Although the ministers speak every other day about supporting the Adivasi demand for the land, they have not yet taken any concrete steps.  Earlier, the Government has decided to appoint a nodal officer to resolve the land issue of Adivasis in Kerala state, but they have not named anyone for this post.

Meanwhile the government is planning to give half portion of Aralam farm in Kannur district to corporate giants, like Reliance, for tourism projects.  This land was bought with the money from Tribal fund and giving parts of it away means depriving Adivasi of their land.

Thus the Adivasis are forced to begin their land struggle again in different parts of the state.

Since 2003, Hotline Asia has been supporting the Adivasi demand to implement the “2001 Agreement” between the state government and Adivasi leaders.  Five years after the inaction, including ignoring the order of the high court, UA061103(8) was issued to support the long-standing struggle.


Source:
Local Newspapers

Hotline Asia issued UA061103(8) in November 2006 to urge the Indian central government and Kerala state government to respect the agreement made with the Adivasi leaders in 2001 and to distribute land promised to all the landless Adivasis. No Adivasi has received any land since then.

Local activists observe that political parties lacked the political will to distribute lands which are available. It was also observed that proclamations to provide land are made only when the media takes up the issue. Therefore, in spite of many statements from politicians and ministers regarding distribution of land to Adivasi according to the “2001 Agreement” the government has not initiated any major attempts to provide land. While the Kerala government has been reported to evacuate people from encroached government land to give them to the Adivasi, very few believed such statement.

Source:
Local Newspapers