The Forest Rights Act

Tens of Thousands of Tribals and Forest Dwellers Protest, Court Arrest Across India Today, October 2nd , Gandhi Jayanthi, mass organisations of tribals and forest dwellers marched and courted arrest across the country. Protests will be continuing in the coming weeks. The central demand is: No More Attacks on Our People, Destruction of Our Homelands and Sabotage of Our Rights! The protesters oppose the moves to sabotage the Forest Rights Act by undermining the Rules and engaging in sabotage of rights through sham efforts at tiger conservation. The protesters also condemn the repeated moves of the government to use police forces and violence to seize the resources of tribals and forest dwellers, while sabotaging all laws that provide for democratic control over forests and resources. Today, people joined protests across Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and elsewhere (see next page for details). Tens of thousands faced arrest and detention by police. In the following weeks, protests will continue in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh and Tamil Nadu. The groups made the following demands: Jangal Ko Azaadi Do! * Recognise all genuine forest dependent people and exclude contractors, traders, and exploiters * Stop the militarisation and seizure of our lands * Recognise our rights to collect and transport minor forest produce * Halt arbitrary resettlement in the name of wildlife conservation * Make the recognition of rights legally clear – our rights should not be taken away by legal manipulation * Notify the Forest Rights Act and halt evictions of forest communities immediately Jangalvasiyon Ko Swaraj Do! * Empower our communities to defend and protect the forests against mafias, the government and companies * Ensure the authority and effectiveness of the real gram sabhas of our communities in determining rights * Bring all adivasi areas under the Vth Schedule of the Constitution and remove hurdles in implementing the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, which gives us the power to safeguard our resources. On behalf of the Convening Collective Bharat Jan Andolan, National Front for Tribal Self Rule, Shoshit Jan Andolan (Maharashtra), Adivasi Mahasabha (Gujarat), Adivasi Jangal Janjeevan Andolan (Dadra &Nagar Haveli), Jangal Jameen Jan Andolan (Rajasthan), Madhya Pradesh Van Adhikar Abhiyan (Madhya Pradesh), Jan Shakti Sanghatan (Chattisgarh), Peoples Alliance for Livelihood Rights (Chattisgarh), Chattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Orissa Jan Sangharsh Morcha, Campaign for Survival & Dignity (Orissa), Orissa Adivasi Manch, Orissa Jan Adhikar Morcha, Adivasi Aikya Vedike (Andhra Pradesh), Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vrithidharula Union, Campaign for Survival and Dignity – Tamilnadu, Bharat Jan Andolan (Jharkhand). STATE-WISE PROTESTS Maharashtra 10,000 people marched to the Deputy Collector's Office and courted arrest at the taluka headquarters of Jawhar (Thane District). All were arrested. On the 4th, a similar jail bharo will take place in Roha, Raigad District. Jharkhand Approximately 4,000 people courted arrest in the district headquarters of Latehar, Ranchi, Gumla and Palamau districts. All those who demonstrated in Latehar, Ranchi and Gumla were arrested. Gujarat Mass public meetings took place in Narmada, Valsad, Dahod and Sabarkantha districts. More meetings will take place tomorrow. A larger protest will be held near the end of this month. Rajasthan More than 2,000 people courted arrest in Pratapgarh district. Orissa 4,000 people marched and courted arrest in Bhubaneshwar. Tamil Nadu Mass public meetings were held in 61 villages in Nilgiris District and in ten villages in Kanyakumari District. Public rallies were also held in Nilgiris District, Tirunelveli District and Krishnagiri District. Madhya Pradesh Mass rallies will be held in Burhanpur District tomorrow, the 3rd; in Satna on the 4th; and in Sivni, Betul, Mandla, Chindwada and Jabalpur districts on the 7 th. A mass jail bharo will take place in Bhopal on November 15th. Chhatisgarh Rallies will take place across the State in October, leading up to a mass Jan Adalat on forest rights in mid-November in Raipur.