.
The trio kept the hapless young woman captive for two days during which she was assaulted and raped
repeatedly. The shocking incident came to light when the victim was admitted to hospital after complaining
of stomach ache. Police have registered a case under Sections 366, 376 of the IPC and 2, 3, 5 of the SC/
ST Act (Prevention of Atrocities) and launched a manhunt for the accused. According to district police
sources the details of the rapacious deal emerged when the victim, Radhabai, recounted her tale of woe
to stunned hospital staffers who called in the cops. In her statement to the police Radhabai disclosed that
Shantibai, her paternal uncle's daughter, had met her last fortnight and invited her to come and stay with
her to help with household chores as she was unwell. An unsuspecting Radhabai willingly assented. After
spending 10 days at her cousin's place the victim was asked by Shantibai to accompany her to the latter's
sister's house at Nagdi village. Following an overnight stay Shantibai and two others took the victim to
Jawra where she was handed over to one Laxman Singh of Nandavta and his two accomplices in return
for Rs 20,000. She was also made to sign an affidavit testifying that she was married to Laxman Singh.
The victim was then taken to Nandavat village where she was kept locked in a room and repeatedly raped
by the trio over the next two days. On the third day when she complained of intense stomach pain
Radhabai was taken to Jawra Government Hospital by Laxman Singh and his father. (Pioneer 3/5/05)

Tribal MPs claim Sonia to protect Forest Rights Bill
NEW DELHI, MAY 5: AFTER leading a delegation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the fate of the
Tribal bill, Member of Parliament V Kishore Singh Deo today claimed that Sonia has assured that "there
was no way the legislation could be scuttled by anybody". "Sonia Gandhi said the bill has already been
approved by the National Advisory Council, the apex policy making body of the UPA," the MP from
Parvatipuram told The Indian Express. There was anxiety among
the votaries of the Scheduled Tribes (recognition of forest rights) bill, 2005, when the Cabinet did not
consider it in its recent meeting. As such the bill is being fiercely opposed by conservationists and even by
the Ministry of Forests and Environment, for the "sake of health of forests." Singh Deo said that before
meeting Sonia, he and 15 other MPs had planned to launch a signature campaign in support of the bill.
Now, he said, he has dropped the idea of raising a "parallel lobby" to the "tiger conservationists." "We
have no misgivings about the passage of the bill now. All the MPs, whether they belong to Scheduled
Tribes or not, and also leaders cutting across party lines are supporting the bill wholeheartedly," he said.
Sonia's plainspeak on the Tribal bill has also cleared doubts about her son Rahul Gandhi's suspected
opposition to it. After Rahul attended a recent meeting of the Tiger and Wilderness Watch — a group
formed by young MPs — there was speculation on his stand on the bill. (Indian Express 6/5/05)
Cutting dsown forests for votes (6)
THE vote-catching and land-grabbinggarage sale of Indian forests is the real intent of the newly drafted
Scheduled Tribes and Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill. Having failed to provide
development, fora fewvotes more, now let the state gift away its remaining forests, preserved under great
odds and at agreat cost since 1864! The alternative of bringing development to the forest, as per this
unholy bill, will only bring in the land mafia, the Naxalites, further disenfranchise the "tribal" population, and
ultimately, destroy India's remaining forests. The government would lose some two-thirds of all forest
land—12 per cent of India's land mass. The Forest Service would be further emasculated, if that is still
possible. All this would lower the supply of water, firewood and forage to the much larger number of
villages surrounding forest areas. Which begs the question, why shouldn't forest-adjacent villages also be
given apiece of the pie Why the discrimination between villages in forests and those without The sage
exception that the Bill would not apply to existing national parks (NPs) and sanctuaries is actually not that
helpful, as the majority of NPs have not yet been notified. Sariska has not been notified after 20 yearsof its
proposal. In other words, village rights have largely not been settled/extinguished. Qearly, the Bill would
then apply to these un-notified parks. The problems which will be created by the Bill are very real to
foresters. Witness the politically motivated agitation re-launched by (ineligible) Gujjars of Rajaji, who had
agreed to the generous scheme under implementation after 20 years of consultation, with full judicial
review, using just the letter to Chief Secretaries. With the Bill, the entire FD case is weakened. At least in
this case, the state is not (yet) yielding, citing the imminent notification of the Rajaji park. What of other
locations, where the state is less committed to conservation What of Assam and Orissa, where the state
is actively encouraging settlement of forests by illegal migrants from our eastern neighbour (Indian
Express 6/5/05)
Politics over new forest Bill reaches PM's office (6)
New Delhi: Smarting under the setback of withdrawal of STs (recognition of forest rights) Bill, 2005, from
the cabinet's agenda on Wednesday, tribal affairs minister P R Kyndiah on Thursday wrote to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh pleading with him to correct the historical injustice.
Kyndiah explained to the PM that grant of forest rights to tribals would not cause ecological damage as is
being perceived. He said: "If the Bill is not introduced in the current session of Parliament, it would send
wrong signals and may have adverse repercussions in the minds of the tribals." Kyndiah is also calling a
meeting of Scheduled Tribe MPs on Monday to explain the merits of the Bill. Though polite in tone, the
letter reminded the PM: "This is the most opportune moment when the name of this government would be
etched in the annals of history with golden letters if we settle land rights of forest dwelling tribal
communities." Reiterating that forest-dwelling STs (FDSTs) have been living in their ancestral habitat for
ages in symbiotic relationship with the eco-system but have also been historically denied recognition
through faulty reservation process, Kyndiah said: "FDST is the most effective conservationist as he lives in
forests, by the forests and for the forests." After outlining the aims and objectives of the Bill, Kyndiah
explained that he was writing the letter to "allay any misgiving that is being created by those interested in

the commercial exploitation of forests and wild life, in the minds of all right thinking people through a
baseless and motivated media campaign". (Times of India 6/5/05)
NGO, tribals set to take on administration over rape case (6)
Bhubaneswar: THE ALLEGED gang rape of a 16-year-old tribal girl under Sarat police station of
Mayurbhanj district has snowballed into a major controversy with local tribals backed by an NGO gearing
up to take on the administration. The president of Awareness, Mr Kailash Mishra, who has taken up
cudgels on behalf of the tribals, on Friday threatened to intensify the agitation against the administration's
alleged inaction in the matter unless police take immediate steps to arrest the culprits. So far, only one
person has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The young girl, who narrated her story before mediapersons here on Friday, foil into clutches of the
culprits while returning from the local haat in a van. Instead of dropping her near her house, the
miscreants, who are alleged to enjoy the patronage of some influential people in the area, took her to a
deserted house where she was raped repeatedly .While the culprits drank and ate, the girl was kept
starving. Her ordeal continued the next day when she was once again sexually assaulted. One of the
alleged miscreants was finally caught when he came to drop the girl at the Chanakata turning where she
would have boarded the bus to return home. Displaying exceptional courage in the face of adversity, the
girl first pounced on the man and then raised an alarm attracting passers-by, who came to her rescue.
After the man was handed over to the police on April 21, an FIR in connection with the gang rape was
lodged at Kaptipada police station. However, other accused hi the case are yet to be arrested. The local
administration showed realised the gravity of the situation only when the tribals and the activists of
Awareness demonstrated before the Sarat police station on April 29. However, Mr Mishra alleged that the
police instead of taking steps to arrest the culprits, have been harassing the members of his organisation
active in the area. At the same time the incident is being used as an excuse to drive a wedge between the
tribals and non-tribals of the area. (Pioneer 7/5/05)
Plea to Sonia to recognise forest rights of tribals (6)
DEHRA DUN: Avdhash Kaushal, chairperson of the Rural Litigation and Entitlement Kendra, here has
urged the United Progressive Alliance chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, to ensure that the Scheduled Tribes
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005, is enacted at the earliest. This was important as a vested lobby
of ex-maharajahs and an influential section of present-day wildlife planners most of whom are former
hunters themselves are spreading word that the Congress party and its MP, Rahul Gandhi, were against
giving fundamental forest rights to tribals as dreamt by Rajiv Gandhi, Mr Kaushal alleged This coterie of
ex-hunters set off a. media hype about the decreasing number of tigers the moment they knew that this
Bill was to be placed in Parliament. The Bill when enacted will restore the traditional rights of the tribals
who have safeguarded the forest wealth since time immemorial and drastically curtail the powers and
"illegal" activities of the forest and wildlife mafia going around as wildlife lovers, Mr Kaushal said. A known
crusader for human rights and environment, Mr Kaushal cited examples of the rich diversity in virgin
forests where only tribals lived and the massive destruction of tree and animal wealth wherever the corrupt
bureaucrats and so called animal lovers were allowed to function as custodians of nature.
Mr Kaushal wanted Ms Gandhi to keep in mind that India was a signatory to the International Convention
ILO 169 of 1989 as well as the Rio Conference, which have categorized the recommended rights of
nomads and pastoralists. (The Hindu 8.5.05)
Steel company manager held for torturing tribals (6)
RAIPUR, MAY 8: A FACTORY manager and a guard of a Raigarh-based steel company have been
arrested on charges of torturing two adivasis, allegedly accused of stealing raw material.
Daily wage earners Shyam Lal and Shadanand were allegedly forced to squat on hot iron plates for a
confession. Police said on April 28, Rameshwar Steel's factory manager Dinesh Gupta and security guard
Remaul Kujur forced the victims to sit on burning iron plates for more than half-an-hour after they pleaded
innocence. Eye-witnesses said the youths were also forced to stand bare feet on the plates. While SP
(Raigarh) P.S. Thakur claimed that neither the the two victims nor factory workers informed the police,
reports suggest that their complaints were not entertained initially. "They didn't even go to the hospital
despite serious physical burns", he says. Reports say the youths had reported the matter to local police at
Gharghora police station but their complaint was not entertained. It was only a day after Chief Minister
Raman Singh's gram-swaraj (rural campaign) started in the district that the issue received government

attention. Now the SP says: "Police has arrested the manager and guard on charges of torture and
atrocities against tribals.
This incident comes barely a week after four security guards of a leading industrial group — Jindals —
were accused of killing a villager. (Indian Express 9/5/05)
Kishanganga over our bodies, say J-K tribals (6)
SRINAGAR, MAY 8: AT A time when India and Pakistan are ironing out differences over the Kishanganga
project, 25,000 Dard Shin tribals of Gurez valley, fearing displacement, have pledged they will resist
attempts to destroy their homeland and identity. "Work on this project will start only on our dead bodies.
The Government cannot decide the fate of our people without consulting us," said Nazir Gurezi,
representative of the Dard Shin constituency in J-K Assembly. "This project will submerge our homes,
dislocate us and come as a blow to our unique culture and shina language." J&KPower Minister
Mohammed Sharief Niaz said, "They (Dard Shins) have to be dislocated. It is essential. We will adjust
them somewhere else." Asked about the impact of the project on the tribe and environment, he said, "If
we think in these terms, then we will have to shut down all our projects." The 330-MW project proposes
construction of a dam on the Kishangana or Neelam river. The proposed 103-metre reservoir threatens to
submerge most parts of Gurez Valley, which includes 25 villages, sk summer high altitude habitats for
shepherds and eight camping sites. The first phase of the project would displace around 10,000 tribals.
On its part, the J&K Government has claimed that the plan incorporates an "attractive" relief and
rehabilitation package for the tribes. "There is no question of displacement of the tribes without proper
rehabilitation," said Basharat Ahmad Dhar, Commissioner & Secretary, Power. "The Government will look
for an alternate site, where a new colony with all facilities will be set up." Dhar also confirmed receipt of a
no objection certificate for acquisition of the land from the forest department. (Indian Express 9/5/05)
A different war: Ex-armymen block tribal ritual hunt in Orissa forest (6)
Bhubaneswar: COME APRIL, the sun-bleached hills of Simlipal are vulnerable to a different kind of threat
- one posed by humans. It is the time of the ritualistic Akhand Shikar, an ancient tribal tradition,
showcasing the skill of the ethnic lot as traditional hunters. Hundreds of tribals from all over the state and
even neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand storm the hills, armed with bows, arrows and
countrymade guns, killing whatever comes their way. The ritual goes against the spirit of wildlife
conservation and the pitch has been rising for a blanket ban on the hunt. A dedicated band of
ex-servicemen and green activists has succeeded in doing what the combined might of the forest
department and the police failed to do over the years. Acting in close cooperation, they have turned
Akhand Shikar, in the Similipal forest into a non-event this year.
Akhand Shikar, a month-long event beginning mid-April each year, is the scourge of Similipal, declared a
biosphere reserve a few years ago. Tribals brandishing guns and bows and arrows march into the reserve
forest killing animals at will. The hunters had been defying a longstanding ban and entering the sanctuary
by dodging police cordons and forest guards. Fed up with its failure to stop the practice, the government
enrolled a team of ex-servicemen to guard the sanctuary during the shikar period. Assisted by the Sabuja
Vahini, a green group, the former army-men have turned the sanctuary into an "impregnable fortress" with
hardly any major incident of hunting reported from the area so far. Sources said a few stray attempts by
the hunters to penetrate the security cordon were effectively repelled. (Pioneer 10/5/05)
Tribals' land rights will be protected, says Minister (6)
NEW DELHI: Union Environment and Forests Minister A. Raja on Tuesday informed the Lok Sab-ha that
the Ministry had issued directions to all State and Union Territory Governments in December last not to
resort to eviction of tribal people from forest land in the absence of verification and determination of their
rights. The information was provided by the Minister in the face of repeated demands from a cross-section
of members that the rights of tribals to forest land should be respected during a calling attention motion on
the situation arising out of non-implementation of instructions and guidelines by the State Governments
issued by the Environment and Forests Department for regularising forest land being cultivated by farmers
prior to 1980. In a detailed reply that traced the prolonged struggle of tribals to forest land from the time
the Forest (Conservation) Act was enacted in 1980, the Minister sought to allay fears about the law being
prohibitive. "It is only a regulatory Act," he said. Also, according to him, the Ministry had been pursuing
with the State and Union Territory Governments to look into the settlement of land rights of forest
dwellers/tribals, including regu-larisation of pre-1980 encroachments on forest lands proactively and adopt

a transparent system for verification and determination of their land rights. (The Hindu 11/5/05)
Tribals lose interest in traditional games (6)
ADILABAD: The hot summer evenings in the tribal villages of Adilabad district are progressively becoming
dull. One reason could be the declining interest of tribals in their traditional sports and games. During the
tribal marriage season, which ends with the month of May, every evening was enlivened by the joyous
cries of youth indulging in some sporting activity. "We used to play 'khus-khus gugdi' (crow of a cock)
'chirra gonne' (gilli danda), 'meskalval' (locating eggs), etc. in our childhood. These days I hardly find
anybody playing the traditional games. Sometimes, youth can be found playing kabaddi and vol-leyball in
the villages," observes Thodsam Chandu, the in-charge of the TB control programme at the Government
Headquarters Hospital. Malli Gandhi and V. Lalitha, researchers from the Regional Institution of
Education, Mysore, (NCERT), in 2002 conducted a detailed study of the extra-curricular activities of tribal
students of different Ashram Pathashalas under the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (IT-DA),
Utnoor. They recommended inclusion of a few sports events in the curriculum of tribal schools. Over the
years, the loss of interest in traditional tribal sports has left its mark on the tribal way of life.
Few are left who have knowledge about the rules and philosophy of the many sports and games events.
(The Hindu 11/5/05)
Lathicharge on tribals kills babies, too (6)
Sukinda (Orissa), May 16: At a time when human rights activists across the globe call upon security
personnel to be compassionate towards the common people, the Jajpur district police in Orissa has acted
quite the opposite. Its "barbarous" and "uncivilised" act has left four tribal people, including two children,
dead. Many more people who were injured in the alleged police lathicharge are in critical condition. At
least 5,000 tribal villagers in Kalinganagar area in the district, who on last May 9 protested non-payment of
dues for land acquisition by the state government for the construction of steel plants, were brutally
assaulted by the police.
The fury of police atrocities could be gauged from the fact that some old men beaten up severely have
been rendered paralysed, backbones of some others were broken into pieces and two breastfed infants,
separated from their mothers by the violent police, breathed their last in their thatched cottages. "The
police chased me to assault and snatched away my daughter from me. 1 ran to the jungle to save my life,
but my one-year-old daughter Jema died as she had no food and water," said Jingi Kalundai of Gadapur.
So was the case with Sumitra Kalundia, who lost her three-year-old son, Raul. An on-the-spot inquiry
revealed that the conflict between the police and the tribals began on May 9, when the latter gathered at
the foundation laying ceremony of Maha-rashtra Seamless Steel Company at Kalinganagar and
demanded the district authorities present there to give "appropriate" compensation for their land.
Investigation revealed while the state administration has sold land at Rs 3.50 lakhs per acre to various
steel companies coming to Kalinganagar area, it has paid only Rs 37,000 to the evicted persons, causing
widespread resentment among the tribals. Besides, the rehabilitation package has not been properly
implemented. (Asian Age 17/5/05)
Andaman tribes at risk of extinction (6)
May 16. — The Andaman & Nicobar tribes are in great danger now than ever before due to inbreeding
among them, director of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Dr Lalji Singh, said. "Many animals are
critically endangered due to inbreeding. What holds good for animals holds good for humans too. The
tribes in these islands are a great risk of extinction, he told a press conference. The six tribes in the 572
islands are regarded as the "windows to the past" in the sense of how the world's population evolved after
the first batch of migration out of Africa and towards India 50,000 to 70,000 years ago. The Great
Andamanese is 20-member strong, Onge — 98, Shompens — 180, Tarawa — 200 and Sentinelese —
250. The only tribe with relatively substantial numbers are Nicobarese — 22,000. The tribes are
hunter-gatherers and need natural habitats like forests to exist. Dr Singh said during his interaction with
Onges they expressed happiness at going back to the jungles instead of living in settlements organised by
the government. The Sentinelese are primitive, hostile and strongly dislike any interaction with the world'.
After the 26 December tsunami there were fears that.they were wiped out, but fortunately several of them
survived. Dr Singh led a path breaking DNA study of these tribes, barring the Sentinelese, to lend weight
to the "out of Africa" theory. The five-year study showed that the tribes do not share genetic similarities
with mainland Indian tribes, but with the African population.

