Wildlife reserve plan irks Tripura tribals

Agartala: Serious discontentment is brewing in interior tribal hamlets in Kalajhari hill range of Gandacherra and Amarpur subdivisions over the Tripura Government’s move to establish a wildlife reserve. Several tribal hamlets are located inside the forested areas where the proposed wild life reserve would come up.

The State Wildlife Advisory Board in its first meeting early this month, had approved a number of wildlife projects including setting up of a wildlife reserve at Kalajhari-Laxmipur-Dhalagari in Dhalai district and Mukhcherri and New Gomati village in South Tripura district.

Accordingly, more than 400 indigenous families residing inside the earmarked wildlife reserve were served eviction notices by the local administration for taking up the project.

Tribal people of Kalajhari, Laxmipur, Dhalagari, Mukhcherri and New Gomati village committees are at a loss after receiving the eviction notices. They are facing an uncertain future now, said Rabindra Debbarma, INPT general secretary on Saturday.

He said that eviction notices were served to those families who had earler been displaced in 1974 when Dumbur Hydro electric project was commissioned.

Around 50,000 indigenous families will be affected if the government moves ahead with the project, he said.

Strongly opposing the move, Debbarma urged the government to stop any eviction attempt in tribal hamlets at Gandacherra and Amarpur subdivisions.

If the government doesn’t stop the eviction process, the INPT will launch a massive agitation in these two subdivisions, he warned.

Tripura Janajati Jami Punuroddhar Committee (JJPC), a non-political wing of indigenous people also vehemently opposed the government’s move.

The panel has already announced its future course of action to prevent the eviction bid in Gandacherra and Amarpur subdivisions.

We will organize a public rally at Kalagari soon in protest against the move, said Hemanta Uchoi, secretary of JJPC. “We will call a general strike in Gandacherra subdivision if the government doesn’t stop the eviction bid”, he added.

Source: Assam Tribune

Continual Denial : Starvation Death in Jharkhand

BY GLADSON DUNGDUNG
24 November, 2008

The Jharkhand Government uses the naxal violence as a pretext to explain away starvation deaths

The dilapidated houses, scattered utensils, hanging torn clothes, children, barely clad, and the hopeless faces on the men and women are more than enough to reveal the painful realities of Birhors, the tribals residing in Hindiyakala village of Pratapur block in Chatra district of Jharkhand, where nine of them, one after another starved to death just this October.

Malnutrition, poverty and diseases are in the air. Besides, it has no road, electricity, drinking water, school and health facilities. The Birhor families do not get ration and kerosene oil from the ration shops. Their ration cards lay in the possession of PDS dealers. They have not been provided food grain under any scheme since 1998. According to Kailash Birhor, the officials visited the village only after the news of starvation deaths reached them. The Birhors could just about secure one meal thanks to some forest produce.

Political rhetoric followed the news of the deaths. Without conducting an autopsy on the bodies, the district administration cited food poisoning as the reason. The Deputy Commissioner of Chatra, Abu Bakr Siddiqui said, “The Birhors died of food poisoning after consuming wild roots.” One would ask, why autopsy was not carried considering it is a legal requirement. The wild roots form a regular diet of the tribals; they are aware which ones are edible and which are not. The Adviser to the Food Security Commissioner appointed by the Supreme Court, Balram, to look into the starvation death of Birhors, has found that the deaths occurred due to starvation and not food poisoning as claimed by officials of the district administration.

After civil society organizations, media and political parties protested, the state government constituted an investigation committee under the chairmanship of the secretary of welfare department, U K. Sangama and asked the committee to furnish its report within seven days. Soon after the incident, U.K. Sangama said, “The primitive tribes are in great need of government support.” But the sad part is that the investigation team went as far as the block headquarters, eventually returning, citing security concerns. The government officials have always used the prevalence of Naxalites as a major excuse for not going to the remote villages. This time, it was no different.

Ironically, over 20 government sponsored welfare schemes at an annual budget of 50 crores, are being implemented for the primitive tribes in the state but the outcome is nowhere visible. According to the government report, there are 29,06,380 people living below poverty line, 70 percent of them come from the primitive tribes. In 2002, the central government had launched ‘Antyodaya Scheme’, which envisaged providing ration to the poor section of the society, in which the poor are provided 35 kg grain (rice and wheat) at the rate of Rs 3 and Rs 2 per kg every month. After observing the seriousness of the situation, as per the 2004 Supreme Court directive, 55 quintals of grains were allocated for each gram panchayat. The Central Government sanctioned Rs 19.28 crore for Jharkhand in the financial year 2008-2009 under the Antyodaya Scheme but the state government still fails to take the food to the needy.

