Lei Ingkhol memorandum to PM against construction of CP at Lei Ingkhol

Imphal, 22nd May 2012

Locals protest Lei-ingkhol takeover by Govt on April 19 2012 :: Pix - TSE

Office of the Joint Action Committee
Against Eviction of Lei Ingkhol,
Imphal, Manipur (India) E-mail: [email protected]

To
Dr. Manmohan Singh,
Prime Minister of India,
South Block, Raisina Hill,
New Delhi.
India-110011.
Telephone: 91-11-23012312.
Fax: 91-11-23019545 / 91-11-23016857.

Sub: Humble prayer from the residents of Lei-Ingkhol Village to:

(1) Revoke the Manipur State Cabinet’s Decision of 16 December 2010 and ongoing unilateral land acquisition process to construct components of Capital Project at Lei-Ingkhol Village.
(2) Save and protect the dignity, integrity and socio-economic survival of the Lei-Ingkhol residents in the present location of the village.

Hon’ble Prime Minister,

We, the residents, of the Lei-Ingkhol Village, Village No 8 Mantripukhri, Sheet No 2, Tahsil- Imphal East, Manipur, would like to state the subject mentioned above for your kind consideration that;

(1) We applaud the initiatives by the Government of India for infrastructural constructions in Manipur under the Special Plan Assistance programme.
(2) As taxpayers living in India and strictly adhering to the constitutional norms, rights and duties; we would like to be straightforward in making it known to those who are in power what our conscience would uphold as right and denounce any form of threat to our peaceful survival and growth.
(3) During the course of our protest since 2005 to defend our village from forced displacement, we have been continuously appealing for a meaningful settlement with the government so that there is development and peace on both sides. We are for upholding democratic rights and we sought for justice in order to have democracy in the strict sense of the term.
(4) We, however, are deeply disheartened and dismayed by the series of decisions taken by the Manipur State Cabinet and land acquisition notifications to forcibly displace us and construct components of the controversial Capitol Project in the village where we are firmly established as our homeland for several decades.

We would also wish to make our point very clear that;

(1) We are not intended to carry forward the argument on matters related to the loopholes and controversy about the ongoing Capital Complex construction process. However, the official proceeding to forcibly disturb our peaceful existence and deprive us from attempted forced displacement without Free Prior Information and Consent has created an exigency to raise our democratic voice, thereby directly or indirectly raising several questions about the character and manner of project implementation in Manipur.

(2) Our primary concern for peaceful existence as a community of underprivileged section is being threatened by usurer bourgeoisie cum commission seekers who enjoy ruling power and impose projects at our cost. We are not intended to frame any charge against them, but it has become a reality that in their quest for profit and splendorous bungalows, they are least bothered about the plight of the victims affected by the capitalised projects commissioned under their command.

(3) As a result of rigorous effort to take away our land by misusing Land Acquisition Act 1894, we are being tempest upon with the most inhuman psychological propaganda that keeps us continuously restless for fear of encroachment and displacement at gun point.

(4) Leaving aside our daily economic activity, we, the hitherto marginalised and impoverished are being forced to take onto the street to defend our right on land from the controversial Capital Project.

(5) If the Delhi Team that had visited Manipur in the 2nd week of June 2011 to inspect project sites and those who attended and applause inauguration of the High Court Complex on 7th April 2012 had visited our village, they would have realised the intensity of apprehension and the course of protest by the Lei-Ingkhol residents. The High Court Complex at our cost by blocking main road at gun point without our consent and without any compensation. The administrators, judicial administrators, and those who practice law have imposed a judicial infrastructure while they have failed to deliver justice to us. As it had happened, for the reason best known by policy makers, the Honourable Prime Minister was entrapped to inaugurate the project in 2004 without obtaining clearance from the MoEF, which had led to violation of EIA norms, controversy and a reference by the critics. The Delhi team had not visited us, thereby, went back with incomplete reporting and references. This is injustice.

(6) On our part, if Capital Project would become suicidal and force us into displacement, poverty and misery; the perception about India Shining or NE Vision 2020 would be mere mockery without any material gain at the receiving end.

