Sent: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 19:30 IST
Subject: Adivasis face forced eviction in Assam
Dear all,
It is shocking to see the kind of atrocities our people are facing in
Kokrajhar...it has been two days now that I am with the leaders of
Adivasi organisations doing strategic planning and lobying for every
possible needs of the hour. We have just met the press countering the
allegations that has been made by the kokrajhar MP this morning. Due
to slow net connection I am not able to send the photos..will try to
do so soon. I have send the press release to Ranchi hopefully will be
published tomorrow...can we have this for tomorrow's newspaper in
Kolkata and Dumka ? If not tomorow may be the day after?
Babulal Marandih was the first one to visit the victims, Ram Dayal
Munda was next and a Team of Minister from the Jharkhand govt have
arrived in Guwahati and are visiting the victims tomorrow morning.
Salkhan Murmu is arriving here day after tomorrow.
Lalchand if you could have this matters ready for 'chitrighutu
express' for the next publication. My Hul Sengel magazine will be a
special issue on this.
Dr. Anand, we need to condemn this injustice from our Santal Pargana
forum immediately (consult Fr. Solomon).
I will be updating you about our next step regularly.
Joy
--
Joy Raj Eric Tudu
Jharkhand Initiatives
CNI Resource Centre for Social Actions on Tribal Identity & Indigenous
Rights
Diocesan Village
A - 01, Eprata Apartments
Old Hazaribagh Road
Ranchi - 834 001
Jharkhand
INDIA
Tel/Fax: +91-651- 2461680
Mob:+91-9771490232
*************************************************************************************
PRESS RELEASE
To
……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………….
“We will not tolerate any “state sponsored terror on the Adivasis of Assam” – so said the leaders of all the Adivasi organizations of Assam while addressing the press in Srirampur on November 8, 2010. We continue condemning the inhuman and illegal act carried on by the Govt of Assam and BTC administration in the lungsung forest. The continued justification of this illegal act by the BTC members is very much regretted.
We strongly condemn the irresponsible statements made by the so called leaders of Bodoland. It is felt that the eviction issue of Adivasis is being covered up by shifting focus towards irrelevant facts. It is regretful and disgusting to hear the allegations made by S. K. Basumatary about the intentions of Adivasi leaders (Ram Dayal Munda & Babulal Marandih) in trying to create a mini-Jharkhand and bringing in Maoists in the forests of Bodoland. Both the Adivasi leaders are renowned and known for credible leadership, therefore had come to express solidarity with their own community people. S. K. Basumatary otherwise has been known for his biased politics towards the Adivasis, in his third term being an M.P of Kokrajhar, has been successful in denying the existence of Adivasis in the region and has been the staunch enemy of Adivasi sentiment. In fact S. K. Basumatary has been the main person in instigating the ethnic violence between Adivasis and Bodos in 1996 & 1998. We request the appropriate intelligence to also probe the allegations of having links with any Maoist orgnaisations and in the meantime no such irrelevant statements be made by leaders who are supposed to be people’s representatives of Bodoland. We feel that this type of ill informed projections will only lead to further misunderstanding which so long has been important in keeping peace and harmony in the region. We urge to the state government and the leaders of Assam to be with the victim Adivasis in this time of despair who are facing a threat to their lives.
We further demand that:
1. The eviction be immediately stopped without any conditions.
2. The evicted people be immediately provided proper relief & rehabilitation grant with security to the lives and properties.