Consequently, starvation deaths have spread across the state. 35 tribals have already lost their lives within a month due to poverty and starvation. Out of them, 19 died in Chatra district, 4 in Gumla, 3 in Ranchi, 5 in Kodarma, 2 in Godda, 1 in Dumka and 1 in Giridih district. They are mostly from Birhor, Paharia and Savar (also known as Savar Kharia) tribes. Shibu Soren, Chief Minister, Jharkhand, said, “These people have died because of a severe disease not starvation. All the stories have been exaggerated in the media.”

Another alarming factor is the fast-depleting tribal population. The Birhors who were 8083 in 1991 had declined to 7514 in 2001. The Savaria Paharias, 48,761 in 1991 were 31050 in 2001 and the Paharias who were 30421 in 1991 have declined to 20786 in 2001. A Jharkhand Tribal Welfare Research Institute 2002 study shows 9 tribes in the state now constitute merely 0.72 percent from 0.90 percent in 2001. The report reveals that the Hill Khariyas are merely 1625, Birjiyas are 5393 and Birhors are 6579.

The judiciary is serious on the issue of starvation deaths. The Jharkhand High Court said that the state government has not been sensitive enough on the issue of starvation death. The Court issued a show cause notice to the state government on 22 October asking it to furnish a report about the steps taken for containing the starvation deaths and a status report on implementation of Antyodaya scheme in the state. After facing criticism from all the corners, the government has announced to provide free grain to all the BPL families including 45000 tribals at the rate of Rs 2 per kilogramme of wheat and Rs 3 per kilogramme of rice. But one has to wait for the result as the government has not taken any steps to break the nexus of contractors, middlemen and dealers, which is notorious for siphoning off grains meant for the poor.

The fact is the right to live with dignity is a fundamental right of everyone guaranteed under the Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the State is duty-bound to protect it. Anyone dying of starvation is a serious violation of human rights and the State is responsible for it. No wonder the politicians and the bureaucrats make serious effort to brush it off casually.

The lack of awareness, rampant corruption, lack of transparency and accountability are the obvious reasons for the failure of the welfare schemes. The starvation death can not be contained as long as the welfare schemes continue to be milch cows for government officials, dealers and middle men. The need of the hour is for the Gram Sabha to play a proactive role in the distribution of grains and other food items maintaining direct links with the district administration, thereby bypassing the corrupt Block Development Office.

Gladson Dungdung is a Human Rights Activist. He can be contacted at gladsonhrights@gmail.com http://www.indigenousindia.blogspot.com/

Struggle for Survival

By Gladson Dungdung
24 Nov, 2008

The Jharkhand government has signed 98 MoU with several national and multinational companies for setting up 74 steel plants and 24 power plants with the estimated investment of Rs 4,67,240 crore, which require approximately 200,000 acres of land. The government, the Industrialists and the Media are putting hard efforts to convince people by propagating the message that the industrialization is only way to develop the 8 years old Jharkhand therefore the villagers must surrender their land for the development projects, which would provide them jobs, infrastructure and boost the economy of the state. But the Adivasis and Moolvasis are not convinced with the ideas as 70 percent of them still rely on agriculture, forest produces and livestock for their survival. They are resisting against displacement, attacking the company's officials and not allowing them to enter into the villages. Consequently, the government is not able to execute even a single MoU at the grassroots for last 5 years.

There is turmoil against displacement in the state. On 1st of October 2008, the villagers attacked on the Kohinoor steel plant near Jamshedpur, seized 70 trucks and stopped the work. They alleged that after acquiring their agricultural land, the company neither compensated nor gave them jobs as promised and the company is also causing huge environmental affect in agriculture, water sources and public health therefore they would not allow the company to destroy their livelihoods. In another case, the villagers attacked 3 surveyors of Bhushan steel Yusuf Ahmad, Sheetal Kumar and Sahdev Singh when they were conducting land survey near Sarmanda River at Potka of East Singbhum district. The villagers caught them, painted on their faces with cow dung, asked them to eat straw and cow dung, garlanded with shoes and paraded in the villagers on 11 September 08. Somari Hembrom of Roladih village (Potka) justified it by saying, "We had already declared for not giving our precious land to the Bhushan Company but despite of this, these people were measuring our land without informing us therefore they were taught a lesson".

