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HomeWildlifeWho needs more protection - the Tigers or the Tribals?

Who needs more protection – the Tigers or the Tribals?

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Signboard_inside_Simlipal_National_Park

Telenga Hassa, a  Munda tribal community leader from Jamunagarh is running from pillar to post — fearing a threat to his life. Strangely not from the tiger but  from the Wildlife officials.

Hassa,  has been leading his village’s struggle against official moves to evict them from the Similipal Tiger Reserve in the name of tiger “conservation.” He is not alone  tribal peoples all over India are being illegally and forcibly evicted from their ancestral homelands in the name of tiger conservation.

He is not alone  tribal peoples all over India are being illegally and forcibly evicted from their ancestral homelands in the name of tiger conservation.

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In Similipal itself 32 families of the Khadia tribe were evicted and forced to live under plastic sheeting in December 2013, Thousands of Baiga have been evicted from Kanha Tiger Reserve the home of the “Jungle Book.”

During a village meeting in January, during which Telenga was absent, an honorary wildlife warden reportedly urged Telenga’s fellow villagers to attack him or drive him out of the reserve if he didn’t agree to the relocation.

Tiger, hona, ca 3 år

Even in the past, the same warden had shouted abuse at him and his tribe, and ripped up a statement detailing their opposition to the evictions.

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According to Indian law, tribal peoples’ free, prior and informed consent is required before moving them off their ancestral homelands. In spite of this, villagers from Jamunagarh continue to faced year of harassment. Last September, they reported being “threatened” and “cheated” into agreeing to leave

“We would rather die than leave the village. The forest department is pressurising us to go – they are giving a lot of threats to us, saying things like, ‘If you try to stay we will lodge many police cases against you, we will say that you are Maoists and we’ll arrest you.” Telenga informed  Taazakhabar.

Telenga has submitted a complaint to the district police detailing the verbal abuse, threats and incitement to attack. A complaint has also been made to the Odisha Human Rights Commission but has received no  reply.

“This is just one more example of how tribal people in India are being bullied and threatened into ‘agreeing’ to leave their lands in India’s Tiger Reserves. People like Telenga, who resist the so-called ‘voluntary’ evictions, have to facing harassment and threats. Tribal peoples are the best conservationists they have managed their lands sustainably for generations. Forcing them off their land is a violation of human rights and doesn’t save the tiger.”

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Who knows more about forest conservationist than the tribals who have managed their lands sustainably for many generations. Forcing them off their land is a violation of human rights and doesn’t save the tiger.

It is a pity all this is happening at Similipal Tiger Reserve,  which has been conferred with prestigious RBS Earth Heroes Awards 2013 in the ‘Earth Guardian’ category.

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Taazakhabar News Bureau
Taazakhabar News Bureau
Taazakhabar News Bureau is a team of seasoned journalists led by Neeraj Mahajan. Trusted by millions readers worldwide.

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