Crimes against Adivasis
India Human Rights Report 2008 pp 87-90
P. 87
Tribals were subjected to violations by the
ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist)
activists. The State government failed to
regularise ‘pattayams’ (land deeds) issued to
500 tribal families by the then Chief Minister
E.K. Nayanar in 1999 in lieu of 10,000 acres
that was alienated from them in Attappady.5
Cadres of the ruling CPI(M) cadres forcibly
took over lands earmarked for distribution
to Adivasis who were displaced following
the killings of the Adivasi protestors at
Muthanga in 2003.6 On 26 November 2007,
the CPI-M cadres forced 200 Adivasi families
to flee in Munnar, destroyed their huts and
put up CPI(M) party flags to symbolise their
victory.7
References
5. L andless tribals in the lurch, The Hindu, 9
December 2007
6. After CPM men attack activist, tribals refuse to
vacate Munnar land, The Indian Express, 29
November 2007
7. After Nandigram, red terror in Munnar, The Indian
Express, 28 November 2007
................
P. 88
b. Land alienation and displacement
The State government failed to act on
alienation of the lands of tribal peoples or
to compensate those who have been forcibly
displaced. About 500 tribal families were
given ‘pattayams’ (land deeds) by the then
Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar in 1999 in lieu
of 10,000 acres that was alienated from them
in Attappady. The state government of Kerala
had failed to allot any land to landless tribals
of Attappaddy by December 2007.16
In November 2007, Communist Party of
India (Marxists) cadres forcibly took over
lands earmarked for distribution to Adivasis,
indigenous peoples in Munnar. In 2003,
following killings of the Adivasi protestors
at Muthanga, the State government allotted
an acre of land each in Chinnakanal to more
than 700 tribal families. However after four
years, only 540 families have received land.
Some 200 tribal families have built makeshift
huts on government land in Munnar in
protest.17 But on 26 November 2007, they
were attacked by CPI-M cadres. Over 2,000
CPI-M cadres captured a 1,500-acre stretch of
government land in Munnar’s Chinnakkanal
area and forced the 200 Adivasi families to
flee. The CPI-M cadres destroyed the huts
of the Adivasis and put up party flags to
symbolize their victory. They fenced off the area and began constructing their own huts
there.18
On 20 February 2007, K.P. Rajendran,
Minister for Revenue of Kerala Government
stated that there were 22,000 tribal families
in the State without land.19
References
16. L andless tribals in the lurch, The Hindu, 9
December 2007
17. After CPM men attack activist, tribals refuse to
vacate Munnar land, The Indian Express, 29
November 2007
18. After Nandigram, red terror in Munnar, The Indian
Express, 28 November 2007
19. Distribution of land to tribal people to be completed
soon: Rajendran, The Hindu, 21 February 2007
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