KOKRAJHAR, AUG 21: The All Assam Tribal Sangha, Kokrajhar district committee, staged a protest today against the Assam Government’s recent notification that included eight additional communities in the list of Protected Classes of Persons within the Tirap Tribal Belt.
As part of the protest demonstration, members of the Tribal Sangha burnt copies of the government notification, demanding its immediate cancellation,and healthy uplift of the existing tribal communities in the state.
The organisation described the move as “anti-tribal”, arguing that it would endanger the very existence of the Aboriginal tribal communities for whom the belt was originally constituted,and has been held this position towards the development of the tribal people.
The communities newly brought under protection are included Ahom, Matak, Moran, Chutia, Gorkha, Koch Rajbongshi, Tea Garden community, and Adivasi.
The official notification, issued by the Revenue & Disaster Management Department and signed by Additional Chief Secretary Lamchonghoi Sweety Changsang, stated that the Governor of Assam, by exercising powers under Sub-section (2) of Section 160 of Chapter X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886 (as amended), granted the status with immediate effect.
Created with the aim of safeguarding land rights of Aboriginal Scheduled Tribes, the Tirap Tribal Belt spans 62 villages and 2,90,400 bighas of land under the Margherita Revenue Circle. Tribal bodies fear that the inclusion of new groups will dilute protections meant for the original tribal inhabitants and open the door for further encroachment.
The tribal sangha has strongly opposed the move initiated by the department of Revenue & Disaster Management, and demanded strictly to make cancellation with immediate measures.
