Every original inhabitant cannot be indigenous: RRAG Director Suhas Chakma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Every original inhabitant cannot be termed as “indigenous person”, stated the director of ‘Rights and Risks Analysis Group’ (RRAG) Suhas Chakma at a meeting organized by the Assam Government regarding the socio-economic Census of indigenous Muslims of Assam, here on Tuesday.

Addressing the gathering, Suhas Chakma said, “Under international law, tribal people whose social, cultural and economic conditions distinguish them from other sections of the national community, and whose status is regulated wholly or partially by their own customs or traditions or by special laws or regulations are identified as ‘indigenous’ people. It is on this legal premise that the Government of India had ratified the International Labour Organization’s Convention No.107 relating to the Indigenous and Tribal Populations on September 29,1958. “To term, every original inhabitant group as “indigenous” is nothing but the perversion of the term ‘indigenous people’. By this logic, Englishmen would be indigenous people of England and Germans would be indigenous people of Germany,” he added.

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