Article by Dilip Chakma and Paritosh Chakma. IWGIA.
April 6, 2020.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been declared as a pandemic and its impact on the world is yet to be fully assessed. Indigenous peoples living on the margins of the society are unlikely to be considered in the scheme of responses and reactions by most of the States.
Since liberalisation of the Indian economy in 1990s, hundreds of thousands of indigenous peoples migrated to the metropolis, primarily to work in unorganized sectors. As COVID-19 destroys economies and absence of jobs, homes and food loom large; these indigenous migrant workers are all set to return. Reverse migration, possibly carrying the disease can have devastating impact on indigenous communities. It can wipe out endangered indigenous peoples of India and further, permanently damage the survival of many communities.
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