Protest against India-EU FTA
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 26 2013:
A one day public consultation cum protest rally against the proposed India EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was held on Feb 24 at Maram Khullen, Senapati district, Manipur.
The event was organized by Maria Bianchi Social Care Ministry, Senapati in collaboration with Maram Khullen Women Society.
More than a hundred people participated in the said protest.
Banner and placards reading "No to lndia-EU FTA" "People have Self-determination Over Land and Resources and Its Management," "No to Mega Dams," "Stop Tipairnukh Dam," "Stop Petroleum Exploration in Manipur,' "Go Back NHPC," "Go Back Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt Ltd," "Revoke MoU on Tipaimukh Dam," "Cancel Petroleum Exploration Licences," "We Want Justice, Equity and Rights Not Exploitation and Profit," "Free Trade is Not Fair Trade," "FTAs: Don't Trade Away Our Freedom," "FTAs: Don't Trade Away our Human Rights," " Free Trade is A Deadly Exploitation of the Poor" etc were displayed during the demonstration.
The demonstrators also called upon the Government of India not to sign the FTA with European Union unless the matter is discussed and debated in the Parliament and state assemblies.
It also urged for free, fair and prior informed consent of the peoples in all cases before initiating any investment and the Government of India should respect and recognize indigenous peoples' rights over their land and resources in India's North East and also to respect and recognize their self determined development processes in the region.
It further demanded implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 and recommendations of all UN human rights bodies in all development processes affecting land and resources.