Country: Bihar,India

Group: Santal

Date Finalized:10/02/2023

Team: Alicia Hernandez (lead) ,Amar Hammad, Ashley Thompson,Christina Saenz, Laura Pruett

Content Warning: Genocide, Lethal Violence

Approximate Time Period: 1500 BC-2016

The Santhals are the largest tribal group in India with a population of over 6 million people and they speak their own language “Santhali” (Encyclopedia.com, 2023). The Santal settled in the Chotanagpur region in Jharkhand sometime before the 10th century (Bandyopadhyay, pg. 14). Prior to British colonization, Santhals formed their village and farms based on their own indigenous socio-political organization and religion (Bhengra et al., pg. 5). 

 During the colonial period in 1765 the British pushed for access to Santal territory and resources (Bhengra et al., p. 7). This brought about the 1855 Santhal rebellion against British rule and resulted in the deaths of many Santhal and members of other tribal groups (Encyclopedia.com, 2023; Minority Rights Group, 1999). In 1880, the new local governors, because of the Bengal Regulations and stamp papers, annexed the land of the Santal community for mining or as landlords, forcing them out (Bandyopadhyay, M., pg. 41). The Indian government has made laws that resulted in the annexation of forest lands of the tribal groups, including the Santal (Bhengra et al., p. 10). The 1927 Indian Forest Act, 1980 Forest Conservation Act, and The Wildlife Protection Act, all restrict the use of forest that tribal groups use for subsistence, forcing them to abandon the land for other modes of subsistence (Bhengra et al., pg. 10). Notices given to Santhals in the village of Chatikocha to use their village, date as far back as 1895. In 1994, they received a notice that their lands were given to the Uranium Corporation India Limited (UCIL) for compensation; most tribal families refused. The Indian government classified the Santal community a Scheduled Tribe awarding the Santal limited autonomy and access to land as per the Santal Parganas Tenancy Act of 1949 (Encyclopedia.com, 2023). Then followed, January 27th, 1996, when UCIL backed by parliament and police, entered Chatikocha village without warning and bulldozed about 30 of their homes, leveled agricultural land, and desecrated sacred places of worship and graveyards (Minority Rights Group, 1999).

In 2000, political pressure by tribal groups, including Santhals, led to the creation of the state of Jharkhand (in southern Bihar). In 2008, the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act took place but still does not protect lands from annexation (Encyclopedia.com,2023). As recently as 2016, the Santal people in the town of Sahebganj, fought their eviction from protected lands by Rangpur Sugar Mill. The police clashed with Santal protests and burned their homes, this included three santal men deaths and the displacement of some people (Dhaka tribune, 2016). The Indian government is still awarding Santal lands to companies or other entities, forcing the Santal to leave (Dhaka tribune, 2016). The Santal tribe has yet to receive any kind of justice or reformation for any of the forced displacement or violence against their people or their land.

Data Quality: 3 – There is significant coverage in scholarly articles and books from unbiased international sources.

Sources

  1. Bandyopadhyay, M. (1999). Demographic consequences of non-tribal incursion in Chotanagpur region during colonial period (1850-1950). Social Change, 29(3–4), 10–46. Retrieved September 24, 2023. https://doiorg.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/10.1177/004908579902900403.
  2. Bhengra, Ratnker, C.R., Bijoy & Luithui, Shimreichon. (Sep. 1999). The adivasis of india. Minority Rights Group. Retrieved September 24, 2023. https://minorityrights.org/publications/the-adivasis-of-india-january-1999/.
  3. DhakaTribune.com. (2016, December 26). Displaced Santals observe Borodin in sorrow. Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved September 24, 2023.  https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/12733/displaced-santals-observe-borodin-in-sorrow.
  4. Encyclopedia.com. Santals, Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Retrieved September 24, 2023. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/santals.
  5. Madhumita Bandyopadhyay. (September 1999). Demographic consequences of non-tribal incursion in Chotanagpur region during colonial period (1850-1950). Sage Journals. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/004908579902900403
  6. Minority Rights Group. (1999, January). The Advasis of India. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=e64a5d775bb866fac096253a7aae8edab34c678
  7. Tewary, A. (2023, January 6). Now santhals of Jharkhand stake claim to Parasnath Hills; will launch protest from January 17. The Hindu. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/now-santhals-of-jharkhand-stake-claim-to-parasnath-hills-will-launch-protest-from-january-17/article66346788.ece
  8. Union of Catholic Asian Studies. (2016). Fighting the Eviction of Santal tribals. https://www.ucanews.com/gallery/fighting-the-eviction-of-santal-tribals/269