Against the backdrop of widespread tampering of evidences, blackmailing, bribery and brutality by policy makers to suppress democratic voice; for the purpose of official record we would like to place briefly that;

(1) Present location of our village Lei-Ingkhol was originally marshy land whereupon bushes and reeds were grown, and without any occupation. It was isolated and considered as disgusted area where many would not dare to tread on for fear of diseases and other socially perceived evilness. Since around 1940s several socially stigmatised and ostracised landless patients suffering from leprosy and tuberculosis who could no longer reunite to their original families, gradually filled the marshy land, cleared the surrounding bush and founded the village. For several decades, as late as 1970s, due to social fear of spreading the diseases, outsiders had compelled them to confine and relied upon hunting, fishing and water roots and other resources available in and around the village for survival. In course of time, Lei-Ingkhol became a well established village dominantly inhabited by workers’ families who subsequently enjoyed scenic beauty, favourable climate, rich natural resources and prospects of tourism in the village.

(2) In May 2012 our village is inhabited by 610 persons (291 men and 319 women) who are organised into 116 families. Most of the head of the families are wage labourers. There are 90 wage labourers (63 men and 27 women) who worked in unorganised sectors on daily or workload contract basis such as coal tar workers, road mending, bricks farms, stone collector in quarry, etc. There are 24 government employees (from 20 families), mostly under Grade III (8 persons) and Grade IV (16 persons) pay scale. 20 persons are involved in marginal business such as Small Scale Retail Shop (including pan dukan; 10 persons), vendour/ Potfam (3 women), tea stall (4 women) and one firewood seller. There are 186 students who are mostly enrolled in government schools which are in most degenerative conditions. There are 35 BPL card holders and 22 Annapurna Yojna card holders. For social activity we had a Baptist church, two petty community temples, two small ponds, two small playgrounds, a single room office constructed by MLA, an incomplete community centre constructed by a contractor, a women meira paibi organisation and a religious committee.

(3) We have our own subjective perception of livelihood and objective relation attached with the village, e.g., history, natural boundaries, environment, economic survival, social network, common daily activities, and psychological makeup. We, therefore, consider that our apprehension of displacement may not be dealt from legal paradigm, but has to be dealt with humanitarian approach as it is directly related to our dignity, integrity, economic survival and social security as a community of people who had been surviving on this track of land for more than six decades as of now.

We are ascertained that the Government of India, having funded the project, is fully responsible and obliged to respond positively to our appeal. We would appreciate if in the years to come starting from today, development projects in Manipur are carried out in those areas where there would be no destruction to agricultural land, pre-existing infrastructure and displacement; hence, less controversy.

We, in order to address our immediate concern, therefore, would like to appeal the Honourable Prime Minister to kindly;

* Bring an immediate halt to the ongoing official process to destroy our village,
* Bring an immediate halt to the ongoing process of construction of Capital Project at the nights as it produces noise pollution during the night and psychologically disturb us at nights.
* Shift the site of the Capital Project from controversial sites and at the same time protect our village from any form of displacement,
* Take up necessary action to immediately revoke the Manipur State cabinet decision of 16 December 2010 to acquire Lei-Ingkhol to construct components of the Capital Complex, and to publish such revocation in the Manipur official gazette,
* Impress upon the Manipur Planning Commission to do away with any planning that would led to the displacement of Lei-Ingkhol and its natural boundary demarcations marked by Irong Rivulet and Cheiraoching Hill Range,
* Open up the village land route that has been blocked by the government and repair the route passing along the hill track,
* Adequately compensate for physical casualty, economic loss, psychological trauma incurred by Lei-Ingkhol during the course of agitation to defend from Capitol Project, and
* Provide us full security protection and necessarily logistic support during the course of our agitation.

Thanking the Honourable Prime Minister for immediate action and response in favour of Lei-Ingkhol in anticipation.

Signatories

1. Sd/-
Name: Wangkhem Basanta Meitei
Designation: President
Joint Action Committee Against Eviction of Lei-Ingkhol

Federated components of JAC

2. Sd/-
Name: Maimom Anil Meitei
Designation: President
Lei-Ingkhol Youth Development Organisation:

3. Sd/-
Name: Soubam Dilipkumar
Designation: Secretary
Lei-Ingkhol Lai Committee

4. Sd/-
Name: Ahanthem Tombi Devi
Designation: President
Lei-Ingkhol Khunsem Chanura Lamjing Lup

5. Sd/-
Name: Soubam Kuber Singh
Designation: President
Lei-Ingkhol Development Committee:

Copy to:
Shri. P Chidambaram
Union Home Minister of India
Ministry of Home Affairs, North Block
Central Secretariat
New Delhi - 110 001
Telephone: 23092161, 23092011
Fax: 23093750, 23092763

