Eviction of Adivasis
Dinajpur, January 17, 2007 : AT least 250 landless people belonging to the indigenous community, the Adivasis, were reportedly living under the open sky in this bitter cold following a recent incident that took place at a place called Amoir under the Dinajpur Upazilas. These people belonged to 50 families living on a piece of government khas land for the past nine months.
A gang of 40 to 50 people swooped on their homes, dismantled them and even set them on fire. So brutal and merciless was the attack, as reported by a woman inmate of one of the houses that one of the attackers threw her two and half year old son into fire although she ultimately manage to rescue her son. Even the chairman of the union where the incident took place said: "The gang carried out the attack with a view to grabbing the government land." In the meantime the three people apprehended and accused of being involved in the incident have denied any wrong doing claiming that the landed property on which these people were staying belonged to them.
It looks as though the manifestation of the ugly legacy of torture and the marginalisation of the Adivasis in this country, far from coming to an end, continues unabated. These people are as much citizens of the country as any one else. This must never be forgotten.
We condemn the entire incident in no uncertain terms. Even if the Adivasis had to be evacuated or relocated surely it could have been done through a process that is more civil, rational and humane. Also consider this that they did not settle on the particular piece of land on their own accord. Apparently, as stated by the victims, an NGO of the area had asked them to stay there.
We recommend that a vigorous and swift enquiry into the incident be undertaken and those responsible brought to justice. In the meantime, the district administration should do more than just visiting the place of the incident; it must provide immediate relief to these poor victims side by side with arrangements made for their rehabilitation.
Dinajpur, January 17, 2007 : AT least 250 landless people belonging to the indigenous community, the Adivasis, were reportedly living under the open sky in this bitter cold following a recent incident that took place at a place called Amoir under the Dinajpur Upazilas. These people belonged to 50 families living on a piece of government khas land for the past nine months.
A gang of 40 to 50 people swooped on their homes, dismantled them and even set them on fire. So brutal and merciless was the attack, as reported by a woman inmate of one of the houses that one of the attackers threw her two and half year old son into fire although she ultimately manage to rescue her son. Even the chairman of the union where the incident took place said: "The gang carried out the attack with a view to grabbing the government land." In the meantime the three people apprehended and accused of being involved in the incident have denied any wrong doing claiming that the landed property on which these people were staying belonged to them.
It looks as though the manifestation of the ugly legacy of torture and the marginalisation of the Adivasis in this country, far from coming to an end, continues unabated. These people are as much citizens of the country as any one else. This must never be forgotten.
We condemn the entire incident in no uncertain terms. Even if the Adivasis had to be evacuated or relocated surely it could have been done through a process that is more civil, rational and humane. Also consider this that they did not settle on the particular piece of land on their own accord. Apparently, as stated by the victims, an NGO of the area had asked them to stay there.
We recommend that a vigorous and swift enquiry into the incident be undertaken and those responsible brought to justice. In the meantime, the district administration should do more than just visiting the place of the incident; it must provide immediate relief to these poor victims side by side with arrangements made for their rehabilitation.
posted by Ven. Pragya Jyoti at 5:24 PM
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