BHUBANESWAR: At Rayagada’s Niyamgiri hills, the Dongria Kondh tribals’ fight against mining and police cases could set the political discourse when electioneering picks up pace.
The Dongrias have threatened to boycott the ensuing twin elections unless pending criminal cases which they claim as ‘false’ are withdrawn. The cases are registered in four police stations in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
The tribals under the aegis of Niyamgiri Surakshya Samiti claimed the cases have been pending since 2007-2008 when they began their Niyamgiri Andolan.
They have been accused of offences like supporting Maoists, harassing police, participation in protests against mining, among other things.
Apart from closure of the criminal cases, the Dongrias are demanding cancellation of mines leases at Sijimali, Basangamali, Kodingamali, Mali Parbat, Maliguda and other blocks of the Niyamgiri hills.
“There are many in these villages including me who have false cases against them. There are villagers who have five to 10 cases pending against them. Whenever there’s a conflict in the area, we are picked up by police, harassed and then released. This has been going on ever since we began to fight for our jal, jungle, jamin,” said Krushna Sikaka, head of the samiti.
Dinja Jakesika, another member and a villager of Lakhpadar under Kalyansinghpur, said the police had in the past assured to close all the cases against tribals but has remained non-committal so far.
Alleging that they are caught between the Maoists and the police, the tribals said there is no government authority that stands in their favour which is why they have decided to boycott the polls unless their demands are met. “Besides, there are many villages atop the Niyamgiri hill which still do not have electricity, which affects our day to day lives and education of our children,” said a villager of Kalyansinghpur, Jogendra Wadaka.
Niyamgiri hill range, considered sacred by the Dongria Kondhs, is divided into Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.