Discourse pitches for safeguard of indigenes' rights
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, November 08 2021: A consultation on climate change in Manipur organised jointly by Centre for Research and Advocacy (CRA) and Youth Forum for Protection of Human Rights in Manipur (YFPHR) has resolved to ask the government, corporations and international financial institutions to protect and promote indigenous peoples' self-determined rights over their land and resources and take their free, prior and informed consent before targeting their land and resources.

The consultation organised in the context of deepening climate crisis amid the ongoing 26th Session of the conference of parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at Glasglow, Scotland till November 12 was held at Manipur Press Club here on Monday.

The consultation programme held with Irabot Foundation Manipur secretary Gopen Kh, Loktak Fishery Welfare Association president Heisnam Chaoba and People for Human Rights and Climate Change co-convenor Phamila Tuithung as presidium members also adopted several resolutions including to reject all false claim solutions that violate indigenous peoples' human right and their self-determination over their land.

All MoUs for mega dams, oil exploration, mining, agri-business (viz.

Oil Palm) pursued without the indigenous peoples' consent should be revoked for possible adverse impacts on environment, people and climate in Manipur.

The MOUs granted to Roukela Private Ltd, Sarvesh Refractories, Gulf Natural Resources for mining and to Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt Ltd and to Oil India Limited for oil exploration in Manipur should be revoked.

It further resolved that all neolib-eral policies, such as Manipur Hydro Power Policy, 2012, North East hydrocarbon vision 2030, Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, the Mining and Minerals (Development and Regulation), Amendment Bill 2015 etc.

that facilitated the plunder of peoples' land and resources should be repealed.

Dam building companies such as National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) should stop construction of the 66 MW Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric project and other dams that pose threat to forest, agriculture land, river and peoples' livelihood.

All MoUs with NHPC and NEEPCO for dams should be scrapped, the consultation further resolved.

The consultation made it clear that the government should review and rescind its plan to promote oil palm plantation in Manipur and the North East given its documented adverse impacts on people, environment and climate in Mizoram, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc, and should stop counting mega dams and oil palm as renewable energy and as solutions for climate change, in its effort to fulfill its INDC.

All climate change mitigation and adaptation related policies should ensure compliance with indigenous peoples' rights as per UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights, 2007, the consultation resolved, while adding that Indigenous peoples' traditional sustainable management of land and natural resources and their low consumption and carbon oriented way of life must be promoted in all development decision making processes that can affect their land, lives and future.

It further demanded that Manipur State Action Plan on Climate Change and other climate policies should be reviewed to ensure its compliance with human rights and sustainable development goals in its implementation.

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