Conference wants tribals untouched in STF operations

The Hindu: ".A conference here to discuss the ``Woes of the Tribals in Tamil Nadu'' today urged the State Government to ensure that the on- going intensified 'Special Task Force' (STF) operations to nab the forest brigand Veerappan, did not affect the normal life of the tribals in the forest areas. The conference, organised by the CPI-affiliated ``Tamil Nadu Malaivaazh Makkal Sangam'', in one of its key resolutions pointed out that in the past several years, the operations to nab Veerappan had ``severely affected'' the normal life of the tribals living in Thalavadi, Bargur and Kuthiyalathur forest areas among others, with several cases ``foisted'' on innocent tribal people.

Earlier, inaugurating the Conference, Mr.Justice R.Rathnasamy, Member of the State Human Rights Commission, came down heavily on the revenue department officials for rejecting tribals' applications for community certificates, even on unthinkable grounds, such as the applicants not continuing to stay in the place of their forefathers. The TMC's Vice-President, Mr.K.Paramalai, bemoaned that despite a substantial sum of Rs.2300 crores having been spent by the State alone, excluding Central funds, during 1990- 2000 for the welfare of the scheduled castes and tribes, there was no marked improvement in their living conditions. "