NHRC asks Kerala Government for rehabilitation details of Muthunga forest Tribals
New Delhi, 17 September 2004
The National Human Rights Commission has requested the State Government of Kerala to furnish information within six weeks as per its earlier direction with regard to settlement of the tribal families in connection with the police firing incident that took place in the Muthunga forest region in Wayanad District of Kerala on 19 February 2003. The Commission also directed that it be informed on the status of relief measures taken by the State after the incident and the status of investigation of the seven cases, which are being investigated by the CBI. These directions came following intimation by the Kerala State Government that as on 5 July 2004 the investigation in the seven cases as reported to the State Government by the Superintendent of Police CBI, Chennai are in the final stage and likely to be completed shortly. The State Government also stated that inquiry into the allegations as pointed out by NHRC, which allegedly took place on 19 February 2003, is also in the final stage. The Kerala Government also indicated some relief measures have been taken by it after the incident, but it stated that though land has already been given to several landless tribal families in the District, no one connected with the incident has been allotted land and that attempts are under way to identify suitable land for all the landless families of the District.
The Commission had taken cognizance of the incident based on complaints filed by Ms. Nirmala Deshpande and others alleging that on 19 February 2003 police had opened fire on a gathering of over 1100 adivasi families protesting against the non-implementation of an agreement reached between the State Government and the adivasis promising the latter land in the Muthunga forest region of Wayanad District, Kerala. The action of the police, it was also alleged had resulted in 16 deaths and injuries to a large number of adivasis including women and children. The Commission, on 24 February 2003, issued notice to Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Kerala. In response reports were submitted by the Chief Secretary and the DGP, Kerala justifying the action of the police in resorting to firing and asserting that the adivasis had blatantly violated the law.
The Commission, however, was not satisfied with the report and recommended that an independent inquiry be held through an agency independent of the state machinery. It strongly recommended to the State Government that it take effective steps to get the independent inquiry commenced at the earliest.
As regards the alleged delay by the Kerala Government in providing land to the adivasis and the matter concerning rehabilitation of the adivasis, the Commission called upon the Chief Secretary of Kerala to furnish all documents related to the delivery of land to the adivasis ousted from the forest and the plan if any for their rehabilitation.
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The National Human Rights Commission has requested the State Government of Kerala to furnish information within six weeks as per its earlier direction with regard to settlement of the tribal families in connection with the police firing incident that took place in the Muthunga forest region in Wayanad District of Kerala on 19 February 2003. The Commission also directed that it be informed on the status of relief measures taken by the State after the incident and the status of investigation of the seven cases, which are being investigated by the CBI. These directions came following intimation by the Kerala State Government that as on 5 July 2004 the investigation in the seven cases as reported to the State Government by the Superintendent of Police CBI, Chennai are in the final stage and likely to be completed shortly. The State Government also stated that inquiry into the allegations as pointed out by NHRC, which allegedly took place on 19 February 2003, is also in the final stage. The Kerala Government also indicated some relief measures have been taken by it after the incident, but it stated that though land has already been given to several landless tribal families in the District, no one connected with the incident has been allotted land and that attempts are under way to identify suitable land for all the landless families of the District.
The Commission had taken cognizance of the incident based on complaints filed by Ms. Nirmala Deshpande and others alleging that on 19 February 2003 police had opened fire on a gathering of over 1100 adivasi families protesting against the non-implementation of an agreement reached between the State Government and the adivasis promising the latter land in the Muthunga forest region of Wayanad District, Kerala. The action of the police, it was also alleged had resulted in 16 deaths and injuries to a large number of adivasis including women and children. The Commission, on 24 February 2003, issued notice to Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Government of Kerala. In response reports were submitted by the Chief Secretary and the DGP, Kerala justifying the action of the police in resorting to firing and asserting that the adivasis had blatantly violated the law.
The Commission, however, was not satisfied with the report and recommended that an independent inquiry be held through an agency independent of the state machinery. It strongly recommended to the State Government that it take effective steps to get the independent inquiry commenced at the earliest.
As regards the alleged delay by the Kerala Government in providing land to the adivasis and the matter concerning rehabilitation of the adivasis, the Commission called upon the Chief Secretary of Kerala to furnish all documents related to the delivery of land to the adivasis ousted from the forest and the plan if any for their rehabilitation.
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