Oil exploration Project launched to protect indigenous land
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite
Lamka, August 22 2013:
The Coalition on Environment and Natural Resources (CENRS), a network of civil societies from affected communities of oil exploration plan in the State has launched a project today that will seek to protect, promote and efficiently manage indigenous land and its resources.
Convener of the Coalition Mary Beth Sanate said they will work in four thematic areas, Indigenous peoples' rights, environment, social livelihood and gender.
'In the process, we envisage multi-stake holders' platform where local communities, industry/company and State can participate in equal terms through formal dialogue and solution,' she added.
The Coalition which plans to set up 9 centres across two oil blocks of the State for field co-ordination, according to David Buhril will seek a fresh start on the oil exploration exercise where the affected people will be involved in the decision making process, engagement based on trusted relationship which share a common stand and speak in one voice.
David alleged that the parties, the Government and the oil company are deploying deceitful means to fool the local people.
The Jubilant oil company has begun to employ force using the Assam Rifles who serves threat and in some cases even manhandled people who refuse to toe the company's line.
Likewise, the government has kept the people, and even the ADCs and Hill Areas Committee, aloof of any deed on royalty share and even conducted the public hearing well before the seismic surveys were completed, he said.
His counterpart, John Pamei said the Chief Minister has constantly denied having a deed on sharing but claimed that he has a document which says the state government will get 12.5 percent on Oil and 10 percent on Gas as royalty share.
In Nagaland the state government has a provision where the state will enjoy 8 percent of the royalty and another 8 percent by the affected people wherever exploration is taken up, he claimed.
He said, in Manipur the benefits promised to the affected people were peanuts, so embarrassing even to read and should instantly be rejected by anyone who can read and understand them.
The promise made during public hearings according to Pamei were, improvement of road, some temporary direct employment, tyre repairing works, telephone booths, engagement as contract workers etc.
'We really have no share here,' he said.