Port Blair, Mar.16: The two day National Seminar on ‘Socio-Legal Rights of Tribals in Andaman & Nicobar Islands: Issues and challenges’ got underway in the Andaman Law College here today. The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Mr. Anindo Majumdar, who is also the Chairman, Andaman & Nicobar Islands Legal Education Society, inaugurated the seminar as the chief guest.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the chief guest reiterated the Administration’s commitment in protecting the rights and freedom of the tribal community in the Islands. Policy was formulated under PAT Act for protecting and safeguarding the socio-economic and cultural interest of the tribal people in the Islands, he said. However, much more study is required to understand the needs of the tribes and formulate specific policy according to their needs, he said.
About socio-legal rights of the tribal, the Chief Secretary said that more effort is needed to sensitize the tribal about their legal rights. Laws are framed to bring in just and humane society to which the tribals are part; and we need to work for protecting their safety, social and economic interest, he said.
Referring to tribal languages, the Chief Secretary said that language is an identity of a particular community. Once it is lost, the identity of the community vanishes; hence it needs to be preserved. There is nothing wrong in learning other languages but one’s own mother tongue should be sustained, he said.
In his presidential address, the Vice Chancellor, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Prof. (Dr.) R Venkat Rao highlighted the objectives of the seminar and invited all the participants to put their heads together and raise issues pertaining to the tribal community and try to find solution to those issues. “We need to cultivate justice for a secure and peaceful environment to protect the rights of the tribal and to allow them live in dignity”, he said.
The Former Vice Chancellor, TNDALU & Senior Professor of Law, National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, Prof. (Dr.) V Vijayakumar stressed the need to understand the culture of a particular tribal community and formulate peaceful and good governance for the protection of the Islands’ tribes. He also suggested for deliberation on tribal identity as a group, right to development, self determination, equality and protection, during this seminar, which according to him will lead to proper planning for the welfare and development of the aboriginal tribes of the Islands.
Prof. (Dr.) T Subramaniam Naidu, Director (Retd.), Center for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Pondicherry University, said that each tribe is unique and their character need to be studied so as to address the issues pertaining to their fundamental rights, while Prof. (Dr.) Anvita Abbi, (Padma Shree), Professor, Department of Linguistics, Simon Fraser University, Canada suggested for inclusion of the Nicobarese language in the Indian Language Schedule. She also lauded the peaceful and friendly behavior of the Nicobarese tribe.
Prof. (Dr.) Vishvajith Pandya of the Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication, Gujarat, Dr. S A Awaradi, Director ANTRI and Dr. N Francis Xavier, Principal JNRM were among others, who addressed the inaugural function.
In his welcome address, the Principal, Andaman Law College, Dr. Saundarya Pandey briefed about the Law College’s initiative in organizing the seminar and called it the first such seminar of national significance by the College. He expressed hoped that the students of the College will draw benefit from it.
The seminar, which will continue tomorrow, will conclude with a valedictory function to be held tomorrow afternoon.
