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Bengaluru: The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its observations on August 25 has recommended that India suspend all infrastructure projects on the Great Nicobar island until detailed studies covering various aspects are completed, citing concerns about the adverse impacts of the projects on the indigenous communities on the island.

It also recommended that India review its legislative framework such as the Forest Rights Act since it is not effectively recognising or protecting the rights of indigenous communities in the country, including the tribal communities on Great Nicobar island.

Suspend Great Nicobar projects

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is a panel of 18 independent rights experts that monitors compliance with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the 182 countries that are party to it. India ratified the Convention in 1968.

In response to the 20th and 21st periodic reports submitted by India, the Committee gave observations after meetings conducted on August 11 and 12, and adopted these observations on August 19. In its communication to India dated August 25, it listed these observations which include several concerns regarding racial and ethnic discrimination in India.

Among its many recommendations under a section on indigenous and tribal peoples was that India suspend the infrastructure projects proposed on the Great Nicobar Island (in the Andaman and Nicobar group of islands) until detailed studies covering various aspects had been completed.

Though the Union government has said that it has undertaken an environmental impact assessment study for the........

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