Tribal meet Discuss Merger Issue

NEW DELHI: The General Assembly of the Indigenous Tribes and People, which concluded its four-day meeting on Monday decided to take up the issue of controversial merger of tribal states with the Union of India and subsequent non-implementation of several charters of demands at the national and international level including at the United Nations.

The Spokesperson of the Federation of 25 Khasi States John F Kharshiing, was invited by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), to participate in a meeting on the above issues at Mumbai.

"The General Assembly was shocked to know that the conditions laid in the treaties (Instrument of Accession & Annexed Agreement) signed between the Federation of Khasi States and accepted by the Government of India in 1948 was not incorporated into the Constitution of India," he said in a statement.

Mr Kharshiing, felt it was ironic that India rightly provided moral and financial support to the freedom cause of Tibetans while on the other hand it has been "suppressing" the democratic Indigenous voices in the North East.

ICITP has assured the chiefs of Meghalaya that they would take up the issue with the appropriate authorities at the National and even at the International level including the Indigenous umbrella organisations of the UNO, he said.

The TISS, one of the premier Management Institute's of India in collaboration with the Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, Delhi organised the General Assembly of the Indigenous Tribes and People at TISS.

The General Assembly was inaugurated by Ms Urmila Singh, Chairperson, National Commission for Schedule Tribes, in presence Chairman, National Commission for Women, Dr BD Sharma, former Commissioner SC/ST Commission, Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Dr R Munda, former Vice Chancellor Ranchi University, Mr Jebra Ram Muchahary, Chief President ICITP & Head Bodoland and other representatives from various Indigenous organisations from all over India.

The General Assembly deliberated extensively on a variety of issues such as politics of identity and tribal eesistance, tracing the historical evolution and articulation of the tribal voices, preservation, protection of indigenous tribal values and cultures, ethnicity among many others.