World Tribal Day was observed in all enthusiasm and gaiety today in Manika in Latehar district today. Locals said the turnout of the tribal people was overwhelming. They came in their attire and spoke the language to be understood by all tribal or non tribal.
There were interesting and thoughtful placards like 'ek teer, ek kaman, sabhi Adivasi ek saman', jal, jungle, jameen ki loot, kisey ko bhi iski nahi chooth' etc.
It was the state convener of MGNREGA Watch James Herunj who in his speech outlined how the tribal face all the onslaughts on their own home land from where all nefarious efforts are made to throw them away. The gathering heard James in all seriousness.
Sources said the tribal today did not make any parade of pain that they every day undergo in their lives. They resolved to fight for their identity, their culture, their living and their existence. Tribal people narrated how their social bodies are conserving and protecting jungles from being plundered.
Tribal sees illegal stone mining as a direct and blunt attack on their very existence and it is rampant. Similarly the tribal people felt how there is an organised racket to transport young and minor tribal girls from here to big cities selling them false dreams, where these poor souls are made to live a sub standard life where their virginity is compromised with.
The theme of the World Tribal Day was to rise to save and protect the identity and existence of the tribal as crass commercialism and excessive marketing was jeopardising their lives.
Sources said displacement has become like a genetic disorder with the tribal as it is the tribal only who face the challenge of upsetting and uprooting.
Sources said the handy example is of the Mandal dam where 98 percent population that is going to be displaced is of the tribal only.
There is the decades old issue of Netarhat Field Firing Range in Latehar and Gumla districts where tribal are fighting against the setting up of this field firing range democratically and peacefully.
When this issue was with the Bihar government, it paid no attention to the cause of the tribal. Again when Jharkhand was born out of Bihar there is no change in the outlook and attitude of the successive governments in Jharkhand to get the tribal rid of this fireball of the field firing range.