Sunday, Aug 25, 2002
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Kerala
By R. Madhavan Nair
The tribal court held under the joint auspices of the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha and the Adivasi Dalit Action Council at the Mananthavady Government Vocational Higher Secondary School was attended by representatives of tribal groups settled in different districts. Nearly 4,000 tribal people had reached the venue of the programmes in hired cars and vans from different districts. The programme was an open expression of the groups organised under the leadership of Ms Janu against the Government for backtracking on its commitment to the implement an agreement which had paved the way for withdrawal of the agitation held in Thiruvananthapuram last year. The agreement, was signed on October 16 last. Though the Government began distribution of land to the landless tribals on January 1 in line with the terms of the agreement, the implementation of the pact did not make progress. The agitation is being resumed on October 16. At the tribal court held today the ``jury'' consisted of 60 members drawn from different tribal groups gave a verdict, holding the Forest Department and the Government responsible for rendering tribals refugees. It was alleged that innocent indigenous people had been driven out of forests which was their home. It also gave a fervent call to all members of tribal groups to strongly fight their tormentors. A ``chargesheet'' read out before the ``jury'' alleged that while the Government was delaying distribution of land to landless tribals and were ejecting them out of the forests, it was freely releasing forest land for resorts, plantations and to agencies like the Oil Palm Corporation. The ``court'' demanded withdrawal of ``false cases'' which it alleged had been foisted on innocent tribals. The representatives of tribal groups present were also asked to stop the sale of spurious arrack in their settlements. During an informal chat with The Hindu, Ms. Janu, who is the president of the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha, made clear her resentment against the agreement that the UDF Government had recently struck with the CPI(M)-sponsored Adivasi Kshema Samithi (AKS). The AKS had organised a series of high pitch ``land grab'' agitation on the tribal land issue recently and called it off only after the UDF Government reached an agreement with it. The groups led by Ms. Janu feel they had been sidelined by the Government. Speaking at a meeting that preceded the ``trial'', tribal leaders rejected the Government's contention that not enough land was available for distribution among landless tribals. It was claimed that only 2.5 lakh hectares of land was needed for that purpose and that the Government had more than the needed land in its possession. The Forest Department was targeted for attack by the speakers who alleged the department had blocked the implementation of the agreement under which Ms. Janu had called off the stir. Ms Janu said the Forest Department had done little since its formation and that under its care the extent of forest cover had shrunk by two-third in the past few decades. ``Is such a department necessary?'' she asked. Volunteers of the Mahasabha, sporting bows and arrows and wearing green and brick-red uniform of their organisation, stood guard at the venue of the tribal court when it was in session. A few were perched on a watch-tower erected for the purpose at the venue. Onlookers were kept at bay. The programme came to a close with a procession in the evening.
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