NAGPUR (Maharashtra, India): The problems of indigenous and tribal people of different countries in the world are quite similar and effort must be made to resolve them collectively, Paul Murphy, the Australian Consul General in Mumbai (India), said here on Thursday.
Addressing a select gathering of tribal representatives and activists during a visit to the office of the Organization for the Rights of Tribals (OFROT) in Nagpur, Murphy said
The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was making conscious effort to connect the Indigenous peoples in Australia with Indigenous peoples in other countries, he said. Indigenous people had inhabited Australia for the last 65,000 years, he pointed out. Although colonization had affected their traditions and culture in a major way, they had fought to get their rights back, he said.
The government of Australia was seeking to discuss, coordinate and cooperate on the issues that tribal people in Australia and India were facing, Murphy said. OFROT had been chosen for such coordination and discussion, he also said.
Replying to a question, Murphy said it was not true that the friction between the non-Indigenous and Indigenous populations in Australia had increased in recent times. (The question had referred to the disturbances during the Australia Day celebrations and the ANZAC Day ceremonies in Australia earlier this year and the opposition from Indigenous groups to the proposed Olympic Stadium in Brisbane.) Although the friction had not increased, there was still a need to sensitize the Australian people about the rights of the Indigenous people, Murphy told the audience.
The Australian government was committed to preserving the lifestyle, languages and culture of the Indigenous people in the country, he said. Murphy had a word of praise for the work being done by OFROT, and assured that efforts would be made to provide opportunities for trade and business in Australia for tribal entrepreneurs from India.
Earlier, Murphy and Ericka Sequeira, Policy and Visits Manager with the Australian Consulate-General in Mumbai, were accorded a traditional welcome upon their arrival at the OFROT office. Adv. Rajendra Maraskolhe, President of OFROT, made the introductory remarks and apprised Murphy of the organization’s work.
Maraskolhe said the organization had given a fight in the courts of law to ensure justice for tribal people, including their forest rights and recruitment in government offices, besides getting tribal candidates recruited to posts in government offices that had been occupied by non-tribal individuals on the basis of fake certificates.
Office bearers of the district units of OFROT in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra were present during the programme. These include Sopchand Sirsam and Ravi Salame (Bhandara), Vikay Kumare and Shankar Madavi (Chandrapur), Vaishnav Katange and Amit Tumdam (Gadchiroli), Dadarao Ingle and Samadhan Jawle (Akola), Ganesh Dakhore, and Bandu Kokate and Ram Jumde (Hingoli), besides office bearers of the local unit, including Nitesh Sidam, Baba Kumre, Mangala Masram, Dr. Sangita Bhalawi, G. M. Sakharkar, Vinod Daberao, Radheshyam Uike, Anil Kumre and Anil Pandamkar. Mahendra Uike conducted the proceedings, while OFROT Secretary Nandkishore Kodape proposed a vote of thanks.
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