tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76056416241796195252024-03-05T14:29:35.762-08:00Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-85322662195083993442014-08-10T00:52:00.001-07:002014-08-10T00:52:20.045-07:00Media reflections of IP day celebration in Manipur on 9 August 2014 at Awang Sekmai Manipur <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span> </span>Meet affirms peoples right to self determination
over natural resources<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></b><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Manipur
Update, 10 August 2014 </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://manipurupdate.com/meet-affirms-peoples-right-to-self-determination-over-natural-resources/">http://manipurupdate.com/meet-affirms-peoples-right-to-self-determination-over-natural-resources/</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 9.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span></span><span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>MU NEWS/IMPHAL, Aug 9 :</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>The World’s Indigenous Peoples day was organized
jointly by Citizens Action for Social Development, Centre for Research and
Advocacy, Manipur, Citizens Concern for Dams and Development, Awang Sekmai New
Market Development Association at Awang Sekmai, Manipur on August 9 with the
theme “In Defense of Our Land, Forest, Water, Our Rights and Future”.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Secretary Jiten Yumnam of Centre for Research and
Advocacy, Manipur gave the Key Note address of the celebration while Writer
Yaiskul, Convenor Phulindro Konsam of Committee on Human Rights, Advisor Thanmi
Kashung Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO), Jt. Secretary
Chaoba All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Union,Sorokhaibam Sanjoy of All
Manipur United Clubs Organization deliberated as resource persons.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Jiten Yumnam in his key note, stressed on need of a
strong message of indigenous peoples of Manipur in the World Conference on
Indigenous Peoples in September 2014. The increasing development onslaught,
such as proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam over Barak River, the Mapithel dam over
Thoubal River etc and oil exploration plan in Manipur threatened indigenous
peoples’ survival. He also stressed on the need of a self determined
development of Manipur and to end militarization process in Manipur. Further,
to repeal all draconian laws, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 which
violates non derogable rights in Manipur.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Jt Secretary Chaoba of All Loktak Lake Areas
Fishermen Union explained how Ithai Barrage of the 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose
Hydroelectric Project submerged more than 80,000 acres of agriculture land and
conscripted indigenous fishing communities’ rights in Loktak Lake. The Manipur
Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006 led to forced eviction of fishing communities
and arsoning of floating huts. Many indigenous fish and edible plant species
are lost after Ithai barrage. He urged to decommission Ithai Barrage of Loktak
project.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Advisor Thanmi Kashung Mapithel Dam Affected
Villagers Organization shared how the Mapithel dam will submerge several
villages, prime agriculture land, their forest land and will threaten survival
of communities. He called for review of Mapithel dam construction and to
conduct a holistic impact assessment and further called for resumption of the
Expert Review committee formed in 2008.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Chairman Phulindro Konsam of Committee on Human
Rights spoke on the alarming human rights situations due to the ongoing efforts
to subdue the right to self determination of Manipur. The influx of non
indigenous population in Manipur with state patronage threatened survival of
indigenous peoples of Manipur. Development injustice undermined food
sovereignty and foster inequality in Manipur. Development should be centred on
peoples’ rights and their wishes. He called for repeal of Armed Forces Special
Powers Act, 1958.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>Executive member Yaiskul of Patriotic Writer Forum,
explained how indigenous cultures and traditions are fast losing out due to
changing pattern of land ownership and development aggression on peoples land
and resources. The removal of boulder and sand from Sekmai River and other
rivers by rich people with state patronage further devastates ecosystem. There
are folklores on our forest of Manipur and even rituals before cutting down
trees but today, such practices are disrespected.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span>S Sanjoy of AMUCO spoke on the human rights
violations perpetrated under the militarization process in Manipur under
emergency laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 and how
indigenous youths are subjected to extensive fake encounter killings. The World
Indigenous Peoples Day celebration has also affirmed that the indigenous
peoples right to self determination over our land, water, forest and all
natural resources of Manipur as inherent for our physical and spiritual
survival, rights and future.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.65pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-top-colors: none; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color rgb(238, 238, 238); border-image: none; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1.5pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 2pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; border: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.3pt; padding: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;">Organisations
affirm to defend resources, rights on WIP Day</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The Morung Express News, 10 August 2014 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.morungexpress.com/regional/119958.html">http://www.morungexpress.com/regional/119958.html</a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">Imphal: </span></b><span style="color: black;">On World’s Indigenous Peoples Day, different organisations in Manipur
have come forward affirming that indigenous peoples have the right to self
determination over land, water, forest and all natural resources of Manipur as
inherent for the physical and spiritual survival, rights and future. A statement
from Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur, Citizens Concern for Dams and
Development, Citizen’s Action for Social Empowerment, Awang Sekmai New Market
Development Association received here stated. The organizations celebrated WIP
Day on the theme “Defending our land, water, forest, our rights and future.”</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