"The evolution of the tribes may be due to the initial penetration of the northern coastal areas of the Indian
Ocean by modern humans in their out of Africa migration. Therefore they are the windows to the look into
the past and hence they need to be persevered," he said. (Statesman 17/5/055)
Indian tribes linked to African ‘Eve’ (6)
Hyderabad, India, May 19: Two primitive tribes in India's Andaman and Nicobar islands are believed to be
direct descendants of the first humans who migrated from Africa at least 50,000 years ago, according to a
study by Indian biologists. A team of biologists at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in
Hyderabad studied the DNA of 10 Onge and Great Andamanese people in the Indian Ocean archipelago
who lived for tens of thousands of years in "genetic isolation" from other human contact. The findings
suggest the tribes are descended from the "oldest population of the world and were among the first batch
of modern humans to migrate from Africa," said professor Lalji Singh, director of the centre. The tribals
have similar physical features to Africans and their DNA suggests that they have close links with Africa.
Mitochondrial DNA, which is passed maternally and found in every human cell, can be traced to a single
female ancestor who lived about 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. It is believed the descendants of this
"Eve" that all humans claim as their ancestor began migrating out of Africa in batches some 70,000 years
ago. The tribals' DNA is extremely close to the so-called African root gene of the single female ancestor,
Prof. Singh said this week. This made it likely that they migrated from Africa via a sea route 50,000 to
70,000 years ago and have lived "in genetic isolation" since in the Andaman Islands, said Prof. Singh.
(Asian Age 20/5/05)
Tribals of Nicobar get new makeshift shelters (6)
New Delhi: The Nicobarese tribals hit by the tsunami wave last December have made it to their new
temporary shelters, beating the monsoon by a hair's breadth. All the 9,500 temporary shelters were ready
in time for monsoon, which arrived last week. 98% of the refugees have moved into their new abodes.
Those taking time to move are staying in vacant military barracks located on elevated ground. The one
room-kitchen sets with toilets outside are precursors to permanent houses with residential quarters on the
first floor and the ground floor reserved for cattle. But many refugees want the temporary shelters altered
marginally and made permanent, since they are estimated to have a life of 10-15 years, official sources
said. With these shelters in place, the first stage of relief and rehabilitation is over. The Andaman and
Nicobar administration, supported by the Centre, is now embarking on an 18-month programme of
repairing roads and jetties. Government has taken the stand that in view of security considerations on the
islands, it would not receive any foreign fund nor allow any foreign agency to carry out the relief and
rehabilitation tasks. After a phase of criticism at home and abroad, this point of view is better understood
now. However, this places an added responsibility on the Centre that must fully fund the rehab task. This
is being done in the form of compensation money that is already distributed through cheque payments.
(Times of India 21/5/05)
Tribals protest plan to oust them (6)
NEW DELHI: A delegation of tribals under the aegis of Samajwadi Jan Parishad (SJP) arrived here on
Tuesday to convey to the Chairman of the Prime Minister's Tiger Task Force, Sunita Narain, its intense
dissatisfaction with the Government's reported move to relocate them.
According to the delegation, there are plans to relocate up to 50 villages - accounting for some 4,000
families — to create the Satpura Tiger Reserve, For a majority of the villagers, this is the second time they
are being forced to relocate by government authorities. Just two decades ago many of those facing
displacement now were forced to uproot themselves during the construction of the Tawa Reservoir.
Questioning the logic of the relocation plan, the SJP spokesman, Sunil, stressed that the only way to
preserve tigers was to recognise that Adivasis were not a threat to tigers. "After all tigers and Adivasis
have lived side-by-'side for millennia," he said. Pointing the finger of blame at Forest Department officials,
Mr. Sunil warned that "the Adivasis are the only ones who can contain the practices of a corrupt and
irresponsible bureaucracy". Presenting evidence of such practices, a member of the delegation said
resettlement of just one village had resulted in the felling of 50,000 trees in Dobjhirna forest —
dramatically reducing the area available to tigers — and raised pressing questions about the
environmental impact on the region if the Government goes ahead with its plan to move the other 49
villages. Calling upon the Government to listen to the grassroots, the delegates noted that they had
developed a "Cooperative Federation of Tribals" which had successfully coexisted with nature along the

Tawa Reservoir for nearly a decade. (The Hindu 25/5/05)
Forest ministry raps tribal rights Bill (6)
Bhopal, May 28: SHARING THE concern of environmentalists and foresters, the Union ministry of
environment and forest (MoEF) has opposed the enactment of the proposed Tribal Rights Bill.
According to a note prepared by the MoEF, a copy of which is with HT, the ministry has said that there is
no need for a fresh legislation as sufficient provisions exist under the Forest Conservation Act 1980 and
the guidelines issued in 1990. What is required is modification of the orders of the Supreme Court
regarding stay on de-reservation of forests and regularisation of eligible categories of encroachments. The
ministry is of the view that the proposed Bill, requiring de-notification of forest land and elimination of all
legal protection for forest cover, will lead to irreparable ecological damage. It says that decimation of
forests, as a result of enactment of the proposed Act, will likely lead to frequent and intense natural
calamities. And that biological diversity, wildlife and the natural resource base for maintenance of carbon,
nitrogen and oxygen cycles will also be affected adversely and irreparably. While conceding that
non-recognition of traditional rights of tribals over their ancestral domain constitutes a "historic injustice" to
them, it has said that the proposed Bill won't necessarily be of benefit to tribals in the long run. The
ministry feels the whole issue needs to be looked at from the perspective of ecological science, equity and
overall costs to society. (The Hindu 29/5/05)
Mizo Jews from Lost Tribe (6)
Kolkata,May 31:For almost a thousand-odd years, certain tribes in north-eastern India have held that they
belong to that elusive group called the "Lost Tribes of Israel." And now, in a startling discovery, a scientific
study into the genetic origin of these tribes have established them as two of 10 lost tribes. The study
conducted at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Kolkata proves that Indian Mizo tribes Kuki and
Hinar are indeed descendants of two lost tribes. The test results have been put up in a scientific online
journal "Genome Biology." Sources on condition of anonymity briefed that to determine the genetic
lineage, scientists at the CFSL conducted DNA analyses of five tribal groups: Kuki, Hmar, Mara, Lai and
Lusei. The study, spanning six months, focused mainly on three parameters: autosomal DNA testing (cells
obtained from the body other than reproductive cells), mitochondria! DNA testing (to determine the
maternal heritage) and Y-chromosomal testing (to determine the paternal heritage). The genetic profiles
were then compared with other related world populations to trace the lineage. The study clearly suggests
that the Kuki tribe owes its origins to a few Jewish women. However, "the subsequent genetic admixture
with the surrounding population diluted the present day gene pool or some significant epidemiological
events might be the cause of this finding." Sources added that the Mizo group claimed their Jewish origins
by citing purely oral traditions and a number of social customs practised exclusively by the Jews. The
Hmars' argument was strengthened by its observance of only three festivals in a year — Chapchar Kut,
Mim Kut and Paul Kut — all traditional festivals of the Jewish. (Asian Age 1/6/05)
Ghising demands tribal status for Darjeeling hills (6)
Siliguri: GORKHA NATIONAL Liberation Front (GNLF) chief Subhas Ghising has demanded tribal status
for Darjeeling Hills if his original demand for a separate state of "Gorkhaland" could not be conceded by
the government. "The declaration of Darjeeling as a tribal area will foster greater unity among the
Gorkhas. This will also be a step forward for Gorkhaland," Ghising, who is currently caretaker
administrator of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, after its term expired on March 25, told reporters at
Rohini last evening. On March 23, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee told the
Assembly that Ghising would be the sole administrator of DGHC after the expiry of its term. The decision
had been taken to avoid any confrontation in the hills in view of the situation hi neighbouring Nepal, he had
said, adding that it had been taken in consultation with the Centre. Ghising, heading the hill body since its
inception in 1988 had demanded that he be made the caretaker of DGHC after the expiry of its term. After
the Darjeeling Accord was signed in 1988, Ghising had refrained from raising the demand for Gorkhaland.
The state government on March 14 passed the Darjeeling Gorkha Autonomous Hill Council (Amendment)
Bill, for appointment of an administrator to the hill body or for constituting a board of administrators till the
next elections. (Pioneer 7/6/05)
Protest mounting over failure to book accused in rape case (6)

ATTAPPADY (PALAKKAD): Protest is mounting over the failure of the police to arrest the accused in the
alleged rape and murder of Maruthy (35), a tribal woman of Padavayal in Attappady, two weeks ago. The
police have so far questioned three suspects, but have not arrested anybody. The post-mortem report has
found 142 injuries in her body. Deputy Superintendent of Police V. Chandran, head of the Special Mobile
Squad set up to inquire into atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the Agali
police sub-division, said they had questioned three persons suspected to be involved in the crime. But no
arrest has been, as there is no definite evidence of their involvement. Women activists, including poetess
Sugathakumari, Kerala Mahila Sanghom president Meenakshi Thampan and Anweshi president K. Ajitha,
have visited the victim's house and demanded that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy take steps to book the
culprits. Ms. Sugathakumari told The Hindu that she had drawn the Chief Minister's attention to the
increasing incidents of murder and rape, particularly of tribal women, in Attappady. Inaction against such
crimes has resulted in its alarming increase, she said. The CPI(ML) Red Flag had taken out a march to
the Agali police station last week demanding action on the issue. CPI(ML) Red Flag area secretary M.
Sukumaran said party activists would march to the headquarters of the Attappady Hill Area Development
Society (AHADS) during its governing body meeting on June 24, demanding action against incidents of
rape and murder of tribal women. The party has put up a board specifying the number of rape cases in
Agali town. (The Hindu 20/6/05)
Ministries at war over tribal quota (6)
New Delhi: It's a tribal war of a different kind. As social justice assumes a new meaning, the reservation
conflict between the elite tribes and their marginal brethren has intensified like never before. The battle
promises to become a full-fledged war with two Union ministries — law and tribal affairs — locked in a
battle of constitutional interpretation over reservation to STs in states and UTs which don't have an ST list
of their own or where a particular tribe is not accorded the scheduled status. Currently, STs get
reservations in jobs and educational institutions in the Central government and the states where they are
listed. The first shot has already been fired. Law ministry has given its opinion that STs of one state can
be treated as STs in UTs even if they are not part of the ST list. Chandigarh and Pondicherry have already
issued notifications granting reservation to STs of other states. It has not been extended to the states, and
tribal ministry is in no mood to let that happen. It argues such a move would only benefit the elite among
tribes. For instance, empowered tribes like Meenas of Ra-jasthan and Khasis of North-East would corner
all the jobs in UTs like Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Andaman and Lakshadweep. Though tribal ministry officials
refuse to come on record, law ministry sources say the former has decided to take the matter to the
Cabinet. The subtext of the battle is political. With individual states unable to satisfy the job hunger of the
tribal elites in their territories, the demand to treat STs of one state or UT as ST for the entire country has
swiftly /gained ground. In the last Parliament session itself, Moolchand Meena of Congress moved a Bill in
the Rajya Sabha seeking to address the demand. A similar Bill for SCs was moved by Silvius Condpan in
the Rajya Sabha. (Times of India 22/6/05)
Dark cloud are the silver lining for tribals (6)
Chaibasa (Jharkhand): Singha Bodra and his family of eight are out on their charpoys, ready for the rain
as it announces its arrival with uproarious thunder. It sounds nice, he says, letting a smile play on his
wrinkled face turned to the sky. After a long dry spell left their farms arid and killed relatives and livestock,
there is a soothing darkness of clouds over Chaibasa and people are hoping, and praying, as never
before. "Will it rain" Lelito, his 12-year-old daughter, asks. "Say it will, father." Singha laughs, half happy,
half fearful. On Sunday, by 10.10 pm the winds start blowing with some ferocity, herding dry leaves into a
dry courtyard. "Should get inside" another ' daughter, Sunita, wonders. One of the more well-off Adivasis
in Tambo village, Singha's small space in front of his thatched house now gets crowded with more people.
Let's taste the first few drops, he says with the authority of a patriarch. The rain has taken too long in
coming. The fields are parched, and so are the the people. Perhaps, the Gods will show their kindness
after all. Around 10.30, the wind turns cool. It is pregnant with promise. Suddenly, a small boy, who chests
out of his mother's grasp and sprints to the centre of the clearing, announces grandly that he can smell the
rain. He can't. Not as yet, but he has heard his father say that. It is said that in the old days, Adivasis could
smell the monsoon days before it poured into their fields. (Times of India 22/6/05)
Tribal uprising against Maoists in Chhattisgarh (6)

Raipur: More and more villages in Chhattisgarh are joining what is being called "tribal uprising" against
the Maoists active in 11 of the 16 districts in the state. Armed with traditional weapons like bows and
arrows, the people of nearly two dozen villages held a meeting in Nelgura of Dantewada district and
declared that they would not allow the ultras to exploit them. The tribals said that they had been ruined by
the Maoists violence which had not only disrupted the development work but had also brought them to the
verge of starvation. The people of these villages were of the opinion that the end of the Maoists was a
must.Another meeting was held in Bhairamgarh and was attended by Leader of Opposition Mahendra
Karma, who announced that it was high time that people fought for their existence. On the other hand,
people of seven villages of the Kanker district organised a meeting at Mardapoti and resolved to uproot
the elements which disrupted development work in the area. In Dantewada, 16 meetings have so far been
held by people of hundreds of villages, against Maoists."Villagers are now disillusioned about the Maoists,"
Inspector General of Police of Bastar range MW Ansari told The Pioneer. He said that the villagers now
felt that the ultras were not guided by any ideology and that rowdy elements had also crept in their ranks.
Besides, due to extremists activities, the development work had suffered. The economy, too, suffered due
to the ban on collection of tendu leaf. There was a sense of insecurity among the people due to the
Maoists, Ansari added. The Pioneer 29/6/05)
Tribals allege police harassment (6)
RAJAHMUNDRY: Tribal people from six villages in Devipatnam mandal have represented to the project
officer of the Integrated Tribal Development Authority of Rampachodavaram that the police are filing
cases against them basing on reports of non-tribals, who are enjoying their lands. Headed by ITDA legal
advisor P. Trinatha Rao, the tribals from Indukuru, Chinnaramanaiahpeta, Gangapalem, Gonduru, Peda
Bheempalli and Poodipalli villages of the mandal handed over a representation to the project officer,
Solomon Arokhyaraj, on Monday. They said that they had been cultivating their lands for the past 15 to 20
years in their villages, whereas non-tribals encroached upon some of their lands and gave `false' reports
to the police. The PO aid he would speak to the Rampachodavaram DSP and ensure that no false case
was booked against tribals. (The Hindu 5/7/05)
Tribal bill likely in monsoon session (6)
NEW DELHI, JULY 6: THE bill on giving tribals land rights in forest areas— which has drawn protests
from environmentalists—is likely to be placed before Parliament in the monsoon session. The draft of the
bill-Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005—is currently posted for public comment on
the Ministry of Tribal Welfare's web-site. Sources said the draft would remain open for comments till July
10, and that changes on the basis of the feedback would be completed within 15 days. Sources said the
Ministry was taking July 25 as its deadline, the day when the session opens. The Minister for Tribal Affairs,
P. R. Kyndiah, told The Indian Express that "after (UPA Chairperson) Sonia Gandhi's intervention, there
was no doubt that the Bill would be tabled." The Ministry contends that no fresh land would be distrib-uted
and only land on which tribals have traditionally been living would be regularised. (Indian Express 7/7/05)
NHRC starts probe into police violence on tribals (6)
Bhubaneswar, July 10: The NHRC has started investigation into unprovoked violence by police at tribals of
Jajpur district and their confinement in jail for almost a month. A team of police officers on May 10
arrested a group of tribals on charges of assaulting government officials and security personnel during a
protest at the foundation-laying ceremony of a steel plant at Kalinganagar. The police arrested 25 women
along with their 14 children. The children included a 15-month-old boy and two young girls. At least 25
charges, like attempt to murder, arson and causing grievous injury to government officials on duty were
framed against them. Taking suo-motu cognisance of a news report published in this newspaper on May
17, 2005, under the headline, "Lathicharge on tribals kills babies too", the NHRC had directed its special
rapporteur A.B. Tripathy to inquire into the matter and to submit his report within two weeks. As reported
earlier, the tribals fled to the nearby forests to avoid the police after the indiscriminate arrests on May 10.
Many women could not carry their children with them and left them at home. Due to extreme heat, and
lack of food, two infants of Gadapur village — Raul and Jema — died. Gardi Gahapai, an ailing old man of
Gobarghati village who was left alone at home by his wife Nitima, also died due to lack of care. Giving
details of her ill-treatment by the police to the NHRC team at Kalinganagar on Saturday, Parvati Gagarai,
a tribal of Chandia village under Sukinda Assembly segment in Orissa’s Jajpur district, said, "I was

