UNC urges Prime Minister
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 03 2015 :
The UNC has appealed to the Prime Minister for his immediate intervention so that closed diversion channel of Mapithel Dam is opened without any delay.
A memorandum signed by UNC president Gaidon Kamei and addressed to the Prime Minister also appealed for constitution of an expert review committee to review the Mapithel Dam project as well as protection of life and properties of villagers affected by
the project.
According to the memorandum, Naga people welcome all forms of development activities but oppose any form of development aggression in Naga areas.
Mapithel Dam/Thoubal Multi Purpose Dam Authority has closed diversion channel of Thoubal river from January 10, 2015 and with the passing of every single day, the level of submergence is increasing and now, Chadong Tangkhul Naga Village and its surrounding villages including agricultural lands, forest and grazing lands, graveyards, Churches, educational institutions, houses and public places would be submerged and cut off all its connectivity.
Mapithel Dam has been constructed without any adherence to the forest and environmental laws of India as well as international norms.
International conventions such as UN Declaration of Human Rights, the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples (Art.
26), the Convention on Biological Diversity (Art.
8(j), the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (Principle 22) and the Convention on Rights and Development recognize the close relationship between forest dwelling communities and the protection of environment.
The principles and guidelines on protected areas and indigenous/traditional people's rights such as indigenous and other traditional communities' rights should be respected, the UNC demanded.
The Government of Manipur through Irrigation & Flood Control Department (IFCD) is using the project as a means to grasp indigenous tribal land and siphon off public wealth.
"Our history, identity, culture and peoples and economy are purely based on our inalienable rights on our land", it added.