Activity Report (April 2003 to March 2004)

April 4, 2003 : Zonal executive meeting of ICITP-NEZ was held at Suru Devi Hotel, in Guwahati to discuss the continued forced eviction drive carried out by the Assam Government against the Indigenous and Tribal peoples of Assam. The meeting came down heavily on Assam Government’s anti Tribal policies and resolved to raise this issue with the concerned ministry and in the forthcoming 2 nd Session of UNPF to be held in New York in May 2003.

May 5-6, 2003 : Zonal Executive Meeting of ICITP-NEZ was held in Guwahati to approve the official representation of J.R. Muchahary, the Zonal President of ICITP-NEZ to the 2 nd Session of UNPF to be held from 12 th May to 23 rd May 2003 in New York, USA who is sponsored by UN Voluntary Fund

May 12-23,2003 : Dr. Ram Dayal Munda the Chief Advisor, ICITP and Mr. Jebra Ram Muchahary, the President of ICITP-NEZ participated in the 2 nd Session of the UNPF on Indigenous Issues held in the UN Head Quarter, New York actively. Apart from participating in the main session, they also participated actively in Indigenous Caucus, Asian Caucus, World Bank briefings and UNEP consultations. Dr. Munda and Mr. Muchahary made the following two joint statements in the forum on the agenda items: “Environment” and “Education” respectively.

UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES 2ND SESSION, NEW YORK, MAY 12- 23 2003 AGENDA ITEM NO: 4(F): Education Collective statement on behalf of Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP) and St. John's Mission, Bijni (Intervened by J.R.Muchahary)   Hon’ble Chairman, distinguished Members of Permanent Forum, Government delegations, UN Agencies and fellow Indigenous representative brothers and sisters from around the world, cordial greetings to you all.   I wish to make a collective sub-regional statement specific to the issue of education in India to compliment the collective Asian Caucus statement already made by sister Stela Tamang.   It is needless to say that education plays a vital role in empowering the Indigenous and Tribal communities to combat the problems they are facing. A relevant and right kind of education would be a key to furthering the Indigenous and Tribal cause. Unfortunately despite having realize and having made special provision for specially protecting the Indigenous and Tribal interests the phase of progress so slow that even after half a century of this special efforts, the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples remained the most illiterate, most poverty stricken and of worst ill health. Educationists all over the world tell us that use of mother language as medium of instruction in the early years facilitates the child's having a quick grasp on the subject matter and thus broadening his mind in gaining confidence in expressing himself/herself.   Unfortunately the government of India does not realize how they are making the Indigenous and Tribal children life long back benchers devoid of any self-confidence, which is most essential to take care of themselves. We feel there is conspiracy on the part of main stream society in that they know if the mother languages of the Indigenous peoples were made the medium of instruction the teachers' job will automatically go the Indigenous peoples themselves and thus Depriving them of their livelihood. This is the reason why they would not encourage mother languages of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in education system. They have successfully blocked the recognition of Indigenous and Tribal languages in the national level despite that several Indigenous and Tribal languages (Eg. Santali, Bodo and others) have number of speakers in millions with significant literally out put.   Lack of relevant curriculum results in Indigenous and Tribal students fail in the mainstream culture oriented examinations branding them deficient in IQ. This has led to a large-scale dropout among Indigenous and Tribal students Particularly among female students. This has rendered the state slogan "Education for all" very hollow while at the time of application for fund allocation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples is projected as an item of utmost priority.   We therefore recommend to the Permanent Forum to impress upon the government of India and concerned agencies to take urgent steps to address the issues.   1. Recognize the Indigenous and Tribal languages to be medium of instruction in the concerned language areas to accelerate catching up on functional literacy.   2. To ensure and facilitate opportunity to have culturally appropriate education for Indigenous children and youth.   3. To provide Indigenous organisation financial and technical support to develop teaching materials in Indigenous languages and cultures.   4. To additionally emphasis education of female children so that they do not lag behind.   5. Introduction of alien languages (State language, Hindi and English) be gradual so that the child educational roots remain intake.   6. Indigenous cultural input and optional use of mother language be provided in all national and state level competitive examinations.   7. Education authorities at all levels be sensitized to the educational needs of Indigenous children and youths in order that they do not become stumbling block in the implementation proactive Indigenous Policies.   Thank you for your kind attention.   1. Ram Dayal Munda Chief Advisor, ICITP, India   2. Jebra Ram Muchahary,                 Founder General Secretary of St. John’s Mission, Bijni And President of ICITP-NEZ.                     UN PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES 2 nd SESSION, NEW YORK, MAY 12-23 2003 AGENDA ITEM NO: 4(b): Environment. Collective statement on behalf of Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal peoples (ICITP) (Intervened by Dr. R.D.Munda)   Hon’ble Chairman, distinguished Members of permanent forum, Government Delegations, UN Agencies and fellow Indigenous representative brothers and sisters from around the world, cordial greetings to you all.   I wish to make a collective sub-regional statement specific to the issue of environment in India to compliment the collective Asian Caucus statement already made by sister Joji. This has a reference to the Government of India’s circular (03-05-2002) to all state governments to evict all “encroachers” from forest lands for the protection of environment and eco development. The circular affects the entire Indigenous and Tribal heartland of the country extending from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh covering nearly 1/6 th of the country’s land mass inhabited by nearly 100 million Indigenous and tribal peoples.   Historically, Indigenous and Tribal areas of the country fall within what the Indian constitution call Scheduled Areas where the Tribal/Adivasi peoples have had traditional customary community rights over the forest, including the right to cultivate part of it. Unfortunately, one category (protected forest) of the forest area has been taken away by the government immediately after independence under the pretext of “protecting it” on behalf of the people, which in reality was never carried out and presently remains a totally deforestrated area with only scanty shrubs.   We have information that the government while participating in the globalisation process is planning to handover these lands to MNCs for large-scale mining and eco-development. It should be mentioned here that virtually all-mineral wealth of the country lies in this Indigenous and Tribal Belt and there is pressure on the government to exploit this mineral wealth in the interest of ‘national development’.   While the Supreme Court order of 1997 known as the SAMATA JUDGEMENT, has a dampening effect on the connivance between big contractors, high government officials and politicians, some state already gone ahead to evict the so called encroachers from the forest lands who in reality are mostly Indigenous and Tribal peoples living there for years together. The Governments of Assam, Manipur and Kerala seem to be most enthusiastic on the matter, using bulldozers and elephants in their campaigns of demolition of indigenous and Tribal settlements leaving thousands of Indigenous and Tribal peoples homeless and subject them to abuse of their human rights. Upon a closer look at the situation it seems that government have other things in mind behind this campaign. The Government of Assam, for instance, is using this circular to discourage the ongoing struggle for greater autonomy in the form of a separate sate of Bodoland for the Indigenous and Tribal peoples of the region. It is only a matter of time when other states will do the same. It is most alarming that the government on the one hand has passed laws entrust control over natural resource to the Indigenous and Tribal peoples and on the other is bent upon taking away those rights by this circular.   Keeping in mind the impending misery in the Indigenous and Tribal areas of the country, we appeal to the house to impress upon the Government of India and their concerned authority to:   Repeal and annul the May 2002 eviction order issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest;   To recognize the rights of Indigenous and tribal peoples in India to own, control and manage their traditional lands where Indigenous and tribal communities have lived for generations;   Guarantee and respect the rights of Indigenous and Tribal communities to permanently settle their traditional land in forest areas;   Ensure all families that were forcibly relocated are given adequate compensation for their suffering and that those families whose next of kin and loved ones were killed in the brutal eviction are awarded ex gratia grants;   Allow the people to return to their rightful communities, restitute their lands and reconstruct the houses, school buildings, places of worship and other institutions that were demolished during eviction;   Include the names of individuals and families of indigenous and tribal peoples living in the so called forest lands in the national census and the voter list as they are bonafide citizens of the country;   Take action to ensure that the so called forest villages are fully recognized as legitimate settlements with the full status and privileges of revenue villages;   Effectively operationalise the Indian Constitution’s PESA (Panchayat Extension To Scheduled Areas) Act 1960 in its true spirit in all states with Scheduled and Tribal areas enabling the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the country to take care of themselves;   Uphold the Supreme Court’s SAMATA JUDGEMENT ensuring full and effective participation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in the development activities in the Indigenous and tribal areas of the country.   Furthermore, we recommend that whenever in the Indigenous and tribal areas developmental activities are involved   Let the concerned Indigenous and tribal peoples be a party to the MOU enabling them to participate in the concerned project at all levels of planning, execution and evaluation; Let the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples lease out and not surrender ownership of the concerned lands; Displacement be avoided as far as possible, however where it is a must, cultural rehabilitation package be worked out so that Indigenous and tribal Peoples are resettled as a community and not thrown asunder as an individual and eventually getting lost as is happening currently; Indigenous and tribal peoples be made share holders in the concerned projects in addition to getting appropriate compensation as an immediate relief; Let there be a lead time during which the concerned Indigenous and tribal Peoples may develop skills to meaningfully participate in the concerned project; Upon completion of the concerned project the lands be returned to the concerned communities after due relandscaping so that they are used as common assets.   Thank you for your kind attention.   Ram Dayal Munda Jebra Ram Muchahary Chief Advisor, ICITP President, ICITP –NEZ.