Similarly, the villagers attacked Jupiter Cement factory, beaten the workers and stopped the factory on 11 September 2008 at Kharsawan alleging for violating the land related laws. Recently, the Indian CEO, Project head and other officials of the steel giant Arcelor Mittal were not allowed to enter into the villages in Torpa- Kamdara areas where Mittal has proposes a 12 million ton steel plant. The Jindal Steel, Esser Steel and CESE were forced to leave the proposed areas. The Jindal steel has singed MoU for 5 million ton steel plant with the estimated investment of 11500 crore, needs 5500 acre of land for a steel plant and already has purchased 70 acres of land and the Bhushan Steel has proposed a steel plant with the estimated investment of Rs 10,500 crore. It needs 3400 acres of land for the project and it has bought 90 acres of land. According to the villagers, both the companies have appointed some middle men, who are making false land deeds. Shalendra Mahto of Ghatiduba village said, "The middle men have sold the land of many farmers in the villages to Jindal and Bhushan companies by making false deeds but we are not going to give up our land".

The people's struggle for protection of livelihood resources has spread across the state. Loha Nahi Anaj Chahiye (We want grains not iron), Jal, Jungle aur Jamin Hamara Hai (Land, forest and water belong to us) and Jan denge, Jamin Nahi Denge (We will surrender our lives but not land) are a few overwhelming slogans being raised in the proposed areas of Arcelor Mittal in Torpa-Kamdara, Jindal Steel in Asanbani, Bhushan Steel in Potka, CESE in Shikaripada, Kohinoor Steel in Saraikela-Kharsawan and many other proposed areas. A series of mass meetings, Road blocks and Rallies are being organized in these areas, where thousands of Adivasis and Moolvasis are participating and echoing their voices. The message they want to convey is that ‘they won't give up agriculture land for industry’.

The Bisthapit Virodhi Ekta Manchi, Adivasi Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch, Bhumi Sangharsh Samiti, Bhumi Suraksha Sangharsh Samiti, Bhumi Sudhar Andolan, Khutkatti Raiyat Bhumi Sangharsh Samiti, Gaon Ganrajya Parishad, Majhi Pargana Mahal, Bhumi Raksha Gramin Ekta Manch, Bhumi Sudhar Andolan, Creaj Jan Mukti Andolan, Jharkhand Ulgulan Manchi and JMACC are some of the prominent organizations working against displacement in Jharkhand, have cautioned the state government against increasing intrusions of representatives from several industries in villages, registering false cases against anti-displacement activists and threatening the villagers. "Our message is loud and clear that we do not want to give our land for industries", says K.C. Mardi the convener of Bisthapan Virodhi Ekta Manch who played a major role in throwing out the Jindal Steel and Bhushan Steel from East Singhbhum. "Such attempts should be stopped immediately because the conspiracy to snatch our land would cause social unrest in the villages" he added.

According to a young Activist Ramesh Hembrom, the development of agriculture is a need of the hour. He said, "It is more important to boost up agriculture than setting up industries in Jharkhand, as agriculture production in Jharkhand is marginal. If the government provides irrigation and other facilities, local farmers could reap three crops in a year." Dayamani Barla the convener of Adivasi Moolvasi Astitva Raksha Manch, the organization fighting against the Arcelor Mittal at Torpa-Kamdara said, "We will not allow the company to enter into the villages because one can not be rehabilitated after displaced." "The lands belong to our ancestors therefore we will not leave it", she added.

The people's resistance has created upheaval in the state. The Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of commerce and industries had organized a protest march in Ranchi on 15th September, 2008 for condemning the attack on companies, pleaded for filing cases against the anti-displacement activists and demanded protection to the industrialists. The president of the Chamber, Manoj Reddy said, "The chamber opposes such actions against industrialists. We demand to file cases against the culprits and protection for the industrialists." "The political support to the anti-displacement movements should be stopped", he added. After pressure building on the government, 3 criminal cases were registered against 1025 anti-displacement activists under the sections 307, 147, 148, 149, 323, 341, 342, 427, 506 of IPC and 3 of them were arrested but released after the huge people's protest.

The industrial minister of Jharkhand, Sudhir Mahto has assured the Industrialists for providing them protection. "The industrialists will be provided security if they demand. The government is committed for industrialization therefore we will talk to the people and sort out their problems," he said. According to the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Sibu Soren, the people are afraid of displacement as they had bitter experiences in the past therefore they are resisting against it. He said, "Every one knows what happened after establishment of the Heavy Engineering Corporation at Ranchi, Bokaro Steel plant at Bokaro and Tata Steel plant at Jamshedpur, only the outsiders got the jobs". "We will promote industrialization with the consent of the people, when the industrialists visit villages they should inform the villagers and administration," he added.

The fundamental question is why people do not want to give their land for the Industries and development projects? One would go back to understand the pains and sufferings of the displaced masses, which suggests that after the independence, 1710787 people were displaced after acquiring 24,15,698 acres of their lands for setting up the Power Plants, Irrigation Projects, Mining Companies and Steel Industries in the Jharkhand. In every project approximately 80 to 90 percent Adivasis and Moolvasis were displaced but merely 25 percent of them were halfway rehabilitated and no one has any idea about the rest 75 percent displaced. The benefits of these development projects were only enjoyed by the Landlords, Project Officers, Engineers, Contractors, Bureaucrats, Politicians and outsiders, and those who sacrificed everything for the sake of the "development" are struggling for their survival.

