Policies aim to ‘disenfranchise & marginalize’ indigenous peoples

UKHRUL, JUNE 5 (MExN): The 2nd Consultative Meeting of Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights Groups’ of North East India expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights situations of indigenous peoples within the region, and deliberated on the alarming rise in human rights violations resulting from “increased militarization” linked to developmental aggression and economic policies that “aim to disenfranchise and marginalize” indigenous communities further.

A press note from the organizers informed that such an approach towards the indigenous peoples of the North East region has resulted in increasing cases of human trafficking, violence against women and children, and HIV/AIDS etc.

The meeting, held in Ukhrul, Manipur, from June 2-4 was attended by Borok Peoples Human Rights Organisation (BPHRO), Indigenous Women’s Forum of Northeast India (IWFNEI), Karbi Human Rights Watch (KHRW), Meghalaya Peoples Human Rights Council (MPHRC), Naga Peoples’ Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), and Zomi Human Rights Foundation (ZHRF).

The meeting took strong note of the ongoing series of negotiation and dialogue between the States and the Centre with different indigenous groups and civil societies with regards to varied demands for recognition of their distinct rights and identities based on their historical relationship with their lands, territories, resources, languages and cultures. During the discussion, representatives of participating organisations expressed serious concern over the delay of these processes and strongly urged the government to sincerely expedite the process of negotiation for meaningful solutions.

The meeting, distressed by the continued racial attacks and discrimination against people from the region residing in other parts of the country, questioned the “insincerity” of the government in ensuring the safety and security of the people.

Representatives of the organizations also dwelled at length on the implicit role of successive governments in “perpetuating conflict” among the indigenous peoples of the region through encouragement of land alienation by non-indigenous communities, implementation of anti-people development agendas, extraction of mineral resources etc. “All this has led to large scale displacement of indigenous communities from their lands and territories,” it was noted.

The meeting reiterated its stance on the right to self-determination of indigenous peoples and strongly urged the Government of India to uphold its commitment to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.