June 5, 2003 : ICITP-NEZ observed “World’s Environment Day” with an action campaign of mass cleaning of surroundings in Kabli Bagan, Bijni followed by a talk on “The role of the Indigenous Peoples in protection and preservation of Environment”, which was attended by more than 175 Participants mostly high school and college students from the Bijni locality. Most of the participants expressed serious concerned on the on-going deforestation in the locality and appealed ICITP -NEZ to organise awareness campaign to sensitise about the impact of deforestation in the locality.

June 28, 2003 : An executive meeting of ICITP –NEZ was held in Guwahati to discuss about the participation of the July session of UNWGIP to be held in Geneva. The meeting unanimously resolved to depute 3 representatives namely: Jebra Ram Muchahary, ICITP-NEZ, Mr. Praneswar Basumatary, MLA, Guwahati and Umakanta Meithei, Imphal from the organisation in the said UN session.

July 2-3, 2003 : Two-day action campaign was organised by ICITP-NEZ to meet Mr. Tarun Gogoi, Chief Minister of Assam and Mr. Prithvi Majhi, the Speaker of Assam Assembly to press them to immediately halt the on going INHUMAN FORCED EVICTION AGAINST THE INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES in Assam. The action campaign delegation team was comprised with Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, Mr. Jebra Ram Muchahary, Mr. Praneswar Basumatary, M.L.A, Mr. Gangadhar Ramchiary, and Mr. Babul Boro. The delegation met Mr. Tarun Gogoi on 3 rd July and submitted a memorandum on the eviction issue. They also met Mr. Prithvi Majhi, the speaker of Assam Assembly to impress upon this issue. The Team also visited the North Eastern Council in Shillong and met the financial advisor Mr. Uday Nath Majhi and the Secretary Mr. H.W. T. Syem to explore the feasibility to organise a Regional mega event of Indigenous youth of the North Eastern region in Guwahati in 2004 with NEC financial assistance. They assured the team with a hope of assisting the ICITP-NEZ for this project.

July 4-6, 2003 : ICITP-NEZ in collaboration with Highland Welfare Association, Kangpokpi, Manipur organised a three days workshop on “Empowerment of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples on Education and Human Rights” and “ PSP Capacity Building” was organised in Sadar Hill District Council Hall, Kangpokpi which was attended by more than one hundred local Indigenous and Tribal People of Kangpokpi. The workshop was inaugurated by Mr. Y. Ibomcha Sing, the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi and facilitated by Dr. Ram Dayal Munda and Mr. Jebra Ram Muchahary.

