LAHA: Some 50 days after an ambitious literacy drive of the Kerala government brought them Out of the forests, the Malapantarams one of the least modified of the predravidian tribes, are faced with two harsh realities of civilised life — oppression and persecution.
Although the literacy mission succeeded in inculcating in them a Sense of awareness of human rights but when they asked for it, they were greeted with lathis, rifle butts and the sinister prospect of being put behind bars.
Thirty six of our women and children protesting against the torture by the forest authorities of two of our brethern were brutally beaten up by forest guards on Friday (August 10), a tribal head alleged,
Article extracted from this publication >> August 31, 1990
