VICTORY FOR NILAMBUR ADIVASI LAND STRIKE

The land strike of adivasis of Nilambur of Kerala has ended after 314-days of hunger struggle.
The decision is based on the agreement made with the Malappuram Collector. The strike was ended
on the condition that 50 cents of land would be given to the landless tribal families within six
months. The land strike started months back against the ignorance of authorities towards the land
rights of Adivasi communities of Nilambur. In 2009, the Supreme Court gave a final verdict accepting
the demand of the tribals for the land. According to the order, the government has to give 538 acres
of land to the landless tribals of Nilambur. But the decision was kept under wraps by the forest and
tribal departments, despite the fact that the Supreme Court has clarified that there are 538 acres of
forest land to be distributed in Chaliyar, Chungathara and Nilambur regions.

Strike leaders Bindu Vailasery and Geeta Aravind were on hunger strike in front of Nilambur
ITDP office. About 200 families belonging to the Adivasi community mobilized in this land struggle.
Paniya, Naikka, Kuruma and Ala tribes from 18 tribal colonies in Akampadam, Edavanna, Parekkad
and Mailadi areas of Chaliyar panchayat joined protesting. ‘‘The government has identified 25
hectares of forest land for us. Yet they are ripping us off at 10 cents and 20 cents without paying as
claimed. We have to get our rightful land’’ the adivasi leader Bindu Vailasery said during the strike.
The adivasis have been following successive governments to get the forest land ordered by the
Supreme Court for years, but only 278 acres have been cleared by the forest department and
handed over to the revenue department. On the question of where is the rest of the land, the forest
department's stand was that it cannot be handed over as the land is crowded with trees.

"The government has identified 25 hectares of forest land for us in the district. However,
they are trying to limit us by paying 10 or 20 cents to 1000 applicants without giving them the land
they deserve. If this is allowed then we will never get our rightful land. We are 200 people who are
protesting now. We are going to hire now. We have to live by farming. The government should
provide land for it,'' say the tribals. On May 10, the tribals started a strike in front of the ITDP office.
Soon after, Malappuram Collector and Deputy Collector visited the protesters. The collector then
told the protesters that there was no land to give as demanded by the protesters. The protesters
said that ITDP officials and the government are saying that they are ready to return the existing land
for 20 cents.

The Government authorities who would rush to solve the issues of elite privileges however
ignored the strike continuously. The MLA of Nilambur constituency PV Anwar repeatedly made
comments like ‘‘the anti-government forces are behind the strike’’. He even challenged the strike
publically, saying ‘‘let’s see how long this goes’’. This statement comes from the racist mentality that
Adivasi communities are not capable for mobilizing for their own rights. However, the Adivasis faced
all this challenges and continued the strike for their constitutional rights. Short of fund and basic
needs including foods, those who are on strike today will go to work the next day. The amount
received is spent on the cause of the struggle. This was their life for several days. Human rights
activists A. Vasu(Grow Vasu) and Moyin Bappu had visited the strike and expressed solidarity.
Representatives of Progressive Youth Federation (Purogamana Yuvajana Prastanam) were also
present throughout the strike. After 314 days of the brave hunger strike, after discussion with the
collector the strike has ended on the condition that 50 cents of land would be given to the landless
tribal families within six months.