sleeping in my small thatched house on July 9 night. Some policemen forced enter into my house and
dragged me out. Before I could make out anything, a police threw me into the jeep. I was just wearing a
blouse and petticoat. The police did not allow me to wear my sari. I was taken to the police station
semi-naked and later sent to the jail. I spent at least eight-days in jail without proper clothes. After my
relatives supplied me sari and other clothes, I could breathe easy." The vesrions of Pellang Gagarai and
their other village women was similar. These illiterate women who were released on bail after 23 days
custody, are ignorant about the reason for their arrest. (Asian Age 11/7/05)
Woman paraded naked, clubbed to death (6)
Raipur : A 55-year-old tribal widow Phulwati Gond was paraded naked and then killed by the villagers who
charged her with practicing witchcraft.The incident took place in the village Taramtola under Ambagarh
police post in Rajnandgaon, over 100 km from the State Capital. The police have registered a case and
arrested over two dozen persons, including women. Local district police sources said that Phulwati who
lived in the village with her sons and daughters-in-law was suspected as practicing witchcraft. The village
people believed that she made them her victims.People of the village held a meeting and despite repeated
plea by Phulwati that she did not practice witchcraft, she was taken to a pond by the villagers where she
was striped and beaten up. The villagers even tried to kill her by downing her in the pond. But they could
not succeed. Then she was brought back to her village and was clubbed to death. The villagers tried to
burn her dead body in the night. However, her son Ranjan Gond informed the local police which foiled the
attempt.Ranjan said that whenever anyone fell sick in the village, the people held his mother responsible.
All this happened after villagers held a meeting and on the instruction of the village panchayat Phulwati Bai
Gond was branded as a witch. It may be mentioned here that for the last ten years 56 killings on the
charge of practicing witchcraft have taken place in Chhattisgarh. (Pioneer 12/7/05)
Concern at abduction of tribal girls (6)
NEW DELHI: Worried over the increasing incidents of abduction of minor girls from tribal areas,
concerned citizens on Tuesday demanded a more proactive role by the police and administration. ``There
is an increasing trend to abduct minor girls from tribal areas and sell them off in other areas for marriage
or as sex workers. Over the past few months four incidents have come to light in Chindwara district of
Madhya Pradesh. But this is not justa regional problem, but a national issue", actress Nandita Das told a
press conference here. Describing a recent incident, social activist Mercy Mathew, said a 15-year-old girl
was abducted in March, but the police did nothing. "I went to the police" but they took about two months
even to register the first information report. In fact, they took about two months to register it. "We
organised a public meeting, approached the women's commission and spoke to the Superintendent of
Police. Only when the pressure came from all these quarters did they listen to us.'' Ms. Mathew said, "We
finally traced the girl in Agra." She had been sold for Rs. 60,000 for marriage. There were people in
Chindwara who lured the girl with promises of a good life. "The police did question the local culprits but did
not carry out any investigation against those in Agra.'' Ms. Mathew listed three other cases of abductions.
``It is horrifying to villagers of the region that people can take away their girls and sell them. These girls
are sometimes shown blue films, drugged and gradually prepared for prostitution. There is also demand
for girls for marriage in some regions due to rampant female foeticide and infanticide," she said. (The
Hindu 13/7/05)
Attappady tribal people `occupy' land (6)
PALAKKAD: The controversy over alienation of tribal land has once again come to the fore in Attappady,
with 150 families of tribespeople of Nakkuppaty Ooru (tribal hamlet) occupying 350 acres of Government
land on Sunday. The tribal people led by Ooru Moopan (chieftain) Thothi Moopan marched to the land that
was allotted to them by the Government some years back and sowed ragi and paddy crops to establish
their right over the land. They had earlier been evicted from the land by the Forest Department. Last
month, Thothi Moopan had staged a 15-day satyagraha in front of the Agali village office demanding
restoration of the land to the tribesfolk. The satyagraha was called off on June 15 after the Revenue
authorities accepted the demand. However, the land was not allotted to them. To protest against this
`betrayal,' they marched to the land in their traditional style of singing and dancing to the beat of drums.
The previous Left Democratic Front government, as part of providing land in lieu of the alienated land, had
allotted 410 hectares to 500 tribal families of Melthottam in Sholayur village of Attappady in July 1999. In
fact, the State Government had decided to distribute 1,315 acres in the area. The State-level

inauguration of the distribution of land was conducted by the then Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar at Agali on
July 10, 1999, in which 410 hectares was distributed to 500 tribal families. The Government had also
cultivated tea in 120 acres in the area to rehabilitate the tribal families. But the High Court Division Bench,
in its order on July15, nullified the allotment and restrained the State Government from using 410 hectares
of `shola' land at Melthottam for any non-forestry purposes, without prior concurrence of the Union
Government. (The Hindu 18/7/05)
Tribals led by CPI lay siege to ITDA office as part of protest (6)
BHADRACHALAM: The Communist Party of India (CPI) district unit laid siege to the ITDA office here on
Monday, commencing a 48-hour-long protest programme with large-scale participation of tribals against
the submergence of the tribal pockets in the district under the Polavaram project. Thousands of Koyas
and Kondareddy families from the villages to be affected by the project assembled before the ITDA office
with placards and banners seeking steps to spare the tribal groups from displacement. Led by the CPI
district secretary, Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, and a host of other leaders and tribal activists of the party,
they squatted in the harsh sun demanding a categorical assurance from the Government on the issue.
The CPI leadership wanted the height of the project to be lowered so as to minimize displacement. Mr.
Sambasiva Rao wanted the Government to change the design of the project by reducing the height of the
dam by about five feet. He said the party would fight for the cause of the tribals. The project would put the
tribal communities to untold suffering. There would not be any sort of compromise on the issue. Over 206
villages would be affected by the project in Khammam district alone, Mr Rao said. The resettlement and
rehabilitation of tribals in the plains would not be any easy task. The tribals had been bearing the brunt of
any major project coming up in the State. The protesters presented a memorandum to the ITDA project
officer seeking his intervention to ensure a fair deal to the tribals losing land and properties. The
protesters blocked the way to the ITDA office and prevented the employees from attending their duties.
Hemanta Rao, Y. Nageswar Rao and Rajaratnam were among the leaders who took part. (The Hindu
19/7/05)
Tribal Rights Bill in a lurch (6)
New Delhi : Coming around to accepting the inevitability of the Tribal Rights Bill, Environment Minister A
Raja said he is not against granting rights to tribal. But differs with the tribal ministry on who should table
the bill. Insisting that the legislation should be drafted and implemented by his ministry, and not by the
tribal affairs ministry, Mr Raj said, "There are no two opinions on granting rights to tribals. The question is
who (should table the bill in Parliament) and in what manner (should it be implemented)."The Tribal Affairs
Ministry had approached the Union Cabinet for a go-ahead to introduce the Scheduled Tribe (Recognition
of Rights) Bill, 2005, but was withheld in the previous session of Parliament. The environment ministry has
been unhappy with some provisions of the existing draft of the tribal Bill. Mr Raja felt that since the bill will
have a direct bearing on the forests and wildlife, his ministry would be well placed to see through its
implementation. "We are entrusted to look after the forests. So anything that immediately affects the
forests and wildlife should come under our purview," Mr Raja argued. He did not indicate when the bill will
be placed in the House. Which ministry will be entrusted the responsibility of drafting and piloting the Bill in
Parliament will be looked into by a group of ministers (GoM) headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil.
Besides Mr Raja, others in the GoM include Tribal Affairs minister PR Kyndiah, Water Minister Priya
Ranjan Dasmunshi, Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Health minister
Anbumani Ramadoss. The tribal bill has severed the pitch between conservationists who believe in
keeping the forests pristine and ridding people from the protected areas versus those who believe in
involving the tribal in wildlife conservation. (Pioneer 20/7/05)
Raipur mulls arming tribals against Naxals (6)
Bhopal/Raipur: The Chhattisgarh police plans to arm the adivasis to resist the Naxal menace.
Chhattisgarh director-general of police O.P. Rathor told this newspaper over telephone on Thursday that
more than 40,000 square miles spread over 10 (of the 16) districts was now under the operational sphere
of the Naxalites. The situation was akin to a low-intensity war which had never abated over the years.
Quite apart from the rising casualties and loss of property, there had been a steady erosion in the morale
and confidence of the police. Desperate situations, said Mr Rathor, called for desperate remedies. A stage
had now come when there was no alternative to training local tribals to defend themselves — with
firearms, if necessary. So far, bows and poison tipped arrows was all they had by way of weapons. Gram

akha samitis had accordingly been formed in 130 villages in Bijapur and Dantewara districts on an
experimental basis. Backing them would be police clusters, each covering 4-5 villages. Twelve
ground-level meetings had already been held in this connection, with another scheduled for July 24 at
Bhairamgarh (near Jagdalpur). To scuttle the master plan, the Naxals have already killed 16 people in
separate incidents in the last few weeks. What was encouraging, said Mr Rathor, was that the tribals were
cooperating despite the attendant dangers. So much so that 97 adivasis who had joined the Naxalites will
officially surrender in the presence of chief minister Raman Singh at the meet. The current campaign,
however, is not the first one. A similar programme in 1992-93 had to be dropped after the Naxals
butchered 70 tribals. (Asian age 22/7/05)
Centre may amend act to help tribals get land (6)
New Delhi, July 23: The Centre has decided to amend the Forest Conservation Act 1980 that will enable
Schedule Tribes to get ownership rights on the land where they were living. The amended legislation will
be tabled in the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Talking to this correspondent, Mr Kunwar Singh,
chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, said, "Tribals have no right on the land where
they live. The total population of tribals in the country is 8.5 crore. Now the government has decided to
amend the Forest Conservation Act 1980." "Provisions of the FCA should be suitably amended to allow
development activities to be taken up inside the forests," he added. Most of the states are demanding
amendments to the act to facilitate the regularisation of settlements inside forests. This demand has
received a fillip with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi lending her support and directly attributing the spread
of Naxalite groups to the FCA. He further said, "The chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and
Jharkhand had earlier demanded Union home minister Shivraj Patil’s intervention in amending the FCA.
The meeting reached a consensus that the Centre should take steps to amend the FCA to allow tribals to
build houses and harvest and trade forest produce inside protected areas. It was also decided that forest
rights settlements should be speeded up." According to sources, in 2002, then chief minister of Madhya
Pradesh Digvijay Singh wrote to then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee asking for the act to be
scrapped in order to facilitate peace in the Naxalite-affected areas. (Asian Age 24/7/05)
North-east civil groups seek region-wise discussion on Bill (6)
NEW DELHI: Civil groups in the North-east have demanded a region-wise consultation on the Scheduled
Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill before it is placed before the Union Cabinet for approval. In an
open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, 28 civil groups, non-governmental organisations,
institutions and concerned citizens said the 'statement of objects and reasons' in the draft Bill was not in
the context of the region and issues, as much of the area was administered under special constitutional
provisions such as Article 371 and the Sixth Schedule. The ambit and scope of the Bill was too narrow in
its formulation and did not reflect the spirit of its objectives to comprehensively address the historical
injustice and the collective rights of the tribal and indigenous people and forest dwellers. "The Bill needs to
be developed in consonance with the objectives of the National Policy on Tribals, which itself is under
formulation," the letter said. The "restricted and hurried manner" in which the Bill was drawn up, lack of
transparency and the need for wider consultations was implicit in the draft. The groups objected to the
"extremely limited manner and avenue" in which the Tribal Affairs Ministry sought suggestions and
comments on the Bill. "We simply cannot accept the existing deadline for comments from concerned
citizens, when the Bill is only accessible on the Ministry website and to a privileged few." (The Hindu
27/7/05)
Two Rajasthan Ministers lock horns over PDS (6)
JAIPUR: Two senior Ministers of the Rajasthan Government have locked horns over alleged
blackmarketing of wheat meant for distribution among the tribal population in Udaipur. One of them,
Kirorilal Meena, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, has written to Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje
complaining against Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria's "attempt'' to shield those involved. As such
there is no history of old rivalry between Dr. Meena and Mr. Kataria, both of whom share a Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh background. It may be a case of trespass as the geographical territory involved is
Udaipur, Mr. Kataria's home turf while the concerned department is Dr. Meena's. Dr. Meena, who led
raiding parties to the godowns of the Rajasthan Cooperative Federation and private mills in and around
Udaipur in June this year wrote to the Chief Minister a week back complaining to her about the recent
transfer of police officials who were actively involved in the raids. The Minister complained that the

transfers of four police personnel, including that of the Station House Officer of the Hiran Magri police
station, Udaipur, effected by the Home Department, were in reaction to the unearthing of the black
marketing racket. "Action against the police officials has comes as a morale boost to the mafia,'' he wrote.
In his letter, Dr. Meena accused Mr. Kataria of "giving protection'' to those involved in siphoning off the
subsidized wheat meant for distribution under the Antyodaya, BPL and PDS categories. (The Hindu
28/7/05)
Tribal girls tie knot in Jharkhand (6)
Ranchi : Challenging social norms and disregarding social stigma, two tribal girls of Jharkhand got
married in a ceremony arranged and managed by their respective family members. While several
countries have legalised same-sex marriages, in India the custom is still considered taboo. Despite this,
an entire village here turned up to witness this rather unconventional wedding. Interestingly, neither the
villagers nor the family members of the girls appear to have any issue with the marriage. According to
reports, the wedding of the girls was solemnised last Thursday in Bharbaria village of west Singhbhum
district, 160 km from Ranchi. Nitima Biruwa played the groom while Laxmi Bari sat in as the bride. The
latter has been staying with Nitima for some time now. Nitima's impoverished family, unable to bear
Laxmi's expenses, had suggested she move out but the strong bond between the two girls prevented
Laxmi's departure. When Nitima's brother Birsa Biruwa, came to know about the relationship, he assumed
a vital role in getting the two married. He negotiated with the villagers and his mother and procured their
consent for the wedding, after which the mother contacted Laxmi's family members who accepted the
proposal. "Seeing the extent of their love we decided to arrange their marriage. We did request my sister
to keep away from Laxmi but that did not work so I decided not to play the role of a villain. I wanted to
ensure that they live happily together with the consent of the society so that they do not face any problem
in the future," said Birsa. For past Laxmi has been living with Nitima, a matter that had become the subject
of major discussion among the villagers. Even Laxmi's brother Ghanhayam Bari, who has accepted the
marriage, said, "Initially it sounded an unusual proposal but I later accepted it considering their bonding
and love." (The Pioneer 28/7/05)
Tribal girls tie knot in Jharkhand (6)
Ranchi : Challenging social norms and disregarding social stigma, two tribal girls of Jharkhand got
married in a ceremony arranged and managed by their respective family members. While several
countries have legalised same-sex marriages, in India the custom is still considered taboo. Despite this,
an entire village here turned up to witness this rather unconventional wedding. Interestingly, neither the
villagers nor the family members of the girls appear to have any issue with the marriage. According to
reports, the wedding of the girls was solemnised last Thursday in Bharbaria village of west Singhbhum
district, 160 km from Ranchi. Nitima Biruwa played the groom while Laxmi Bari sat in as the bride. The
latter has been staying with Nitima for some time now. Nitima's impoverished family, unable to bear
Laxmi's expenses, had suggested she move out but the strong bond between the two girls prevented
Laxmi's departure. When Nitima's brother Birsa Biruwa, came to know about the relationship, he assumed
a vital role in getting the two married. He negotiated with the villagers and his mother and procured their
consent for the wedding, after which the mother contacted Laxmi's family members who accepted the
proposal. "Seeing the extent of their love we decided to arrange their marriage. We did request my sister
to keep away from Laxmi but that did not work so I decided not to play the role of a villain. I wanted to
ensure that they live happily together with the consent of the society so that they do not face any problem
in the future," said Birsa. For past Laxmi has been living with Nitima, a matter that had become the subject
of major discussion among the villagers. Even Laxmi's brother Ghanhayam Bari, who has accepted the
marriage, said, "Initially it sounded an unusual proposal but I later accepted it considering their bonding
and love." (The Pioneer 28/7/05)
CPI defends AP on 900 tribal deaths (6)
Hyderabad, Aug. 1: The state unit of the Communist Party of India (CPI) came up with a surprising
defence of the AP government following the- deaths of 900 tribals reportedly due to malaria. The CPI state
council, which met here on Monday, said, it is a "usual phenomenon" and that "Thousands of deaths have
been occurring every year during the season." The death of tribals is growing into a major issue. AP health
minister K. Rosaiah, who has denied that there has been a large number of deaths, said that eating stale
meat is the reason for the deadly health problems. A petition regarding the deaths has gone to the

