Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) concerns over displacement
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 04 2012: The Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) has expressed serious concern over displacement and continued neglect and irresponsiveness of the Government of Manipur to rehabilitate the villagers of Lamphel Yaipha Leikai, after more than a year of their forcible and illegal eviction on 6 June 2011 based on an eviction order dated 3 June 2011 and delivered to the villagers only on 5th June 2011 .

In a statement, Co-Chairperson of CCDD Aram Pamei asserted that villagers affected by the forceful eviction drive at Lamphel Yaipha Leikai on 6 June have now become refugees on their own land, with nowhere to go and no one to care for them.

There is no reason for the Government to issue election identity cards and other documents, such as BPL cards to them if they are encroachers in the first place.

CCDD would like to seek the Government's clarification to clarify who's an encroacher in Lamphelpat and to present a white paper on the number of encroachers in Lamphelpat Wetlands and to take appropriate steps to prosecute all those responsible for allowing such encroachers.

It's unfortunate that the Government selectively evicts families even as a comprehensive policy for wetlands management or a separate Lamphelpat management policy is still absent and while also promoting 'encroachers' in Lamphelpat, the statement observed.

It went on to say that continued harassment from state law enforcing agencies to Yaipha Leikai eviction victims, including repeated dismantling of newly built homes, after eviction constitute an insensitivity to the rights of victimized villagers, especially the women, children and elderly people, who are now impoverished and forced to disperse without access to shelter, water, sanitation, and education for children and is a violation of their rights, their right to life and housing rights.

The victims have been depending on the Lamphelpat for more than thirty years through fishing, grazing, collection of seasonable plants etc and as such, they have every right to be adequately rehabilitated as per both Indian laws and international laws on housing rights and rights of indigenous peoples.

As the comprehensive drainage scheme for Lamphelpat near Lamphel Yaipha Leikai under JNURRM, under which the eviction was carried, has already been completed without affecting the land and homestead belonging to the eviction victims, CCDD would like to urge upon the Government of Manipur to make an alternate rehabilitation arrangement for the eviction victims in close consultation with them, either in their original homestead land at Yaipha Leikai or other alternate places acceptable to them.

CCDD would like to urge upon the Government of Manipur to immediately provide Rehabilitation and Resettlement for all affected villagers of Lamphel Yaipha Leikai and to revoke the eviction order of 3 June 2011 .

The government would solely be held responsible for any other activity other than drainage related is taken up at the land acquired, the statement added.

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