A.G. Gardener ( 1972) the famous anthropologists says that paliyar tribes belong
The Collective has planned program for 2008-2010 to evolve a democratic process of planning and action at all levels and to learn from the process itself to build a democratic Adivasi movement in Tamilnadu with the leadership of Adivasis.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Forest Rights Act - 2006 Training Srivilliputhur
Under the aegis of CAFAT, TEST one of the member organizations organized one day seminar on FOREST RIGHTS ACT 2006 to the
Convener of CAFAT Mr. Y.David gave a presidential address to the gathering including the tribe’s leaders. The need for protecting the forest and the tribes. He explained how the forest and the tribes are inseparable. He narrates with simple examples taken of day to day life and its connectivity of global situation. The net result of the damage done to the tribes is exploiting the wealth of the forest. Without tribes the forest cannot be saved for a long time. Without forest the tribes cannot be lived. The life of the forest and tribes is the relationship between mother and child. This will result in global warming which is the most serious agenda of the developed countries. He insisted how the forest wealth is exploited by the multination companies after the globalization. This is the time to take serious steps to protect this tribes and they in turn protect forests.
The Managing Trustee of TEST explained about the Forest Rights Act 2006. Now the Government is realizing the importance of Tribes. He explained the each and every sections of the Act and its related rules. The importance of traditional and customary rights of the tribes and the gram sabha, Forest Rights Committee, Sub divisional Committee and District level committee. The forest Rights Committee will take the responsibility of fixing the boundaries of their ancestors’ living and worshipping places and the area where the people go and take the minor forest produces and etc., this will help them to ensure their livelihood rights. This will be approved by the gram sabha of the adjoining panchayats. This will enlighten the forest officials about the Act and how they will help them the support the tribes in the near future. The wild life warden, Divisional Forest Officer and other officials interacted the session and clarify their doubts.
Mr. Dhan Raj Co-ordinator of CAFAT explained various initiatives in the tribal areas after the FRA enactment. He shared his experiences in other parts of Tamilnadu. He told the follow up activities of this Act i.e., formation of Gram Sabhas, Forest Rights’ Committee, Sub Divisional level Committee, District level committees etc., are done by the Tribal Development Officials. In Virudhunagar District only these activities are monitored by the Forest Officials. The practical difficulties in formation of gram sabha and approval by the regular panchayat were explained.
The tribal leaders shared their views regarding the officials approach especially
Virudhunagar district forest officials team including social forestry and wild life units were participated in the training program. The tribal leaders from Thanipparai, Pilavukkal, Athikovil, Valliammal Nagar, Shenbagathoppu, Iyyanar kovil. The one day training program was enlighten to the offcials and the tribal people were proud about the ACT which is favorable to them.
The training program was concluded with vote of thanks by TEST Manager Mr.Xavier.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Massive fixation over Adivasis Land
Massive fixation over Adivasis Land
(A struggle at Sirumalai Hills)
“Adivasis, we are cultivating the lands leveled from forest by toiling a long days, now for sole cause of abducting and make off with the cultivable lands, a few started attacked upon us. Thus, out of continuous threads and intimidation we are bound to move to plains’’ saying apprehensive tribes Paliyar
Sirumalai is a small hill of Dindigul district where more than 100 families of Paliyar dwelling past two centuries. Now they are encountered attacks and all sorts of assault.
Andy, aged 35 years says, I have possessed a piece of cultivable land at Kodalithitty parai forest. By generation and generation we live in the forest land and cultivating lemon, jack-fruit and banana. Very often some plains visited the lands and urged me to sale the lands to them, of late, this sort of harassment has been bounty increased.
The last month I traveled by a van to Dindigul carrying three sacs of lemons for sales. My small kid Mari Muthu aged 2 years also traveled with me for medical treatment, as he felt ill. After completing all works, on the way to home we were traveling by tempo at 1.00 a. m. (midnight). Suddenly, the van stopped and a gang of 4 along with the van driver started attacking me by iron rod and other fatal arms and they were also spelled out (“palliya payale unakkallam sontha nilam thevaiya, neenkal kattai vettu odungada”) Are you need of own land? Run away from forest! They attacked me about more than half an hour, then my hands were tied with van and taken into caste leader. During the attack one of the four pulled my money from my pocket. I cried for anything as I sensed they might have killed me and my kid. Under the local leader’s advice, I was taken back to dark room at the outskirts of Dindigul town where we had been at detention for 24 hours without food and even water. After a day, the caste leader came and said that some persons are coming to kill me, and advised me to run away from the place. Then I reached my home land by walking 25 kilometers along with my ill kid.