National Human Rights Commission, asking that malarial deaths be treated as starvation deaths But, on
Monday, newly elected stale secretary of the CPI Dr K. Narayana said, "As soon as monsoon rains
commence, mosquitoes start breeding and the tribals fall prey to it. This has been happening since ages."
He suggested that the government provide protected drinking water supply in the agency mandals as a
permanent remedy. Dr Narayana said that the Telugu Desam had no right to blame the government for
the deaths, as tribals had died during the TD regime too. "I and my party cadres walked for more than 170
km two years ago and submitted a detailed report to then government detailing the deaths and the health
problems," he said in his first press conference as secretary at Makhdoom Bhavan. He was accompanied
by his team of nine secretariat members. (Asian Age 2/8/05
IG used to repeatedly call me and talk dirty (6)
Noida: A 22-year-old tribal woman, who was allegedly raped first by a Ranchi police deputy inspector
general (DIG) and then by Ranchi inspector general (IG), claims IG P S Natrajan raped her for over seven
months and "used to call me repeatedly and talk dirty". She even revealed that her second husband used
to help the IG in "forcefully raping" her. "The IG often used to call me at least 10 times a day. Sometimes
he called up at 2 or 3 in the morning. Finally, a week back, he called me to Ranchi's Kalinga Apartments,
where the "Sansani" team caught him in the act. Madhu Priya Ganguly, a teacher at the local Cambridge
School, was living in the flat," the victim said. . In a tape-recorded interview to a TOI^ correspondent in
Noida, the woman revealed that Ranchi SP (city) Suman Gupta had recorded her statement here on
Monday night. "I was grilled from 11.30 pm to 2 pm, and Gupta took the SIM card of my cellphone with
her, as it would help establish the IG's repeated calls to me." She declined to reveal where she was living
at present, saying she was changing addresses frequently for "security reasons." According to the Ranchi
resident, she was married to a Naxalite in 1997, when she was only 13 and had studied up to Class VIII.
Three years later, she obtained a divorce, as she was ill treated by her in-laws and husband. But, the
husband was given her son's custody by a court. To try to get the son back, she said, she went to DIG
Parvez Hayat, who raped her. He falsely promised to get her the child's custody and get her employed in
the police. Less than two years ago, she married again. Later, when she complained against "exploitation"
by Hayat, Natrajan was handed the inquiry. And, for the last seven months, he had allegedly been raping
her, the daughter of a Jharkhand government chowkidar in her Ranchi home. (Tiimes of India 3/8/05)
Maoists issue fatwa against top cops in CD sleaze case (6)
Ranchi : Maoist ultras have issued a fatwa against suspended Inspector General of Police PS Natrajan
and Deputy Inspector General of Police Parvez Hayat for their alleged exploitation of a tribal girl in the
State. A Communist Party of India-Maoist press release says the organisation has issued a death
sentence on the two cops. The release issued by sub zonal commander Rabindraji says the two cops be
hanged to death for their dastardly act. "The top cops are rapists and symbolise police torture on a woman
in the name of anti-extremist operation. The real face of the police has surfaced," the release said. It
further states, "Women are exploited by the police after they are branded extremists. We appeal to the
people to kill persons of such character at public places to reform society."Natrajan and Hayat are
accused of sexually exploiting a tribal girl.An FIR has been lodged against both under various sections of
the Indian Penal Code, including rape, in Ranchi and Palamau. The FIR against Hayat was lodged in the
Sadar Police Station of Palamau district on Wednesday evening. Hayat is currently on central deputation.
The report was lodged on the basis of the statement made by the concerned girl and a case registered
under IPC 376 (rape), 506 (threatening) and 3/XII of the SC/ST Atrocity Prevention Act, 1989. According
to the woman's statement, Hayat had sexually exploited her on the pretext of giving her a job in the police
department in 2002. He was DIG of Palamau range at that time. Natarajan was suspended after a
regional news channel carried video footage showing him in a compromising position with a woman. The
police has launched an operation to arrest the suspended IG. (Pioneer 5/8/05)
Experts warn against land rights to tribals (6)
New Delhi, Aug. 6: After the Sariska fiascom, experts have now warned over the granting of "land rights"
to the forest dwelling human communities as proposed in the Scheduled Tribe (Recognition of Forest
Right) Bill 2005, being introducing by the Union government. Experts feel that the India, with a forest cover
of 19.27 per cent (national goal is to achieve 33 per cent),will not be able to cope the pressure after the
allocation of land under these rights. Almost 10 per cent of the Indian population is taken care of by these
forests, but once made owners, the plundering of forest wealth could become unmanageable and will

substantially dwindle. Raising issues of natural conservation, habitat and eco-system, former director of
Wildlife Institute, Dehradun, Mr V.B. Sawarkar said: "the bill is in contravention of our Constitution where
article 48-A states that "state shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard
the forests, lakes rivers and wild-life....", but once land rights are allocated to people all our natural wealth
will be prone to market forces. The Tiger Task Force has suggested that human population near the forest
areas is the main reason for the extinction of tigers, and the land rights are likely to create further
confusion. "It will increase tampering we may lose many of the natural treasures permanently." (Asian Age
7/6/05)
Tribals in the agency areas of Visakhapatnam are battling many illnesses (6)
HYDERABAD: "We fall like leaves, unnoticed. We bury our younger ones more often between May and
July. We are born to die, not to live," says Korra Singaiah of Urumu hamlet in the Visakhapatnam agency
of Andhra Pradesh. Fevers, including malaria, are raging in the hamlet, situated more than 3,000 ft above
sea level in the agency area bordering Orissa. The Telugu Desam, the main Opposition party, claimed
that more than 1,100 people died in June-July due to malaria and other communicable diseases. The
Government promptly denied it, saying the toll had not crossed double digits. "The fact remains that we
are burying more children and women every year," says T. Balaraju, who had come to attend the weekly
shandy in Araku mandal. "The entire population of the agency is shivering under the impact of fever."
Tribals get affected easily and repeatedly due to their anaemic status and unhygienic living conditions.
They don't have safe drinking water," says Krishna Sastri, a medical officer at the Araku Community
Health Centre. Till three years ago, anti-malarial operations were undertaken twice a year. "The spraying
operations have been handed over to contractors, and their work is not supervised. This is one of the
reasons for the severe viral backlash this year," says Venu (name changed), a post-doctoral medical
student, who has worked in the area. While the jury is still out on the cause of the deaths this year, District
Collector Praveen Prakash says: "Only seven persons have died due to malaria so far. In Champaguda
village of Araku mandal, for example, a political party claimed that 44 have died. On verification, it was
found that only one person died." (The Hindu 8/8/05)
Maoists urge tribals to give up traditional weapons (6)
Raipur : Concerned over increasing support to what is known as salwa judum (people's movement) in
local parlance, Maoists have asked tribals to surrender their bows and arrows. The traditional weapon
associated with the tribals is considered the most deadly weapon as it hunts down its target without
making any sound. The Maoists in fact see them as more deadly then automatic firearms. Aware of the
capability of this traditional weapon, Maoists have asked people in the Konta region of Bastar to give up
their arms, intelligence sources said. The fear among the left wing ultras is that the tribal people who have
launched an anti-Naxalite movement (jan jagaran or salwa judum) may use bows and arrows to target
Naxalites. Armed with their traditional weapon, tribals trained in the use of bows and arrows, are widely
participating in the jan jagaran movement in their resolve to uproot Maoists from their areas. More than
220 such meetings have already taken place in Bastar region. What is, however, more important is that
over two dozen people have been killed by Maoists during this period. The slain people had not only
attended the people's movement meetings, they were also actively spearheading the campaign.
Undeterred by the killings, the meetings are continuing.The Maoists latest diktat on surrender of arms has
triggered severe resentment among the tribals. This, while the police is devising various strategies to take
on the ultras, including arming the locals and trained them in the use of modern arms. (Pioneer 9/8/05)
'Govt penalising tribals by denying them forest land' (6)
New Delhi : The Government is trying to suppress the voice of the tribals in Orissa who are struggling
against mining projects in the forests, said tribal rights activists here on Monday, adding that more than
11, 000 tribals living in the forests were arrested in the state in the recent past. The tribal rights activists
gathered here under the aegis of the National Consultation on the Draft Forest Rights Bill to discuss the
issues of concern about the country's tribal population, following the delay by the UPA Government in
introducing the Bill in Parliament. The Bill is about entitlement of about 8.1 per cent of the total population
of the country who in 1991 constituted about 55.16 per cent of the total displaced people. The state has
failed to record and recognise the ancestral land rights of the tribals, but has instead been penalising them
for it, Mr Chakma, a tribal representative, said. Tribals are neither responsible for violation of Forest
Conservation Act, nor the Wildlife Conservation Act. Do not punish the whole community for the misdeeds

of a few," he added. Blaming the Ministry of Environment and Forest for the major destruction of forests,
the tribal representatives said, "Between 1980 and 2004, 9.81 lakh hectares of forest land - about 73% of
the total alleged encroached area - were diverted for non-forest activities". Compensatory afforestation
programmes are no substitute for rich natural forests, they added. The Ministry of Environment and Forest
never talks of the number of poachers prosecuted, but the issue of encroachers is likely to be on their
hitlist and hence tribals are always marginalised during legal proceedings. (Pioneer 9/8/05)
Rival tribal bills under scanner (6)
NEW DELHI, AUGUST 9: Bills prepared by the Tribal Affairs Ministry and the Environment Ministry on
livelihood and poverty alleviation for forest-dwelling tribals will be taken up at a Company of Secretaries
meeting on Friday. The ministries have been at loggerheads over giving land to tribals. The Prime
Minister’s Office has asked the COS to look at the two bills — the Minor Forest Produce (Ownership
Rights of Forest Dependent Community) Bill prepared by the Environment Ministry and the Tribal Affairs
Ministry’s Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005 — which have largely the same
mandate. The COS is expected to recommend if both bills are needed, whether just one will do or if the
two should be merged to form a comprehensive Act. The Environment Ministry drafted its bill just as the
Tribal Affairs Ministry began preparing its own legislation, which has since run into controversy. The
former’s proposed legislation deals with setting up communities with rights to forest produce. The bill,
which extends to all forest areas except national parks, sanctuaries and other notified areas, gives tribals
ownership rights to all minor forest produce. Tribals will have rights not just to collect forest produce but
sell it too. Under the bill, the ministry expects states to assign specific forest areas to these forest
dependent communities. The ministry says the harvesting of produce will be on a non-destructive and
sustainable basis, adding that a fraction of the proceeds have to go into regeneration and development of
the forest area. (Indian Express 10/8/05)
Govt starves top tribal girls' school in MP of funds (6)
Bhopal : The future of 100 tribal girls studying in Ma Sarada Kanya Vidyapith seems to be bleak as the
school has not been able to receive fund since the past 8 years. Established under a scheme of the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs "Educational complexes for tribal girls in low literacy pockets", the school owes a
debt of over Rs 9 lakh to the locales for its expenses. Launched in the year 1995 in 134 districts having a
literacy rate lower than 10 per cent across 11 States, funds are provided to organisations to establish and
run such schools. The hitch in the release of funds began sometime in the year 1997-98, when out of the
total grant Rs 1.84 lakh was held up and this was repeated in the year 2000-01 and then again in the year
2003-04.However, the crisis deepened last year when the entire amount of grant was held up. Till date,
the school has funds worth Rs 13.25 lakh pending with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.Interestingly, the
school has been declared the best school of the district and the block. Secretary of the Ramakrishna
Vivekananda Sevashram trust that runs the school, Dr Pravir Sarkar said: "We have been running from
pillar to post trying to find out what went wrong and the reasons for the hitch in the release of funds.
Despite the support of the Collector and Principa Secretary Tribal Welfare, the problem has not been
sorted out as of yet. Now they say that the funds would be released with that for the year 2005-06 so we
are just waiting." Neither the Tribal Welfare Commissioner nor the Anuppur Collector was available for
quote.However, the additional District Magistrate Anuppur said that the funds had been delayed by the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs only and there was no liability on the part of the State Government in the matter.
(Pioneer 11/8/05)
Tribals seek independence/ from a British law (6)
NEW DELHI: When the nation celebrates freedom from the British on August 15, thousands of tribal
people across the country will give a call for independence from the colonial British law — the Indian
Forest Act, 1927 -that deprives them of their right on the land. Spearheaded by the Campaign for Survival
and Dignity, the tribal people will hold token demonstrations at the district headquarters to draw the
attention of the respective Governments towards their "existence" and the need to pass the Scheduled
Tribes (Recognition of Rights) Bill, 2005 without further delay. Scores of non-governmental organisations,
working for the tribal welfare, have extended support to the cause and would initiate the "ishara andolan"
on August 15, Vijay of Madhya Pra-desh-based Adivasi Mukti Sangathan told reporters here on Saturday.
The movement would be intensified with "jail bharo andolan" from October 2 if the bill was not given a
go-ahead by then, Mr. Vijay said. Thousands of tribal people and the supporters of their cause will come

out on the streets and court arrest in all States, particularly those having tribal population. Since
Independence, 40 million tribals alone have been thrown out of their homes to make way for dams, mines,
industry and other projects. More than 5,000 forest villages still have no legal recognition. Since 2002,
lakhs of people have lost their crops, lands and homes in eviction drives.
"In 1996, the Government admitted through the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act that our
communities should control the forest resources. (The Hindu 14/8/05)
Forest-dwellers take to the streets (6)
NEW DELHI: Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced bringing in legislation to give land
rights to the Scheduled Tribes living in forests during his Independence Day speech, thousands of tribal
people were out on the streets across the country on Monday to express their concern and dismay at the
"continued failure" of the Government to grant legal recognition to the rights of forest communities.
Beginning nationwide protests spearheaded by the Campaign for Survival and Dignity, tribal communities
demanded that they, too, wanted to be treated as equal citizens of the country. For decades, tribals and
other forest dwellers were fighting for "freedom from the dictatorial rule of colonial forest laws and an
autocratic forest department," the memoranda submitted at district headquarters said. "The ongoing
justice has accelerated the destruction of India's forests and the impoverishment of some of our country's
poorest and marginalised citizens," the memorandum said while impressing upon the Centre to table the
Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Rights) Bill, 2005 in parliament. "It has to be remembered that India's
entire system of reserved forests and protected areas was built by arbitrary declaration of areas as `forest'
even when these included farms, lands and homes of communities. Since then our homes, the forests,
have been destroyed and cleared by legal and illegal means while we are branded as encroachers and
criminals," the protestors said. A copy of the memorandum would be shortly submitted to the United
Progressive Alliance chairperson, Sonia Gandhi. (The Hindu 16/8/05)
Quota in Panchayat poll: Tribals, BCs lock horns (6)
Ranchi : The tribal-backward honeymoon in the State seems to be truly over. The two are now headed for
a split because of a clash of interests. Three years ago, tribals and backwards came together over the
domicile issue to drive away the Dikus (outsiders). The issue had led to considerable social unrest in the
State, outsider-insider clashes claiming at least 10 lives.Three years down the line, the State seems
headed for another clash. This time both the issue and the social equation are different. Panchayati
elections have now become a bone of contention between the tribals and the backwards. In short, there is
infighting between the "insiders". The two communities are baying for each other's blood on the issue of
reservation. The backwards, who constitute about 40 per cent of the State's population, are demanding
dereservation of seats reserved for tribals who constitute 27 per cent of the population. Tribal leaders and
scholars want the election to take place under the Panchayat Raj Extension to Scheduled Area Act
(PESA) of 1996. Non-tribals, particularly the backwards, have called for a bandh on August 24 to oppose
the reservation of Panchayats. The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting on Thursday night in
Ranchi. The meeting was held under the banner of Jharkhand Pradesh Panchayatiraj Adhikar Manch
(JPPAM). "The bandh will be peaceful and anyone who creates trouble during the strike will not be
spared," said Ram Rahal Chaudhary, an ex-BJP MP and convener of JPPAM. He said "The State
Government needs to amend the Scheduled Area Act only where the tribal population is less than 50 per
cent." At present 112 of the 212 block in the State fall under this Act where posts of mukhiyas and village
heads are reserved for the tribal community. (Pioneer 20/8/05)
Karma determined to mobilise tribals against Maoists in Bastar forests (6)
BASTAR: Mahendra Karma knows that he is high on the Maoists' hit list. But that does not deter him from
making determined efforts to mobilise tribals against the Maoists. Undaunted by the growing threat
perception and killing of his followers, Mr. Karma would spare no effort to organise more and more Salva
Zudoom (peace initiative) rallies in the interior villages of Bastar forests which have been under the control
of Maoists for the past two decades. ``Salva Zudoom is not driven by a political objective. The
predominant feeling among tribals is that they want to live their own lives. They are vexed with the Maoist
violence and they say they do not want to be dictated to by anyone. People are angry at the naxalites and
Salva Zudoom is born out of this anger,'' Mr. Karma told The Hindu . The Maoist reprisals in which 32
people were killed do not seem to prevent the tribals from participating in Salva Zudoom programmes.
Armed with bows and arrows and other traditional weapons, more tribals have been attending the rallies.