Gladson Dungdung is a Human Rights Activist. He can be contacted at gladsonhrights@gmail.com www.indigenousindia.blogspot.com

Will tribals embrace BJP in Chhattisgarh again?

By Supriya Sharma

The tribal belt in north Chhattisgarh has seen volatile conflict over conversions. And the politician who thrived on it the most was Dilip Singh Judev, once the BJP's star campaigner. He may no longer be as powerful, but the influence of his brand of politics still remains.

"This was a historic moment. No one else has ever laid his moustache at stake in politics. People ask me what am I staking this time, I tell them moustache is not something to stake again and again," said Dilip Singh Judev, BJP leader.

It was flamboyance that in 2003 made Dilip Singh Judev the BJP's poster boy from Chhattisgarh.

His "Ghar wapsi programme," that reconverts Christian tribals to Hinduism, made the BJP sweep 25 of the 34 tribal seats, bringing it to power.

But while the party won, Judev who was caught on tape accepting bribes as union minister lost out.

Within Chhattisgarh, BJP chief minister Raman Singh may have eclipsed Judev. But on his home turf he is still king. It is Judev that decides who gets a ticket from Jashpur, his bastion in the north of Chhattsigarh.

His latest choice is Jageshwar Bhagat, a product of the Sangh's Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

"If the Raja asks, one has to obey," said Jageshwar Ram Bhagat, BJP candidate, Jashpur.

Jageshwar Bhagat's obedience would be familiar feudal loyalty, had it not been for the added layer of cultural indoctrination. It's emerged from the encounter between Hindutva and tribals.

It's an unequal encounter that Hindutva tries hard to conceal with images like that of Ram embracing Hanuman."Yes, just like adivasis are being embraced by Hinduism," said Jageshwar.

The question is will the tribals embrace BJP this time as well ?

Tribal Christians contest elections, but Church people skeptical of chances

Raipur: Only 10 of 939 people running for seats in Chhattisgarh state's legislative assembly are Christians, and most of them have little chance of winning, Church people say.

More than 15.2 million people are expected to take part in the voting for the central Indian state's 90-member assembly. Polling is being split over two days due to the limited number of election officials and polling stations.

Two people were killed as violence marred the first day of voting, on Nov. 14, when about 6.4 million people voted to fill 39 seats. The Christian candidates, all members of tribal groups, are running in constituencies where voting is scheduled for Nov. 20. Results are to be announced on Dec. 8.

The Congress party, the state's main opposition, set four slots for Christians among its assembly candidates, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, Indian people's party) nominated only Hindus.

The BJP is considered the political arm of radical groups that want to make India a Hindu theocracy. About 95 percent of Chhattisgarh's 20.8 million people are Hindus. Muslims form about 2 percent and Christians less than 1 percent. Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs are among the smaller communities.

Most Christian candidates are running in constituencies covered by Jashpur and Ambikapur dioceses. Both are in the ecclesiastical province headed by Raipur archdiocese, based in the state capital of the same name, 1,175 kilometers southeast of New Delhi. The most prominent Christian candidate is Ajit Jogi, 62, the state's first chief minister after being carved from Madhya Pradesh in 2000. Like neighboring Jharkhand state, carved from Bihar that same year, Chhattisgarh was established ostensibly to advance the welfare of its significant tribal population.

The Congress party has projected Jogi, a Church of North India member, as its chief ministerial candidate. His wife Renuka is also a candidate with the party.

Ramdev Ram, is contesting under the Congress banner in Lundra, in Ambikapur diocese. His parish priest, Father Bhakti Bhushan Kerketta, says Ram "is sure to win."

Even though Ram does not practice his faith, "he is a Christian at heart and his family members are all practicing Catholics," Father Keretta said. He explained that Ram has kept a distance from his religion "to get into politics" but is popular and supports the Church.

In the last election, in 2003, he lost to a BJP candidate by only 42 votes.

The remaining Congress party candidate, Uttamdin Minj, is a Catholic contesting in Kunkuri, in neighboring Jashpur diocese. The engineer-turned-politician said he aims to change legislation that harasses Christian missioners when they buy tribal land for the Church. "It is a problem for our Christian community. It has to be solved," he said.

Uttamdin, 42, promises to halt the BJP government's move to take over tribal land for industries, which he warns would destroy tribal culture. Instead, he plans to promote "high-tech and agricultural-based" jobs for tribal youths.

