Adivasi leaders call for united struggles for the repeal of Forest Conservation Amendment Act

Tribal leaders call for united struggle to repeal 2023 Forest Conservation Amendment Act, which threatens to displace them from their habitat.

Leaders of various tribal associations called upon the tribal people to wage united struggles for the abolition of the 2023 Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, which is intended to ultimately displace them from their habitat.

They were speaking at the inaugural of the two-day All India Adivasi Convention being organised to demand repeal of the Forest Conservation Amendment Act, at Subbalakshmi Kalyana Mandapam at Railway New Colony here on Tuesday.

They said that the Lok Sabha had approved two Bills on July 26, 2023, which were going to deprive not only the rights of Adivasis but also have an adverse impact on the environment. The first Bill was to amend the 1980 Forest Conservation Act and the second was to amend the Biological Diversity Act, 2022.

They alleged that the Acts were aimed to oppress the Adivasis throughout the country and to loot mineral wealth.

All India Khet Mazdoor Kisan Sabha (AIKMKS) co-convener S. Jhansi said that the present amendment Act on Forest Conservation would make void the PESA Act Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, and the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, which were brought out following agitations by Adivasi people.

Adivasi leader Shanti Munda from West Bengal, who participated as the chief guest, called upon the large gathering to involve intellectuals in the struggle against the rulers, who were out to deprive them of their right on forest land. She recalled her association with the Naxalbari Andolan

Noted environmentalist Prafulla Samantray alleged that the Modi government was bent on handing over forests to corporate groups and drive out the tribal people from their habitat. He alleged that in Odisha, the Modi government and the State governments were already driving the tribal people from the forests by implementing the new Acts. He called for united struggles to defeat the ‘fascist forces’ in the 2024 general elections.