Interview with Mr. Raphael Kujur
The All Adivasi Students Association of Assam(AASAA) central vice president Mr. Raphael Kujur and chief organising secretary Mr. Bosco Chermako represented AASAA in United Nations working group on Indigenous populations held from 18th july 2005 to 22nd july 2005 at the office of the UN high commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, switzerland.
Joharadivasi.com took this opportunity to interview Mr. Raphael Kujur on UN meet.
Joharadivasi.com:
Tell us your experience with the other indigenous people of the world who were present at the UN meet?
Mr. Raphael Kujur:
The UN meet was my first experience to participate in such world meet and to tell our issues among the 300 participants of 103 countries. At first I thought our issues viz the government still treat us second class citizen by not granting the schedule tribe (ST) status was very far from the problems of other countries indigenous groups but when I attended the meet I was surprise to find similar issues like us were raised even indigenous of USA and Canada are still treated as second class citizen so also the indigenous people of Australia and other countries. So I did not feel shy to raise our issues also it encouraged and gave me more confident to speak when I found many speakers coming from developed countries were making mistakes and were interfered by the chairman. Moreover it was a great exposure for me to see the United Nations office and participate the same situated in the beautiful city of Geneva, Switzerland. It was good to meet people with new faces with different colourful indigenous dresses coming from various countries. The system of session was systematic as all the participants could have ear and microphones with immediate translation of the speaker was translated to the language he or she knows. Only the chairman interferes the speaker and no one else but their UN specialised agencies, official of observer states and media to take into account of the various issues that has been raised in the meet.
Joharadivasi.com:
How was the issue about the Adivasis of Assam on “Not granting the scheduling in schedule Tribe (ST)” was treated?
Mr. Raphael Kujur:
I raised the issues about the Adivasis of Assam on scheduling matters but at present i can’t say it, what way it has been treated as i like the other participants spoke and the paper was submitted earlier .our issue was raised for the first time and i think it need to be follow up in the next indigenous UN meet as the Nagas raised of sovereignty issues for the past decades in the UN forum after then the government of India was forced to invite them for talks so also the Bodo issue like granting Bodo territorial council was raised since last ten years but after much pressure the govt. of India has given them. I think our issues is like the same but one think is sure that the govt. of India has taken our issues cialis buy online in account for when I arrived in home town Dibrugarh there were intelligence branch officials directed from new delhi to give in details the statements I spoke in Geneva.
Joharadivasi.com:
Was there any reaction at the meeting, after hearing the sad fact of the Adivais of Assam?
Mr. Raphael Kujur:
As I said there was no immediate reaction at the meet .the meet conducted in such a way that intervention by the human rights to the concerned countries is sure after the meet for which there are also officials from observer states to take the issues in their respective states. Even the war in Iraq was raised by the Iraqis but had no immediate reaction.
Joharadivasi.com:
Have we progressed on any development after the UN buy drugs without prescription meeting?
Mr. Raphael Kujur:
There is no such progressed on any development after the UN meet but i could say i have placed our feet of issues in the world body and if we continue there will be lot of progress there are also funding agencies including world bank ready to fund for any indigenous development but we need to have NGOs registration with foreign contribution act (FCRA).
Joharadivasi.com:
Any message for our readers?
Mr. Raphael Kujur:
I think all Adivasi leaders, well wishers, and members should get exposure to such places so that our issues could go from grassroots to world highest place for this, money is not a matter but will is required as there is a saying where there is will there is a way. I hope for the coming session more participants may come from our side to participate.
Thank you very much.
Intervied by Livio Kujur (Webmaster joharadivasi.org) through email.
2 comments so far
This is really a very good and inspiring interview. Expecting more of such interviews in future.
Its hearty learning that AASAA in its 10 years of initial stage could streach it’s arms to such extend. It shows that ‘SHE’ will definitely light up the adivasis in global standard.
Posted by Mr. Pilantus Kujur on Monday, 05.28.07 @ 13:37pm |
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