06-Aug-2019
The Supreme Court has directed states that have not filed compliance affidavits on the matter of implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to do so within a fortnight. Wild Life First v/s Union of India –a batch of petitions filed in 2008 challenging the constitutional validity of the Forest Rights Act of 2006 came up…
05-Aug-2019
Adivasi human rights defenders Sokalo Gond and Nivada Rana have moved Supreme Court praying for justice for millions of forest dwellers, especially women, who have been denied forest rights, and now face the prospect of eviction from their traditional habitats. The duo have filed an intervention application in the ongoing case led by Wildlife First.…
24-Jul-2019
वनाधिकार आंदोलन की लगभग 40 वर्षीय नेता निवादा राणा चार बच्चों की माँ हैं। उन्होंने अपने ऊपर घातक हमले होने के बावजूद पूरी दृढ़ता के साथ संघर्ष को आगे बढ़ाने का संकल्प लिया है। जब वे हम पर वन्यजीवों को नष्ट करने का आरोप लगा रहे थे, तो मैं सब समझ रही थी; मैंने…
23-Jul-2019
Protests to defend provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, oppose proposed draconian amendments to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, and against the government’s antipathy towards the forest dwelling communities, erupted across India on July 22, 2019. More than 30,000 people participated in protests at various locations in different states including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh,…
19-Jul-2019
Public Hearing records grave incidents of atrocities on forest dwelling communities and argues for a rigorous implementation of the FRA 2006, a systematic and scientific mapping of land dubbed as ‘forests’, argues for a political programme for the implementation of the law and appointment of Court Commissioners to oversee this implementation. A public hearing…
17-Jul-2019
In the recently concluded two day national consultation of Land and Forest rights movement organised by Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan, it was declared that several Lands and Forest Rights Organisations will hold nationwide protest actions on the July 22nd against the Supreme Court order on eviction of Forest Dwelling Communities. The consultation voiced the pathos of…
15-Jul-2019
Villagers and forest dwelling people from as many as twelve villages in Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh (UP) gathered to commemorate the death anniversary of human rights defender Sokalo Gond’s son, Mithilesh Gond, on Sunday, July 14. Mithilesh died six years ago in a Hindalco hospital located in Renukoot, UP reportedly because of the negligence of the…
10-Jul-2019
Four national platforms of Adivasi and Forest dwellers’ organisations have written strong letters to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government on the issues of Supreme Court eviction order, amendments to the Indian Forest Act and large scale corruption in the name of afforestation and “development of mining-affected areas”. The platforms include Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya…
10-Jul-2019
Mahua, which has found mention in folk poetry, songs and stories is rightly called the “gift of Gods.” Flowering in summer, especially during March and April, the flowers provide respite to the lands and peoples stricken by drought and summers. These deciduous trees flower even as all other trees lie bare. It’s a revered tree…
14-Jun-2019
This is the story of Human rights defender Sokalo Gond who fights for the rights of her people, in Sonbhadra, a forested region of UP. She is one of the most important forces in the struggle for the implementation of forest rights act 2006 in Sonbhadra. Over the years, Sokalo has been working relentlessly with…