Forcing tribal peoples into the mainstream, exploitative ‘human safaris’ allowed to continue – Andaman Islands

Survival for tribal peoples, 5 March 2013 India’s Supreme Court today reportedly reversed its previous ‘interim order’ to ban ‘human safaris’ in the Andaman Islands, dealing a major blow to the campaign against the controversial tours. […] Alarm bells also rang when the Court reportedly asked the Andaman authorities ‘whether they wanted the Jarawa to be kept … Read more

India’s Supreme Court orders a “no-go” zone: protecting the Jarawa people’s dignity and health – Andaman & Nicobar

Dhananjay Mahapatra, Times Of India,  Jan 22, 2013 Supreme Court bars entry of tourists in Jarawa tribe habitat NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday wanted to know from Andaman & Nicobar Island administration whether it intended to keep in isolation the extremely endangered Jarawa tribe, which numbered just over 300, and banned all tourist movement in … Read more

Union rural development minister advises tribal representatives to exert their rights: liberty to follow their own customs, have their own resources and self rule

Riyan Ramanath V, Times of India, Feb 5, 2013 BHUBANESWAR: When Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh interacted with representatives of Biswanathpur panchayat in Kalahandi district during his recent visit, he was surprised when the representatives failed to comprehend what Panchayat (Extension to Schedule Areas) PESA Act was all about, which Jairam advised them to … Read more

Environment and Forests & Tribal Affairs Ministries stand by forest rights, oppose any dilution of tribal rights in forest areas – New Delhi

In a joint strategy for their meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh next week, Environment and Forests Minister Jayanthi Natarajan and Tribal Affairs Minister Kishore Chandra Deo both reportedly plan to oppose any dilution of tribal rights in forest areas. This, despite the fact that their respective secretaries have signed on to a deal with … Read more

New steps towards a full implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act – Government of India

Government of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, New Delhi, 20th July, 2012 The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal agency for implementing the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, which seeks to recognize and vest the forest rights and occupation in forest land in … Read more