disgusting_100 <disgusting_100@...> wrote:Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003
14:09:38 -0000
From: "disgusting_100"
To: andamanicobar-owner@...
Subject: Re: Oram wants to mainstream A&N tribals in seven years

Its a very interesting perspective.
A political leader wants his ethnic group to mainstream and an NGO
thinks it shouldnt happen

Lots of value judgements happening here
Fundamentally - why should an ethnic group remain in the way it had
for millenia when the world around them is changing

And who decides to exclude them from the "benefits" of "development"
(I guess I also mean who defines "benefits" and "development")
Who indeed decides the tribal "cause"?

Hmmmmm

Sugato


--- In andamanicobar@..., "pankajandaman"

wrote:
>
> Dear Friends,
> Hindustantimes.com is running a special series of five articles on
the
> situation on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The third article
that
> was
> posted today, quotes the Tribal Welfare Minister and his plans for
> mainstreaming the A&N tribals in the next seven years.
> A worse fate for these tribal people could not have been conceived.
> The story is pasted below and so is the link, which will help you
> access the
> other stories as well give you an oppurtunity to post your opinion
in
> the
> matter
> Pankaj Sekhsaria
> (Kalpavriksh)
>
> Minister pokes stuffy nose in tribal matter
> Shailesh Shekhar | Friday, October 31, 2003
>
> http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/specials/andaman/jualoram.html
>
>
> If Union Tribal Welfare Minister Jual Oram has his way, by 2009 no
> tribal of
> the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will anymore be part of the
Primitive
> Tribe
> Groups.
> Since 2002, his ministry has been working steadfastly to "reform
the
> tribals
> and assimilate them with the mainstream." This is despite a court
> order,
> stopping all attempts to interfere either with the tribals or
their
> ways of
> life and living.
> Minus the Nicobarese, the Jarawas, the Sentinalese, the Shompens,
the
> Onges
> and the Great Andamanese are currently classified under the
Primitive
> Tribe
> Group (PTG) by the tribal affairs ministry. (Indeed, this is the
> first time
> the Government of India has a separate ministry on Tribal Affairs
and
> a
> Cabinet rank minister to head it.)
> The minister says the PTG development has been a focus area for the
> ministry. In 2002, the ministry drafted a seven-year plan to take
the
> category tribes out of the group. Currently, 75 tribes in India
are
> part of
> the PTG.
> The minister says earlier efforts "proved disastrous" because of
the
> gap
> between the plans and their implementation at every level -
> economically,
> culturally and socially. "This time, we are engaging with NGOs
such as
> Ramakrishna Mission, and our Project Officers are going to be in
> constant
> touch with the tribes to take care in every possible manner."
> The minister, of course, has assured himself that his plan neither
> violates
> court orders and nor interferes with tribal life. ".we just want
to
> know
> about them. It is not right to leave them as is. They should
realise
> their
> surroundings - that a human race exists around them.
> .we will deal with them anthropologically. People only offer
> suggestions, we
> want solutions."
> On whether the Government of India has formulated any guidelines
for
> the
> local administration vis-à-vis the handling of the tribals, he
> says, "we
> have asked them not to make the life of tribals difficult."
>
> Mr Oram is also certain that the Tourism Ministry plans for
Andaman
> and
> Nicobar Islands must be implemented. "Tourism should happen. It
will
> not
> disturb the tribals. They are a little away. Moreover, we will have
> restrictions."
> Incidentally, the minister is not part of the nodal group which
has
> drafted
> the grand plan for tourism in the Bay of Bengal archipelago
>
> Samir Acharya of Society for Andaman & Nicobar Society (SANE),
which
> has
> been working overtime for the tribals' cause, says the ministry's
> plan need
> to be shelved immediately.
>
> "It is the worst possible plan. They will never get away with it.
> They have
> almost finished the Andamanese and the Onges under the guise of
> ameliorating
> their living conditions. This plan should not be touched with a 20-
> feet-long
> pole."
>
>
>
> Kalpavriksh
> Apt. 5, Sri Dutta Krupa,
> 908 Deccan Gymkhana
> Pune 411004
> India
> Tel: + 91 20 5654239 / 5675450
> Fax: 5654239
> Email: kvriksh@v...



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