on the
tribal land issue, the Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) would be
launching a two-week campaign from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram
in the second week of May.
The agitation, very much similar to the one witnessed in the
Wayanad
Wildlife Sanctuary, would also be restarted in different places in
the State when the campaign is under way.
This was announced at a press conference here today, by the AGMS
president, C. K. Janu and M. Geethanandan, general convener of the
Adivasi-Dalit Samara Samithy, which were spearheading the
agitation inside the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
The AGMS campaign would highlight its version of the Muthanga
incidents on February 19 which ended in the agitators who had been
staying in a portion the wildlife sanctuary for 45 days being
forcibly evicted in a joint operation by the police and the Forest
Department personnel.
Emphasis would also be given to the demand for self-rule for
tribals in
tribal-dominated places, in line with the provisions of the
Constitution. Mr. Geethanandan expressed the hope that the
campaign would also help forge a common political front for an
agitation. Such a front would hopefully be made up of AGMS, Dalit
human rights organisations and individuals who cherished
democratic ideals by the time the campaign ended in
Thiruvananthapuram. It has been planned to launch the campaign
from Kasaragod on May 10.
Mr. Geethanandan claimed in spite of the setback suffered by the
AGMS
agitation inside the wildlife sanctuary, it did achieve certain
gains also. One was that it placed the tribal land rights issue on
the top of the political agenda.
Another achievement was the Central Government circular to all
State
Governments to freeze the implementation of the decision to
resettle
Adivasis outside forests and instead to find them alternative
land.
At the press conference Ms. Janu, looking cheerful and relaxed,
stuck to her stand that the wildlife sanctuary in Muthanga was
wasteland and could not be termed a sanctuary of wildlife and so
should be returned to tribal people.
Ms. Janu claimed support for her agitation had strengthened after
the police action on February 19 and that it would be in evidence
during the campaign in May.
The police action had also strengthened the resolve of the AGMS
volunteers to renew their agitation, in spite of the setback it
suffered. It was also made clear at the press conference the AGMS
was not averse to re-opening a dialogue with the Government.
However, the talks had to be of a comprehensive nature, covering
not only the issues related to land rights of tribal groups but
also framing of rules that would provide for self - rule by tribal
people in tribal-dominated places in the State.
The legislation of 1975 regarding restoration of alienated land to
tribal people was not enough. It had to be supplemented by
legislation that would provide for tribal self-rule also, the
agitation leaders said.
***********************
C.R.Bijoy
Doctor's Quarters
Sri Ramakrishna Hospital
Coimbatore
Tamilnadu
India 641 044
Email:
rights@rediffmail.com 
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