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan
Minister of State (Independent Charge)
Ministry of Environment and Forests
Paryavaran Bhavan
CGO Complex, Lodhi Road
New Delhi - 110 003
Telephone:+91-11- 24360605, 24360570, 24360519

Memorandum endorsed by:

Sl. Name Organisation/ Party
1. Malem Ningthouja Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur)
2. Prof Amtl Bhaduri Professor, Emeritus, JNU.
3. Madhu Bhaduri Ambassador of India (Retd.)
4. Shashi Bhusan People’s Union for Civil Liberties (Jharkhand)
5. Arjun Pal Singh People’s Democratic Front of India
6. Poonam Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan
7. Dr. Mrigank Naujawan Bharat Sabha
8. Harish Inquilab Mazdoor Kendra
9. Aparna Delhi Committee, CPI (ML) New Democracy
10. Sumit Chakravarthy Editor, Mainstream Weekly, New Delhi
11. Dr. B.D. Sharma IAS, (Retd.), Bharat Jana Andalon
12. S.A.R. Geelani Committee for Release of Political Prisoners
13. Thomas Mathew Bahujan Vam Manch
14. E.Thambiah, New Democratic Marxist-Leninist Party, Sri Lanka
15. G.N. Saibaba Revolutionary Democratic Front of India
16. Shoma Sen & Vasantha, Committee Against Violence on Women (CAVOW)
17. Dunu Roy, Hazards Centre, New Delhi
18. Uday Kumar Indian Council of Trade Union
19. Anuradha Roy Professor of History, Jadavpur University
20. Karthick RM Delhi Tamil Students Union
21. Amit Bhattacharyya Professor of History, Jadavpur University, Kolkata
22. Javed Naqi Kargil
23. PT George Intercultural Resources, Delhi
24. Xavier Jeyaraj South Asian Peoples' Initiatives
25. Priya Thangarajah Feminist queer activist
26. Lalremlien Neitham Sinlung Indigenous People’s Human Rights Organisation
27. Dr Walter Fernandes Director, North Eastern Social Research Centre
28. Manisha Sethi Jamia Teachers’ Solidarity Association
29. Kavita Krishnan CPI(ML) Liberation
30. Sandeep Singh President, All India Students' Association (AISA)
31. Ritupan Democratic Students’ Union
32. Biswajit Mohanty Deshabndhu College, D U
33. Prof. Anuradha Chenoy Jawaharlal Nehru University
34. Beerjurekha Samom Manipur Students’ Association Delhi
35. Gautam Mody New Trade Union Initiatives
36. Jiten & Ram Citizens’ Concern for Dam & Development.
37. Shikim Gaikou Centre, Japan
38. Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network, Philippines
39. International Peoples Movement for Right to Self Determination and Liberation, Philippines
40. Land is Life, USA
41. Indigenous Environment Network, USA
42. Peoples' Coalition on Food Sovereignty, Philippines
43. Ario Adityo, ILPS (Indonesia)
44. Barbara Waldern, TEA-KOR, South Korea
45. Bernadette Ellorin, Chairperson, BAYAN USA
46. Bill Doares, International Action Centre (United States)
47. Danilo Ramos, Asian Peasant Coalition, Philippines
48. Dr. Azra Talat Sayeed, Roots for Equity, Pakistan
49. Elmer, C. Labog, Kilusng Mayo Uno Labour Centre, Philippines
50. Florentino Lopez Martinez, Frente Popular Revolucionario (Mexico)
51. Joan Jaime, National Alliance of Indigenous Peoples' Organizations, in the Philippines
52. Len Cooper, ILPS (Australia)
53. Leonard Imbiri, Dewan Adat Papua, Indonesia
54. Lina Solano, Women Defenders of the Mother Earth, Ecuador,
55. Lucy Pagoada, Frente National de Resistencia Popular (FNRP) – May First
56. Malcolm Guy, Immigrant Workers’ Centre (Canada)
57. Marie Boti, Women of Diverse Origin (Canada),
58. Moses Shaha, Eastern & Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum
59. Mustafa Kilinc, Reality Newspaper (Germany)
60. Neingulo Krome, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights,
61. Nikos Noulas, Communist Organisation of Greece, Greece
62. Nonong Barranco, Moro Christian Peoples Alliance, Philippines
63. Paul Quintos, Institute of Political Economy, IBON, Philippines
64. Santi Dasmarinas, COURAGE, Philippines
65. Steve Da Silva, BASICS Community News Service, Canada
66. Windel Bolinget Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Philippines