THE Northeast Tribal Convention (NTC) on ‘Tribal problems and Indian democracy’ has called for a long term comprehensive solution to the problems of scheduled tribes.

The convention was held by the North East Zonal Coordination Committee CPI (M-L) at Dimapur to articulate the tribal case. NTC demanded that tribals be allowed the political right to govern themselves and decide their own destiny with out any delay or dilution. The convention sought urgent recognition of and constitutional expression to the demands of   tribals to their longstanding aspiration. The convention declared that attempts to forcibly suppress these demands by signing selective and partial accords should be stopped forth with.

While speaking in the convention, participants voiced serious concern over eviction of tribals  from their traditional and natural habitat in the name of enforcement of environmental laws. It also urged the governments to stop such  moves and cancel all mining leases granted to foreign companies in scheduled areas.

While observing the endless saga of human sufferings in the socio-economic and cultural and psychological terms wherein tribals were subjected to systematic harassment and displacement from their homeland in the name of development projects in the post independent era, the convention urged to stop such practices    stating that the ‘inalienable right of the tribal people to live in their homeland cannot be sacrificed at  the altar of corporate greed’ and to immediately redress through effective and comprehensive rehabilitation of all affected families.

The convention regretted that tribals continue to be among the worst victims of ‘brutal’ laws like the Assam-Manipur Armed Forces Special Power Act, Disturbed Area Act, TADA and POTA and demanded withdrawal of all ‘draconian’ laws and to stop ‘unprovoked and indiscriminate killing’ of the people by armed forces.

It declared that tribal communities do not aspire for protection that will increase their plight and isolation and expressed hatred for those notions and   models of integration where their lives are treated as ‘hunting   ground’ for the big players of the capitalist economy. It said terms of development in tribal areas must be determined on the basis of  the needs and aspirations of the tribals themselves.

The convention also demanded reconstitution of the National   Forest Commission, set up in February last by the centre with adequate representation from tribal society. It has asked the Centre to carry out comprehensive land reforms with due emphasis on restoration of tribal land to their legitimate owner and issuance of appropriate land ownership documents, sources said adding that the convention also urged to incorporate ‘right to work’ as a fundamental right in the Constitution and to bring private sector within the purview of job reservation for schedule caste and schedule tribe communities and to clear all backlog of SC and ST vacancies.

While laying emphasis on the tribal culture, which constitutes an important component of national heritage, it said that tribal communities could develop and prosper only in an environment of secularism, democracy and pluralism.

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