Mizoram Protests Forest Amendment: A Stand for Indigenous Land Rights

In a bold move, several civil society organizations in Aizawl took to the streets on Thursday to express their dissent against the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act (FCAA), 2023. The protest was held in front of Vanapa Hall, uniting all opposition parties except the BJP in an unprecedented show of solidarity.

The Joint Civil Society of Mizoram (JCM), leading the charge, argued that the FCAA poses a significant threat to the indigenous land rights. JCM convener Lalbiakmawia Ngente criticized the act as an infringement on constitutional provisions that protect Mizo customs and land ownership, specifically Article 371 G.

As tensions mount, the call for the Mizoram government to retract its acceptance of the FCAA grows louder. Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama emphasized that a special session to revisit the Act's adoption is at the government's discretion. The protest underscores a vivid debate over local versus central authority on forest management.

(With inputs from agencies.)