INTRODUCTION

Adivasis and forests - is a topic that is simple, yet complex to understand.  An Adivasi - Forest relation will never be wholly comprehensible to this writer or to even the best anthropologist, but only to the Adivasis.

Though the Adivasis are the first settlers, it is ironic that they are the very ones who have been asked today to prove their domicile over the country's forests.  Never has history looked at their culture or their connection with forests from the Adivasi perspective. Rather, society has looked at forests as a patch of greenery that is "to be kept" bereft of human presence and only to be enjoyed as a leisure environment. Now, forests are being denied to the very people who survive on them, just like a child on mother's milk, but forest lodges are given to Corporates to have their weekly meetings. How is it that the forest department makes a ruckus over a few Adivasi fisherfolk fishing for their livelihood in Satpura National park, but doesn't raise a whimper over the intention of the MP government to open beer bars and a casino inside a sanctuary? Could there be a bigger irony and such disparity within the human society?  Humans are the only species which torment their fellow beings for pleasure or greed.

Adivasi access to forests has wide political, legal and social ramifications, namely: -

What is the Adivasi relation to the forest? How does their culture protect the forest? What are some of the practices that automatically conserve forest?

What is the perspective of the government and the urban class towards forests?
What are the laws that regulate forests and what impact does this have on their culture?
What is the politics behind these laws, and how are these laws framed?

What are the various measures taken by the government to maintain forests?  Are these measures Adivasi-friendly or an eyewash? What are  the studies done so far on forests?

What is the Adivasi forest economy?  How big is this economy?
Who controls this economy and how does it work?  Do the Adivasis benefit due to this economy?

Which are the international conventions applicable to the Adivasis and what is the Indian government's stand at the UN level in protecting Adivasis? Which are some of the movements working at the local, state and national level fighting for adivasi right to access forests?

How is Adivasi culture related to forests? Has this culture been manipulated? Has the entire battle between good and evil portrayed Adivasis as lesser humans, when the battle between Ram vs Ravana has been between the urban elite vs the forest dweller?

These are some of the questions that this e-documentation intends to throw light on?  

This e-doc discusses various issues regarding the Adivasis and their access, control, livelihood and survival in consonance with the forests. Through this, a scholar, student, activist, the anthropologist, the media, legal professional, planner and politicians are brought to the reality of Adivasi life and livelihood connected with forests.

Suggestions and further research material is welcome to enrich this e-doc.

RONALD   L.  REBELLO*
 

Address: 28 Sunrise 552, Samta Nagar,
        Kandivali East, Mumbai 400 101

Tel: +91-022-28872741
Email: yoursfrankly@rediffmail.com
 
 

* The CED scholar is a human rights activist taking keen interest in Adivasi struggles and Justice issues. As part of the Scholarship he visited, studied and documented the work of three organisations in Madhya Pradesh.   The organisations studied are:

Sarvodaya Press Service, Indore

Tawa Matsya Sangh, Kesla

Shramik Adivasi Sangathan, Betul