Adivasi Land Rights Struggles in South India

The highly heterogeneous Adivasi represent India''s de facto (but not de jure) indigenous peoples. As ethnic minorities Adivasis are not recognised as equal in their socio-cultural distinctiveness and as a result suffer widespread human rights violations and are the target of misguided development schemes. The most pressing issue is the loss of control over land as under the banner of national development Adivasi land is being opened up for resource extraction. Adivasis are literally thrown out of the forest which is integral to their indigenous identity while for centuries they were pushed to the margins by forces not dissimilar to those causing their dispossession and forcible assimilation in the 21st century. This book seeks to link anthropological with international law concepts on indigenous peoples'' land rights leading to the research question: Why are Adivasis being deprived of their land and can they benefit from the fact that indigenous peoples are being awarded more and more positive recognition in international law? Taking two case studies from South India it explores the relevance of human rights law to Adivasi resistance strategies against land alienation.