This is worse case scenario. Can we approach the supreme court/NHRC on this.

Radha

----- Original Message -----
From: Pankaj Sekhsaria <pankajandaman@...>
Date: Sunday, November 2, 2003 4:10 pm
Subject: [andamanicobar] Fwd: Re: Oram wants to mainstream A&N tribals in seven
years

>
>
> 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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