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France 24
4 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Indigenous Indian village dismantled in the name of tiger protection
'How is it that people believe that we are the ones destroying wildlife … when we have taken care of the forest for ages and believe wildlife is part of us?' says our Observer Shivu, who is a youth leader within the Jenu Kuruba, an Indigenous people in India. He says this is the paradox at the heart of the conflict between his village and those who run the tiger reserve in Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka state, southwest India. Images sent to our team show men wearing the uniform of Karnataka police and Indian park rangers taking down a wooden shelter as several villagers protest. The incident took place the night of June 18, 2025, according to our Observer, who says that six large shelters – home to women and children – were destroyed. The villagers are accused of illegally settling in the national park. But for Shivu, the reverse is true: he believes the Jenu Kuruba should never have been forcibly displaced in the 1980s, when his ancestors' village was moved to develop the Bengal tiger sanctuary in Nagarhole. Back then, there was nothing to protect the rights of his people, who, like many of India's tribal or Indigenous communities (also known as "Adivasis"), were forced to leave their land. The Adivasis represent 8.6 percent of the Indian population overall, but make up 40 percent of forced displacements. Since 1947, more than 20 million Adivasis have been displaced to make way for development projects, including mining operations and the construction of roads and irrigation systems, along with the creation of national parks. India's Forest Rights Act was introduced in 2006. The aim was to help right the wrongs of the past by protecting the rights of Indigenous or tribal minorities, including the need to obtain their permission in order to build on their land. The next year, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples strengthened these rights globally. But though this legal framework exists, its respect and application remain precarious. Still, when Shivu and nearly 50 Jenu Kuruba families decided to return to and resettle in their ancestral village, Karadikallu Atturu Koli, last May, they based their actions on these laws. They began by seeking to bring proceedings against the Department of Forests, and when they didn't get a response, they decided to notify the government of their plans to settle there and move ahead with the action. 'We will live on this land or we will die on this land' However, since their return, the situation has become tense between the village and the park authorities, who want to push them back out. In a letter to the Forest Department, 70 local organisations standing in solidarity with the Jenu Kuruba denounce the presence of "over 120 paramilitary troops of the Forest Department, the State police, and the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) [that] have been deployed to intimidate members of the Jenu Kuruba tribe, with threats to forcibly evict them.' On June 18, 2025, after the Jenu Kuruba did not comply with the Forest Department's demand that they leave, the security forces attacked their homes. Shivu told us more: 'There were children, there were women, there were elderly people who were sleeping. We told [the security forces] that it's monsoon time and it's going to rain, and a lot of us might fall sick. It's against human rights if you take out these shelters, but they just did not listen, and they took away all the things that they destroyed. There is a situation of fear for families and children. They might come again and forcefully evict us, but we have also decided that come what may, we will live on this land or we will die on this land.' Shivu had not yet been born when his family was forced to leave their home in the name of the conservation of the Bengal tiger, a threatened species. For several generations, the families from his village worked in neighbouring coffee fields, returning every once in a while to their former home for religious ceremonies, such as holidays and funerals. The park authorities say that the village of Karadikallu Atturu Koli never existed, but Shivu said that he has discovered some vestiges. He also says that his people have been taking care of wild animals for generations: 'If we had not thought that animals, forest, and wildlife are equals, would they have seen tigers at all today? We don't see wild animals and the forest as part of our self-pleasure. It is not for extracting profit. It's because we think they are part of us. All of this was done without the consent of our people. So how can this be called a tiger reserve? This is our home, our ancestral land.' 'It is about money and tourism, more than it is about the protection of the forest and the wildlife' The Jenu Kuruba constantly come up against the same argument from the forest authorities, who say that human presence hurts flora and fauna. And yet, many tourists come to the Nagarhole reserve. Sophie Grig is the Asia Campaigns Director with the NGO Survival International, which fights for the rights of tribal people. She says the situation in Nagarhole is a form of "green colonialism', a term theorised to define a particular approach to conservation during the colonial era in Africa: 'This is in the colonial model of fortress conservation. It's a model that basically says, 'We need to protect these areas for animals and wildlife,' which means, 'We have to kick out the Indigenous people who live there.' The mentality of the conservation business is, 'We are the experts from outside and we know best, and these people are backward and primitive, and they cannot be trusted with the forest; they will cut it down.' That's always been the argument. But at the same time, they welcome tourists. A lot of it is about money and tourism, more than it is about the protection of the forest and the wildlife. Because [tourists] have been programmed to expect these places to be empty of people, they complain if they see a cow or a goat or a village because it's not what they're expecting. We see the same in Africa.' In India, more than 600,000 people who lived in the forests have been displaced so that reserves or national parks can be set up. These expulsions, which began with the adoption of the national policy of conserving the tiger back in 1973, continue all these years later. A 2024 report counts more than 550,000 people who were evicted from the country's 55 reserves by the authorities working on tiger conservation in 2021 alone. The Nagarhole tiger reserve and the Indian Forest Department did not respond to our request for interview. However, on its website, the reserve mentions the rehabilitation of 45 tribal sites. According to Survival International, the government committee that's charged with deciding whether or not the forest rights will be recognised rejected the request to resettle Shivu's village on May 22. The Jenu Kuruba have 60 days to appeal the decision. 'It's a violation of the forest rights that they tried to kick them out and dismantle their houses while this appeal process is still ongoing,' Grig said. 'Every step of the way, the Jenu Kuruba's rights have been violated.'