3. Immediate allotment of compensation against the lost properties.
4. The arrested Adivasi people be immediately released without any condition.
**************************************************************************************DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLEGAL EVICTION
A gang of 200 (Two hundred) head of Bodo youths, employed by Haltugaon Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), along with Forest Protection Force and Task Force entered to Lungsung Forest Block of Gaurang Range under Haltugaon Forest Division to evict the marginalised and helpless Adivasis on 30th & 31st of October/2010. The eviction team started to threaten, chase, frighten and ordered to leave their houses & properties and started to set fire onto houses of Adivasi people. Besides, burning down the houses the eviction team cut down every kind of trees like mango, banana, bamboo, battle nut, papaya etc. and livestock-hen, duck, pig, goat were killed and taken away during eviction. The houses with movable properties like paddy, rice, household utensils, bicycles, ploughing instrument, clothes etc. were burnt down into ashes. Whomsoever were found in the houses of the villages including male, female, old men and women, minors were physically and mentally tortured during eviction. The women who protested were molested and beaten by the eviction team. Seeing their women being molested, the men came out to protest but they were arrested. There are 60 (Fifty three) nos of villages burnt down into ashes, 5975 (Five thousand nine hundred and seventy five) number of people became homeless consisting of 1143 (One thousand one hundred and forty three) families and 33 (Thirty three) head of Adivasis (Santal & Oranon) are arrested and sent to Kokrajhar jail. Besides these there were 9 (Nine) nos of Primary Schools, 6 (Six) nos of Churches, 7 (Seven) nos of Lakhi Mandir and 1 (One) nos of Manjhi Than (Place of worship) which were also burnt down into ashes.
It is notable that the Adivasi (Santal & Oraon) community people have been living in Lungsung Forest Block area since 1960s. The Adivasi and Bodo people were evicted in 1977 from said area. The district administration rehabilitated Bodo people in different places in Kokrajhar district but Adivasi people were remained in adjacent villages of the said area. In course of time the Adivasi people again went back to Lungsung forest area and settled down. Again in July/1996 these Adivasi people were driven out from the said area by Bodo extremists and took shelter in different relief camps. But due to improper relief grant provided by the Government i.e., 400 gram rice only for 10 days in a month, these people could not survive as human and again went back to the said area for cultivation to earn their livelihood and settled down there.
The Forest Department didn’t give any notification before evicting the Adivasi people as per the eviction procedure. It is also noteworthy to mention that in said forest area there are different communities like Bodo, Nepali, Adivasi (Santal & Oraon) communities people who have been living since 1960s but it is regretted matter that comparatively, only the Adivasi (Santal & Oraon) people are being mostly evicted time and again in large numbers. The departmental eviction is clear that it purely held on political back up and against the Adivasi (Santal & Oranon) people.
It is also notable that the Govenment also provided census number to each family of the villages in said area. There are 11 (Eleven) nos of Lower Primary schools which were establised by the Education department under SSA which are also burnt down into ashes.
Hence, we the all Adivasi organisations of Assam demand
that-
1. The eviction be immediately stopped without any conditions.
2. The evicted people be immediately provided proper relief & rehabilitation grant with security to the lives and properties.
3. Immediate allotment of compensation against the lost properties.
4. The arrested Adivasi people be immediately released without any condition.
NAME OF THE 60 NOS OF EVICTED VILLAGES OF LUNGSUNG FOREST BLOCK UNDER HALTUGAON FOREST DIVISION IN KOKRAJHAR DISTRICT OF ASSAM:: TOTAL FAMILIES:- 1143:: TOTAL POPULATION:- 5975
1. Saharjuri
2. 2 No. Suparguri
3. Dohlapara
4. Salbari (West Bank)
5. Sonapur
6. Gaurangpur
7. Lakhipur
8. Dinajpur
9. Rajpur
10. Kochagadatola
11. Jhamelaguri
12. Paharpur
13. 1 No. Manipur
14. 2 No. Manipur
15. Kodomguri
16. Jirampur
17. Shyamaguri
18. 1 No. Joygaon*
19. 2 No. Joygaon*
20. Amritpur
21. Gadatola
22. New Gadatola
23. Bambijhora
24. Jamunpur
25. Sagenpur
26. Jhamelapur
27. Balapara*
28. Manjhipara
29. Dhordhora
30. Moinaguri
31. Gauripur
32. 2 No. Volaguri*
33. Sikargarh
34. Dharampur
35. Indrapur
36. Japaitola
37. Rampur
38. Oxiguri
39. Dabaguri*
40. Mariampur
41. 2 No. Paithantola
42. Champachera*
43. Gambari*
44. Kiyajharna
45. Dakhin Jaygaon
46. Samuktola
47. Tibhitola
48. Janumghutu
49. 1No. Bandhalkocha
50. Bodajhora
51. 1 No. Edelghutu
52. 2 No. Edelghutu
53. Balajhar
54. Salbari (North Bank)
55. Sunapur
56. Parganapur
57. Lakhigaon
58. Glosingpara
59. Daphlapara
60. Garsingpara (Revenue Village)
*Detail/Data of the underlined villages are presently not available.
