Statement, at the 21St Working Group of Indigenous Population,From 21St to 25Th July, 2003 at Geneva, Switzerland
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Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl. Member Tripura Legislative Assembly. President. Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra. Quarter No. Type - 1V/3. Kunjaban Township. Agartala - 799006 Tripura. India Statement, at the 21st Working Group of Indigenous Population,from 21st to 25th July, 2003 at Geneva, Switzerland Mr. Chairman Sir. Thank you very much for giving me time to speak about 'Globalization of Indigenous People*. This is my second time here to share the theme of how the Indigenous People around the globe are becoming marginalized and subjected to mercy seekers in own land. It is true that in many country the National, Regional and local Government or authorities are scepticism about the recognition of legitimate rights of Indigenous People. In most of the World's Countries, Indigenous People are deprived of their control over resources, their political and economic power and their opportunities to obtain higher education or legal training alongwith their ability to exercise their rights are severely limited. At the local level more and more extractive industries are prospecting for oil, minerals or plants, dams or adjacent to ancestral Indigenous Territories, after leading to conflicts over Indigenous sovereignty, rights of access benefit sharing, and potential and actual environmental damage. Tripura, a small State of India's North-East had officially merged with the Union of India on 15th October, 1949, after 2 (two) years attainment of India independent, virtually become a free land for millions of refugees from the then East Pakistan now Bangladesh and within very short span the sons of the soil, the Indigenous People became minority and gradually the Indigenous People had to move away to thick forest in search of new living being dislodged of economic burden. Contd..2.. With the standing law of the land of Tripura the legitimate right on land, ancestral possession of natural resources, opportunities of Government services in favour of the indigenous people had never been an instrument of minimum satisfaction. Insurgency and lawlessness situation over the past 2 (two) decade is not a new phenomena in the entire region of the North-Eastern state of India including Tripura. In view of the vastness of the Union of Indian Republic the North- Eastern States are but only identification on the Map. Due to poverty many youths are frustrated, so massive attractive educational and economical institutions with proper infrastructure could had been the right way that the today's insurgency was avoided. When the Indigenous People found themselves outnumbered and unprotected, and national, regional and local governments are also unable to determine meaningful measure to restore confidence of the Indigenous People, then what a man can do ? Weak is always weak in all respect, so nothing is wrong if for equality, and restoration of bonafied right, one seeks help and someone helps; so the Indigenous People of the world should walk and voice together for restoration of ancestral heritage, no matter what the other people think of us. The very important message (theme) of "Globalization of Indigenous Population" should be taken to the last part of the World. Lastly but not the least, the indigenous people of Tripura are hoping that, the Forum of WGIP could produce meaningful fruit fot the indigenous people around the world. For Ready Reference:- Authentic detailed records, information relating to the Princely State of Twipra Kingdom (and realm) a TEXT of Page 1 -37 is submitted. Enel: As Sated. Date: 2/ - oj- D-3 (B.K. HRANGKHAWL) President Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra, India E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Contd..3.. MEMORANDUM INTRODUCTION The unabated influx of illegal migrants from East Pakistan/Bangladesh into Twipra (Tipperah/Tripura) State and the consequent sea-changing in the demographic structure of the State has been an well-established fact and a matter of serious concern not only of Tripura State but the Union of India as a whole. This phenomenon has totally jeopardized the identity and existence of the Aborigines/Indigenous Tribal Population of the State reducing them into microscopic minority in their ancestral homeland. Illegal migration into Tripura is still the core issue behind the unrest, ethnic tension and a series of mass-movement right from the dawn of Indian Independence - to be more specific from the date of merger of Princely ruled Tripura State with the Indian Dominion on and from 15th October 1949. Population explosion due to illegal colossus infiltration is undoubtedly the prime contributory factor behind the outbreak of Aborigines/tribal insurgency in the State. This burning issue has not ever been fully addressed to by the concerned authorities so far. Superficially, there may be a tendency to view this serious problem as a regional issue, affecting only the people of the State, but it has the dangerous dimension threatening our national security