Meeting held to finalize ethnographic reports of 12 left-out communities of Sikkim

GANGTOK, (IPR): A high-level meeting to finalise the ethnographic reports of the 12 left-out communities of Sikkim was held on Saturday at SammanBhawan under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang-Golay.

The reports, aimed at securing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the concerned communities, were prepared by the Sikkim State High-Level Committee constituted by the State government.

In his address, the Chief Minister welcomed all participants and commended the committee for its rigorous research, extensive fieldwork, and sustained stakeholder consultations. He noted that the reports, developed after four rounds of committee meetings, in-depth field studies, and interactions with community elders, scholars, and subject experts, have reached their final stage.

The Chief Minister highlighted that, for the first time, a comprehensive ethnographic history of the 12 communities has been documented. These reports successfully fulfil all five criteria set by the 1965 Lokur Committee for inclusion in the ST list, namely, primitive traits, cultural distinctiveness, geographical isolation, economic backwardness, and shyness of contact. Additionally, they provide strong, evidence-backed responses to earlier queries raised by central ministries, including the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Registrar General of India.

Emphasising the State government’s longstanding political and social commitment, the Chief Minister said that these reports reflect a unified effort to address a deeply rooted historical demand. He further added that the documentation reinforces the inclusive Sikkimese identity and underscores the principle of unity in diversity.

Further, the Chief Minister outlined the next steps in the process. These include final compilation of the reports in the prescribed format for submission to the Government of India, and a final request to all 12 community organisations to review and submit any additions or suggestions within one week. Each report will also include a formal consent letter from the respective community organisation. Following this, the State government will initiate the procedures for seeking ST status recognition.

The Sikkim State High-Level Committee comprises distinguished national scholars, former administrators, eminent academics, and respected community leaders. As part of the consultation process, special interactions were held with State-level organisations of all 12 communities: Bhujel, Gurung, Jogi, Khas, KiratRai, KiratDewanYakha, Majhi, Mangar, Newar, Sanyasi, Sunuwar (Mukhia), and Thami.

Concluding the meeting, the Chief Minister highlighted the profound historical and cultural importance of the reports, emphasising that they serve as a valuable contribution to preserving the rich socio-cultural legacy of Sikkim’s indigenous communities while also enhancing the tapestry of India’s national heritage.

The meeting saw the presence of ministers and MLAs representing the 12 left-out communities, Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister, Dr Mahendra P Lama, secretary of the Social Welfare department,Sarika Pradhan, and senior officials from the department. Also in attendance were the nodal officers involved in the preparation of the ethnographic reports, members of EIECOs+1, and representatives from each of the 12 communities.