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The
Draft Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005
initiated by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs of the government of
India is an important initiative to address historic injustices
against the tribal peoples. It seeks to provide rights to the forest
dwelling tribal people whose rights have been extinguished after
the Supreme Court stayed the regularisation of tribal villages in
forest areas on 23 November 2001 in the case of Godavarman Thirumalpad
vs Union of India in Interlocutory Application No.703 in Writ
Petition No. 202/95.
The Draft Forest Rights
Bill, 2005 faces opposition from two quarters. First, a few environmentalists
continue to advocate management of forest, wildlife and other bio-diversity
with complete exclusion of tribal people, local communities or forest
dwellers contrary to the Rio Declaration, decisions of the Conference
of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity and recommendations
of the United Nations Forum on Forest. Second, the Ministry of Environment
and Forest has been opposing the Bill primarily because of the turf
war with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. In the process, age-old
prejudices against tribal people have come to the fore.
On 7-8 August 2005, National
Consultation on the Draft Forest Rights Bill was held at India International
Centre, New Delhi. Indigenous peoples' representatives and support
organisations from all over the country participated in the National
Consultation.
The Organising Committee
of the National Consultation will continue its campaign till the
Draft Forest Rights Bill is adopted by the parliament.
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