``The reason is simple. The Maoists have destroyed the ethos and norms of a tribal society in the name of
revolution. People have been forced to toe their line under the barrel of a gun. But remember, a tribal is a
fiercely independent person living in an independent society. That's why they are revolting against the
Maoists,'' Mr. Karma explained while on his way to attend a peace rally at Kodoli. Mr. Karma, elected to
the Chhattisgarh Assembly from Dantewada constituency, is the Leader of the Opposition too. His open
opposition to the Maoists has come as a boon to the BJP Government led by Raman Singh. The tribal
leader does not mince words in questioning the naxalites as to why they were killing people if they had
established their total control in Bastar. ``What's the use of any ideology, if it cannot tolerate dissent''
(The Hindu 24/8/05)
Campaign for forest rights to tribals (6)
MUMBAI: The Punarvasan Sangharsh Samiti (PSS), Nandurbar, and various other tribal rights
organisations in Maharashtra have launched a month-long campaign for the immediate tabling of the
Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005 in Parliament even as conservationists and the
Forest Department are opposing its provisions. Encouraged by the introduction of the National Rural
Employment Guarantee Bill in Parliament, there has been mobilisation in the adivasi areas of Maharashtra
for the bill to be passed. Since August 16, from Nandurbar in Maharashtra, the PSS has launched a series
of mass meetings in various tribal pockets, which will end in Gandhinagar in Gujarat, on September 19.
According to Pratibha Shinde of the Samiti, among the issues the campaign will highlight is the immediate
passage of this bill, with all amendments suggested by social activists for strengthening tribal rights. The
Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a federation of adivasi and forest people's organisations from across
the country, has been putting pressure for three years for securing forest rights to tribal people. The Bill
envisages, for the first time, recognition of the rights of forest-based communities. These communities,
mostly the scheduled tribes, are among the most marginalised sections of Indian society, according to
Anurag Modi of Shramik Adivasi Sanghatana. They are up against the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and
subsequent laws, which have taken away their rights. (The Hindu 24/8/05)
Tribals remain poor despite aid (6)
New Delhi, Aug. 26: The government spends Rs 7,000 crore on various schemes for the uplift of the
country’s tribal population, which is estimated to be about 8.43 crores. Despite the huge amount, tribals in
most states continue to live in dismal conditions. Among the worst performing states are Orissa,
Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal. Concerned by the inadequate
spending of money, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes has sought details from all state
governments of the development work being carried out for the uplift of tribals. The Union ministry of tribal
affairs spent Rs. 7,409 crore (2004-05) for the uplift of scheduled tribes. The maximum amount (Rs 914
crore) was spent on rural development of tribals areas in the country. Besides, the government spent Rs.
488 crore in Plan funds in 2004-05. Talking to this correspondent, chairman of the National Commission
for Scheduled Tribes Kunwar Singh said, "Where are the funds going It’s really difficult to understand.
When the Central government is spend such a huge amount the condition of tribals should have
improved. But there is no improvement at all." The commission has asked all state governments to furnish
details of projects related to development of tribal areas, he added. "I would also like to say that the
government should amend the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 so that tribals can get ownership rights on
the land where they live. Provisions of the FCA should be suitably amended to allow development
activities to be taken up inside the forests," said the commission chairman. (Asian Age 27/8/05)
Raman to walk the talk with tribals (6)
Raipur : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, his ministerial colleagues, Opposition leader and the
legislators will go on a week long padyatra next month in Maoists-affected areas of the state. The
programme is aimed at giving boost to the ongoing salwa judum- the tribal movement against the Maoists.
Though the route for the padyatra has been kept a secret due to security reasons it is likely to be in
Bhairmagarh and Bijapur of the Bastar region. The yatras will be led by State Home Minister Ram Vichar
Netam, MP Kedar Kashyap and Opposition leader Mahendra Karma.Several other leaders will also join
the yatra. According to sources, three to four teams will go on padyatra and cover about 20 km every day.
The Chief Minister will join it on concluding day. Officials have been directed to be present during yatra
and address problems faced by the people. In a related development government has set up a committee
headed by the State Chief Secretary to extend support to the people who have risen against Maoist. The

committee will be headed by Chief Secretary AK Vijayvargiya. The committee will work out the logistical
details. The committee held its first meeting on Wednesday and decided to visit eight relief camps in the
Maoist-affected Dantewada district. 3,000 people have taken shelter in the relief camps after the salwa
judum began two months back. Both the padyatra and the support extended to the people are aimed at
proving Government's confidence in the tribal populace and in their movement against the Maoists.
(Pioneer 27/8/05)
Tribal force to deal with Orissa Naxals
Bhubaneswar: The state government is planning to use tribals to fight tribals. Pushed into a corner by the
unrelenting pugnacity of Maoists, many of whom here are tribals from around the Red belt in the
western districts, the government is now mulling an all-tribal battalion to take on the ultra.
Sources indicate that the idea, mooted by the home department, has a two-pronged aim to wean
away tribals from the Maoist hold with a whole-some breadwinning opportunity in uniform and to reduce
logistical problems that keep cropping up in the deployment of forces for duty in rebel-affected areas.
"We are planning to raise the second India Reserve Battalion with tribals recruits. The plan has already
received Centre's nod," a senior official said. "The battalion, comprising a force of 1,000 recruits, will be
based in a tribal-dominated area and shall be deployed exclusively to quell the threat posed by cadres
of the People's War in the south and Maoist Communist Centre ultras in the western districts. Tribals are
familiar with the jungle and hilly terrain and will be very effective in neutralising the Nax-alites," said
another senior official. Orissa has an eclectic mix of tribals native to the state with one _ of the
highest averages of resident tribal entities. (Times of Indiia 29/8/05)
Tripura tribals trapped in pornography web (6)
Agartala: They had once taken up arms to liberate Tripura. But after two decades of blood, sweat and
tears, the once incorruptible hardcore militants have stooped to the level of running a racket in making
pornographic films and selling them in the market. Even more shocking, they are forcing their own cadres
to act out the scenes in these films, if reports are to be believed. A local website www.tripurainfo.com on
Friday spilled the beans on the militants' porn CDs that are being circulated in the state, mostly in
tribal-dominated areas. The news has sent shockwaves across Tripura, with DGP G M Srivastava
ordering a probe. The website's editors have filed an FIR providing details of the contents of the
incriminating CDs. The website said the films were being dubbed into Thai, Burmese and other regional
languages, ostensibly for sale in international markets. Its editors said they "were aware of some
pornographic film CDs featuring tribal youths in jeans and frocks being circulated". "We had also been
tipped off by at least three surrendered militants who confirmed the existence of such CDs which featured
tribal boys and girls from the underground. They also admitted that the militant lead-ers were sexually
abusing the girl recruits." (Times of India 29/8/05)
Legislation to restore tribal rights in three months (6)
Coimbatore : A legislation to restore the rights of land, both residential and cultivation and also to sell the
minor forest produce, to the tribal people would be brought in Parliament in three months, Union Forests
Minister A Raja said on Tuesday. Since the conventional rights of the tribals living in the forest area were
not conferred lawfully on them, his Ministry has charted various guidelines and is in consultations with the
Union Tribal Welfare Ministry to formulate a legislation, Raja said here. The Supreme Court had recently
stayed the guidelines ensuring rights of tribals as empowered by the Forest Conservation Act 1980, in
view of possible commercialisation in the name of eco-tourism, Raja said, adding the Ministry wanted
more flexible guidelines, so that the rights could be conferred on the tribals. "We want to supercede the
Court stay and bring in a legislation, to give the tribals their due rights, as promised in the Common
Minimum Programme," the Minister said. (Pioneer 31/8/05)
Naga tribals endorse unification (6)
Kohima : Thousands of Nagas on Wednesday publicly endorsed demands by the National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (NSCN(IM)) for unification of all Naga tribal inhabited areas in the northeast. More
than 50,000 Nagas attended a pro-unification rally organised by the Naga Hoho, the apex tribal council, in
state capital Kohima. "The response was overwhelming with the rally concluding with an open declaration
reaffirming the commitment for integration of all Naga inhabited areas in the northeast," Naga Hoho
general secretary N Krome said. The rally was attended by several ministers and lawmakers from

Nagaland and the adjoining state of Manipur, besides rebel leaders from groups like the Isak-Muivah
faction of the (NSCN-IM) and the Naga National Council (NNC). "Unification of Naga dominated areas in
the northeast is not a demand but a historical right of the people," Mani Charenamai, an MP from Manipur,
said at the rally. Significantly, four Naga MLAs from Manipur also participated in the rally although a
majority of the people in Manipur and the State Government have been vehemently opposing demands for
unification. Rally organisers claimed hundreds of Naga tribal people from the adjoining states of Manipur,
Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh attended the congregation. The rally assumes significance as peace talks
with the NSCN(IM) has been deadlocked in recent months with New Delhi virtually rejecting the group's
demand for unification. (Piioneer 1/9/05)
4 meals a day Two is most they get (6)
Dharni, Melghat (District Amravati), Sept. 1: Lack of employment during the monsoon months is one of the
biggest causes of malnutrition among the tribals of Melghat region. This reporter ventured beyond Dharni,
a taluka headquarters into the small hamlets in the interiors in Melghat, one of the most adverse and
inhospitable regions in Maharashtra. As we made our way through lush greenery on one side and forests
on the other side of the narrow road, we reached Bairagad, 37 km from here, with a population of over
1,000. Dhansingh Vike, a local tribal said, "The employment guarantee schemes end with the summer in
the month of May and the next three months are difficult to survive for us." He explained how it difficult it is
to work in the fields during the agricultural harvest season. "Our bodies have to do the most strenuous
work from dawn to sunset and we need more nutrition but cannot afford it due to poverty." The
government has started various schemes so that tribals get nourishment during the monsoon months.
These include the public distribution system (PDS) and the popular consumption loans scheme (CLS). But
the tribals for whom this scheme is meant are harassed by PDS officials.Babu Kasdekar of Chatvabod
said, "Many of us get ration cards only after our children are identified as malnourished. Even after getting
the ration card, we find it difficult to purchase foodgrains as we cannot afford it." His neighbour Hiren said:
"They are giving us rations which we should have got in May now, when we cannot afford it. If it was given
in May, we could have purchased it and it would have saved our children." (Asian Age 2/9/05)
Separate quota for tribals likely in Rajasthan (6)
Jaipur : There is a move afoot to create a separate quota within the prescribed Scheduled Tribe
reservation for some adivasi groups residing in the southern part of Rajasthan. Adivasis of Udaipur,
Dungerpur, Banswara, Chittorgarh and Sirohi, constitute about 44 per cent of the total tribal population in
the State. They are mostly from the Bheel, Grasia, Dholi, Dungary, Rawal, and Tadavi communities.
Among other reasons, their weak economic status has ensured that their presence, despite the ST quota,
in Government services is negligible. For the past several years, these tribals have been pressing for a
separate quota within the ST quota so that they can avail job opportunities in the Government sector.
According to well placed sources, the Government is considering constituting a committee of ministers to
look into this demand. Minister of State for Tribal Area Development Kanakmal Katra for the past several
months has been persuading the Government to focus attention on the tribals' demand. Currently, the
influential tribal community of Meenas, mainly concentrated in the Sawai Madhpour and Karauli districts,
hold a virtual monopoly in Government services under the 12 per cent reservation for STs. "This has to
change and reservation benefits must be extended to other tribals of the State as well," Mr Katra says.
Recently, the Gujjar community, currently listed in the Other Backward Classes category, organised a
huge rally in the State capital to press for their demand that they be included in the ST category. To
oppose this Gujjar demand, several Meena leaders, including some Ministers, met Chief Minister
Vasundhara Raje last week. They say Gujjars cannot be considered STs because they have never
resided in the forests like a true tribal community. Some Meena leaders are of the view that if Gujjars are
included in the ST category, their present reservation quota under the OBC category be transferred to ST
reservations. (Pioneer 6/9/05)
'No starvation deaths among Sahariya tribals' (6)
Jaipur : A Supreme Court fact-finding committee has concluded that there have been no starvation deaths
among the Sahariya tribals in Barran district in Rajasthan as was being alleged by certain quarters. After
touring 10 villages in the area, the six-member committee, appointed by the Supreme Court, said these
deaths were taking place due to failure of the health system in this tribal-dominated district. About a
fortnight ago, Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Ashak Ali Tank, alleged that starvation

deaths were occurring in Barran as the Government had failed to provide sufficient food to the tribals in
the area. On the basis of Mr Tank's report, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, last week asked AICC
general secretary Mukul Wasnik and PCC president BD Kalla to tour the area. In their report, they claimed
at least 78 Sahariya tribals had died due to starvation. However, in a separate report to the party
president, Rajasthan Mahila Congress president and MLA from the area Mamta Sharma, differed with the
report of her senior party leaders. In her report, she said of the 48 deaths reported from the area recently,
a majority of them had occurred not due to starvation but because of seasonal diseases. The Raje
Government, from the very beginning, has maintained that not a single death was a result of starvation.
Although medical faculties are available in the area, tribals prefer to go to local "healers" rather than
qualified doctors which often leads to the death of the patient. (Pioneer 23/9/05)
Mizo tribals create history (6)
Aizawl : More than 200 tribal people in Mizoram have made history by becoming the first batch to be
formally converted to Judaism, religious leaders Thursday said. "We are extremely happy to officially
converted to Judaism. Me and my family can now proudly claim to be Mizo Jews," 48-year-old Peer Tlau,
an engineer, in Aizawl, said. Christian by birth, Tlau, his wife and two sons, were among 218 tribal Mizos
who were pronounced Jews after they took a holy dip at a 'mikvah' or a ritual bath last weekend under
strict supervision by a team of nine Rabbis or religious leaders from Israel. "The holy bath by 218 Mizo
people at the mikvah was indeed a historic event as they became the first batch to be formally converted
to Judaism," Rabbi Yehuda Gin, an Israeli preacher, deputed by the Chief Rabbinate or religious jurist,
said. "A bath at the mikvah forms an important ritual in Jewish tradition. A holy dip is considered
mandatory and the final step towards becoming a complete Jew for any converts," he said. Sephardic or
oriental chief Rabbi in Jerusalem, Shlomo Amar, announced in March that members of the 6,000-strong
Bnei Menashe tribe in the northeastern states of Mizoram and Manipur were descendants of ancient
Israelites or one of the Biblical 10 lost tribes. The recognition by Israel came in the wake of mounds of
applications from northeastern tribals seeking to migrate to Israel, or the "Promised Land", which they say
is their right. According to Israeli law, every Jew enjoys the "right of return" or the right of abode in Israel.
"Now we can surely make preparations to migrate to our Promised Land. Nobody can stop us from going
to Israel forever," Tlau's wife Shulamith said. There were at least 600 Mizos who queued up to perform the
holy dip at the 'mikvah', the construction of which was completed earlier this month. (Pioneer 23/9/05)
Revised tribal Bill may go to cabinet soon (6)
New Delhi: The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, UPA's biggest prom ise after the
Rural Employment Guarantee Act, is likely to be placed before the Cabinet soon. According to a top
government official, a way out has been found which could satisfy both the tiger lobby and tribal rights
activists. The major problem with the ex isting Bill was found to be with the rights that accrue to tribals in
sanctuaries and national parks. The new solution envisages that tribals in these places would be
relocated, something that the tiger lobby has been demanding. This could be done by giving them
provisional or temporary "pattas" (title deeds) with a clear provision that they are liable to relocation. In
such a case, the state will allot alternate land. But there is a rider: such relocation will have to be done
within two years failing which the "pattas" will become permanent. Explaining the solution, the of ficial said:
"The onus would be on the forest department for a time-bound relocation, something that the wildlife
activists have been arguing for years. Such a solution would appear acceptable to both groups." The
revised Bill promises two and a half hectares of land per nuclear family of a forest-dwelling ST. But wildlife
activist Valmik Thapar is not happy. Told about the new proposal, Thapar said: "It is not enough! The Bill
needs rediscussion and) redrafting. The new proposals are a mere tinker ing with the old Bill." The sudden
revival of interest in the Bill gathering dust for more than six months now, the top official said, has been on
ac count of the assurance given by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi that it would be introduced in
Parliament in the winter session. (Times of India 27/9/05)
Consensus sought on Tribal Rights Bill (6)
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought a consensus on the issue of granting rights to
tribals so that the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Rights) Bill was tabled in Parliament in the winter
session. Attending a meeting of the stakeholders, including officers from the Ministries of Environment
and Forest, and Tribal Affairs, environmentalists and those working for the tribal rights here on Friday
evening, Dr. Singh asked them to thrash out differences over the issue as the United Progressive Alliance

