Tribal Organizations Join Forces to Demand Action on Land Rights in Assam
The All India Tribal Council has welcomed the Coordinating Committee of Tribal Organizations in Assam (CCTOA) as a member. The CCTOA has voiced concerns about the government's neglect of tribal rights and the lack of progress in promised development programs in Assam.
CCTOA president Markus Basumatary has highlighted a pressing issue: lands of 47 tribal belts and blocks have been occupied by non-tribal outsiders, despite eviction orders from the Gauhati High Court. The CCTOA supports granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities separately, ensuring it does not affect the reserved quotas of existing tribal communities.
The All-Bodo Ex-Volunteer Force Organization, led by Bandw Brahma, has also expressed concerns. Brahma listed key issues, including a separate Bodoland state, inclusion of Bodos in the ST (Hill) list, creation of a separate Bodo Regiment, a distinct funding pattern, and securing all tribal belts and blocks from illegal occupation. Both organizations have criticized the government's failure to protect tribal belts and blocks from illegal encroachers.
CCTOA opposes granting ST status to six communities, some of whom were brought by the British as wage laborers or are part of the ruling class. Basumatary mentioned that several lakhs of bighas of tribal lands are still under illegal occupation, with the governments of Assam and BTC failing to free these lands.
The CCTOA and All-Bodo Ex-Volunteer Force Organization have joined forces to address critical issues facing tribal communities in Assam. They urge the government to take immediate action to protect tribal lands and implement long-pending agreements.
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