The Kerala Adivasi Forum, a tribal movement in the State, has urged political parties to make a declaration of rights to ensure the rights of tribespeople in the forthcoming local body elections in the State.
Speaking to mediapersons here on Sunday, Sreejith Munderi and Divya Panamaram, president and secretary of the organisation respectively, said that the political parties had favoured only forward communities among the tribal people such as Kurichiya and Mulla Kuruma sects so far.
They were yet to select candidates from vulnerable tribal communities such as the Paniya, Kattunayakka and Adiya tribes.
The political parties should consider giving proportional representation to all tribal communities in the election. All the local administrative bodies in the State should constitute special standing committees for the welfare of tribespeople and the chairman of the committee should belong to tribal communities, Ms. Divya said.
The utilisation of government funds for the welfare of the tribespeople should be on the basis of population in each wards. Special measures should be adopted to conserve and rejuvenate the tribal art forms and tribal medicine, she added.
They also raised demands such as effective implementation of Forest Rights Act; launching of new enterprises in the tribal sector to procure and market minor forest produces; start poverty alleviation schemes similar to Kudumbasree to empower tribal women; launch pre-primary schools in tribal language at all tribal hamlets to curb school dropouts; protect tribal burial grounds; and make all tribal colonies free from alcohol, for which all liquor outlets in tribal areas should be closed.
Ms. Divya said the organisation would support the political parties who would favour their demands.
