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The State of India's Indigenous and Tribal Peoples 2009

31 March 2009

"The State of India’s Indigenous and Tribal Peoples 2009" covering the events of 2008 is the third issue of the series. The report covers wide range of issues such as violations of the rights of the indigenous peoples by the security forces and the non-tribals, indigenous peoples and armed conflict, violations of the international humanitarian law by the armed opposition groups, violence against indigenous women and children, alienation of indigenous peoples’ land, displacement of indigenous/tribal peoples, repression under forest laws, failure of affirmative action programmes and state of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, among others. As the editorial of this report shows, the National Human Rights Institutions, despite their various shortcomings, can be effective if effective interventions from the civil society organizations or individuals are made.
Indigenous Rights Quarterly

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  • National Institutions on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
  • Stateless IPs
  • Indigenous IDPs
  • Forest Rights

    • Country Assessment

  • Bangladesh
  • Cambodia
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Philippines
  • Laos
  • Malaysia
  • More ...

    • Press Releases

  • Centre and Tripura not putting pressure on Mizoram on the Brus, 5 September 2008

    • AITPN at the 7th Session of the Human Rights Council

  • Choles Ritchil: An indigenous defender tortured to death in Bangladesh
  • Bangladesh: The Army attacks Buddhism to facilitate illegal settlement in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
  • The unresolved case of Enforced disappearance of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the Eleventh Panchen Lama
  • National Institutions on Indigenous Peoples: NHRIs of a lesser God

    • AITPN Impact: India's Home Secretary Summoned

    On 25 June 2002, AITPN had filed a complainant with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India pertaining to the death of Rathajoy Reang, an indigenous person, as a result of torture in the custody of the Assam Rifles – a para-military group. A First Information Report No. 71/2003 was registered. After more than six years, on 20th August 2008, the NHRC directed the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to expedite the consideration of granting sanction for prosecution of Major S. S. Dhanda and Nursing Assistant A.K. Sahu who were found guilty of killing Mr Reang after an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department of the State Government of Tripura. The Home Ministry refused to give sanction. Therefore, the NHRC summoned the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India to appear in person on 4th February 2009 if the decision on the matter of sanction was not communicated to the Commission, on or before 28th January, 2009. AITPN awaits further action of the NHRC on the issue.

    In another case with regard to the torture of Mr Hemanta Kumar Ningombam, a reporter on 18 January 2003, NHRC issued notice under section 18(a)(i) of Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 to Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur on 20 October 2008 as to why compensation be not recommended to be awarded to Mr Kumar. Earlier on 13 March 2003, the government of Manipur informed that five Indian Reserve Battallion personnel were suspended for the torture.

    Displaced Children Have Rights Too - National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, October 2008

    In its latest issue of the newsletter, infocus, India's National Commission for Protection of Child Rights makes appropriate recommendations to improve the conditions of the internally displaced children including the indigenous Brus sheltered in Tripura State of India. The NCPCR visited the camps of indigenous Bru Internally Displaced Persons in Tripura State of India on 8-9 September 2008 following a complaint of AITPN on 17 June 2008 against the non-inclusion of 7,204 Bru children since 2003.

    UPR and Indigenous Peoples of Asia


    AITPN has been in the forefront of making Asian indigenous peoples' submissions for inclusion into the 10 page stakeholders' summary prepared by the OHCHR. AITPN in association with a number of indigenous organisations made the stakeholders' submission on Malaysia and Bangladesh which are scheduled to be examined at the forthcoming fourth session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council (2 - 13 February 2009).


    Malaysia: Extinguishing Indigenous Peoples Rights, 8 September 2008
    Bangladesh: "We want the lands, not the indigenous peoples",
    1 September 2008
    India (National Report of the government)
  • AITPN/IWGIA's submission
  • OHCHR's summary of stakeholders' information
    Indonesia (National Report of the government)
  • AITPN's submission
  • OHCHR's summary of stakeholders' information
    Philippines(National Report of the government)
  • AITPN's submission
  • OHCHR's summary of stakeholders' information
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