as a whole. Unprecedented and un-etidinu illegal niigraiion and consequence:- thereof in Tripura Siate has been attending attention of different concern only from recent past and this has also been placed before different fora both in national and international arena by different agencies. PART-* (ONE) MIGRATION INTRJPURA J. HISTORICAL BACKGROUD: A peep into the demographic history of Tripura will reveal that Tripura v\as an ancient State ruled by Kings of Tripura iroin couple of centuries, The State nas a referenc dared back during epic era of the Rainayana and the Mahabharata and there were continuous references during the regime of Hindu, Mohamedan and lastly the British rules In India. Ancient Tripura State having vast geographical areas in Eastern India, bordering Burma (Myanmar) in the East. Bay of Bengal in the South. Naga Hills in the North and upto North Bengal in the "west. Even during the rule of last but one King. Maharaja Bir Bikram (184lU King of Trip'ra) the Tripura State having much greater geographical areas with two distinctive parts \'\7... Hill Tipperah and Tipperah District. Once again Tipperali District and partly Chittagong Hiil District contribute a vast estate of Tripura to tulers known as "Chakla Rosanabad" having total 550 sq. Miles geographical areas. From the first ever Census record of 1S72, the Population of Tripura State and Chakla Rosanabad was distinctive iy estate and neighbouring districts u'K'er British Rule not so :rea;eu as reai sub"-:o:i ofi'rii.cdy Tripura State but termed as 'jiratia Praja" i.e. People who migrated to Tripura temporarily. say for one crop- bear agricultural purpose in the fertile land of Hill Tipperah i.e. present Tripura and returned to home districts subsequently. Furthermore, history disclosed that the rulers of Hill Tipperah were always welcoming to outside farmers to migrate to Tripura for their permanent settlement with a view to utilizaiioit of vast fallow land lor cultivation and to increase Suite's exchequer through such exercise. It was also proved beyond doubt that due to natural calamities, ethnic violence from time to time large chunk of population mainly the Bengali speaking population took shelter in Hill Tipperah - who had been taken care of by the royal administration including arrangement of their Permanent Settlement on land. Around 15,000 people entered into Tripura in a single occasion of ethnic violence in Noakhali and Dacca in 1941. Furthermore, there was migration of outsiders into Tripura on die wisdom of rulers as the services of those outsiders were required for running the royal administration. Those people not only migrated and emp!o>od but also awarded Permanent Settlement on free-hold land. From the above discussion, it is proved beyond doubt thai migration of population into Tripura State having its long association :ue hisior. of Tripura. 5 2. CERTAIN MEASURES / SAFE-GUARDS TAKEN BY THE EX- RULER(S) TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF INDIGENOUS TRIBAL PEOPLE IN THE STATE AGAINST SUCH MIGRATION: For the encouragement of Aborigines/Indigenous Tribal population for wet-land cultivation (abandoning the Jhum cultivation), the ex-ruler of Tripura . .Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishorc Debbarma made 2 (two) successive orders reserving a total of geographical areas of 2060 sq. Miles (1 10 -r 1950 sq. Miles) oui of total 41 16 sq. Miles of the Slate in 1931 and 1943 respectively exclusively for 'Panclia" Tripuris i.e. Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia, Noatia and Halam Indigenous Tribes). But this safe guard on land for the Tribal have been honoured for breach more than that of actual implementation by the subsequent Tripura Administration. It is pertinent to refer to the "Tripura Merger agreement with the Indian Dominion" read with "Instrument of ^cession" the Text and Terms and Conditions of these two Treaties clearly defined that all enactments by the ruler(s) of Tripura and in existence on the date of execution of those treaties shall be honoured unless those laws/acts were repealed by the successive acts. It is once again crystal clear that the aforesaid reservation order(s) of Tripura Ruler has been totally violated when the rehabilitation of so called refugees (illegal migrants} was attempted in Tripura during 1949 co even though those reservation acts were repealed oniy in I960 through a comprehensive land legislation entitled "Tripura Land Revenue and Land R5c-6rd Act. 1960" (TLR&LR Act. 1960 in abbreviation). 6 This exercise was also contrary to the Tripura Administration order, ¡949. issued by Govt, of India in conformity with the Manipur Administration order. 1949 upon the execution of merger agreement(s). The Foreigners Act. 1946 although extending the whole of Indian Dominion, but Tripura State seems to be kept isolated / outside the purview of the said act irrespective of the fact that the influxion of foreign nationals were the highest in Tripura State. 3. DEMOGRAPHIC SCENARIO IN EAST PAKISTAN/BANGLADESH: Leading intellectuals in Bangladesh have been making a case for "Lebensraurn" (living space) of their country; very recently, in his anicie Prof.