| THE STATE OF THE TIGER | |
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National Update - Bringing People and Wildlife Together
The alienation of local communities living in and around protected areas is widely recognised as one of the most important problems to solve if India is to see the tiger survive through the next century. While destruction of habitat by industrial concerns is a key factor in the loss of habitat, the failure of the government agencies to regenerate and improve degraded agricultural land has led to the rural population turning to the remaining forests for subsistence. In many cases the undoubted need of these people has been exploited by businessmen for their own profit. Frequently they have driven a rift between human rights activists and conservationists. The needs of local people are often more consistent with the needs of conservation than commercial exploitation. Many communities exposed to commercialisation of the environment now suffer from polluted water, floods, landslides and lack of basic food previously provided by the forests. Politicians have further exploited this situation by antagonising local communities, promising development and improved lifestyles in exchange for votes, when often the only people who benefit are the wealthy and influential. While modern conservationists recognise that mistakes were made in the past with the way local communities were treated, there is still a need to ensure that over-grazing and unsustainable use of forests is prevented for the greater good, not just of wildlife, but also of humanity. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that if it were not for the traditional values and lifestyles of India's rural population and their respect for wildlife, the tigers and forests would have disappeared long ago. In April 1997, in a positive move, conservationists and human rights groups met at Sariska Tiger Reserve to try and bridge the gap. Fundamental principles were agreed by the group, including the need to completely protect threatened wildlife species and ensure that some areas are protected as inviolate areas (core zones, sacred groves etc.) It was also agreed that forcible displacement of local communities is unacceptable and that local communities have a "fundamental right to resources necessary for living and livelihood, along with a responsibility to conserve these resources in protected areas and other natural habitats, without interference from market forces". Those present at the Sariska meeting were clear that conservation of wildlife requires the full and equal participation of local communities from the planning to implementation stages and that social activists and conservationists should unite in their opposition to destructive development projects. The agreement was signed by leading environmentalists and human rights leaders including Bittu Sahgal and Medha Patkar. |
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