(UPA) was committed to grant rights to tribals under its national common minimum programme (NCMP).
Giving details of the meeting that went on till late in the evening, Dr. Singh's media adviser Sanjaya Baru
told reporters that the Prime Minister wanted the concerns of the environmentalists and those working for
tribal rights to be addressed before a final draft was prepared. As of now, there are two drafts: one
prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Forests and another by the Tribal Affairs Ministry. A Group of
Ministers is also looking into the matter. Before leaving for another meeting, Dr. Singh heard the members
for a good two hours. He told them to arrive at a consensus in the coming days. Dr. Singh suggested the
holding of a workshop for stakeholders to iron out differences, Mr. Baru said. The issues that come up
during the discussion included the livelihood of displaced forest dwellers the denial of which amounted to a
violation of human rights, the threat posed to tigers if they co-existed with humans and problems related to
forest management. Among those present were social activists Jean Dreze and Aruna Roy and wildlife
activist Valmik Thapar. (The Hindu 1/10/05)
Tribals aim high with studies (6)
Karimnagar, Oct. 1: A revolution is on in Naxal-affected Garjanapalli — a revolution in education.This
remote village in the Maoist hotbed of Yellareddypet mandal in Karimnagar has discovered that education
is the key to escape. And they are pursuing education in real earnest. Situated close to the dense Manala
forests, the village, which houses about 1,500 Lambada tribals, is steeped in poverty. Amenities are
woefully inadequate and even sick people have to be taken long distances by bullock cart to get medical
attention. The village had made news earlier as it had witnessed much bloodshed and was home to many
Naxalite leaders, including the Janashakti district secretary Ranadheer. However, the villagers decided to
change their own fate. Now, the village is making news for different reasons. Over the years, village elders
have persuaded young men to pursue education vigorously. The tribals used all possible avenues to get
schooling. The tiny hamlet has produced 300 government employees, including teachers, engineers,
policemen, RTC drivers and conductors. Tirupathi Naik, a recent recipient of the best teacher award, is
one among the 25 teachers who belong to the village. Similarly, Ramulu, an assistant engineer of
APTransco, and circle inspector Ramreddy are proud sons of the village. Garjanapalli also boasts 105
police constables and 50 RTC employees, mostly drivers. (Asian Age 2/10/05)
Protest against inclusion of Gurjars in ST list (6)
Jaipur : Members of the Meena community, a predominant schedule tribe in the State, held a rally here on
Sunday to protest against the alleged move to include some more communities, particularly Gurjars, in the
list of scheduled tribes. All the 31 MLAs, belonging to different political parties, were present at the rally to
show their solidarity on the issue. The leaders said there was no justification for inclusion of some more
castes and communities in the ST category, as these communities were enjoying a better status socially
and economically. Last month, Gurjar Mahasbha had held a rally in the State capital to press for its
demand for the inclusion of Gurjars in the ST category. At present, this community comes under Other
Backward Class (OBC) category. Its leader said that like other ST population, including Meenas, they
earned their livelihood from forest and were eligible to be considered as ST. After the Mahasabha rally, the
State Government had constituted a committee to consider the demand. This has evoked sharp reaction
among the Meenas. (Pioneer 3/10/05)
``Table tribal rights Bill in winter session'' (6)
NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded tabling of the Scheduled Tribes
(Recognition of Rights) Bill in the winter session of Parliament. Suggesting amendments to uphold the
rights of tribals, the CPI (M) on Wednesday warned against any attempts to dilute the Bill. Addressing a
press conference here, CPI (M) Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat and Biman Basu said it was
unfortunate that the Bill, introduced to meet the demand of tribals for recognition of their traditional rights
in forests, including access to minor forest produce, should be delayed on `specious grounds'. The
decision to press for the Bill was taken at the party's Tribal Coordination Committee discussions here on
Tuesday and Wednesday. An amendment suggested was removal of the cut-off date of 1980, which, if
implemented, would lead to mass eviction of tribals. Another related issue was the ceiling of 2.5 hectares
of land proposed in the Bill on tribal holdings which, the committee said, was far less than the land ceilings
in the States for non-tribal sections. This might lead to disentitlement of adult sons and daughters, who
have been cultivating land but may not have legal evidence of it. "Also, the crucial issue of development of
tribal habitations and provision of minimum facilities like drinking water, health care and roads have been

completely ignored in the Bill. The important issue of rehabilitation of those displaced by numerous
projects has not been addressed at all,'' Ms. Karat said. Insisting that the Bill drafted by the Ministry of
Tribal Affairs be accepted with amendments, Ms. Karat expressed concern over the "inordinate delay" in
its tabling. She attributed it to lobbying from the timber mafia and contractors. "They have an elitist view of
tribal rights and do not realise that the forests exist because of them,'' she said. (The Hindu 6/10/05)
Jharkhand Govt to take tribals on a city dekko (6)
Ranchi: THE JHARKHAND Gover nment's move to "Chalo tumhe cities ka tour karaye" (Come with us on
a tour of the cities) for tribals who prefer to live in isolation in the forests is a novel move initiated by Chief
Minister Arjun Munda to integrate the State's tribal population with the mainstream population. Tribals from
different parts of the State will be tak en to smaller and metro politan cities of India to get acquainted with
develop ment projects. "There are many tribal clans which have not even seen a town as they prefer to
stay in forest areas. Tribals like to live in an old fashioned manner and are not interested in seeing the
world that exists outside," feels VS Uppadhaya, a re tired professor of Anthropology at Ranch! University,
The welfare de partment has been asked to work on the project and raise funds for the tribals' Bharat
Darshan. Of the 30 tribes in Jharkhand, nine belong to the Primitive Tribes Group (PTG) whose population
is .rapidly declining in the State. The tour will include both the primitive tribes and general tribes. "The
concept of Bharat Darshan is to show the trib als the changes that are tak ing place in the world and how
they are alienated from the mainstream population" said an official of the welfare department. "A group of
20 people of different tribes will be constituted who will vis it the smaller and metropolitan cities of India.
Different groups will be sent to different parts of the country," he said. The other story related to this
Bharat Darshan project is industrialisation. The State Government has signed Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to the tune to Rs 1 lakh crore in steel, mining and power sector. To translate the
MoUs into reality, the State needs land and a change in the tribal mindset. (Pioneer 7/10/05)
Controversial tribal Bill gets PMO nod (6)
New Delhi : THE PRIME Minister's Office has decided to back the con tentious tribal rights Bill prepared by
the Ministry of Tribal Affairs over the alter native draft put up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
that sought to protect wildlife habitats. A note from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO ID No
250/40/C/02/05-S II, dated October 3, 2005) a copy of which is available with The Pioneer, in no uncertain
terms gives a clear signal to the controversial Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005.
The note threatens to further weaken the already fragile Congress-DMK alliance. The Bill drafted by the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs is likely to be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament. It is learnt that Union
Minister of Environment and Forests A Raja has not taken kindly to the tone and content of the note which
curtly dis misses the Forest Rights (Recognition and Vesting) Bill, 2005, prepared by his Ministry. This
alternative Bill was prepared on the sugges tion of the Cabinet Committee on Tribal Affairs after it came
under much criticism due to the other draft's potential destructive impact on wildlife and tiger habitats. The
PMO note reads: "The MoEF is requested not to pro ceed with the preparation of any draft Bill on MFPs
(Minor Forest Produce) or settlement of tribal rights." It adds, "This position may be clari fied by the MoEF
to the Cabinet Committee on Tribal Affairs, so that there is no scope of ambiguity." (Pioneer 13/10/05)
Tribal burnt alive in Madhya Pradesh (6)
KATNI (M.P.): A Gond tribal was allegedly burnt alive by mem bers of an upper caste family fol lowing some
personal dispute at a village, 50 km from here on Thursday, police said. Angry over some differences, one
Shivbhan Singh Chouhan and his seven sons allegedly poured kerosene on Suraj Singh Gond (40),
president of Parent-Teachers Association of a school, and set him afire at Kataria vil lage in the wee hours,
the police said adding, Suraj died of burns. Inspector General of Police .K. Soni said in Bhopal that Suraj
had objected to Chouhan force fully taking away some construc tion material, following which he was
attacked. (The Hindu 21/10/05
Tribal Bill: PMO calls meeting of warring groups (6)
New Delhi: In possibly the last fiery public consultation, the Prime Minister's Office is calling in warring
groups to determine the final shape of the contentious tribal rights Bill. A day-long meeting is be ing
scheduled in the PM's of fice on October 28. PMO hopes to complete the work, on this second UPA
showpiece, waiting its turn since the rural employment guarantee law took shape, be fore Parliament's
winter session.Tribal affairs ministry drafted the initial Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of For est Rights) Bill.

An angry en vironment ministry then came up with a rival draft to tackle the occupancy and non-occupancy
rights of for est-dependent communities, not just tribals, before being told to back off. Activists on both
sides have joined the war. A com promise suggested in be tween was to relocate trib als living in
sanctuaries and national parks within a fixed timeframe, on alterna tive land provided by state government.
When PM called in the two sides three weeks ago, the consensus was that the two ministries should work
on a reconciled draft of the Bill. Some of those invited to the October 28 meeting haven't seen any such
draft. They are, however, care fully reading the invitation, which reportedly speaks of making sure they do
the right thing for tribals and create inviolate areas for wildlife. It reportedly says that some important
sugges tions have come, especially on the complex issue^of en suring protection to wildlife sanctuaries and
the need to get this in harmony with people's rights to land, even if on specific, commonly agreed technical
grounds they have to be resettled. (Times of India 22/10/05)
Tribals seek autonomous councils (6)
BHUBANESWAR: A two-day All-India Tribal Convention began here on Monday with speakers demanding
the formation of regional autonomous councils in tribal areas to ensure development. The speakers
demanded the stopping of the transfer of land to non-tribals in Scheduled Areas. They called upon tribal
people to fight for their rights for land and forest produce, and protect their language and culture. Over 500
tribal leaders are participating in the convention to discuss the problems facing the tribal people. The
convention has been organised by the All-India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha and Lok Sangram Manch. (The
Hindu 25/10/05)
Maoists have made us refugees in our own land (6)
Dantewara (Chhattisgarh) MORE THAN 450 tribals have tak en shelter to escape the wrath of the Maoists
at a Chhattisgarh Government-run relief camp in Krishi Upaj Mandi near Aram Chowk in Dantewara
district, 400 km from Raipur. The group com prises men, women and children from ten villages of the
district. Most camp residents returned from a salwajudum (peace march) meeting at Bhairmagarh. It was
ad dressed by Governor KM Seth, Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam, Leader of Opposition Mahendra
Karma and other leaders. The Governor congratulated them for rising against the Maoists and as sured
security to them. The same night, on Saturday, more than two dozen Maoists raid ed village Gumra, a few
kilometers from where the meeting was held in the district. The Maoists killed a for mer Sarpanch
Manguram. The killing was a clear message to those people who had dared to go against them and had
joined the salwajudum,' a senior police offi cial pointed out. 'We were expecting a Maoist attack in our
villages and even in the refugee camps,' said 25-year-old Lakshman of village Pulewaya. Sanaru Karma
of Niram village agrees with him. But, they along with several other young men at the camp are
determined. "We are not going to surrender the Maoist's bullets. We will set our vil lage free from their
terror.' They alleged that Maoists had for a long time threatened them, killed people, demanded grains and
land produce, had forced (hem to close the market, had not allowed them to col lect tendu leaves (a major
source of their earning) if they ever protested against them. People at the relief camp had several such
complaints. (Pioneer 26/10/05)
Tribal rights Bill Odds are against the tiger lobby (6)
New Delhi: The so-called 'tiger lobby', accused by some of being caught in a time warp as it demands
people-free areas for wildlife, is looking cornered as the countdown begins for the final fight on the tribal
rights Bill. Invites sent by the Prime Minister's office for a day-long Oc tober 28 meeting to non-officials
show how few they are — half a dozen in all. The rest on the list of 22 are tribal rights ac tivists and
conservationists, most of whom don't believe people can be kept out of the forest and wildlife equation.
Interestingly, there is no love lost even between the envi ronment ministry and the 'tiger lobby', though they
may be perceived as being on the same side. The PMO, gearing for Fri day's effort, has made it clear it
wants to focus the discussion on ensuring pro tection to wildlife sanctuar ies and harmonising this with
people's rights to forest land, even if they have to be resettled from sanctuaries. The divisions are clear.
On the official front, the tribal affairs ministry is expected to modify its original Bill to reflect environment
min istry concerns. Environment minister A Raja, clearly told to back off from selling his ministry's rival Bill,
has written to the PM, identifying the issues which need to be addressed — irrespective of who pilots the
Bill. The public show is really be tween the non-of ficials. It will be committed tribal rights activists led so far
by National Advisory Council members Jean Dreze and Aruna Roy versus hardcore wildlifers such as
Valmik Thapar and P K Sen. Both sides, asked to give additional names for Fri day's meeting, have been

uttressed. The third lot, some of whom may not turn up, com prises conservationists who aren't against
tribal rights but want safeguards to pro tect forests. Among wildlifers, one sees in this composition a
"pre-determined" effort to push through an agenda, ir respective of the "enormous repercussions" it may
have. (Times of India 27/10/05)
Andhra tribals to help fight Naxals (6)
New Delhi, Oct. 27: Andhra Pradesh government plans to fight Naxalism by recruiting and arming tribals
and non-tribals of the Naxal-affected areas and also raising a joint task force with the neighbouring states,
equally affected by Left-wing extremism, indicated Andhra home minister, Mr K Jana Reddy. He was
replying to questions from the media in the capital on Thursday on the composition of a battalion of tribal
police force. Mr Jana Reddy explained that the proposed battalion will be raised from specific "scheduled"
areas (under the influence of Naxalism) though it will not necessarily be restricted to only tribals, but
anyone living in the scheduled area, Mr Jana Reddy added. He also said that this will be a special
battalion but will function as any other state police battalion. "The objective of social justice also gets
covered by this exercise," he explained. He also said that the special task force of neighbouring states is
already in the offing and or joint operations of the police forces of states has begun. (Asian Age 28/10/05)
PMO hustles troops to push forward Bill on tribal rights (6)
New Delhi: The Prime Minis ter's Office is now in a rush to push the tribal rights Bill through. When 22
activists were called to the PMO for a meeting on Friday, the message was clear: The Bill is going to be
piloted by the tribal affairs ministry, not the environment ministry, it's a UPA commitment which will make it
to Parliament's winter session. According to one participant, deci sions are going to be made "at the
highest political level". But most of those who attended still emerged hope ful their concerns would be
taken on board. The PM didn't attend the meet ing, focused on the fate of tribals in protected areas
and deciding the basis for declaring any area invi olate. The meeting was presided over by minister of state
in PMO Prithviraj Chauhan ended two hours earlier than scheduled and was described as surprisingly
amicable, constructive and good. All those who attended have been asked to send their com ments, if they
wish, to the tribal af fairs ministry within seven days. The secretaries of the tribal af fairs and environment
ministries will then sit with the principal sec retary in PMO and finalise the draft. They are looking at a final
version in about a fortnight. "The gist was about revision, a new draft which does justice to both tribals and
forests and wildlife..! hope something will come out of it," said one activist. On Friday, Chauhan allowed
each activist — tribal rights votaries, wildlifers and middle-of-the-ground conservationists — to have their
say. The environ ment ministry wanted to make a presentation at the start — it got short shrift at the start
but even tually made its fears on the Bill quite clear and stated what it thought should be done. (Times of
India 29/10/05)
ETHNIC VIOLENCE IN ASSAM
Nine hacked to death in Assam ethnic violence (6)
Guwahati : Ethnic clashes between two rival tribal groups in Assam took a deadly turn on Saturday with at
least nine persons hacked to death and upto 130 houses set ablaze. Nine Karbi villagers were hacked to
death by militants belonging to a rival group in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Saturday, said a police
official. The incident took place at Borsing Bey village, about 285 kilometers east of Guwahati. "Heavily
armed militants raided the village and chopped off the heads of nine people with crude weapons. They set
on fire at least 20 houses before leaving the area," police official A Das said on the telephone from Diphu,
the district headquarters of Karbi Anglong. Police suspects the Dima Halom Daoga, a rebel group fighting
for an independent homeland for the Dimasa tribe in eastern Assam, to be behind the killings. The killing
spree was followed by ravaging houses. "A group of Karbi villagers attacked a Dimasa village and burnt
down 80 houses and soon after there were retaliatory strikes in which 50 houses belonging to Karbis were
set ablaze by a Dimasa mob in an adjoining area," the police official said. Civil authorities in Karbi Anglong
districts have opened relief camps to shelter both Karbi and Dimasa villagers whose houses were burnt
down on Saturday. "At present we have given shelter to 1,000 in makeshift arrangements. Many people
have fled their homes fearing fresh attacks by rival groups," he said. The Karbis and the Dimasas have for
long been engaged in a bitter turf war with both the ethnic tribal groups fighting for territorial supremacy in

