Land for whom? Assam's quiet crisis of displacement and dispossession

The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) has raised some concerns regarding the proposed amendments to the existing land laws in the State. The government was quick to react, claiming that there was no move to dilute the laws and the ongoing exercise is aimed at enhancing the protection to the land rights of indigenous and tribal people through a legislative framework of conclusive titles.

The proposed amendments stem from the recommendations of the Commission headed by Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma on the implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which have been accepted by the Government of Assam. A Land Governance Commission has been created to examine the requirement of amendment, revision, etc., of Land and Revenue State Acts and Regulations, various rules made under them, consider judicial pronouncements and later make suggestions and recommendations to the government.

One undoubtedly will have nothing to say if the intent is to update archaic colonial-era legal provisions and align them with present-day realities, while ensuring transparency, equity, and the protection of the land rights of indigenous and marginalised communities. The BK Sharma Committee has made significant recommendations to safeguard the rights of indigenous communities in Assam, particularly concerning land ownership and protection.

It included setting up land tribunals at the district level to address complaints related to the alienation of lands in tribal belts and blocks, identification of specific revenue circles where only "Assamese people" can own and possess land, and a time-bound programme to allot land pattas to Assamese individuals who have been occupying land for decades without legal documentation. Additionally, government land occupied by eligible Assamese people would be regularised.

The State government had committed to implementing 52 of the 67 recommendations, pertaining to land rights, language, and cultural preservation. But, action on ground has been slow, and there are reasons to doubt the government's intent.

By the time the recommendations are executed, transfer and fragmentation of the indigenous and community-owned land by manipulative market forces will continue. Land price inflation driven by outsider investment and speculative buying is effectively pushing indigenous people out of their own land.

Outsiders with capital are buying land in and around tribal areas, not only near expanding urban zones like Guwahati, Jorhat and Tinsukia, but also along the national and State highways in rural are-as. There are also reports that land brokers and developers use middlemen to skirt tribal land protections and "buy" land through proxy.

This has led to skyrocketing land prices, making it impossible for ordinary tribal or indigenous families to buy, retain, or reclaim land. This no longer is just an economic issue - it is a cultural, environmental and political crisis. If not addressed urgently, this quiet crisis, which is pushing indigenous communities to the brink, will lead to devastating consequences.