Golay calls for ethnographic report on 12 left-out communities in Sikkim

PRAKASH ADHIKARI, EOI, GANGTOK, AUGUST 3, 2024 : Chairing a meeting at Samman Bhavan in Gangtok on Friday, Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang updated the stakeholders on the progress in the issue of the inclusion of the 12 left-out indigenous ethnic communities of Sikkim in the scheduled tribe category and prepared strategies for taking it forward. 

The Chief Minister in his address provided an overview of the efforts of the State Government to resolve the issue and emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach. He acknowledged a recent communication from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and viewed this as a positive development in the ongoing efforts. 

The Chief Minister urged the representatives of the 12 left-out communities to collaborate and work together towards achieving the shared goal of tribal recognition. He asked the representatives to prepare an ethnographic report of the communities. This would be crucial in substantiating their claims and facilitating the recognition process.

The meeting began with a comprehensive presentation delivered by Secretary Social Welfare Sarika Pradhan of Sikkim, providing an extensive review of the status of the demand for tribal recognition, highlighting the historical and cultural significance of the 12 communities.
She elaborated on the origin of their demands, an examination of the historical and cultural context, and the evolving administrative and social dynamics that had led to their current status. 

She reviewed the previous efforts made to address the issue, including the correspondence between the Social Welfare Department and the Centre Government at the guidance of the Chief Minister. The review covered the progress made, challenges encountered, and the steps taken towards resolving the issue.

The meeting included an open house discussion, where representatives from the 12 indigenous communities presented their suggestions and concerns. The discussions focused on formulating actionable plans to ensure the inclusion of these communities in the official tribal list. 

The key topics included the development of a comprehensive ethnographic report, enhancing community engagement, and outlining a clear process for presenting their case to the relevant authorities.