Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Nov 23: The Tribal Development Council, A & N Islands has requested the Administration for Immediate shifting or relocation of 47 original families of Sri Lankan Tamil Settlers and their descendants from Tribal area to non-Tribal area on Katchal Island as that, according TDC, is severely affecting the traditional life and culture of tribal of Katchal Island.
In a letter e-mailed to the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the State Chairman, TDC, Mr. Rashid Yusoof claimed that there is a huge threat to the culture and traditional life of the Nicobarese tribes on Katchal Island.
In his letter, which is also shared with Andaman Sheekha by TDC, he said that this threat comes from the 47 repatriate families who were brought from Sri Lanka in the 1970s and settled on Katchal Island, Nancowrie Tehsil, Nicobar District. Today they number 240 families.
Mr. Rashid Yusoof added in his letter that the Nicobarese have very low levels of education, and highly innocent by nature. At the time of the Tamil Sri Lankan settlement, the Nicobarese were also not aware of the prevailing law and Andaman and Nicobar Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation (ANPATR 1956).
“The Katchal Tribal Council has made several requests to shift these non-tribal families to any other revenue villages/Islands. The Tsunami of 2004 had devastated much of tribal villages on West coast Katchal, where the majority of the tribal population had died. The surviving Nicobarese were shifted to Mildera Village in Katchal alongside the Sri Lankan repatriate families. Adjusting to the living style and values of non-tribals is very annoying and a great hindrance in the day to day life of tribal and culture. In this regard, the Tribal Council has had several correspondences with the UT Administration to relocate the Sri Lankan families from tribal area to non-tribal area. Accordingly, in 2003, NDA Govt. took the decision to shift the settlers to non-tribal area through a special package. But their shifting process is being delayed which may kindly be expedited,” Mr. Rashid Yusoof added.
He further pointed out that besides action by the Tribal council, the Katchal Settlers Association (representing the Sri Lankan repatriate families) as well as the then local Member of Parliament, A&N Islands, had made several correspondences from time to time with the UT Administration and Govt. of India as well for their shifting to Non-Tribal area.
“It also learnt that even the direction from the Hon’ble High Court Judgment in the year 2012 for their shifting within 6 months through a special shifting package but still require implementation. The UT Administration must take immediate action in shifting/resettlement of the above-mentioned settlers as this is very sensitive issue for the tribal. The re-settlement of these repatriate families is also a violation of the ANPATR of 1956 which is a serious threat to the tribal cultures and their traditional life, unless the existing repatriate families who occupy a major portion of land given by the govt. are not vacated immediately through a special shifting package,” Mr. Rashid Yusoof added in his letter.
