New Delhi Programme

Programme

Monday, March 11th

Welcome

9.30 Welcome by Ms Maja Darawula, Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), New Delhi.

9.45 Welcome by Mr Sawaiyan Bhubeneshwar, Coordinator, Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP), New Delhi and Consultant, Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Project, CPSU.

10.00 Note on Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Coolum, Australia, March 2002, by Mr Richard Bourne, Director, Indigenous Rights Project.

10.15 Background to the Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Project by Dr. Helena Whall, Indigenous Rights in the Commonwealth Project Officer, CPSU.

10.30 Introductions by Speakers

11.00-11.30 ~ Coffee ~

Session 1. Indigenous and Tribal Rights in India - an overview

Chair: Prof. V. Xaxa, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi.

11.30 Dr Ram Dayal Munda, Chief Advisor, Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP), former Vice-Chancellor, Ranchi University, Jharkhand.

India's Protection and Promotion of Indigenous and Tribal Rights - Obligations under ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, 1957 (No. 107).

12.00 Mr Sawaiyan Bhubeneshwar, Coordinator, Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP), New Delhi.

An Overview of the Fifth Schedule and the Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.

12.30-1.00 Discussion

1.00-2.00 ~ Lunch ~

Session 2. Indigenous and Tribal Politics, Development and Identity - Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India

Chair: Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, Chief Advisor, Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP).

2.00 Mr Raja Devasish Roy, Chief of the Chakma Peoples, Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh and Bangladesh Representative of CAIP.

Indigenous Rights in Bangladesh: Land Rights and Self-Government in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

2.20 Ms Wiveca Stegeborn, PhD Candidate in Cultural Anthropology, University of Tromsoe, Norway.

Indigenous Rights in Sri Lanka: Assimilation of the Wanniyala-Aetto.

2.40 Mr Pankaj Sekhsaria, Kalpavriksh, Pune.

3.00-3.30 Discussion

3.30-4.00 ~ Tea ~

Session 3. Indigenous Politics, Development and Identity in Malaysia

Chair: Mr C. R. Bijoy, Activist, National Front for Tribal Self-Rule.

4.00 Ms Claudia Lasimbang, Coordinator, Community Organising Programme, Partners of Community Organisations (PACOS).

Indigenous Peoples of Sabah: Traditional Resource Management.

4.30 Dr. Colin Nicholas, Coordinator, Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, (COAC).

Indigenous Politics, Development and Identity in Peninsular Malaysia: The Orang Asli and the Contest for Resources.

5.00-5.30 Discussion

~ Close ~

Tuesday, March 12th

Session 4. Indigenous and Tribal Politics, Development and Identity in India - a regional perspective

Chair: Dr. R Vashum, India Social Institute, New Delhi, and and Convenor of Naga Peoples Forum, Delhi, Editor, Naga Journal of Indigenous Affairs.

9.30 Mr C. R. Bijoy, Activist, National Front for Tribal Self-Rule.

Indigenous Rights in the State of Kerala, South India.

9.50 Dr. Walter Fernandes, North Eastern Social Research Centre, and Former Director of the Programme for Tribal Studies, Indian Social Institute.

Indigenous Rights, Identity and the Land Question in the State of Assam, North Eastern India - with a special focus on gender issues.

10.10 Dr. R K Nayak, President, National Institute of Social Work and Social Science, (NISWASS), Indian Administrative Service, IAS, (Retd.)

Identity, Development and Politics of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of Eastern India: Some Reflections.

10.30-11.00 Discussion

11.00-11.30 ~ Coffee ~

Session 5. Indigenous and Tribal Politics, Development and Identity in India - a regional perspective (contd.)

Chair: Dr. Colin Nicholas, Coordinator, Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, (COAC).

11.30 Mr Rahul Ramagundam, Activist, Ekta Parishad, Madhya Pradesh, and Author, 'Defeated Innocence'.

Adivasi Assertion, Land Rights and Ekta Parishad in Madhya Pradesh.

12.00 Dr. R Vashum, India Social Institute, New Delhi, and Convenor of Naga Peoples Forum, Delhi, Editor, Naga Journal of Indigenous Affairs.

Challenges and Prospects of the Peace Process in Nagalim (Nagaland).

12.30 Discussion

1.00-2.00 ~ Lunch ~

Session 6. Indigenous and Tribal Assertion - cases from newly formed states in India

Chair: Mr J. Bara, Jawaharlal Nehru University.

2.00 Mr Ratnekar Bhengra, Convenor, Jharkhandis Organisation for Human Rights (JOHAR).

The Struggle for Autonomy in Jharkhand - past and present.

2.30 Dr. Vijay Kapur, Professor of International Relations, Seattle University, US, Former member of Indian Administrative Service - paper presented by Dr. K. C. Reddy, Professor of Economics, Andhra University.

Forest Land Afforestation and Erosion of Tribal Rights - The Jharkhand Experience.

3.00-3.30 ~ Tea ~

Session 7. Indigenous and Tribal Assertion - cases from newly formed states in India (contd.)

Chair: Dr Prakash Louis, Executive Director, Indian Social Institute, New Delhi.

3.30 Mr Bineet Mundu, Coordinator, Delhi Forum, New Delhi.

Challenges to Traditional Customary Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

3.50 Dr Ilina Sen, Rupantar, Chattisgharh - paper presented by Mr Suresh Sahu, Rupantar, Chattisgharh.

The Tribal situation in Chattisgharh - Indigenous systems of food security and women's role in maintaining these.

4.10 Dr K. C. Reddy, Professor of Economics, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, and Director, Centre for SAARC Studies.

4.30-5.00 Discussion

5.00 ~ Close ~

6.30 Reception at India International Centre

Wednesday, March 13th

Session 8. Lobbying the Commonwealth of Nations: the Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples (CAIP) and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), 2003.

Chair: Mr Rahul Ramagundam, Activist, Ekta Parishad, Madhya Pradesh.

9.30 Mr Richard Bourne, Head, Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit (CPSU).

Lobbying the Commonwealth of Nations - the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Coolum, Australia, March 2002. Coolum Communique and Coolum Press Conference.

9.50 Ms Charlemagne Gomez, Programme Officer, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), New Delhi.

Lobbying the Commonwealth of Nations - the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) experience.

10.10 Mr Les Malezer, Coordinator, Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples (CAIP).

The Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples and CHOGM 2003. CAIP Press Releases at Coolum.

10.30 Mr Raja Devasish Roy, Bangladesh Representative, Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples (CAIP).

The Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples (CAIP) and South Asia.

11.00-11.30 Discussion

11.30-12.00 ~ Coffee ~

Plenary Session

Chair: Mr Les Malezer, Secretary of the Commonwealth Association of Indigenous Peoples (CAIP).

12.00-12.30 Ways Forward?

12.30-1.00 Recommendations for CHOGM 2003 and Drafting of Press Release.

1.00-2.00 ~ Lunch ~

~ Close ~

3.30-4.00 Press Conference