India Urged to Protect Indiginous People

Thomas Riggins

As the attached press release from Survival International indicates, the Indian bourgeoisie seems more interested in economic exploitation than in the human rights of its indiginous peoples. The Jarawa tribe has lived on the Andaman Islands since pre-Vedic times, i.e., before there was such a nation as "India." You would think that with such a large subcontinent to abuse and exploit, the Indian bourgeoisie could leave an indiginous people on a remote island with a small patch of land in peace. But, as we know, "The need of a constantly expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the whole surface of the globe. It must nestle everywhere, settle everywhere, establish connections everywhere." If we call on the Indian government to do the right thing as decent human beings acting towards other human beings it is doubtful we will get anywhere. Maybe they can be shamed into action if enough people respond to the plight of the Jarawa.

24 April 2006

INDIA: BOTSWANA BUSHMAN LEADER CALLS ON INDIA TO PROTECT JARAWA TRIBE

Roy Sesana, leader of the Bushman tribes who won a historic court victory against the Botswana government in December, has appealed to the Indian government to protect the Jarawa on the Andaman Islands since pre-Vedic times, since that is before India as such even existed. One would think which such a vast subcontnent to exploit and abuse the Indian bourgeoise could leave a small indigious people a little patch of a remote island on which to live in peace. But no.

Sesana calls on the Indian government to respect the Supreme Court ruling of 2002 which orders the closure of the Andaman
Trunk Road cutting through the Jarawa's land.

'Indigenous people all over the world have been affected by development that governments think is good. The Indian government should respect its honourable court, which has ordered the road to be closed. The Jarawa's spirit is on the land where they stay. Their development is connected with their spirit. Crucial to indigenous people is that others should care about their land, spirit and culture.

'Please, I appeal to the Indian government to listen to the indigenous people in India. In India there are a lot of people with different beliefs that they respect so they should also respect the indigenous people.'

The Botswana government evicted Sesana's people, the Gana and Gwi Bushmen, from their land in 2002, and forced them to live in bleak resettlement camps. The Bushmen took the government to court, and the case became the longest and most expensive in Botswana's history. The Botswana High Court ruled on 13 December that the evictions were 'unlawful and unconstitutional'.
-ENDS-

For further information contact Miriam Ross on (+44) (0)20 7687 8734 or email mr@survival-international.org

To read this press release online visit http://survival-international.org/news.php?id=2378