Title: Protection of human rights of oustees in India: a review

Authors: Rajesh Kumar Karna

Addresses: Dr. S.R.K. Government Arts College, Yanam, Pondicherry, 533-464, India Affiliated to: Pondicherry University, India

Abstract: In this age of human rights, the rights of development-induced displaced persons deserve proper attention hitherto consciously ignored by both state and international regimes. Unlike other internally displaced sections, the rights of oustees have been violated by its own state in the name of public purpose. Unfortunately, they never attract international attention despite constituting a major portion of internally displaced persons. Paradoxically, the state that bears the responsibility as protector of human rights has become its sole violator and does not even care to rehabilitate. Using published literature on various cases of development-induced displacement, this paper examines how different human rights of oustees protected under various international covenants are being violated and constantly side-lined, particularly in India. It concludes that oustees who suffer in the name of nation-building are often called 'beneficiaries' of the very project that destroyed their livelihood while the state responds opportunistically by breaching national and international human rights regimes.

Keywords: human rights; development; displacement; state; oustees; internally displaced persons; IDPs; rehabilitation; India.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2023.130003

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2023 Vol.10 No.2, pp.163 - 175

Received: 16 Feb 2022
Accepted: 18 Mar 2022
Published online: 04 Apr 2023 *

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