Imphal, March 17 2010: Any attempt to disturb the natural free flow of Barak River, vowed the participants from many tribes, communities and organisation in the observance function of the International Day of Action for Rivers observed on last March 14 at the confluence of Tuivai and Barak River in Tipaimukh, Churachandpur district.

The International Day of Action for River was celebrated all over the world to reinstate and reiterate the importance of life and cultures and to all living and non-living forms on March 14 .

The celebration function at the confluence of the Tuivai and Barak River was organised by Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) in association with Committee on Land and Natural Resources (COLNAR) and Action against Tipaimukh Dam (ACTIP).

The celebration which was participated by villagers of different tribes, communities and organisations from the Barak basin reaffirmed they will not allow to take up any works which would disturb the free flow of the river reconfirming that the Barak River is a source of sustainable livelihood, economic survival, culture, tradition and identity of indigenous people residing in Barak River Basin.

"We declared that the Barak River should be allowed to flow freely and hence resolved stand against any interventions that will disturbed the natural flow of Barak river including the construction of Tipaimukh Dam," the resolution no.1 of the gathering stated.

They will stand united against any initiatives that will disturb the inseparable relationship between the Barak river and indigenous peoples in Barak River Basin and prior consent of the people of the area should be obtained when any works which would affect land and intervention of rivers is taken up in the basin, the resolution no.2 and 3 stated.

Secretary of CCDD, Joseph Hmar, in his key note address of the celebration function re-emphasized about the need to remembering the importance of rivers and urged for safeguarding them from "uncanny governments and corporations".

In the celebration which Ramananda Wangkheimayum, coordinator of CCDD, Lalthangsung, president of Hmar Inpui,Pantilung Raungmei, president of the All Assam Tribal Sangha from Cachar talked, Jeffrey Songate, a member of Hmar Students' Association (HSA) said that if the dam is built then the way out for the Hmar people will be blocked.

With the submergence, all history will be submerged, culture will be submerged, all the amazing things, their ancestors did, will go under water, he observed.

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