However, Church people are skeptical about Uttamdin's chances. Two other Catholics are running as independents in the same constituency.

Father Edmon Bara, Jashpur diocese's public relations officer, thinks the three will split Catholic votes and help the BJP candidate to win instead. The Church wanted Congress to field Apolina Xalxo, a Catholic woman who would have won, he said.

Xalxo told UCA News she rejected an offer from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (liberation front of Jharkhand) to contest the seat on its ticket. "I didn't want to divide our votes," she said.

That party did, however, nominate some candidates in Chhattisgarh including Congress-rejected Sanjay Tirkey in Pathalgaon, also in Jashpur diocese. A Catholic woman, Hemlata Minj, is contesting the same seat on the Bahujan Samaj Party (common people's party) ticket.

Father Stany Tirkey of Pathalgaon said Church people tried to persuade Tirkey to withdraw to avoid splitting tribal Catholic votes.

A Lutheran, Lalsai Minj, is a candidate of the National Congress Party in Samri, Ambikapur diocese, but Father Solomon Tirkey of Lorangi parish says his chances too are slim.

Communist Party of India candidate Xavier Minj, a Catholic from Jashpur constituency, has little support, said Father Dilip Kispotta, assistant parish priest of Jashpur. Catholics might vote instead for Congress' Vinay Bhagat, a tribal Hindu who supports the Church, he said.

Source: UCANews

Tribals vow to step up protests

Kantapahari/Calcutta: A set of tribal leaders today threatened to intensify its agitation even as another group held a meeting with the administration and promised to withdraw all roadblocks except in Lalgarh, where Maoists are calling the shots.

The People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities, which is spearheading the agitation in Lalgarh and Jhargram, held a meeting with nearly 600 village heads and said the administration would have to concede all their demands. They want the police superintendent to hold his ears and apologise for the arrests and detentions since the November 2 landmine blast targeting the chief minister, and officers to crawl on the ground.

“If our 11 demands are not met, we will intensify our movement,” said Sidhu Soren, its general secretary.

About 5,000 villagers gathered on a field in Lalgarh’s Kantapahari, a Maoist hotbed, this afternoon to hear the outcome of the meeting.

District magistrate N.S. Nigam had called the other meeting with five Santhal organisations led by the Bharat Jakat Majhi Marwa in Midnapore town, about 50km away.

The highest leader of the Marwa, Nityananda Hembram, later said: “We will withdraw the blockades from other parts of Jhargram. But we’ll not speak for the Lalgarh people. We think their demands are legitimate. We want the administration to go there and speak to them directly. Our agitation against police atrocities will continue but we will withdraw the blockades.”

There are doubts, however, on how much influence these leaders have on the agitators. On November 14, Marwa leader Munshiram Murmu was beaten up when he tried to persuade a group to lift a blockade in Jhargram town.

“The movement is now being controlled by Maoists,” said Nirmal Jash, the inspector in charge of Jhargram.

“The Marwa leaders have no control on those on the ro- ads. The agitators’ initial de-mands, to release the three schoolboys held after the Salboni blast and removal of the Lalgarh inspector-in-charge, were promptly met. Now they have placed a series of absurd demands, including release of all tribals arrested in the past 10 years. They want to make Lalgarh inaccessible to the administration and create a free-zone.”

Residents said Maoists were roaming freely in Lalgarh in the absence of security forces. “A week ago, they came under the cover of darkness, sometimes wearing masks. Now, they organise campaigns during the day,” said Sundar Murmu of Bansber village.

Deputy superintendent Shyamal Ghosh, now posted at Lalgarh police station, said: “The large area that includes Belpahari, Banspahari, Lalgarh, Binpur and Shilda has become a free-zone for Maoists. We can’t go even 500 metres from the police station because of the roadblocks.”

CPI (Maoist) state secretary Kanchan said in a statement today: “We are with the people of Lalgarh. The chief minister will have to apologise in front of the people for torturing tribals in West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.”

Addressing a civic poll rally in Howrah this evening, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee accused “a section of people” of misleading the tribals. “Who is going to benefit by digging up roads and exploding mines?” he asked.

Source: The Telegraph

Five tribal kids die after taking milk and snack at school - Tragedy on the eve of children’s day

Ranchi: At least five tribal boys have died after consuming milk and snacks in a government-run residential school in Jharkhand, the tragedy unfolding on the eve of children’s day and certain to impair the trust that persuades parents in backward belts to educate their wards.

The age of the children could not be ascertained till late tonight but the youngest studied in Class II and the oldest in Class VIII.

As many as 68 children fell ill at Rajkiya Adivasi High School at Bero, 45km from Ranchi, this afternoon, half an hour after they had milk along with beaten rice (chira) and banana.