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
As monsoon sets in, adivasis of Nagarhole plan to start constructing houses
With the monsoons setting in, Jenukuruba tribal, who re-entered the forests of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve almost a month ago 'to reclaim their ancestral land', said they will begin construction of houses. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, J.A. Shivu, leader of the Nagarhole Adivasi Jammapale Hakku Sthapana Samiti, said, 'We held a gram sabha on May 20, where it was decided that we would start constructing houses. Individual forest rights surveys have already been done for the 52 families who re-entered the forest, and therefore, we know the plots that have been surveyed. So, we will start constructing the houses there, since the rains have arrived.' Case to be filed The tribal leaders also said that they are planning to file a case against the Forest Department and panchayat officials under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for withholding the rights of the people and dragging their feet on the forest rights claims raised by adivasis under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006. It was a month ago that 150 tribal people entered the Nagarhole forests as a mark of protest against the delay in granting rights. Officials of the Karnataka Forest Department and the Karnataka State Tiger Protection Force (STPF) attempted to prevent this move, and tensions have been brewing in the regions since. 'The Forest Department and tiger protection force have been continuously trying to evict us out of our ancestral lands. They attempted to bring down the sacred structures we built. There were many instances where in the middle of the night they tried to bring down the three structures in which we are collectively living now,' Mr. Shivu alleged. A long wait According to Community Networks Against Protected Areas, the forest dwelling communities of Nagarhole were evicted in 1985 after it was declared a wildlife sanctuary. The indigenous population were subsequently forced to work as bonded labourers in coffee plantations. After the FRA came into effect in 2006, the tribals applied for their forest rights in 2009, and have been waiting for 16 years for the officials to act upon it. 'What has happened since 2006 has been a complete denial of those rights and a return from the promise that was made under the Forest Rights Act,' said Lara Jeswani, lawyer at Bombay High Court. She said that out of the more than three lakh claims, only 15,000 claims of individual rights had been decided. Political ecologist Nitin D. Rai alleged that adivasis were bearing the brunt of what the State needs to do to meet its financial and developmental obligations. 'Denial of forest rights comes directly from the (government's) need to increase the tiger numbers so that they can show they are doing very well on the conservation front and therefore cannot be questioned of diversion of forests and infrastructural development,' he said.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Time of India
Bengaluru's 'good thief', who stole over Rs 22 lakh gold, says he did this to fund 20 school kids' education
In a revelation that seems lifted from a crime thriller, Bengaluru police were taken by surprise when a 35-year-old serial housebreaker claimed he resorted to theft not for personal enrichment, but to fund the education of underprivileged school and college students, reported TOI. The accused, identified as Shivu alias Shivarappan from Begur, was recently arrested by the Byadarahalli police along with his accomplices Anil and Vivek. The trio is linked to a series of house break-ins across the city's west division, with Shivu alone facing charges in at least 11 cases, according to the report. Reason behind the crimes: Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. When police finally caught up with Shivu, he said: "I used the money to pay the fees of 20 poor students studying in schools and colleges," Shivu claimed. His 'Robin Hood-style' justification was met with disbelief, but not outright dismissal. "We've heard all kinds of stories from arrested thieves, but this one was unusual. He said he was moved by the plight of families in his locality and decided to use the stolen money to pay fees. Shivu claims to have spent around Rs 14 lakh on students' education; we are verifying his claims," an investigating officer told TOI. What did the police recover? Police managed to recover around 260 grams of gold stolen by the trio, a portion of which was traced to sales made in Tamil Nadu. However, another Rs 14 lakh, allegedly used by Shivu to fund education and buy vehicles, remains untraced. Live Events According to his statement, Shivu earned around Rs 22 lakh by selling the stolen gold. Apart from funding students, he claimed to have bought two autorickshaws — each costing Rs 4 lakh — for his two aides. In another twist, Shivu told police he had once considered suicide due to the shame and burden of his criminal lifestyle . "But when I saw many students were struggling to pay fees, I found a new purpose. I decided to help them, even if it meant breaking the law," he allegedly said. Police, however, are proceeding with caution. "We're not sure if he's telling the truth or trying to earn sympathy," said a senior officer. "Often, thieves come up with emotional narratives once they're caught. We will dig deeper to ascertain the facts. Regardless of his motive, a crime has been committed."
