CRA urges Centre to recognise rights of indigenous people
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 08 2019: The Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur (CRA) has urged the Government of India to recognise and advance the inherent rights of indigenous people as outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007 (UNDRIP) .

CRA is concerned that the indigenous peoples' land in Manipur has increasingly been targeted and usurped for unsustainable projects, such as Mapithel dam, 105 MW Loktak project, Khuga dam, oil exploration, Trans-Asian Roads & Railways etc and associated militarization, conveyed a press release issued by the president of CRA.

It stated that the pursued projects amidst India's Act East policy, many with financing from Asian Development Bank, World bank and other financial institutions, often failed to recognise the indigenous peoples' self-determined rights over their land and resources, violated the right to free, prior and informed consent of the people and also caused environmental harm, impoverishment of indigenous people and hindered realization of sustainable development goals, alleged CRA.

It went on to claim that introduction of these unsustainable projects in Manipur with reliance on non-indigenous people for such works, apart from the social and environmental impacts, will undermine the indigenous demography of the State.

Expressing concern that Citizenship Amendment Bill may be reimposed across the NE region to undermine the indigenous demography of the region, CRA asserted that the Bill should not be imposed without the consent of the people of the NE region.

CRA further expressed concern over the continuing imposition of AFSPA 1958 despite the recommendations of UN Human Rights bodies to repeal the Act.

The recent amendment to UAPA 1967 would further permit the infringement of individual freedom and liberty of indigenous people and target human rights and community organisations, it remarked.

It urged the Centre and the State Governments to ensure rightful participation of all indigenous people of Manipur in formulating policies which will affect their lives, land and future and further urged to repeal AFSPA 1958 and also to review the amended version of UAPA in compliance to international human rights laws and UNDRIP 2007 .

Comment