British-Era Forest Settlers Face Eviction in Assam; Rights Groups Cry Foul

The All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP) has urged the Assam government to halt the planned eviction of villagers residing in Nagaon district's Lutumari Longjap reserve forest. These families, settled under a British-era system known as taungya, are at risk of being displaced.

The taungya system was introduced by British colonial rulers in the mid-1800s, initially in Burma (now Myanmar), to reduce the cost of timber extraction and reforestation. Derived from Burmese words 'taung' (hill) and 'ya' (cultivation), it refers to an agroforestry method where farmers grow food crops alongside commercial tree saplings, primarily teak.

In a letter to Assam's Chief Secretary on June 17, the AIUFWP argued that residents of four taungya villages in the Nagaon Forest Division—Kandarpa Longjap, Padumoni, Hatijur, and No. 9 Kheroni—cannot be treated as ordinary encroachers on forest land. The union pointed out that evicting them would violate the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act of 2006 (FRA) and ignore the historical circumstances under which these villages were established.

The letter, signed by AIUFWP president Sokalo Gond, general secretary Roma, and executive committee member Raja Rabbi Hussain, was also sent to the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and other relevant departments.

The AIUFWP contended that the taungya system was created and administered by the Forest Department itself to settle families in forest areas in exchange for their labour in forestry operations. “The situation of the four taungya villages of Nagaon Forest Division clearly indicates that the Forest Department settled them, but later termed them encroachers. This is a gross violation of Article 21A of the Constitution of India that grants the right to life to its citizens and of the fundamental rights as granted to the citizens of this country,” the AIUFWP said.

The organisation also noted that the residents possess relevant documents, including taungya allotment papers and annual khiraji pattas (revenue-paying land settlement documents). Some families hold medals awarded during British campaigns in Burma against Japanese forces in World War II.

Appealing to the Assam government to direct forest authorities in Nagaon to grant relief to the taungya families, the AIUFWP cited the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to grant revenue status to 38 forest villages in six districts. “In these villages, only OTFDs (other traditional forest dwellers) reside, including those of the Muslim community,” the organisation said.