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Time of India
‘Robin Hood' burglar in Bengaluru claims he paid students' fees with booty
Bengaluru: In a twist that sounds straight out of a crime drama, police were left baffled when a 35-year-old serial housebreaker claimed he turned to crime not for personal gain, but to support the education of school and college-going students hailing from poor families. The accused is Shivu alias Shivarappan , a resident of Begur. He was arrested by Byadarahalli police along with accomplices Anil and Vivek recently. The trio was involved in a string of house break-ins in the city's west division, with at least 11 cases registered against Shivu alone. When police finally caught up with Shivu, he said: "I used the money to pay the fees of 20 poor students studying in schools and colleges," Shivu claimed. His 'Robin Hood-style' justification was met with disbelief, but not outright dismissal. "We've heard all kinds of stories from arrested thieves, but this one was unusual. He said he was moved by the plight of families in his locality and decided to use the stolen money to pay fees. Shivu claims to have spent around Rs 14 lakh on students' education; we are verifying his claims," said an investigating officer said. Police managed to recover around 260 grams of gold stolen by the trio, a portion of which was traced to sales made in Tamil Nadu. However, another Rs 14 lakh, allegedly used by Shivu to fund education and buy vehicles, remains untraced. According to his statement, Shivu earned around Rs 22 lakh by selling the stolen gold. Apart from funding students, he claimed to have bought two autorickshaws — each costing Rs 4 lakh — for his two aides. In another twist, Shivu told police he had once considered suicide due to the shame and burden of his criminal lifestyle. "But when I saw many students were struggling to pay fees, I found a new purpose. I decided to help them, even if it meant breaking the law," he allegedly said. Police, however, are proceeding with caution. "We're not sure if he's telling the truth or trying to earn sympathy," said a senior officer. "Often, thieves come up with emotional narratives once they're caught. We will dig deeper to ascertain the facts. Regardless of his motive, a crime has been committed."
Time of India
18-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
'Take action to mitigate challenges of Jenu Kurubas'
MYSURU: In a significant relief to the 52 Jenu Kuruba families of Karadikallu Atturu Kolli , a tribal hamlet located inside the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the Union ministry of tribal affairs directed the tribal welfare department of Karnataka, to take necessary actions to mitigate the challenges faced by the community. This hamlet is situated in Ponnampet taluk of Kodagu district, 90 kilometres from the district headquarters of Madikeri. Since the first week of May, these 52 families returned to their original haadis inside the Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. They are seeking rights on their ancestors' land as per the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights ) Act, 2006. The forest department earlier asked the tribals to leave the haadi. However, the tribal families are demanding land rights under the FRA. According to the Union govt's directive, it asked the state level monitoring committee to monitor the process of recognition and vesting of forest rights and resolve such field-level problems. Consequently, the representation is being forwarded to the state govt to take actions that will mitigate the challenges faced by the community. According to the activists, all Jenu Kuruba families are now staying inside the tiger reserve. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Tribal welfare department secretary Randeep D informed, "We will first ask the District Level Committee (DLC) under DC to submit a report for further necessary action," he said. Jenu Kuruba community leader Shivu said that on May 20, a gram sabha under the forest rights act will be held where the decision on the land rights of the Jenu Kuruba community members will be decided. "We will seek the opinion of our ancestors on our future course of action," he explained. "Out of 10 makeshift huts we built, the forest department demolished four. Now we are staying in three huts while the rest of the huts are dedicated to our gods and ancestors. The forest department are deputed here to monitor us," he said. "Recently, they installed a board warning that trespassing inside the tiger protected area is a crime," he added.
