what get wiped out when adivasis lose their right over forest land?
Answers
However,
this administrative term does not exactly match all the peoples called
'Adivasis'. Out of the 5653 distinct communities in India, 635 are considered
to be 'tribes' or 'Adivasis'. In comparison, one finds that the estimated
number of STs varies from 250 to 593.
For practical purposes, the United Nations and multilateral agencies generally
consider the STs as 'indigenous peoples'. With the ST population making
up 8.08% (as of 1991) of the total population of India, it is the nation
with the highest concentration of 'indigenous peoples' in the world!
The Constitution of India, which came into existence on 26 January 1950,
prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place
of birth (Article 15) and it provides the right to equality (Article 14),
to freedom of religion (Articles 25-28) and to culture and education (Articles
29-30). STs are supposedly addressed by as many as 209 Articles and 2
special schedules of the Constitution - Articles and special schedules
which are protective and paternalistic.
Article
341 and 342 provides for classification of Scheduled Castes (the untouchable
lower castes) and STs, while Articles 330, 332 and 334 provides for reservation
of seats in Parliament and Assemblies. For purposes of specific focus
on the development of STs, the government has adopted a package of programmes,
which is administered in specific geographical areas with considerable
ST population, and it covers 69% of the tribal population.
Despite this, and after the largest "modern democracy" of the
world has existed for more than half a century, the struggles for survival
of Adivasis - for livelihood and existence as peoples - have today intensified
and spread as never before in history.
Over centuries, the Adivasis have evolved an intricate convivial-custodial
mode of living. Adivasis belong to their territories, which are the essence
of their existence; the abode of the spirits and their dead and the source
of their science, technology, way of life, their religion and culture.
Back in history, the Adivasis were in effect self-governing 'first nations'.
In general and in most parts of the pre-colonial period, they were notionally
part of the 'unknown frontier' of the respective states where the rule
of the reign in fact did not extend, and the Adivasis governed themselves
outside of the influence of the particular ruler.
The introduction of the alien concept of priv