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Tripura People's Democratic Front (Tpdf) TRIPURA PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT (TPDF) STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT RANJIT DEB BARM A AT THE UNITED NATIONS WORKING GROUP ON INDIGENOUS POPULATIONS GENEVA. 28 JULY TO 1 AUGUST 1997 Agenda.: item No. 5 Mr Chairperson. Thank you for giving me the floor and also my congratulations on your being elected as Chairperson of the Working Group. Mr. Chairperson. I am making this statement as the first ever representative of the indigenous Tripuri people from the state of Tripura now under Indian rule in the so-called north eastern region. Mr. Chairperson, the most serious problem of the indigenous Tripuri people is the huge influx of foreigners and the consequent alienation of indigenous lands. At the time of Tripura's annexation by India in 1949 the indigenous Tripuri population was more than 85% of the total. But the continuous influx of foreigners, mainly Hindu Bengalis from the earstwhile East Pakistan was so huge that today the Tripuri population constitute even less than 29% of the total of 3 million. Thus the unprecedented population influx has become the gravest danger to very survival of the Tripuris as a distinct people and the consequent alienation of indigenous lands has snatched away the very means of their livelihood. Today the illegal immigrants control the economy of the state. Political power also been captured by the settlers by the sheer strength of their numbers which is the decisive factor in Indian democracy'. Mr, Chairperson, can there be any other violation or denial of human rights more serious and dangerous than this, particularly when it is being committed behind the veil of democracy"? I am constrained. Mr. Chairperson, to point out here that the Indian state has all along encouraged the influx because of the ethnic and cultural affinity of the 'refugees' with mainland Indians. Besides there is also the continuing movement of population from India. Because India has a strategic and security purpose to induct a conducive population base in the north eastern region". As such, there is no reason why India should not he indicted as a party to the population transfer. However. Mr. Chairperson, the immediate threat to the Tripuri people is the nexus between state terrorism and the belligerent settlers. With political power in their hands and all the state machineries, particularly the police and para-military forces manned by them, the state and the settlers have unleashed a reign of terror against the indigenous Tripuri people. They have attacked and burned down scores of Tripuri villages and killed. TRIPURA PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT (TPDF) Manv innocent peoples thereby creating a vicious atmosphere of communal bloodbath. The Tripuri people had no alternative but to retaliate in self-defence. In such charged atmosphere, the Indian armed forces have been conducting military operations against what they call 'insurgency . The settler refugees, the state police and the India security forces have all committed human rights violations. Subsequently, on 16th February, 1997 only 19 police stations of Tripuri dominated areas out of total 44 police station in the State were declared 'disturbed areas' under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special powers Act. 1958. After the declaration as disturbed areas, on 6 March 1997. 8 (eight) Tripuri women were gang-raped by Indian armed forces at Taksapara under Birganj police station of Dalai District. A large number of peasants of the said area fled to other areas leaving their villages due to Indian Army attrocities. Besides, indiscriminate arrests, regarding torture using electric shocks on private parts during interrogation are being committed. In short. Tripura also has become a fertile ground for human rights violations, as in the other states of the Region, by the Indian armed forces and the state police. Under the circumstances. Mr. Chairperson , as other people of the world the indigenous Tripuri people too have right to survive with their identity and dignity. Any ethnic people whatever their number may be cannot and should not be extinguished under repressive rule of the govt. Mr. Chairperson, the indigenous Tripuri people consider their right of self- determination to determine their own future by themselves as guaranteed by relevant international convenants to be the only means to protect their identity and their land and its resources so that their existence on mother earth be secured. In conclusion. I would urge upon Working Group appoint a Special Rapporteur to look into the entire range of human rights situation in Tnpura and other parts of the so-called north eastern region. Thank, you. RANJIT DEB BARMA President Tripura People's Democratic Front .
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