Imphal, April 29: The United Naga Council, Naga Women Union (Manipur), All Naga Students' Association Manipur and Naga Peoples' Movement for Human Rights strongly condemned the recent Cabinet memo to go ahead with the Mapithel Dam construction activities.

Terming the Cabinet stand as dictatorial and insensitive, a joint statement of the tribal bodies decried that instead of relying on democratic means to resolve the issue by accommodating genuine and legitimate demands of the Dam affected people, the Government is attempting to muffle voices of the people through heavy deployment of security forces.

The bodies also observed that setting up of the 'expert review committee' to look into grievances of the affected people is merely an eyewash as the Government is adamant to consider recommendations of the panel.

Prevailing upon the State authorities to adopt pro-people policy instead of attempting to use military might in trampling rights of the people, the bodies reminded that the tribal people will uphold its inherent and inalienable rights over land, forests and other natural resources at any cost and any untoward incident arising out of the issue would be responsibility of the Government.

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