Zomi body against oil exploration
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal,June 04 2013:
Joining the protest against the ongoing process of oil exploration in Manipur's resource rich Tamenglong , Churachandpur and Jiribam sub-division, the Zomi Human Rights Foundation (ZHRF) has urged the Centre to stop the exploration.
ZHRF argued that the Government did not take free, prior and informed consent from the indigenous tribal people on the matter.
To this effect, a representation has been sent to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) minister M Veerappa Moily by the Shillong cell of ZHRF whose main 'secretariat' (headquarters) is located at Lamka (Chura-chandpur) .
Without consultation and prior information and approval of the Hill Areas Committee of Manipur (HAC), a constitutional body, an agreement for exploring oil blocks in the State was signed between the Union PNG ministry and the State Government and the executing firm - Jubilant Oil and Gas Private Limited � in 2010 .
The Centre, State and the firm did not take the free, prior and informed consent of the indigenous tribal peoples in Manipur on the matter, the representation said and added that the "discreet and hurriedly concluded" agreement is full of flaws from its very inception.
ZHRF said the hill areas of Manipur have been conferred special provisions and safeguards in the Constitution and accordingly for any matters related to the hills (in other words the tribal peoples) the HAC must be consulted and its approval needs to be obtained.
The exploration proposal has also breached international conventions and human rights mechanisms about the norms and procedure to be followed and hence it tramples upon the rights of the indigenous people and suppresses the rights guaranteed the conventions.
While initiating a developmental process for the State, the Central and State Governments were duty bound to consider the impact of developments on the inhabitants, particularly the scheduled tribe of the State, it said.
Hence the ongoing oil and natural gas exploration must be halted at all cost, said the representation signed by Shillong cell convener of ZHRF, Florence Lianching .
The ZHRF also forwarded a copy of its memo to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
A bunch of civil bodies and environmentalists, besides adopting numerous resolutions against the oil exploration move, has also staged numerous protest rallies and demonstrations at several parts of the State including the three affected areas recently.