Police said they were investigating whether the milk was contaminated because some students complained of an odour. But RIMS doctor J.K. Mitra said: “Nothing could be said about the nature of the poison before proper examination by the toxicology department.”

A doctor in Delhi said the speed with which the children began to fall sick pointed to a poisonous substance rather than an infection.

“Something that made them extremely sick within half an hour is more likely to be a poison than a bacterial infection,” said Ambrish Mithal, a senior consultant endocrinologist in New Delhi. “But sometimes toxins produced by bacteria may be already present in food and gross contamination may cause symptoms fast.”

Twenty-four critically ill students were admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.

The five victims — as Sunder Bhagat (Class VIII), Sikandar Oraon (Class II), Jackson Minz (Class VIII), Vineet Oraon (Class V) and Jugeshwar Oraon (Class VIII) — died while they were being taken to the hospital. Five more were being treated at the intensive care unit tonight.

Hostel superintendent Yugeshwar Sahu, who also suffered food poisoning, has been admitted to the same hospital in a critical condition.

The children who had consumed the milk and snacks around 4pm fainted either on the premises of the school, established to promote education among tribals, or near a river where some had gone to play or relieve themselves.

Karamchand Bhagat, a Class X student, said: “Out of 248 students, around 140 had lined up for the milk. Some threw the milk after detecting a foul smell, while some stored it in their room to take it after dinner.”

The school provides gram and jaggery as breakfast at 6am and a lunch of rice, pulses and vegetables at 9.30am. After the 4pm snacks, a dinner of rice, pulses and vegetables is served at 6.30pm. Paneer and eggs are on the menu once a week.

Making food available in schools is one of the key features of India’s efforts to promote education. Despite some criticism, the mid-day meal scheme — it has no link with today’s tragedy — is considered successful in drawing children to schools and keeping them there.

M.S. Bhatia, the Ranchi senior superintendent of police, said the milk suppliers would be arrested.

“The Milk was supplied by some local suppliers. Usually 40 litres of milk are purchased every day but 30 litres were supplied today. Apparently, something was wrong with the milk and we have started an investigation,” he said.

Chief minister Shibu Soren has ordered the suspension of all teachers of the school. Sources said the teachers had fled the school.

The government has announced Rs 1 lakh for the relatives of the children who died. However, as it is a residential school, few parents live in the vicinity and little information was available on their whereabouts.

Source: The Telegraph

Salwa Judum may stay in Bastar after polls

By Mohuya chaudhuri

Just before the assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, there are more security personnel than candidates campaigning in Bastar. The mood is low key and listless in this election.

Except for district headquarters like Jagdalpur, it is hard to say that voting will take place in few days.

Maoists have called for a boycott of the elections. The fear is so great that no one travels beyond 10 kilometres from urban centres. Posters cannot be put up or pamphlets distributed. Two BJP leaders who didn't listen ended up brutally murdered.

Even the man who set up Salwa Judum to fight Naxals says it isn't worth taking the risk.

"No one is going into the interiors. I am on their hit list so I don't want to take any chances. Why go to sensitive areas?" said Mahendra Karma, Congress candidate.

The fight is no longer between the Congress and the ruling BJP. The CPI offers a strong challenge as well.

But the surprise element this time is the dreaded Salwa Judum, a civilian peace movement that is tarnished by its own brand of violence. Though launched by Congress leader Karma, Judum supporters have defied him and are contesting from six out of 12 seats.

The camps, which are their captive voter base are sprinkled all over south Bastar.

For three years now, Salwa Judum has controlled the lives of tribal people in these camps and in villages as well. Though the movement has suffered several setbacks, Salwa Judum leaders still exert a significant amount of influence on people. But will the elections change its fate?

It may not be that easy since the camp population has dwindled from 50,000 to around 13,000 and even those who still remain have turned away from the Judum.

On being asked whether they will vote for Salwa Judum, a special protection officer said, "We will vote for those who will give us benefits afterwards and take care of us."

Even so, the Judum may play spoilsport and split votes, whoever wins the spectre of Salwa Judum will remain.

Tribals seek land act amendment

Ranchi/Jamshedpur: On the eve of 100 years of the Chhotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act coming into existence, the tribal organisations in the state advocated amendment in the act besides its proper implementation.

The organisations conceded that the act helped the tribals retain their land, but sought legal rights to sell their plots to tribals from any part of the state. They also advocated scrapping of the Bihar Scheduled Area Regulation Act (1969), which has the provision of legalising illegally transferred tribal lands.

Against the backdrop of industrialisation efforts by several business houses in Jharkhand, who now need land, the tribals want the CNT Act amended so that their lands could not be acquired for industrialisation. They want the state to constitute a committee of experts to draft the amendment.