A few days later, a police case was filed by me against violence perpetrators in Dindigul police station and got medical treatment at Government hospital. After few days the police approached me instead taking action against the culprits and said there are complaints against me on the charges of Rape and attempt to murder”
Likewise, another victim Alagarsamy aged 52 years who was affected saying that I live with family in Thalakadi forest village dated back. For my livelihood I cultivate in 7 and half acres land which I solely possessed off. Months back a person from Anjukulipatty informed me that he bought the land and he holds up the possessive right to use, I replied him this is of my inheritance right, I cultivate for long time and turn, at once he got angry and shouted at me with vulgar words. Few days latter my hut was fired, the clothes, vessels and other things become damaged and becoming residue.
Later, a group came down to my land and threatened me to vacate the land, I just replied this is my life, I can not move from it, no longer a minute a person attacked me in various parts with a big weapon like knife, on seeing my relatives the attackers just ran and disappeared . After the incident, all the living Paliyar tribes evacuated from their original huts and began to live along with their children in hidden places.
About the incident and context, Mr. Dhanraj, state co-coordinator of Collective Action for Forest Adivasis in TamilNadu (CAFAT) Tribal Activist says “ Adivasis are the real protectors of forests” and They feel the forests are common property to all. Among them few people have got the ownership of lands. These lands also snatched by other caste Hindus by using their ignorance. These innocent people are attacked by others while they try to get their rights.
There are two sorts of attacks unleashed against tribals in a week; it remains continued against this oppressed community. In fact, there are 90 Paliyar families in Sirumalai. Out of 90 which 20 families are holding the lands which are also being tried to snatch. So far, there is no legal action against the violence perpetrators; in contrast the police threatened and lodged false charges upon the innocents.
He pressurized ‘the government with full strength to exercise the Forest Right Act completely to ensure the rights and privileges of the tribal to enjoy the forest and its surroundings”
The government should recognize the adivasis’ land rights and legacy of lands in Traditional and Customary Rights. By ensuring the rights of adivasis the government can protect the forests since the complete knowledge and power in protecting the forests is in the hands of adivasis.
The government should take affirmative actions on the encroachments in the forests. Forests are the livelihood resources of adivasis. They cannot live without forests. This should be understood by the government and the caste Hindus.
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(This Article published in “KUMUTHAM REPORTER” a leading Tamil political Bi Weekly.)
DELHI GIVES !! TAMILNADU STOPS !!
Adivasis!! The real sons of Forests. Even after several centuries the relationship between the adivasis and the forest is still holistic. But the real sons started their protest”Our rights rights are denied”in resent days. Resulting to their struggles, the Central government has enacted the Forest Rights Act -2006 in the year 2008.
The people who are living in
The government should seek permission form the adivasis while it is planning to construct dams and forming wild life sanctuaries in their areas. These are the some significant features of the law. According to this the central govt has insisted and fixed the target to the state governments to take survey among adivasis including scattered people. But “ there was no action taken to implement the law in any way” say the civil society activists working among the adivasis.
Mr. Dhanraj -coordinator ,Collective Action for Forest Adivasis in TamilNadu (CAFAT) says “ within the total population of
The central Government clearly ordered the state to translate the law into regional and vernacular language, to give training to the officials to understand the concept of the law. The other states in the country have started doing works. But in Tamilnadu the government has printed the law even after two years of the law ‘s enforcement. So the officials could not understand the law. If we ask anything about the implementation the officials point out the case which is in court.
Mr. Sambavasivam, a retired forest officer filed a case in high court against to cut the trees and not to provide pattaland to Adivasis. As per new law , the trees may be cut down up to 75 in a hectare by the adivasis for the sake of their housing and economy. Inspite of this, the court has givan permission to cut the trees and to provide patta for adivasis. Reasoning this, the government has not started any work still now. Instead, the governments has started to evacuate the adivasis from their home land to form wild life sanctuary in Thiruppur district.
Adivasis will not do any harm to the forests and the wild animals. Infact they are the real protectors of nature. But while refusing the rights of Adivasis at the same time the government is trying to surrender the forests to the multinational companies voluntarily. Is there any justice? If so how can the adivasis come out from the slavery?
According to the minister of the forest department Mr.Selvaraj , it is time we should provide facilities and privileges to the Adivasis who live in forests for more than 75 years. But it is an intergrated work of Scheduled tribes welfare department and revenue department, now there are works on identifying the Adivasis is being done through the village committees. The government will do all kind of basic facilities and it is true that the Adivasis may claim the compensation of Rs. 10 Lakhs if they evacuate from the place when the government forming new wild life santury in the forests. But , still now there is no fully identified Adivasis community in Tamilnadu and there is no evidence to the Complaint on evacuating the Adivasis.
The goal of governance is to provide welfare schemes to the puplic. But when it is delaying the same is considered as denying.
(Article publlished in Junior Vikatan, A tamil weekly magazhine translated into English)
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