Destroyed Churches:-
1. Rajpur Catholic Church
2. Salbari Pentacostal Church
3. Catholic Church- Kadamtola
Destroyed Mandirs:-
1. Kadamguri Lakhi Mandir
2. Kadamguri Manjhi Than
3. Sonapur Lakhi Mandir
4. Sikargarh Lakhi Mandir
5. Rampur Kali Mandir
6. Dabaguri Lakhi Mandir
7. Garsingpara Lakhi Mandir (Revenue Village)
Destroyed Schools:-
1. Amritpur S.S.K. L.P. School.
2. Shyamaguri S.S.K. L.P. School.
3. Sonapur S.S.K. L.P. School.
4. Gadatola S.S.K. L.P. School.
5. Kodomguri S.S.K. L.P. School.
6. Kiya Jharna S.S.K. L.P. School.
7. Jamunpur S.S.K. L.P. School.
8. Garsingpara L.P. School (Revenue village).
9. 2 No. Valoguri L.P. School.
NAME OF ARRESTED PERSONS ON 30/10/2010
Name Fathers Name Name of the Village
1. Jatindra Hasda Sarkar Hasda Suparguri
2. Gopal Hasda Chundka Hasda Suparguri
3. Lal Murmu Pandu Hasda Suparguri
4. Lakhiram Tudu Lakhan Tudu Suparguri
5. Mongal Soren Dasho Soren Suparguri
6. Dewan Mardi Samlal Mardi Saharjuri
7. Sakal Murmu ..................... Saharjuri
8. Bosta Kujur ..................... Saharjuri
9. Joseph Ekka Mekhael Ekka Sonapur
10. Lash Soren Kisto Soren Sonapur
11. Soma Tudu Uday Tudu Sonapur
12. Bridaban Ekka Birsa Ekka Sonapur
13. Badhiram Toppo Etowa Toppo Sonapur
14. Francis Toppo Etowa Toppo Sonapur
15. Somra Kujur Jorpa Kujur Sonapur
16. Bijay Kujur Sukra Kujur Sonapur
17. Rameswar Ekka Budhuwa Ekka Dinajpur
18. Simal Tudu ........................ Jhamelaguri
19. Daibor Soren ........................ Kiyajharna
20. Mondol Kisku ........................ Jhamelaguri
21. Budhrai Mardi ........................ Jhamelaguri
22. Rajesh Murmu Bijay Murmu Salbari
23. Lukhiram Soren Thote Soren Jhamelaguri
24. Matla Soren Supol Soren Jhamelaguri
25. Philimon Hasda ........................ Jhamelaguri
26. Phagu Hasda ........................ Jhamelaguri
27. Stephan Baskey Lukhiram Baskey Jhamelaguri
28. Sitaram Tudu ........................ Jhamelaguri
29. Jetha Murmu ........................ Dinajpur
30. Somai Soren ........................ Sagenpur
31. Mondol Mardi ........................ Sonapur
NAME OF ARRESTED PERSONS ON 31/10/2010
1. Mangal Soren H/O. Mrs. Panoti Hembrom Suparguri
2. Jitendra Hasda H/O. Mrs. Karna Soren Suparguri
3. Gopal Hasda H/O. Mrs. Laxmi Soren Suparguri
4. Lal Murmu H/O. Mrs. Satiyo Hembrom Suparguri
5. Lukhiram Tudu H/O. Mrs. Sonoti Murmu Suparguri
Evicted on 31/10/2010:-
1. Villages- 14 Nos
2. School- 4 Nos
3. Church- 4 Nos
4. Lakhi Mandir- 3 Nos***************************************************************************
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