Kuki women protest against Tamanthi dam
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal
New Delhi, December 08 2011:
Kuki Women and Burma exiled communities today organised a peace protest rally at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi against Tamanthi dam, a hydroeclectric project on the Chindwin river in Burma's Sagaing division.
In its release , the Morea based Kuki Women Human Rights Organization ( KWHRO) stated that the said Tamanthi dam had displaced over 2,400 villages and will further displaced 45,000 more people in future if the construction continues.
The displace Kuki communities were forcefully bulldozed by the Burmese Army, added the statement.
During the protest rally, spokesperson of the KWHRO said " our demand is for the villagers to be repatriated back to their original villages" she further informed that the villagers who were relocated in the new site were not given any basic amenities and are facing hardships.
Therefore the indigenous community demand that the project be stopped.
The women spokesperson asserted that such mega hydro projects benefit will definitely go elsewhere and not to poor villagers.
A booklet "Stop damming the Chindwin' was also released by the KWHRO.
The said Tamanthi dam over the Chindwin river is hydroelectric project undertaken by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation , India.