“Around 20,000 cases of land restoration are pending across Jharkhand at this point of time. This proves that the act has been ineffective in preventing sale and transfer of tribal land across the state,” said Surya Singh Besra, the head of Jharkhand Front and a noted tribal leader.

“Today, the tribal population in Jharkhand stands at just 26 per cent. This will dwindle further if steps were not taken to ensure that the tribal land remained with tribals,” said district head of (youth) JMM Ramesh Hansda.

The CNT Act had come into existence on November 11, 1908. According to the CNT Act provision, a tribal landholder can sell his land only to a tribal person residing under the same police station where the land is situated.

“In 1975, the CNT Act was amended and general land holders were given the right to sell their land to any person from any part of the country. This facility should be extended to tribals as well, as it would enable them sell their land to any tribal from across Jharkhand,” said P.N.S. Surin, a CNT Act expert and a former bureaucrat.

Surin, with other experts, has prepared a formula to amend the act.

Rashmi Katyan, a noted lawyer of Ranchi civil court and an expert of the CNT Act, said: “There is little scope of amendment in the CNT Act to stop land acquisition for public purposes. But other loopholes created by successive amendments can be plugged.”

Meanwhile, several tribal organisations took part in a meeting organised by BIRSA, Ranchi, an NGO, today to discuss the relevance of the act.

“We will be handing over a memorandum to Governor Syed Sibtey Razi suggesting various corrections in the act, which is important in the present day,” said Binit Mundu, the co-ordinator of the programme.

Jharkhand Parha-Raja Mahasamiti, an organisation of tribal chieftains, would also hold a rally here on Tuesday to commemorate the 100 years of the act in Jharkhand.

Source: Telegraph India

Starvation stalks tribals of Jharkhand

By Sandeep Bhaskar

There are reasons to be worried about the tribals of Jharkhand facing extinction.

The death of over a dozen members belonging to primitive tribes, including three children, in a span of past one month, isn’t good news. The incident has kicked up a controversy with social workers attributing eight deaths in Jharkhand’s Chatra district to malnutrition, while the government cites food poisoning as the root-cause.

Now the state government has ordered a probe into the deaths.

Officially, while the death of eight Birhors (primitive tribal group) were registered from Hindiykala village of Chatra, three children died in Jharnakund Birhor Colony in Jhumari Tilaiya block of Koderma district in October. This apart, death of nine Baigas (another primitive tribal group) are reported from Bhitaha village of Chatra and one Birhor from Dumka district.

According to reports, while one Bhitor Birhor (48), a resident of Jhaluhotang village of Silli block, Ranchi district, died due to lack of medical care on October 27, a pregnant Rita Birhor of Lokai Birhor Colony was allegedly turned away from Sadar Hospital in Koderma recently.

However, if Balram —Jharkhand advisor to Supreme Court commissioner of food security N C Saxena — is to be believed, the death of eight Birhors in Hindiykala was due to chronic starvation. Balram has sent a report to the apex court urging it to direct the state government to control hunger deaths among these primitive tribes.

“During the ‘on the spot’ survey, all circumstantial evidences suggest that the deaths occurred due to malnutrition and starvation. Of the 27 Birhor families, in Hindiykala of Pratappur block, only four families had cards under the Anotyodaya Yojana in which foodgrains were shown distributed way back in 1998. While, the mid-day meal in schools and the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) were found to be erratic, hardly any foodgrains were found in the households. Consequently, these people are living on makka (maize) and kanda-gethi (a kind of bitter root),” said Balram.

Dinesh Singh visited Hindiykala as a member of the team led by Jharkhand advisor to Supreme Court commissioner of food security. He observed that the villagers suffered from swelling and oedema. “This is a symptom of acute malnutrition. So, it is high time the government steps in and helps them,” said Singh.
However, trashing the social workers’ reports, Chatra deputy commissioner Abu Bakr Siddiqui said the deaths were due to food poisoning and that it had nothing to do with starvation.

Meanwhile, the state government has constituted a three-member committee to probe the cause of the deaths. The committee headed by the state welfare secretary U K Sangma is expected to submit the report shortly.

Whatever be the committee’s findings, the progressive decline in the population of primitive tribes — especially Birhors, Pahariya and Sauriya Pahariya — is reason for concern. Spread over 24 districts of the state, Jharkhand boasts of having eight groups of primitive tribes. But worse, despite a plethora of schemes, their population is staggeringly low.

While the 2001-census report put the primitive tribes tally at around 2.40 lakh, the population of the three groups Birhor, Pahariya and Sauriya Pahariya declined further from the 1991 census report. As against 8,038 Birhors in the 1991, their population dwindled to 7,514 in 2001, whereas the population of Pahariya and Sauriya Pahariya slipped from 29,256 to 20,786 and 47,826 to 31,050 respectively between 1991 and 2001.

