Consultation meet on Development Injustice held
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 23 2014:
The Centre for Research & Advocacy (CRA) Manipur, the Citizens Concern for Dams & Development (CCDD), All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen Union (ALLAFUM) and the Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO) has on Wednesday organized consultation on Development Injustice in Manipur at Nupilal Complex, Imphal.
A three days photo exhibition on the theme, "Towards a Just Development: Protection of Natural Heritage in Manipur", which will continue from 23 -25 was also opened to public by Aram Pamei, Co-chairperson of CCDD.
Jiten Yumnam, secretary, CRA presented the key note address which highlighted the pattern of development injustice persisting in Manipur due to large scale development policies and projects in the context of increasing neoliberal policies introduced in Manipur and across India's North East region.
Oinam Rajen, secretary ALLAFUM elaborated how the 105 Loktak hydro electric project wrought devastation on peoples' lives, destroyed food sovereignty and economic activity and increased dependency on outsiders Rockson JS, secretary MDAVO lamented on the injustice confronted by the tribal people during the thirty four years of Mapithel dam construction.
He explained how Mapithel dam has been pursued without prior consent of affected indigenous peoples and it has been pursued in violation of both Indian laws and international laws.
Nganbi Leima, eviction victim of Lamphel Yaipha Leikai testified her hardship faced due to forced eviction unleashed on them in June 2011, leaving them with no shelter, livelihood and alternative means of survival.
She narrated the negligence of Government of Manipur in providing compensation and rehabilitation for the affected families.
Dr.RK Ranjan, Senior Environmentalist explained that any development project that goes against people's wishes cannot be considered as sustainable.
Government assured false promises before commissioning of Loktak Project.
Instead, the project submerged more than 80,000 acres of agriculture land.
Communities are displaced and their future destroyed.
He further explained that farmlands have increasingly been acquired for development.
Yurembam village will disappear completely with the introduction of a series of projects and the latest being the Trans Asian Railway and High Voltage Power Grid.
He also explicated traditional water management of Manipur will be seriously undermined and the intrinsic relationship of indigenous peoples for their inherent survival and livelihood continues to be undermined.
The New Land Use Policy, 2014 will allow commercial agriculture, such as oil palm, cash crops etc.
There is no land use planning in Manipur based on the actual needs of Manipur.
Development justice will best be achieved with full participation of communities.
Aram Pamei asked whether the development works and projects introduced in Manipur is for the people.
She explained that the proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam will be felling 7.8 million trees in 27,000 hectares of forest and submerge waterfalls, heritage sites of several indigenous communities of Manipur.
She further asked, is gifting away our land and resources to multinational corporations without our consent forms of development? Is bribing the community leaders to agree to oil exploration forms of development ? .
Dr.Dhanabir Laishram, Advisor AMUCO explained on the politics of water and resources.
He further asserted that India's ambition of super power status has been planned with the construction of dams on Manipur Rivers.
Manipur urgently requires promotion of alternative energy to promote a more sustainable and people oriented development, he added.
Comment
