annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
annual report print final.qxd - Asian Centre for Human Rights
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
INDIA HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2005 Orissa<br />
compensation of only Rs 1,000 in<br />
accordance with the compensation<br />
prescribed under a state government<br />
resolution adopted in 1985. The NHRC<br />
directed the State Government to take<br />
appropriate remedial measures under the<br />
relevant provision of SC & ST<br />
(Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. In<br />
July 2003, Orissa government admitted<br />
that the scale of relief prescribed under<br />
the ST/SC (Prevention of Atrocities)<br />
Rules 1995 had not been implemented in<br />
the state so far. The state government on<br />
27 February 2004 declared to pay Rs<br />
5,250 more to the victim as<br />
compensation. 27<br />
In July 2004, an ashram built by the<br />
Dalits at Badaya village under Aul Block<br />
in Kendrapara district was demolished by<br />
officials from the Revenue Department<br />
allegedly in connivance with the upper<br />
caste people. The Dalits in protest urged<br />
the District Magistrate to allow them to<br />
change their religious faith under the<br />
Orissa Freedom of Religion Act. 28<br />
In September 2004, NHRC issued a<br />
notice to the Kendrapada district<br />
administration in connection with the<br />
assault of family members of Alekh<br />
Behera, a Dalit, by a group of upper caste<br />
villagers at Pahana village under Patkura<br />
police station limits in Kendrapada<br />
district. The upper caste villagers also<br />
allegedly <strong>for</strong>cefully drove away other<br />
Dalit villagers from their houses. When<br />
the district administration allegedly failed<br />
to give protection, the ostracized Dalit<br />
families approached NHRC. 29<br />
192<br />
V. Atrocities against the Adivasis<br />
The Adivasis, indigenous peoples,<br />
face discrimination, eviction, extensive<br />
land alienation and displacement due to<br />
development projects which do not benefit<br />
them but destroy their cultural identities.<br />
Adivasi inhabited areas are known <strong>for</strong><br />
famine, and every year thousands of<br />
indigenous peoples from Orissa <strong>report</strong>edly<br />
migrate to other parts of the country<br />
especially Mumbai, Hyderabad, Surat and<br />
Assam in search of livelihood. From<br />
March to May 2004, more than 8,000<br />
indigenous peoples from Paralakhemundi<br />
district, 2,500 tribals from Gumma block<br />
<strong>report</strong>edly left <strong>for</strong> Mumbai. 30<br />
Denial of access to minor <strong>for</strong>est<br />
produce has left thousands of Adivasis<br />
without any means of livelihood. Forest<br />
officials have filed thousands of<br />
complaints against indigenous peoples <strong>for</strong><br />
collecting minor <strong>for</strong>est produce. On 11<br />
October 2004, the State government<br />
<strong>report</strong>edly directed the Forest Department<br />
to withdraw all 11,424 minor cases<br />
involving <strong>for</strong>est produce of less than Rs<br />
100. Indigenous peoples are often harassed<br />
in petty <strong>for</strong>est offences while the timber<br />
mafia continues its business with virtual<br />
impunity. 31<br />
Poverty severely impacts access to<br />
justice by indigenous peoples. Duga<br />
Munda of Patadiha village in Sundergarh<br />
district had to spend 11 years in jail as he<br />
was too poor to pay <strong>for</strong> his bail bond of Rs<br />
5,000 until the Orissa High Court ordered<br />
his release on 8 November 2004. He was<br />
arrested in October 1991 in connection