TRIBALS – 2007 - Indian Social Institute

BERHAMPUR: The Additional District Judge, Paralakhemundi, on Thursday cancelled the bail offour tribals arrested on the charge of helping Maoists through video shows of the movie `LalSalam' in remote villages in Gajapati district on Thursday. The public prosecutor filed a reviewpetition on the bail order on April 10. The Gajapati police arrested these four persons of Mohanablock in Gajapati district, Prashant Kadraka, Narendra Dengamaka, Manoj Majhi and MalekaMajhi on Sept 22 last year from Gilakuta village while they were showing 'Lal Salam' there. Theyclaim to be members of a tribal cultural organisation named Kui Sanskrutika Sangh. But as perpolice they were supporters of naxals who also helped in the naxal attack on R.Udaygiri town lastyear. (THE HINDU 13/4/07)Tribal body tells migrant workers to go (6)Shillong, April 12: Fear and panic has gripped non-tribal migrant workers in the north-easternstate of Meghalaya after an influential tribal body served quit notices, asking them to vacate thestate by the month-end or face action. "We are having sleepless nights and feeling greatlyinsecure after the threat. Like me, many people working here are in a quandary," Harsha Gurung,a middle-aged Nepali-speaking daily wage earner, said. Mr Gurung, originally hailing from Nepal,has been working in coalmines in Meghalaya since the past 12 years. The Federation of Khasi,Jaintia and Garo Peoples (FKJGP), a group that claims to fight for the rights of the indigenoustribal people of Meghalaya, have set May 1 as the deadline for Hindi, Nepali and Bengalispeaking migrant workers to leave the state. "We are not going to spell out what course of actionwe would take once the deadline expires. But something is going to happen and we shall throwthem out," warned Emlang Lytan, president of the federation. There are an estimated 12,000migrant workers, most of them working in the many coalfields in Meghalaya, borderingBangladesh. "These migrant workers are a bunch of criminals who have been indulging in looting,murders, and even raping our tribal women," Lytan said. A number of other tribal organisationsand individuals have backed the federation’s demand to free the state of migrant workers. (IANS)(ASIAN AGE 13/4/07)Jeep in Raje’s carcade set on fire by tribals (6)Jodhpur, April 15: A group of tribals angered over the alleged entry of security personnel in atemple in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district on Sunday, set ablaze two government vehicles, including ajeep in the chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s convoy and pelted stones at policemen, injuring fourof them. The Meena tribals were protesting the "entry" of security personnel of Ms Raje in thetemple of Gautam Rishi, near Poshaliya village, in that district. The incident occurred at around12.45 pm after Ms Raje departed from the temple after taking part in the annual fair there. As perconvention, tribals do not permit uniformed men in the temple and the panchayat and localcommunity had asked police to ensure that no personnel went near the shrine. Ms Raje was thechief guest at the function and addressed a huge gathering, faced "angry" words during herspeech. After completing her speech Ms Raje left. A group of tribals followed her convoy, but shehad already left the helipad before their arrival. The annoyed mob first pelted stones at thereturning convoy and then burnt an escort jeep and another vehicle. Four policeman, including asub-inspector, were injured in the incident. (PTI) (Asian Age 16/4/07)Green signal for mortgaging tribal land draws flak (6)BHUBANESWAR: The State Government's recent green signal to mortgage tribal land for someselect purposes, mostly for taking up of economic activities, has come in for a sharp criticism fromsocial activists, who allege it would serve interest of less than five per cent of tribal population inthe state. According to Union Ministry of Rural Development (MORD) report, of total 18,08,660tribal families live in rural areas, 41 per cent are landless while 55.16 per cent are small andmarginal landholders. These groups constitute about 96.74 percent of tribal population in theState. Only 3.26 per cent of tribal population could afford to mortgage their land. As per the newmodel, tribals would be given permission to mortgage their land with banks for some specificreasons and non-tribal could participate in auction arranged by banks in the event of bankruptcy."In the event of bankruptcy, permission to non-tribals for participating in the auction of tribal landwill open the floodgate. The relaxation in the existing law indicates that there are deeper interestsat work," said Y. Giri Rao of Vasundhara, a city-based voluntary organisation. MORD's figure said