July 19- 20, 2003 : ICITP – NEZ participated in the PUBLIC HEARING (Jan Sunwai) on Eviction of Tribal Peoples from their Traditional Forest Land organised by Kashtakari Sangathan, Maharasthra at Bapuji Sevashram, New Delhi where the following six active members of ICITP-NEZ represented the zone for testimony:

Mr. Peter Basumatary and Mr. Ram Kumar Limbu gave evidences facilitated by Mr. J. R. Muchahary in the said hearing as real life human story/testimony as they are living examples of thousands of victims of the forced and brutal eviction drive in the state of Assam. They also submitted the state level report of the eviction in Assam against the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples to the panellists in the hearing. The expenses for participating in the said public hearing was sponsored by Mr. Praneswar Basumatary, the M.L.A. of Sootia L.A constituency of Sonitpur, Assam

August 28, 2003 : An Executive meeting of Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal peoples North East Zone was held here at Bijni today to discuss about the latest development over the Tribal issues and the ongoing stand of the Government on Eviction of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples from their Traditional lands. After thorough discussion, the ICITP-NEZ has strongly resolved the following resolutions:-

Resolution 1:- Today’s meeting expressed happiness over the assurance given by the Chief Minister of Assam Mr. Tarun Gogoi on 3 rd July who said that he would stop forceful eviction against the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in the State with immediate effect, and regularise the land of eligible encroachers of pre- 1980 to the delegation of ICITP- NEZ.

Resolution 2:- ICITP-NEZ has strongly resolved to follow up the processes of ensuring the issuing of Land pattas to the pre-1980 eligible encroachers belonging to Indigenous and Tribal peoples of the state by the Government in due time which has been already done in other States like Maharasthra in agreement with the guidelines of MoEF (GOI) dated 18/9/1990. ICITP- NEZ has also resolved that in case of failure on the part of the Assam Government as per the guide lines of MoEF, the organisation will soon move legally with all its capacity for the greater interest of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ for which the organisation has already carried out various action campaigns nationally and internationally in these two years.

Resolution 3: - ICITP-NEZ expressed concern over the non transparency of the Department of Forest and the forest ministry on the issue of proper Survey of the encroachment and settlement of the pre-1980 eligible encroachment, which MoEF has already directed to do so.

Resolution 4: - ICITP-NEZ also expressed unhappiness over the present Government of Assam Ministry, where RACIAL DESCRIMINITION is practised largest group of Indigenous and Tribal Boro people is deliberately not inducted in the present Ministry and resolved to take up the issue in international level.

Resolution 5: - ICITP-NEZ also resolved to demand the state and the Central Government to institute an independent expert commission to study the adverse impact of River Linking Project involving UN world commission on Dam as ICITP –NEZ have an apprehension that it threatens the very existence of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Brahmaputra valley in Assam. ICITP-NEZ resolved to exert pressure on the Government to provide spaces for prior informed consent/open ended public consultations prior to finalising the River linking project.

September 10 , 2003 : ICITP-NEZ deputed an official delegation to meet the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup, Guwahati to process for obtaining 1 Bigha of land for construction of ICITP-NEZ zonal office in Guwahati. The team was comprised with Mr. Jebra Ram Muchahary, Mr. Babul Boro, and some active members of the zone. They also met the Speaker of Assam Assembly Mr. Prithvi Majhi and Mr. Mithias Tudu, the Minister of Revenue, Assam to recommend for obtaining the required land.

October 3, 2003 : A one-day emergent executive meeting of Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples North East Zone (ICITP-NEZ) was held today in the camp office of ICITP-NEZ, Bijni to strategize about the next action plan for the strengthening of the organisation for solidarity of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in the region. After threadbare discussion in the meeting the ICITP-NEZ has unanimously resolved the following resolution: -

Resolution No 1 : ICITP –NEZ will sponsor the following Indigenous and Tribal Social Workers to under go a week long training programme on PSP (Participatory Strategic Planning) for CAPACITY BUILDING to be held from 12 th to 16 th of October in Dhyan Ashram, Diamond Harbour Road, Calcutta:

Resolution No 2 : Today’s meeting unanimously resolved to express anguish over the Anti Indigenous and Tribal attitude of the Tarun Gogoi Congress Ministry, whose Government is deeply conspired to resort either to keep on harassing genuine Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in the name of Forest Encroachment and eviction with a clear motive to up root the native and genuine Indigenous Peoples by driving them off whereas it is too keen to settle the illegal migrants by providing land pattas in the char areas for VOTEBANK only to gain political interest.

