The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Fifth Session U N Headquarters, New York, May 15- 26, 2006  Agenda Item 4; Human Rights Collective Statement made by ICITP-NEZ, BJWF, ABPF and ABPGYF

We, on behalf of Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples North East Zone, Boro Women’s Justice Forum, All Boro Peace Forum and All Boro Post Graduate Youth’s Federation would like to make this collective statement regarding some of the serious issues that concern us including gross violation of human rights in Boroland of North East India.

Madam Chairperson, distinguished government delegates, Indigenous brothers & sisters and other distinguished participants of the permanent forum,

Gwjwnthwng! Cordial greetings to all of you!

We would like to draw the attention of Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to the grave situation faced by Boro people of the North East India. We as IP’s like minded organizations have concern towards our people and their problems which directly or indirectly affect us.

Madam Chair, the Boro people is a suppressed Indigenous People who live in present day Assam, Nepal, North Bengal and scattered in different states/provinces of North Eastern part of present India. The Boro People lived as a free and independent nation with their distinct identity since the time immemorial in these regions. During the British rule some of the Boro Kingdom and Principalities retained their freedom as protectorate kingdom. After the British’s departure, Indian forcibly occupied the Boro kingdoms and merged up them in to Indian domination and trampled down the Boro people’s right to freedom.

Madam Chair, currently we are estimated to be about 5.6 millions people. As historically and ethnically the Boro people were never a part of India, the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) has been in resistance movement for the last twenty years to free the Boro nation from the Indian dominion.

Madam Chair, this is not our intention to complaint about the past injustices and gross human rights violation that were perpetuated by the Indian government forces during these twenty years of Boro struggle for survival as distinct people where more that 7000 innocent Boro People’s lives were lost but to strongly focus on the recent development in terms of peace initiative between the National Democratic Front of Boroland and the government of India.

Madam Chair, in order to realize the long cherished aspiration of the Boro People and to find an amicable solution to the prolong resistance movement through meaningful and peaceful dialogue, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) entered into a ceasefire agreement for a year with the government of India with effect from 1 st June 2005 which we appreciate, support and can proudly say that the ceasefire agreement has brought much peace to the Boro and other people and we are optimistic about having a meaningful political solution.

In all seriousness the peace loving organizations including Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples North East Zone, Boro Women’s Justice Forum, All Boro Peace Forum and All Boro Post Graduate Youth’s Federation have been observing closely that the NDFB in a true spirit of ushering in an era of peace through a negotiated settlement of the vexed Indo-Boro political problem had been engaged in holding several consultative meetings with the civil society and various people’s organizations in order to create a better understanding and participation in the peace process.

However, it is a matter of serious concern for us to notice that instead of engaging seriously in the peace process, the Government of India has been adopting a step motherly attitude and treatment to the peace process as there is no progress in the negotiation. Due to the lack of sincerity and willingness on the part of the Government of India the peace process is facing a deadlock. Further, the Government of India have been engaged in destructive activities to jeopardize the peace process by adopting repressive measure against the NDFB and thus violating and undermining the spirit of the cease fire agreement.

Madam Chair, to cite an example of serious gross violation of Ceasefire Ground Rules and Human Rights abuses perpetuated by Indian forces, on 25 th April 2006, Dwithun Muchahary, one of the NDFB members was shot death brutally by Assam Police at Sapotgram in Dhubri when he was participating in a democratic movement protesting against the conspired and an arbitrary arrest of eight members of the NDFB members by the Assam Police in Guwahati on 22 nd of April 2006 on a false allegation of extortion. Further there are many other examples of atrocities, the detail records of events of violation of “Ceasefire Ground Rules” perpetuated by the government forces of which are enclosed here with for your kind references.

Another serious matter concerning the cease fire is, despite repeated appeal made by the concerned party and the civil society to disclose where about of the forced disappeared members of NDFB including B. Irakdao, the publicity Secretary of concerned organisation during operation all clear in the territory of the Kingdom of Bhutan in December 2003, the government of India remained tight lipped causing much apprehension in the minds of the Boro People about the sincerity on the part of government of India in finding amicable political solution.

The other issues that seriously concerns us are the continued and increasing militarization of Boro territories by the government of India and other agencies with evil design to intimidate Boro and other Indigenous Peoples that create fear psychosis and confusion among the Indigenous Peoples. Again, the continued and increasing un-bated influx of illegal settlers of non Indigenous Peoples in Boro territories with the support and encouragement of the government in order to make Boro and other Indigenous peoples minority in its own land is threatening the very existence of the Boro and other Indigenous Peoples. Besides, the proposed ill conceived “Brahmaputra River Linking Project” developed by the government of India without free, prior and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples in the region ,if at all be implemented would displace and wipe out the large number of Indigenous Peoples and cause forced devastating impact on the lives and resources of Indigenous People in the region.

Madam Chair, we therefore urge the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues for the following recommendations;

Thank you Madam Chair for your kind attention.

Sincerely yours,