the region. "The fight between the Dimasas and the Karbis are over land rights and in regular intervals we
find the two groups involved in bloody clashes," another police official said. (Pioneer 10/10/05)
Assam govt to probe ethnic violence (6)
GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 11: With ethnic clashes in Assam claiming 30 lives—six of them yesterday—the
state government today announced a probe into the killings. Most of the killings were executed by militant
groups claiming to be fighting for the rights of the Dimasa and Karbi tribes. Six persons were killed near
Diphu yesterday even as Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and former CM Prafulla Kumar Mahanta were
touring the violence-hit areas. The state government today announced a judicial probe by retired Guwahati
High Court judge PC Phukan. The report would be submitted in three months. As most of the killings
occurred in remote villages, even the police came to know of each incident very late. The ethnic violence
was triggered on September 26 with the murder of three Dimasa youths near Diphu, the headquarters of
Karbi Anglong, a district dominated by the Karbi tribe. The administration initially considered it a law and
order problem, but the violence escalated with Karbis and Dimasas attacking each other’s villages. While
five persons were killed in two separate incidents on October 3, three were killed a day later. On October
8 seven persons were killed in three villages. Five more died as armed militants attacked five villages
belonging to both communities on October 10. The police blame the Dima Halam Daoga (DHD) and the
United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), militant groups claiming to represent the Dimasa and Karbi
tribes respectively for the violence. ‘‘Villagers are being targeted by the two groups to create tension
between the tribes,’’ Karbi Anglong SP Pankaj Sharma said. Police said the assailants used AK-47 and
SLR weapons to carry out the killings. (Indian Exp 12/10/05)
Tribal clashes hit Assam, 34 killed (6)
Guwahati, Oct. 17: The ongoing ethnic clash in the hills of Assam took an ugly turn on Monday when at
least 34 people, mainly Karbi tribals, were hacked to death and their beheaded bodies burnt by
unidentified Dimasa militants in trouble-torn district of Karbi Anglong. The Assam government, led by chief
minister Tarun Gogoi, issued shoot-at-sight orders and clamped indefinite curfew in the area to prevent
any more violence. The Karbis and Dimasas have been fighting for years over land in Assam, but fresh
ethnic clashes between the two factions started last week. About 69 people have been killed and more
than 20,000 people have been rendered homeless in the last 10 days of unabated ethnic clashes between
the warring tribes. More than 5,000 houses have also been set ablaze in the ongoing crisis.
"Heavily-armed Dimasa militants stopped two passenger buses and pulled out 22 victims, hacking them to
death and then threw their bodies into the burning buses," a junior police officer at Diphu police station
said. Intelligence sources said two buses were on their way from Zirkingging of Hamren sub-division to
Diphu when militants intercepted them at Pharchim, about 90 km from Diphu. The militants set one
vehicle on fire while passengers of the other bus were hacked to death before they were set ablaze, the
sources said, adding that the toll was likely to increase after more bodies were recovered from the burning
vehicles. After torching the two buses, the militants moved to nearby Sarsim village where they killed 12
more Karbis three hours later. The attackers also torched 125 houses in different parts of the district.
(Asian Age 18/10/05)
120 homes set ablaze in fresh militant attacks (6)
Diphu: Fear and panic gripped people in violence-torn Karbi Anglong district of Assam as militants
launched fresh attacks by torching scores of homes belonging to rival tribal groups. Despite an indefinite
curfew and Army soldiers staging flag marches to contain escalating ethnic clashes that claimed 72 lives
in the last three weeks, violence continued in the district. A police spokesman said Karbi tribal rebels
attacked three villages on Tuesday morning and set ablaze 120 homes belonging to people from the rival
Dimasa tribe. "There were no casualties in the attack although many houses were damaged in the fire,"
Karbi Anglong District Magistrate DD Tripathi said. There were reports of militants attacking security
forces in at least two places with automatic weapons on Tuesday night. Details were awaited, as the area
where the encounters took place was very remote. Violence peaked on Monday when 36 Karbi tribal
villagers were hacked to death by Dimasa militants in three separate attacks in what is being described as
"an orchestrated orgy of killings". Army soldiers patrolled vulnerable areas in the curfew-bound district with
police and paramilitary troopers also deployed in strength to prevent further ethnic clashes."Strict orders
were issued asking security forces to shoot-on-sight anybody violating the curfew. This has been done to
prevent movement of militants," the district magistrate said. An indefinite curfew was clamped Monday

evening after 36 Karbi villagers were brutally killed in a string of attacks forcing thousands of people to flee
their homes. Twenty-two bus passengers, all of them Karbis, were killed at Jirikinding, a village located
320 km east of Guwahati. (PPioneer 19/10/05)
Assam violence on, toll 47 (6)
Guwahati, Oct. 18: Violence and arson continued to rock central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district where the
death toll of Monday’s massacre went up to 47. Fresh incidents of arson were reported from some new
areas of the district on Tuesday. Assam chief secretary S. Kabilan visited Diphu the district headquarters
of the hill district where several bullet-ridden bodies of the victims are yet to be retrieved from the debris of
houses set on fire by the attackers. This came to light when a group of reporters, while on their way to
Diphu from Lumding, found bullet-ridden bodies in roadside villages which were set on fire. Even 24 hours
after the incident, the civil administration has not been able to reach the affected villages to retrieve the
bodies of the victims. The group of reporters also recovered a large number of empty cartridges of AK-47
rifles from the villages which were completely deserted after assailants set them on fire. The police said
that at least 10 houses were set on fire by some Karbi attackers in Manza area of the district. The
authorities have clamped the curfew and ordered shoot at sight for second night fearing massive
retaliation by the majority Karbis on the minority Dimasas. According to the driver of a bus in which
massacre took place, the attackers were heavily armed but they used sharp weapons to kill men, women
and children passengers of the bus. The driver of the bus who described himself as to be a Nepali citizen
was allowed to go by the assailants. (Asian Age 19/10/05)
Toll reaches 80 as violence continues in Assam (6)
Diphu : Tribal rebels in the hills of Assam’s violence-scarred Karbi Anglong district are continuing with their
death dance with seven more Karbi villagers brutally massacred, taking the toll in three-weeks of barbaric
ethnic clashes to 80, officials Wednesday said. The police on Wednesday recovered dead bodies of
seven Karbi tribal people from remote Doyangmukh village, 310 kilometres east of Assam’s main city of
Guwahati. This is the latest in a string of attacks in the Karbi Anglong district where violent ethnic clashes
between the majority Karbis and the Dimasas have put the authorities in shame. “A big group of heavily
armed Dimasa tribal militants late Tuesday attacked the village and killed seven Karbi villagers. Some
died of bullet wounds and at least three of them were hacked to dead using machetes and spears,” a
senior police official said requesting anonymity. The rebels then set ablaze at least 50 homes before
leaving the village. Police suspects the militants to be from the outlawed Dima Halom Daoga (DHD) that is
fighting for an independent homeland for the Dimasa tribe in eastern Assam. The attack took place even
as the Army soldiers with shoot-on-sight orders were patrolling the entire district which had been put under
an indefinite curfew since Monday night. Police said Karbi rebels backed by their community members
raided at least three villages belonging to the rival Dimasa tribe and torched up to 200 homes. “There are
no reports of casualties from the Dimasa villages although many people had fled their homes after the
attacks,” Karbi Anglong district magistrate DD Tripathi said.
Nine more killed; 120 houses torched in Karbi (6)
Guwahati: VIOLENT ETHNIC clashes contin ued unabated in Assam's Karbi Anglong district on Friday
when nine militants were killed in a fierce gunflght and more than 120 hous es were torched. The toll in the
ongoing three-week ethnic rioting has reached 89, officials said. Police said heavily armed mili tants of the
Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) killed nine rival Karbi trib al rebels near village Khejurband in Karbi Anglong
district, 295 km east of Guwahati. "According to preliminary re ports, 12 armed Karbi rebels were involved
in torching of houses be longing to the Diniasa tribe when they were challenged by a group of DHD
militants," a senior police officer, who did not wish to be named, said over telephone. Nine rebels, wearing
olive green fatigues, were killed. The DHD rebels decamped with weapons from the dead militants. Police
suspect that the victims were cadre of the outlawed United People's Democratic Solidarity (UP-DS), a
rag-tag rebel army lighting for an independent homeland for the majority Karbi tribe in eastern Assam.
"Witnesses said the rebels killed by their rival group with automatic weapons were from the UPDS and
they managed to burn down more than 120 houses before the en counter took place," the official said.
Both the DHD and the UPDS are currently observing ceasefires with New Delhi. The fresh attacks came
even as the Centre on Thursday decided to disarm the rebels of the two warring groups. (Pioneer
22/10/05)

45,000 homeless, Gogoi under fire (6)
GUWAHATI, OCTOBER 23: Over 45,000 tribals, both Karbis and Dimasas, have fled their villages and
taken shelter in 53 relief camps as the situation in the strife-torn Karbi Anglong autonomous district
continues to be volatile. Assam CM Tarun Gogoi, meanwhile, is busy trading charges with Opposition
leaders on who was behind the trouble. Confirming that the number of inmates in relief camps has risen
from 27,000 last Sunday to a little over 45,000 today, Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner G D Tripathi
told The Indian Express over phone from Diphu that more people had fled the villages out of fear. The
number of relief camps in the district has risen to 53, while 10 camps have been opened in North Cachar
Hills and Nagaon district. There was, however, no report of fresh incidents since Friday afternoon. With
the October 17 massacre of 34 Karbis, who were pulled out from two buses, the death toll from the
month-long bout of ethnic violence stands at 91—80 Karbi tribals, eight Dimasas, one Bodo and one
Nepali. In Guwahati, while Opposition parties blamed the Congress government for failing to anticipate
and control the situation, Gogoi has taken on Jayant Rongpi of the CPI(ML), a prominent Karbi leaders
and former MP, and NDA convenor George Fernandes. As he blamed Rongpi for being ‘‘irresponsible’’,
the BJP has expressed surprise at the CM calling Fernandes a trouble-maker. ‘‘Gogoi has failed to
douse the fire in the hill district and is now indulging in cheap politics. He is also trying to protect his junior
minister (P&D Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma) against whom there are serious allegations of hobnobbing
with perpetrators of the violence in Karbi Anglong,’’ said Rongpi, adding ‘‘If he is a responsible CM and
knows that I am involved (in the violence), then why does not he ask the police to arrest me’’ (Indian Exp
24/10/05)
National tribal policy in the offing, says Kyndiah (6)
GANGTOK, NOVEMBER 7: The Centre is in the process of bringing out a national tribal policy with
special provisions for small tribal groups. Addressing a high-level meeting here today, Union Minister for
Tribal Affairs and Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) P R Kyndiah said preserving the
socio-cultural identity of small tribal groups which have a population of 50,000 to 100,000 was one of the
prime concerns of the Centre. He added a national policy with special reference to such groups was being
prepared. Kyndiah, on his first visit to the state after assuming office, was speaking in the context of
allocation of primitive tribe status to Lepcha community of Sikkim - a demand which the state government
has been raising for long. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, his
cabinet colleagues, Assembly Speaker D N Takarpa, legislators and senior government officials. The
minister said the Centre was considering giving Limboos and Tamangs of Sikkim their political rights,
including reservation in jobs. (Indian Exp 8/11/05)
Tribals plan campaign for forest rights Bill (6)
NEW DELHI: The Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a federation of tribal and forest communities, will
launch a `jail bharo' movement from November 15 to protest against the ongoing evictions and "brutal''
violation of human rights of the tribal communities, and delay in tabling of the Scheduled Tribes
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005. In a notice sent to the Union Home Ministry, "the campaign
activists have said that they would protest, march and court arrest from November 15. We will fill the jails,
for we would rather be prisoners in jail than hostages in our homes." (The Hindu 9/11/05
Tribal Rights Bill only to record people's rights, says Manmohan (6)
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured environmentalists on Thursday that the proposed
legislation on tribal land rights would seek to record the rights of the tribal people and involve them in
protecting the environment. ``This would give them (the tribal community) a sense of security and involve
them in protecting the natural resource base. But this would not be done at the cost of our environment,''
he said after giving away the Bombay Natural History Society Green Governance Award here to Godrej
and Boyce Manufacturing, Tata Chemicals and 8 Mountain Division of the Army. People who lived near
forests must, therefore, become their protector. The effort must be to ensure that people at local levels
were involved in conservation of water, forests and other life-support systems. "This cannot, and will not,
be done at the cost of our environment," Dr. Singh said. The ongoing debate on the tribal land rights bill,
proposed to be introduced in Parliament, was a good example of the kind of discussion on how the dual
imperatives of safeguarding people and safeguarding our natural habitat was managed. The role of the
local population in managing the environment had been historic. Sadly, many of these very people do not
have rights over their land. Dr. Singh said the issue of replacement of lost forest cover could be

approached through a people-centric movement. For instance, people living in the fringe areas of forests
(mostly tribals) faced a major problem of securing a sustainable livelihood. A massive programme of
greening the degraded forests could be undertaken again using the National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act. "These were new and valuable opportunities, and to make success of these opportunities
we need the support of all creative elements in our civil society." (The Hindu 11/11/05)
Reds alert on Tribal Rights Bill (6)
New Delhi : The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) has given a call to observe November 18 as
All-India Demands Day, to press the UPA Government to place the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of
forests) Bill 2005 in the coming Winter Session of Parliament. The CPI(M) and other Left parties have
been demanding that the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2005 be placed in
Parliament without any delay. The Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Government states, "the
UPA Government will immediately review the overall strategy and programmes for the development of
tribal areas to plug loopholes and to work out more viable livelihood strategies." Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh promised to implement this pledge in his Independence Day speech. But the Bill was not placed in
Parliament during Monsoon Session due to pressure from anti-tribal conservationist lobby of forest
landlords. Recently, when the Prime Minister called a meeting to discuss the Bill, the Ministry of
Environment and Forests (MoEF) came with a new draft which dilutes the provisions made for tribals'
rights. Responding to the recent judgement of the Ranchi High Court refusing to make any distinction
between the Scheduled and Non-Scheduled areas, the CPI(M) filed an appeal against this judgement in
the interest of all adivasis in the Fifth Scheduled areas covering nine States. The "Declaration" of the
CPI(M)'s All India Tribal Convention at Ranchi says, "Adivasis have a traditional and organic link with the
forest and its produce. The Forest Act and its latest version, the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act
1988, treat the adivasis as encroachers and interlopers in the forest instead of being an integral part of it.
The disappearance the forest and the degeneration of the green cover are not due to tribals, but due to
the corrupt nexus of the contractors-mafia-forest officials-ruling class politicians and as inexorable feature
of capitalist development." (Pioneer 14/11/05)
Team to probe deaths of 90 tribals in Assam (6)
Guwahati, Nov. 17: The Assam government has constituted a special investigation team to probe the
lapses that lead to the death of nearly 90 tribals, besides the displacement of more than 40,000 villagers
in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. This has come close on the heels of home ministry’s indictment
to the state administration for its failure in containing the violence despite early warning. According to
security sources, violence broke out in the Karbi Anglong district on September 26 when three Dimasa
auto-rickshaw drivers were killed where as the home ministry had alerted the state about the simmering
tension between the two militant outfits in the first week of September itself. The state administration was
advised to form peace committee in remote areas of the hills to avoid clashes between the two ethnic
groups. If reports of the home ministry are to be believed, the state administration remained complacent
even after September 26 violence which resulted in massacre of 34 Karbis on October 17 at Kheroni.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on October 18 announced that Army had been called out to contain the
violence in the trouble-torn district which had already lead to displacement of more than 20,000 people by
that time. Though this was announced, the Army refused to go to the riot-hit areas on the pretext that their
boys were not trained to cope with such riot like situation. The security sources said that violence
continued to rock the hills of Assam at least for 20 days. More than 90 people had lost their lives and
1,014 houses were burnt down. (Asian Age 18/11/05)
When the sun sets, tribals in Jharkhand get high (6)
Ranchi : "Suraj ast, Adivasi mast" (when the sun sets , the tribals relax ) is a popular saying in tribal
dominated Jharkhand. Handia, a local brew, is made from fermented rice and mahua, the fruit of a tree
that grows wild. Handia is popular among the people, both young and old alike. In neighbouring Bihar too,
the tribals like toddy, or tadi, which is extracted from the fruit of the palm tree, and handia. It would not be
wrong to say that it "runs in the blood of the tribals". There is, however, a dark side, poor labourers
administer handia to their children so that they can sleep or they can work undisturbed, and secondly
sleeping children do not ask for food." I give handia to my three-month-old baby to keep him asleep during
the day. I can then work freely as the handia keeps my son under its influence for several hours," said

