Mass Rally on 15th December2014 by Forest Dwelling communities - Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

Establish Constitutional Rights of Forest Dwelling Working People !

                  Long live the Victory Historic Struggles of Forest People 

On the occasion of 8th year of Forest Rights Act passed in our Parliament 

Thousands of forest people are gathering together to challenge the Govt for effective implementation of the Act and safeguard all Constitutional rights of the forest people

 

on 15th December 2014

                                                                Many people's organizations participating in this mass protest.

 

Pl join in large numbers.

 Demands

• Implement the Forest Rights Act 2006 effectively with political will across the country. The forest rights and the developmental rights of the forest people should be addressed immediately.

• The community rights of the forest people should be granted according to the Act to the forest people. 

• The rights on Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) to be given to the forest people and formation of the cooperatives of the forest people should start immediately according to the September 2012 amendment of the Rules of the FRA. The control of Forest Department and corporation on the NTFP worth of millions of rupees should be abolished completely to bring out forest people from abject poverty. 
  

• The Provision of 75 years for other forest dwellers is Unconstitutional and should  be amended. 
•  The Forest Department and Forest corporation should be ousted from the forest who is also responsible for the historical injustice against the forest people since colonial days.

• The Indian Forest Act ( 1927) should be abolished, it is in contradiction with FRA and Indian Constitution Art. 39b. IFA 1927 was framed by British to colonize our forest to exploit the vast resources for establishing colonial Eminent Domain. It is also in contravention with Art no. 13 of Part I of fundamental rights section of Indian Constitution that says that "All laws in force in the territory of India immediately before the commencement of this Constitution, in so far as they are inconsistent with the provisions of this Part, shall, to the extent of such inconsistency, be void". IFA 1927 also violates Art no 39 B of the Indian Constitution. 

 

• Programmes should be initiated to empower forest women, their role, control and participation in all forest protection, conservation, management,procurement, development and livelihood needs to be enhanced. As women are more close to nature and for them nature is source of heritage and livelihood and not revenue earning source. 

 

• All false criminal cases and forest cases filed by forest department and police on forest people especially adivasi/dalit/poor section/women should be immediately withdrawn to end their criminal history falsely built by the state. 

 

• All the forest village/taungiya villages,as per the provision of Sec 3(h) in F.R.A should be converted into revenue village. The only state that has converted the forest village into revenue village is UP, village Surma, Golbojhi, Dudwa National Park, Distt Lakhimpur Khiri and various other villages. This example should be replicated in other states too. 

 

• The multinational & Indian companies and especially mining and power companies violating the FRA should be booked under criminal Act and stringent punishment should be imparted for irreparable destruction to our environment. 

 

• The Big dams, super power projects to corporates such as Jaypee, Birla, Reliance, Lanco, Adani, Mittal, Tata, Essar and others needs be scrutinized and the projects that are not environmentally viable should be cancelled and heavy penalties to be imposed on these companies and groups of companies.  

 

• The PTG, nomadic tribes and other vulnerable groups in the forest area should be given special protection under FRA and their rights should be recognized cross districts and states. The process of recognition of their rights has not started till now that is a shame on the part of the government. 

 

• Ensure labour rights and labor standards in the forest areas; ensure social security, Guarantee a Living Wage for All,Make non-payment of the Minimum Wage a Cognisable Offence,Ensure Equal Wage for Equal Work,Ensure Universal Health care and an Indexed Pension for All,Protect Livelihood Rights for all, Regularise All Contract Workers - Regularise All Honorarium Workers,Guarantee an allowance equaling half the minimum wage to all unemployed working people

   

 

• The Indian Govt. should stop functioning as agent of corporate and should focus on the implementing the rights of the forest people as guaranteed by Indian Constitution, U.N. Human Right Charter and I.L.O Convention no.169 to safeguard the environment and democracy .

                 Long live the unity of forest people and all working people!

 

ALL INDIA UNION OF FOREST WORKING PEOPLE

-- 

Delhi Contact : c/o NTUI, B - 137, Dayanand Colony, Lajpat Nr. Ph IV, NewDelhi - 110024

Lucknow contact : 222, Vidhayak Awas, Aish Bagh Road, Rajinder Nagar, Lucknow, UP

Dehradun Contact : c/o Mahila Manch, E block,Saraswati Vihar, Near Homeguard off, Kargi, Dehrdun, Uttarakhand. 

-- 

Ms. Roma ( Adv)

Dy. Gen Sec, All India Union of Forest Working People(AIUFWP) /

Secretary, New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
Coordinator, Human Rights Law Center
c/o Sh. Vinod Kesari, Near Sarita Printing Press,
Tagore Nagar
Robertsganj, 
District Sonbhadra 231216
Uttar Pradesh
Tel : 91-9415233583, 
Email : romasnb@gmail.com
http://jansangarsh.blogspot.com