Resolution No.3 : Today’s meeting also resolved to express sorrow on the unfortunate Hmar- Dimasa ethnic clashes and appeal all the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the region, particularly Hmar and Dimasa to resolve their conflict for the greater sense of Indigenous and Tribal Solidarity and Peace for their own stability in existence and to be alert not to be provoked and misinformed by the vested interest politicians and anti Indigenous groups of people.

Resolution No 4 : Today’s meeting also strongly resolved to condemn Tarun Gogoi Ministry for failing to induct ministers from Boro and Sonowal Kochari communities in the present 11 th Assam Assembly which is sowing seeds of discontentment and loss of faith on the present government among the two major Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of Assam indicating clear Anti Bodo and Anti Sonowal attitude and unfortunate practice of Racial Discrimination against the will of the bonafide citizens of the state.

Resolution No 5 : Today’s meeting further resolved to demand the Assam Government to immediately fulfil backlogs in employment opportunities of ST quota in the state for the benefit of the Indigenous and Tribal unemployed youths.

13th November 2003 : A 13 members delegation of ICITP-NEZ along with Mr. Parshuram Tamang, the hon’ble Asian Member representative to the UNPFII met Mr. Tarun Gogoi, the Chief Minster of Assam to impress upon him on the various issues of the IPs in the state. Mr. Parshuram and the team pressed strongly on the government of Assam to settle the forestland settlement issues by stopping the Eviction process of IPs in the state. The team was comprised with the following members:

14th November 2003 : ICITP-NEZ in collaboration with Digitech Solution, Barpeta and St. John’s Mission, Bijni organised a colourful seminar on “INDIGENOUS CHILDREN AND CHILD LABOUR” at Bijni for awareness and sensitisation about the impact and evils of child labour in the indigenous society. The seminar was attended by more than 150 participants and school children of Bijni and was addressed by the following speakers:

7th to 12th December 2003 : Mr. Jebra Ram Muchahary, the president of ICITP-NEZ, participated in the 1 st Global Forum on Indigenous Information Society (GFIPIS)/WSIS held in Geneva, Switzerland on invitation from United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). He actively participated and made a presentation on traditional indigenous ways of information of the North East India.

18th January 2004 : A general meeting of ICITP - Assam State Level was held at Bijni to reshuffle the Executive Body of the same for strengthening the organisation. The following resolutions were adapted in the meeting.

Resolution. 1: Today’s meeting resolved to dissolve the former body and formed a new governing body of Assam State Level committee with the following new members:

President : Mr. George Swansi
Vice President : Mrs. Manjula Basumatary
General Secretary : Mr. Elias Basumatary
Asistant General Secretary : Mr. Sunil Kujur
Treasurer : Miss Bharati Basumatary
Coordinator : Mr. Derhasrwn Hajoary
Coordinator : Mr. Uttam Brahma

Resolution 2: Todays meeting resolved to hold regular monthly meeting of Assam Branch ICITP in different area of Assam for strengthening the solidarity and net working of different ethnic groups of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.

February 1, 2004: 1 st Executive meeting of Assam State level committee, ICITP-NEZ was held in St. Xavier’s Educational Foundation, Howly, Barpeta to discuss the following matters:

Affiliation of MOs
Financial Matters

March 4-9, 2004 : Mr. Jebra Ram Muchahary, the President, ICITP-NEZ and Mrs. Malati Rani Narzary, the President of Roje Eshan Shali, an MO of the ICITP-NEZ participated in the 2 nd Asian Indigenous Women’s Conference held in Sta.Catalina Spiritual Centre, Baguio city, Philippines.