Editorial
This is a specific case of complaints
Let's redress these
The rally staged by indigenous people at Dinajpur on Monday brought to the fore some specific grievances they have concerning land-use rights. Around 3000 members of Santal, Orao, Mahali, Malo, Rajbangshi, Turi, Munda and Vuinmuli communities voiced their protests against 'denial' of benefits they were promised earlier on. They complained of being deprived of their rightful share of accruals from a social forestry project undertaken by the forest authorities in 6,792 acres of land acquired from them in six upazilas of Dinajpur. The indigenous people were given to understand -- one wonders whether it was documented that they would get 60 per cent of the profit while the department got 40 per cent after the trees planted in early 1990s were sold. But the forest department is said to have reneged on the understanding claiming that there was no such deal!The indigenous people not only owned the land, they also nurtured the trees and looked after them for the last two decades. If they don't have the rights to the profits, then who does? To top it off, cases have been initiated against some members of the ethnic tribes by the forest department. Some principles are involved here: first, the land-use right of ethnic communities stands flouted. Secondly, a promise given to the indigenous people has apparently been reneged on. Thirdly, the aims and objects of a social forestry project seem to have been defeated. We want an early investigation into the matter not only to assuage the feelings of the tribal people that their allegations have been taken seriously but also to redress their grievances with utmost priority. We cannot allow our image to be tarnished by any raw deal given to our indigenous people by any quarters. All their anxieties must be allayed so that they feel cared for.
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