AKAJHAN, June 2 – The 3-day Northeastern Regional Assembly of Indigenous and Tribal People’s Organisations with Allies started today at Akajan village 30 kilometres north of Dhemaji town. In the morning session Professor Rose Haokip of Kuki Mothers’ Association presided over the meet, while Suhas Chakma of the Asian Indigenous and Tribal People’s Network made an introductory remark on the draft National Policy on Tribals prepared by the Government of India.
In his remarks, Chakma said that since the Nehruvian era it had been a practice with the Indian rulers to treat the tribals as the people who needed help to develop their skills and talents. Even the anthropologists failed to understand the indigenous people, he said. In drafting the policy on tribals, the Government is not at all bothered about the constitutional obligation towards this section of the country’s people, he stated.
Though the policies are always quasi legal in their status and hence these policies demand a serious and comprehensive approach at this stage of their formulation. But, the draft policy on tribals seems to be lacking in such an approach. Angela Ralte from Mizoram said that development should be initiated according to the choice of the people. Dino Dympep of Meghalaya Peoples Human Rights Council said that the Union Minsiter for Tribal Welfare P R Kyndiah was also not aware of the draft Tribal Policy.
Tribal organisations should bargain for more and more through unity amongst themselves. President of Deuri Students’ Union Mahesh Deuri said that the issues like the tribals of a certain area not recognised as tribals as other areas and the tribal leaders of the Northeast should also discuss the definition of indigenous people. H Ngurthanmawia of All Mizoram Farmers Union said that the draft policy had not taken into consideration the gender issue. He also suggested that the implementation of the tribal policy for each of the States should also be monitored.
Loken Wary and Jebra Musahary of the Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples - NE zone laid stress on checking the alienation of land from the tribals. Musahary said that the tribal belts and blocks created in Assam to protect the alienation of tribals had become virtually meaningless. Sizeable portions of the land in these belts and blocks are now occupied by non-tribals.
Criticising the Government policy of evicting the tribals from forest lands, he said that tribals had to venture into forest lands because of the Government’s failure to protect tribal belts and blocks. The afternoon session was conducted by professor Sukhendu Dev Barma of the Indigenous Tribal People Development Centre, Tripura and Suhas Chakma. The session discussed the alienation of tribal lands, and the autonomy and self determination for the tribal people, traditional and indigenous knowledge, development and displacement of environment and law and governance. Dr Roy Laifungbam of the CORE, Jebra Musahary, Ronoj Pegu of Mising Memak Kebang, Anna Pinto of CORE and professor Sukendu Dev Barma and Dino Dympep spoke on the issues, while Jarju Ete, Pranjal Deuri, Raju Riang, among others took part in the interaction.