UNPFII - Joint Statement 2

The second joint statement was one on development induced displacement and was authored by Dr. Ram Dayal Munda.

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

7th Session, April 21- May 2, 2008, New York

Agenda Item No. 4

Joint Statement by Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, All Dimasa Students Union, CORE, Mundari Literary Council.

Madam Chair, Distinguished Member of the Permanent Forum, Honorable Representative of the UN Agencies and Governments, Fellow Indigenous and Tribal Brothers and Sisters from around the world, cordial greetings to you all.

Madam Chair,

We commend India’s support for the UNDIP. Specific to this agenda this morning, we wish to speak on a common and most critical issue faced particularly by the indigenous and tribal peoples of our areas, that is, heavy influx of an external population from the neighbouring states and countries as a consequence of the so-called development activities of mining, industry, power plants and military installations. This is so for exploiting the natural resources found in our areas - whether in the oil field of the Assam plain, forests of North Kachar Hills or mining in Meghalaya in the North East and power plants in Jharkhand, Orissa, and Chattisgarh in Central India, the story is the same. The result is large scale displacement of our people without proper rehabilitation leading to total disintegration of our community life which is the strength of our living. Without our lands, forests, waters and culture we will be nothing. The fear of extinction is real for us.

We therefore, appeal through your office to the concerned governments to consider the following recommendations:

• Urge the Indian Government to recognize Indigenous peoples according to Article 3 of UNDIP on self identification.

• Illegal immigration from the neighboring states and countries be stopped in the greater interest of the indigenous people;

• Stringent measures be taken for safeguarding the natural resource areas;

• Special political safeguards be provided for culturally appropriate development of the indigenous peoples;

• No indigenous land be surrendered permanently to any development or other agency, whether State or private. Indigenous land be made available on short term lease basis subject to occasional review;

• Encourage projects with no or least displacement. In projects which require displacement, cultural rehabilitation must proceed to ensure continuation of community life of the people concerned;

• Maximum number of the concerned people be ensured means of livelihood including employment in the planned project itself for which the said project must have a built-in training component;

• The concerned communities be made shareholders in the said project so that the y may enjoy the benefits of the said projector and thereby they may own up the project in their own interest;

• Especially in the case of mining, the lands be returned to the original owner once the mining is completed after proper landscaping so that the indigenous peoples can help the healing process of Mother Earth.

Thank you, Madam, for your kind attention.

Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples

Ms. Meenakshi Munda, Mundari Literary Council

Mr. Prafulla Hafila, All Dimasa Students Union

Mr. Brindaban Goswami, All Dimasa Students Union

Ms. Labanya Hazarika, All Dimasa Students Union

Ms. Anna Pinto, CORE