Sheela who ekes out a living as a housemaid. Her sentiments were echoed by another housemaid Gudia.
She said. "My son does not ask for food once he has had handia." A large family coupled with a low
income also makes life difficult for these indigent workers.. "I earn Rs 1,200 per month. I have four
children and it is difficult to serve even two meals a day," Gudia adds. Poverty and occasional employment
makes the life of these poor people very harsh. In Jharkhand 52 per cent of the population live Below
Poverty Line (BPL). Labourers are often forced to migrate to other states in search of jobs. Those left
behind are often without employment. The consumption of handia, however, has socio-economic
sanction." Firstly, handia is inextricably associated with the tribal culture. It is used even in prayer. And
secondly, it's the poverty. We cannot separate both the points," said VS Upadhyaya, an anthropologist.
(Pioneer 2/12/05)
Cabinet nod to Tribal Bill, no clear winners (6)
NEW DELHI, DEC 1: The Cabinet today cleared the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill
but neither the Environment Ministry nor the Tribals Affairs Ministry have emerged clear winners. The Bill
seeks to give temporary land rights to tribals living in wildlife sanctuaries and national parks. But to the
delight of wildlife activists, the Forest Department has been given five years to relocate them. Failure to do
so within this period would ensure tribals get permanent pattas over their piece of sanctuary land. The
Environment Ministry had wanted these protected wildlife sanctuaries to be kept outside the Bill’s ambit
while the Tribal Affairs Ministry wanted permanent land rights to be granted. Today’s compromise paves
the way for the Bill to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament itself. “The sanctuaries will be
protected... the environment and revenue officers will take care that the Bill is implemented in its spirit,”
Environment Minister A Raja said. The settlement of tribals inside sanctuaries had led to controversy. In
the first bill prepared by the Tribals Affairs Ministry, permanent land rights were bestowed on tribals in
sanctuaries, angering tiger activists. After a long battle that necessitated Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh’s intervention, the two ministries tried to hammer out a middle path. Sources in the Environment and
Forests Ministry said tribals who live in core sanctuary areas will be relocated. Relocating all tribals in
sanctuaries might be impossible. Another new provision incorporated at the Environment Ministry’s behest
is that the cut-off date for recognising the tribals’ rights has been set as October 25, 1980 — the date the
Forest Conservation Act came into being. In the original Tribal Affairs Ministry bill, the date was flexible.
(Indian Express 2/12/05)
A.P. Minister promises fair deal for affected tribals (6)
HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Ma jor Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah has promised the best
resettlement and rehabil itation package for affected trib als under the Polavaram irrigation project. "Any
decision on rehabilita tion and compensation will be taken only after the consent of displaced people,
particularly tribals," Mr. Lakshmaiah told re porters after a lengthy three-hour-long meeting with Narma-da
Bachao Andolan chief organiser Medha Patkar at the Secretariat here on Sunday. "There will be no
harassment of villagers by the police," he said. It was the first meeting be tween the Minister and the so cial
activist and representatives of the Solidarity Committee for Anti-Polavaram Agitation and both sides
expressing their views on the project. Ms. Patkar was here on the Minister's in vitation. Responding to a
question from activists, Irrigation Secre tary Satish Chandra said the Central Water Commission had given
clearance in principle and the final nod was awaited. Ms. Patkar said without getting all clearances it was
not ideal to go ahead with the project and re ferred to ongoing canal works. She also quizzed the Minister
about the funding pattern, R&R package and alleged harassment of villagers by the police. She in sisted
that revenue teams should extensively tour villages and in teract with people before finalis ing the
compensation package. Statistics on the number of fam ilies to be displaced was not in tune with those
gathered by peo ple's organisations. (The Hindu 5/12/05)
Silica disease hits tribals in Godhra stone crushing units (6)
JOJ VILLAGE (VADODARA), DECEMBER 6 : FORTY-YEAR-OLD Raman Bhagwania Nayaka and his
wife Devaliben, who worked in a stone-crushing factory at Godhra, are lying critically ill at their home in
Guda village in Chhotaudepur, Vadodara, complaining of severe respira tory trouble, frequent bouts of
coughing and weakness. Four members of a family from the same village, the Nayakas—Bhailalbhai,
Popat, Nakat and Ramesh—did not survive. Neither did Andariab-hai Galia and his two wives, Ramilaben
and Amliben. All of them worked at a stone-crushing unit in Godhra. The villagers say a total of 43 tribals
from the village have died in the past three years, all due to pulmonary infections. All of them reportedly

came down with respiratory compli cations after stints ranging from two to three months in the 20-odd units
involved in crushing silica stones on the outskirts of Godhra. According to a survey con ducted by the
Adivasi Chaitanya Trust, over 160 tribal labourers from the Joj region of Chhotaudepur Taluka have, in the
past four years, died. The killer disease has been identified by Dr Kiransinh Loth of the Tejgadh Tribal
Academy Clinic as pneumoconiosis, or accumulation of silica dust in the respiratory tract and lungs that
causes in flammation of the lungs and affects their functioning. He claims no treatment is available for the
condition. Surprisingly, no medical pa pers about the treatment of the affected were available with their
family members, making it difficult for the district ad ministration to initiate any ac tion in the matter. (Indian
Express 7/12/05)
Indigenous groups seek `pro-people' changes in tribal rights legislation (6)
NEW DELHI: Hundreds of indigenous groups from the tribal-dominated States staged a dharna here on
Wednesday, demanding "pro-people" changes in the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Rights) Bill, 2005.
The groups from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, led by leaders of the Lok Sangharsh
Morcha, said the present Bill would not undo the "historical injustices" done to them. Tribals and other
forest dwellers were undergoing trauma and tribulations. They have been debarred from their traditional
lands and forest produce, declared encroachers and treated as disposable population by various
developmental projects since Independence, the activists said. "The UPA Government, in accordance with
its national common minimum programme (NCMP) has commendably acknowledged the historical
injustices done to the tribal people. But, in a fashion characteristic to all previous governments, it is now
diluting or destroying the very purpose of the bill by fixing 1980 as the cut-off date for conferment of land
rights," the Morcha leaders said. Excluding all non-tribal forest dwellers from the ambit of the Bill, thrusting
a land ceiling well below the prevailing norms, and desisting from giving any categorical commitment
against eviction and displacement without any promise for rehabilitation to the displaced would not help
the tribal people, they argued. The Bill also debilitated grassroots democracy by putting bureaucratic gags
over gram sabhas and other statutory bodies prescribed in the legislation. "It is indeed a matter of shame
that such a section of peaceful working masses should be denied basic rights enjoyed by all other citizens
of the country and be haunted by all sorts of highhandedness of the police and forest officials," the
protesters pointed out. (The Hindu 8/12/05)
Jharkhand: It’s Adivasis vs Adivasis (6)
RANCHI DECEMBER 8: The war to get the support of the tribals is on in Jharkhand. Days after the
Adivasi Adhikar Morcha (AAM) organised a mammoth rally in Ranchi, the ruling BJP is gearing up to
counter it with its own version on December 10. Billed as the Akhil Bharatiye Shashakt Adivasi Maha
Sabha, the rally is expected to be attended by a galaxy of the BJP’s Adivasi leaders, 19 MPs and 132
MLAs from across the country as well as party President L K Advani. Former CM Babulal Marandi, who is
convenor of the rally, has already made an emotional appeal to Adivasis to turn up in large numbers for
the rally. ‘‘This time we will make the world know that our party is the most popular among the Adivasis,’’
said BJP state President Yadunath Pandey. The 32 party MLAs have been assigned with the job of
collecting the bringing the Adivasis to the venue. And they seem to be vying with each other to prove their
own worth. The AAM—which is supported by both the Catholic and Protestant churches and has the
‘‘moral support’’ of the CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML)—has given a call for a bandh on the day of the BJP rally.
It has attacked the BJP announcement particularly as the party has not declared an agenda for the meet.
‘‘By holding the rally in the name of Adivasi,the BJP is out to cheat us,’’ said Bandhu Tirkey, convenor of
the AAM. However, there is no unity among the Adivasi leadership. While the Left parties are supporting
the AAM, the Congress, RJD and the JMM have opposed the anti-BJP bandh. ‘‘There is no rationale for
the bandh now,’’ said JMM President Shibu Soren. (Indian Express 9/12/05)
State governments violating tribal rights (6)
New Delhi : Dec. 9. — India's tribal population is facing gross human rights viola* tions, and state
governments that claim to safeguard the tribals are themselves , encroaching on their rights. This has
been revealed in a recent survey conducted by Delhi University's anthropology depart ment. Professor P C
Joshi, who was in strumental in conducting the study, said the government's aim to lure tribals into the
agrarian set up was a violation of fundamental human rights. "Tribes are being coerced into the so-called
civilised society mod el of the state government. The Hill Korwa and Birhor tribes of Chattisgarh are in a
tumultuous state as the state government is forcing a''cultural conversion' on them," he said. According to

Prof Joshi, the dis trict administration gave him de tails of the policies of the govern ment that have been
initiated to settle the nomadic tribes in mod ern civil society. "They have spent their lives in forests and
have been living there since times immemori al. Thus, they have a right over the land but the government
is now es tablishing .its own right over re serve forests," he added. "Being subalterns they cannot speak for
themselves. The mode of development provided to tribes is agro-centric that puts them under a cultural
shock as they are straightaway introduced to the mainstream where the competi tion is tough," said Prof
Joshi. Having a nomadic way of living, these tribes flourish on forest veg etation. Their meal consists of
honey collected from trees, animal flesh, wild roots and some spices and grains that they sometimes
barter with neighbouring tribals. They should not be forced directly into the agrarian sector and the re forms
should be gradual and well thought out. Prof Joshi said. (Statesman 10/12/05)
Andhra pushes Chenchu tribals close to extinction (6)
Kurnool: When left alone, tribals live in harmony with nature. It is when governments try to bring
"development" to their midst that they land in trou ble. 'A stark instance of this is the sad state of Chenchu
tribals of Nalla-mala forests. Policies evolved with the noble objective of uplift ing them have failed
miserably. They now find themselves alienat ed from their land and lifestyle. Chenchus, who inhabit the
Nallamala forests stretching across Kurnool, Prakasam, Guntur, Nal-gonda and Mahbubnagar districts 6f
Andhra Pradesh, are in a pre carious state because of the new dietary habits and lifestyle forced on them
by the government. „ Some tribal experts have warned that they may be inching towards extinction. "They
are the most pnimitive among the tribes that inhabit the forest and have their own peculiar customs and
tradi tions," says Mr Bhaskar Sastry, en expert on tribal affairs. "The gov ernment has now made them a
dependent and hapless lot." Since ages, Chenchus have been living comfortably in their own tribal
hamlets called Chenchu .Gudems. They are now havens of disease. "Incidence of tuberculo sis is very
high among the mem bers of the tribe," admits an offi cial of the Integrated Tribal Development
Programme. "It is estimated that 50 per cent of trib als suffer from the disease." The official also points out
that more than 80 per cent of the trib als are anaemic because of bad diet. Chenchus used to lead a
self-sufficient lifestyle with the lush forest providing for all their needs, until a few decades ago. "The
forests had a multitude of plant species and wild animals until the 1950s," says Mr V. Raghavaiah, a
retired teacher from Pamulapadu mandal. (Asian Age 10/12/05)
Alleged culprits punish victim for filing complaint (6)
BHOPAL: The hand of a 35-year-old tribal woman were chopped off allegedly by those against whom she
had lodged a complaint of rape five days ago, at Nimri village in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. The
injured tribal woman, Kamlabai, is now under treatment at the government-run Hamidia Hospital here and
the five accused, who were arrested and produced before the Raisen Chief Judicial Magistrate on
Monday, have been sent to jail. The victim has filed a police complaint stating that her right hand was
chopped off and her house set on fire by the alleged rapist as she had refused to withdraw a rape
complaint against them. After being given a compensation of Rs. 12,000, which includes Rs. 10,000 from
the Chief Minister's Fund and Rs. 2,000 from the district administration, an additional compensation of Rs.
15,000 was also sanctioned on Tuesday. A case under Sections 147, 148, 336, and 436 of the IPC and
Section 323 of the SC/ST Atrocities Act has been registered against five accused — Manmod Mehra, Devi
Singh Raghuwanshi, Prem Narayan Raghuwanshi, Dinesh Raghuvanshi and Ramsevak Raghuwanshi.
When contacted, a senior Police Headquarters source said the rape complaint had been investigated by
the Anusucht Janjati Kalyan Deputy Superintendent of Police, Prachi Dwivedi, and was found to be "false
and without any basis". (The Hindu 14.12.05)
Bill to give tribals forest land rights tabled in LS (6)
New Delhi : Recognising the fact that forests have the best chance to survive if communities participate in
its conservation and regeneration measures, the UPA Government introduced the Scheduled Tribes
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill 2005 in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The Bill gives indigenous people right
to hold land, individually or as a community, cultivate forest land, and earn from livelihood from minor
forest produce. The legislation seeks to involve grassroots democratic institutions and asks gram sabhas
to initiate the process of determining individual and community rights over forest land and make
recommendations of the claims to a sub-divisional committee. The forest land in core areas of national
parks have been made provisional for a period of five years. The provisional rights in such core areas
shall become permanent if the right-holders are not re-elected within five years with compensation. All

tribals staying in forests since October 25, 1980, are eligible for forest land rights. The right shall be
inheritable, but not alienable or transferable. Not just rights, the bill also lists obligation of tribals towards
environment. Their activities shall not adversely affect wild animals, forest and biodiversity in the local
area. Tribals will be under obligation to ensure that adjoining catchment areas, water resources and other
ecologically-sensitive areas are protected. The habitat of forest-dwelling scheduled tribes should be
preserved from destructive practices affecting their cultural and natural heritage. (Pioneer 14/12/05)
Activists oppose changes in Forest Rights Bill (6)
NEW DELHI: Environmentalists and social activists have opposed changes in the Scheduled Tribes
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill. The Government must ad dress the shortcomings in the draft and
ensure its passage in the current session of Parlia ment, they say. "We wish to express our soli darity with
the ongoing protests for the tabling and passage of a fair and effective Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of
Forest Rights) Bill, 2005," a recent statement signed by 119 activ ists, in support of the Campaign for
Survival and Dignity, said. The Campaign has demanded amendments to the draft to in clude non-forest
Scheduled Tribes forest-dwellers under the purview of the Bill. "We support the main de mand of these
protesters for an amendment to address its short comings and the passage of the Bill in the ongoing
session of Parliament. We believe that the recognition of forest communi ties' rights is non-negotiable and
should occur in all forest areas. In addition, we also agree with the protesters that necessary amendments
include bringing non-ST forest-dwellers under the Bill, instituting a rational cut-off date (within the last few
years) and ensuring that recog nition of rights cannot be the subject of bureaucratic or gov ernment
interference should be addressed." The signatories include K.G. Kannabiran, People's Union for Civil
Liberties; Jean Dreze, G.B. Pant Social Science Institute, Al lahabad; Dunu Roy, Hazards Centre; Gautam
Navlakha; Sou-parna Lahiri, Delhi Forum; Prashant Bhushan, senior Su preme Court advocate; Neema
Pathak, Kalpavriksh; Swami Ag-nivesh; Pradip Prabhu, conven er, Campaign for Survival and Dignity;
Smitu Kothari, Inter-cultural Resources and Lokayan and Suhas Chakma. On November 15, the Campaign—
a federation of tribal and forest-dwelling community or ganisations from 10 States — called for a
nationwide "jail bha-ro andolan," demanding legal recognition of forest rights. (The Hindu 18/12/05)
'A forest separates STs from ownership’ (6)
New Delhi: SHOWING SERIOUS concern over the dismal condition of the tribal population in India, the
standing committee on Social Justice and Empowerment have brought to the notice of the Ministry of
Tribal Affairs that the forest-dwelling scheduled tribes, who , have been residing there for generations and
are depen dent on the MFP (minor forest produce) for their livelihood are still not enjoying ownership rights.
The committee expressed concern over the control of MFP market through direct Government
intervention which is only round 25 to 40 per cent. Most of the MFP mar ket is monopolised by private
tradesmen and middlemen. The committee in its report said, "The private traders vir tually control the
supply mar ket (legally and illegally). As much as 60 per cent of the transactions are unaccount ed."
Speaking on the subject a senior official of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs said, "There is Rs 650 crore worth
of mi nor forest produce available in the country. Out of that, 60 per cent is going into the hands of the
unorganised sector and the traders. They are dealing with it. Not even 30 per cent is pro cured by the
Government agencies." It is surprising that there is no authentic data available on the aspect of area-wise,
MFP-wise, ST\ Non ST-wise in come generated by MFP trades. In its report the com mittee has said,
"Gujarat, Rajasthan and West Bengal have stated that there are no instances where private traders or
middlemen do not allow tribals to reap the har vest of their MFP's." The committee have sug gested that the
monopoly of the MFP market by private traders, legally or illegally owing to inadequate.control being
exercised by the state agencies, should be curtailed. (Pioneer 19/12/05)
Jharkhand may offer township to the displaced (6)
Ranchi : The Jharkhand government will soon announce a "lucrative rehabilitation policy" to facilitate
provision of hassle-free land to prospective investors in the State for setting up industries. Tribal
organisations have been opposing any form of displacement. A tribal organisation has reportedly written a
letter even to the Prime Minister and Union Home Ministry, seeking their intervention in the likelihood of
they getting displaced owing to the State;s industrialisation policy. In view statewide protests, the
Jharkhand government is planning to come out with a lucrative rehabilitation policy. "First, let the
opposition protest. We will fulfill all the demands of the displaced people," Chief Minister Arjun Munda told
The Pioneer. "When the voice of protest slows down, we will announce our policy. Till now, the Jharkhand

government has not formulated any policy. Most of the displacement took place during the Congress
regime. But, they are now opposing their own policy," he said. "We will give double money demanded by
the displaced people for their land. And before that we will establish a township and show it to the people.
A well-planned township will be developed where displaced people will given houses. It would have
schools, hospitals and other facilities," the Chief Minister said. "My government is for people and
investment is needed to provide employment to the people of the State. Those who are opposing the
investment are against the people and they want to keep them poor so that they can run their political
shops." Munda admitted mistakes have been made in the past and injustice done to displaced persons.
"In the past, people's land were taken and they were not compensated properly. Owing to this, fear has
gripped them. We will remove this fear by announcing a lucrative policy." The Jharkhand government
needs more than 60,000 acre of land to provide land to investors for industries. The major steel
companies that have signed MoUs with the government are LN Mittal, Tata Steel, Navin Jindal, and Sajjan
Jindal. Essar and other MoUs have been signed with companies in the area of mining and power sectors.
In Jharkhand, more than 20 per cent population were displaced over the years to set up industries like
Tata Steel, Bokaro Steel Plant, Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC), Ranchi, mining and other
industries.(Pioneer 20/12/05)
Over 200 tribals arrested (6)
BHUBANESWAR: Over 200 people, mostly tribals, were arrested on the charge of poaching in Orissa's
Similipal National Park and Tiger Reserve on Wednesday. Carrying country-made guns, bows and arrows,
they entered the 2,750 sq km area in groups and started hunting animals. The tribals killed two sambar
deer and a barking deer. Forest officials swung into action and a total of 24 country-made guns and over
198 bows and 470 arrows were recovered from them. The arrested were produced before the
Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate at Karanjia on Thursday. The tribals, living around Similipal, go in for
"akhand shikar" (traditional hunting) in the park every year in December and January. The reserve is
home to around 100 tigers. (The Hindu 23/12/05)