But leading to a startling further revelation, a study conducted by state Tribal Research Institute (TRI) during 2002-03 found the strength of primitive tribes at about 1.90 lakh.

This despite a string of schemes for them in the state, which includes Primitive Tribe Housing (Birsa Awas Yojana), Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana, food support programme, direct jobs for educated youth, health and vocational training, Janashree Beema Yojana, Adim Janjati Pradikaran, Adim Janjati Bharat Darshan and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). The state government has also earmarked Rs 50 crore specifically for primitive tribes, from an annual outlay of Rs 300 crore for the welfare of all tribals.

Source: Deccan Herald

Poor Indian tribals hail Obama victory as sign of change

Ranchi: Hundreds of tribal people beat drums, fired crackers and distributed sweets in eastern India on Thursday to celebrate Barack Obama's victory as the first black U.S. president-elect.

Tribals are among the poorest and most backward sections of Indian society and say they suffer racial discrimination in a country enjoying an economic boom in some areas.

When news of Obama's triumph reached the state capital of Jharkhand, hundreds in traditional tribal dress thronged to a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, dancing and shouting slogans of optimism.

"The victory of Obama in U.S. election is indication that racial discrimination will end in all forms," Ajay Tirkey, the president of a tribal organisation said.

"This is a historical moment of the world that a black has been elected to president of most powerful country of the world. We hope even India will soon get a black president".

Reporting by Nityanand Shukla; Editing by Matthias Williams and Bill Tarrant

New tribal party formed in MP

BHOPAL: With the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh drawing closer, a new tribal political outfit - Aadijan Mukti Sena (AMS) - has been formed to contest elections from the western part of the state.

"We have registered our party with the Election Commission last week with an object to create political awarness among tribals," AMS state President Vijay Narayan Singh said.

The party would field 25-30 candidates from Dhar, Khandwa, Mhow and other places, adding they would announce the name of their candidates in two or three days, he said.

Singh said his party had got leaders from Bhil, Bilala, Korku and other tribes.

He said tribals in the state were being exploited because they lacked political awareness and leadership. Already, two tribal political parties, the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) and its breakaway group Gondwana Mukti Sena (GMS), having a bearing over tribals in eastern MP, are contesting the polls.

In the last Assembly polls held in December 2003, the GGP had won in three assembly segments in eastern MP.

Source: The Times Of India

Eco awareness camp helps tribal children strengthen bond with nature

By D. Radhakrishnan

Udhagamandalam: Thanks to a two-day eco awareness camp facilitated by the Hill Area Development Programme (HADP) and organised by the Departments of Tourism and Tribal Welfare, about one hundred tribal students from various parts of the Nilgiris strengthened their bond with nature.

In the process, the children studying in Standard VI to VIII had a whale of a time.

Concept


In a bid to enhance awareness about the unique ecology of the Blue Mountains among children belonging to the lower strata of the society here and in the plains, the concept was introduced by the HADP last year.

District Adi dravidar and Tribal Welfare Officer K.Ponnuswamy said that the students including 50 girls hailed from tribal communities such as Irula, Kurumba, Paniyan and Kattunayakan.

They were studying in 13 Government Tribal Residential schools in various places including Thengumorahada and Hallimoyar in a remote part of the district.

HADP Assistant Project Director J.Haldorai said that the transport, stay and food for the students were taken care of by the organisers.

The students were accompanied by their headmasters.

Pointing out that on Thursday, they had been taken to Sim’s Park in Coonoor and Dodabetta here, Tourist Officer S.Dorairaj said that they were also given a chance to see the Tea Museum. In the evening, an audio-visual presentation on the environment was made by V.Sivadass, Managing Trustee, Nilgiri Environment and Cultural Service Trust.

Enthusiasm


On Friday, Ooty Lake and the Government Botanical Garden were among the places they visited. From the beginning till the end the tribal children had displayed considerable enthusiasm.

While M. Bommi, a Standard VIII student of the Government Tribal Residential Middle School, Kargudi, near the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, said that she was thrilled, R.Satheesh hailing from the Kaatunayakan community and studying in Standard VII of the GTR School in Mukkatty said that he was seeing Ooty for the first time. K.Sudha, a Paniyan girl, said that the boat ride had made her very happy.

Kishore, partner of the canteen and amusement park at the Boat House, said that the outing had given him a chance to serve the children belonging to the economically week tribal families.

Headmaster of the GTR School in Mukkatty R.Sekar said that the outing had helped the tribal children get valuable exposure.

Source: The Hindu