To respond to this call the NCCI-COT organized the National Consultation on ““VIOLENCE AND VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AGAINST TRIBAL AND ADIVASI IN INDIA: TOWARDS THE NCCI POLICY ON TRIBAL AND ADIVASI” during February 13-16, 2011 at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi.
About 60 delegates from the Churches (members of the NCCI, the Roman Catholic fraternity) and the Civil Society from the Tribal & Adivasi community and a few outside of the community who are actively involved in Tribal and adivasi concerns came together for a four days meeting deliberating on various issues. Amidst the vast issues, the Consultation concentrated on the burning issues that affect the very existence of Tribal and Adivasi peoples such as Identity, Land Rights, Hospitality Industries (directly and indirectly involved in Human Trafficking), Migration, Special Economic Zones,Implementation of Forest Rights Act 2006, Extension and Implementation of PES (Provisions of Panchayata Extension to scheduled Areas) act 1996, Functionalization of the SC & ST (Prevention of atrocities) Act 1989, rectification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169, implementation of UNO declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights, the Armed Forces Special Power Acts in the North East India and Kashmere, Geopolitical Crises, Helath, Education, Religious Minority, etc.
Fr.Dr. Christopher Lakhra, Director, Indian social Insitutute, himself coming from the Tribal community of Jharkhan stat and victim of atrocities of India’s Development Policy spoke out during his Keynote Address that “… the policy that dehumanized and robbed off the dignity and rights of the Tribal and adivasi community can no longer be accepted and the Church, together with the Civil Society must stop all these lopsided development policy of the Government….” He continued to urge the gathering to take serious note of the power of the people to destroy the negative power that robbed off the people’s right. Dr. H.T. Sangliana, the Vice-Chairperson of the Commission on Minorities, Government of India spoke about the danger of the hindutva Fundamentalists mind-set that always targeting the minority communities and especially of the Christian community as perpetrators that disturbs the social harmony, which is in fact the reversal of the reality.
The delegates resolved the following Statement:-
•To affirm a common heritage with the Indigenous people of India and affirm with respect their right to a life of dignity, and celebrate with them their uniqueness in the diversity that this nation is blessed with.
•Strengthen our understanding of human rights violations against the Indigenous communities, by reaching out to them as an Indigenous community and not necessarily Christian Indigenous people
•To respect Indigenous people’s rights to self determination, privacy and autonomy, freedom to maintain and strengthen the diversity of their cultures, traditions and practices that contribute to sustainable development.
•To accept Indigenous rights to traditional medicines and health practices and at the same time allow them access to all social and health services promoting wholistic health
•To respect and advocate the restoration of Indigenous rights to land, territories and resources which they have traditionally owned or occupied, used or acquired
•To use the resources of the church to provide good educational institutions that would open up a window of opportunities in the world
•To urgently employ the abundant Health care resources, in terms of Infrastructure, Human resources and finances, to promote health care of the Church
•To impress on the Government to implement the UN Rights on Indigenous speople and to ratify ILO 169 and other National policies enabling them to have a decisive voice in all matters concerning them
•To hold in high regard their sacred space and relationship with land and nature
•To strive to imbibe the values that upholds the Indigenous community life in sharing resources, caring for nature, in a symbiosis that is nourishing, fruitful and sustaining
•To affirm and respect the ethnic identity of all people and eschew all forms of violence, exploitation and discrimination based on race, religion, gender, language, colour or creed.
Dr. Hrangthan Chhungi
Executive Secretary –
Commission on Tribal & Adivasi
National Council of Churches in India
