Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 04 2008:
An emergency meeting convened by the Mapithel Affected Ching-Tam Organisation at Manipur Press Club here today and attended by various civil societies, human rights organisations and women groups from all the districts of the State has strongly condemned the police action on villagers affected by dam during the yesterday's rally.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of All Naga Students' Union, Manipur; All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur; All Manipur United Clubs Organisation; NIPCO; United Peoples Front; Indigenous Women's Forum; Naga Women's Union, Manipur; Tangkhul Shanao Long; Sadar Hill Chiefs' Association; Manipur Dam Affected Villagers' Organisation; Citizens Concern for Dams and Development; JAC Against Airport Expansion; Human Rights Initiative, Manipur; All Manipur Social Reformation Development Samaj and Committee on Human Rights among other.
The participants strongly condemned the 'inhumane brutality' and 'terror' unleased by State police forces on villagers affected by Mapithel Dam while voicing their legitimate demands related to their survival during a rally yesterday and demanded prosecution of all the personnel of the security forces involved in the incident.
Extending support to the demands of the affected villagers to stop construction of the dam until a complete review of the project, the participants observed that no developmental activities and confiscation of the people's land and resources should be done without the free, prior and informed consent of the people of Manipur.
Demanding that the Government of India and Manipur should militarisation and human rights violation in the name of development, the participants further resolved to struggle together and extend full solidarity in all resistance movement against all forms of development aggression, militarisation and human right violation to defend the and, resources and the future of Manipur.