-The Indian Express Guwahati: First she was gangraped and almost beaten to death. Now this 16-year-old girl is facing numerous forms of harassment. After her family decided to shift her to another town, at least one school denied her admission in the new location. The family is also under pressure to withdraw the case, according to rights activists. "There seems to be no end to the woes of this hapless girl who...

-The Times of India COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu government's move to declare Sathyamangalam Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve drew strong protests from tribal groups and human rights activists, who said the administration has failed to address survival and livelihood issues of over 10,000 traditional forest dwellers in the former Veerappan lair. They said the notification was illegal as it was not issued in conformity with the Forest Rights Act and...

-New Indian Express The Milita Dalit Mahamancha, a federation of pro-dalit organisations in the State, on Thursday demanded strict implementation of laws to stop growing atrocities against dalit, tribals and women in the State. The members of Mahamancha took out a rally demanding that violation of human rights in the Posco area should be stopped and police prevented from going there. Criticising the State Government for ignoring the rights of dalits and tribals,...

Groups from across India gathered in Delhi recently to assess the Forest Rights Act’s journey since 2006. The law is often dubbed as ‘landmark’ because it ended the age-old illegality surrounding communities living in forest areas by entitling them to individual and community land title. It also went beyond the colonial paradigms of the forest bureaucracy to recognise community efforts at protecting and preserving forests. Numerous groups and individuals working...

-The Indian Express Raipur: Bastar saw a major development recently with thousands of tribals joining a rally organised by the CPI and Aadivasi Mahasabha last fortnight. Demanding implementation of the Schedule VI of the Constitution in Bastar, tribals began their padyatra from Chhattisgarh’s southernmost tip in Konta on March 1 and ended it at the division headquarters on March 15. They said that the administration always ignored their requirements and the...