The organizations expressed concern with the continued application of emergency
laws, such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA, 1958) to subdue
the right to self determination of indigenous peoples of Manipur, which
derogates “right to life” and “right to justice remedy”. “The AFSPA, 1958,
responsible for serious human rights violations, continues to be enforced in
Manipur despite peoples’ and the United Nation’s call for its repeal,” it
stated.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
The organizations also expressed concern that vast tract of prime agriculture
land and forest are acquired to sustain militarization process in Manipur, in
subduing indigenous peoples' political rights and to advance corporate interest
of Multinational corporations. “We condemn all efforts to expand the Leimakhong
Army base and to further conscript more than 1000 acres of prime agriculture
land in and around Sekmai area,” the statement vented.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
The organizations also took serious note of development and infrastructure
projects Manipur and the introduction of new land acts saying it would further
impoverish indigenous peoples and increase land alienation, and add to the
violation of peoples’ rights.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 19.2pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
It also expressed solidarity with the ongoing movement in Manipur to stop state
sponsored infusion of non indigenous populations in indigenous territories of
Manipur and to formulate appropriate legislation towards protection of
indigenous peoples’ right and land, their livelihood sources and future. It
further called on the Government of India to address their concerns.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 2.9pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://northeastmirror.com/index.php/north-east-india-state-news/north-east-india-news-manipur/499-world-indigenous-peoples-day-observed"><span style="color: red;">World Indigenous Peoples Day Observed</span></a><span style="color: red;"><span> </span></span></span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The North East Mirror, 10 August 2014 </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://northeastmirror.com/index.php/north-east-india-state-news/north-east-india-news-manipur/499-world-indigenous-peoples-day-observed">http://northeastmirror.com/index.php/north-east-india-state-news/north-east-india-news-manipur/499-world-indigenous-peoples-day-observed</a></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">August
9, 2014: The World’s Indigenous Peoples day was organized jointly by Citizens
Action for Social Development, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur and
Citizens Concern for Dams and Development, Awang Sekmai New Market Development
Association at Awang Sekmai, Manipur on 9th August 2014 with the theme “In
Defense of Our Land, Forest, Water, Our Rights and Future”.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Jiten
Yumnam, Secretary, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur provided Key Note
address of the celebration.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Yaiskul,
Writer, Phulindro Konsam, Convenor, Committee on Human Rights, Thanmi
Kashung, Advisor, Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO), Chaoba,
Jt. Secretary, All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Union, Sorokhaibam Sanjoy of
All Manipur United Clubs Organization deliberated as resource persons.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In his
key note, Jiten Yumnam stressed on need of a strong message of indigenous
peoples of Manipur in the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in September
2014. The increasing development onslaught, such as proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh
dam over Barak River, the Mapithel dam over Thoubal River etc and oil
exploration plan in Manipur threatened indigenous peoples’ survival. He also
stressed on the need of a self determined development of Manipur and to end
militarization process in Manipur.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Further,
to repeal all draconian laws, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 which
violates non derogable rights in Manipur.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In his
speech Chaoba explained how Ithai Barrage of the 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose
Hydroelectric Project submerged more than 80,000 acres of agriculture land and
conscripted indigenous fishing communities’ rights in Loktak Lake. The Manipur
Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006 led to forced eviction of fishing communities
and arsoning of floating huts. Many indigenous fish and edible plant species
are lost after Ithai barrage. He urged to decommission Ithai Barrage of Loktak
project. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Thanmi
Kashung shared how the Mapithel dam will submerge several villages, prime
agriculture land, their forest land and will threaten survival of communities.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Further,
the advisor, Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization called for review of
Mapithel dam construction and to conduct a holistic impact assessment and
resumption of the Expert Review committee formed in 2008.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">While
another resource person, Phulindro Konsam spoke on the alarming human rights
situations due to the ongoing efforts to subdue the right to self determination
of Manipur. The influx of non indigenous population in Manipur with state
patronage threatened survival of indigenous peoples of Manipur. Development
injustice undermined food sovereignty and foster inequality in Manipur. Development
should be centred on peoples’ rights and their wishes. He called for repeal of
Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Yaiskul,
Executive member, Patriotic Writer Forum, explained how indigenous cultures and
traditions are fast losing out due to changing pattern of land ownership and
development aggression on peoples land and resources. The removal of boulder
and sand from Sekmai River and other rivers by rich people with state patronage
further devastates ecosystem. There are folklores on our forest of Manipur and
even rituals before cutting down trees but today, such practices are
disrespected.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">S
Sanjoy of AMUCO spoke on the human rights violations perpetrated under the
militarization process in Manipur under emergency laws such as the Armed Forces
Special Powers Act, 1958 and how indigenous youths are subjected to extensive
fake encounter killings. The celebration of the World Indigenous Peoples Day
celebration adopted the following statement.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Affirm
indigenous peoples right to self determination over our land, water, forest and
all natural resources of Manipur as inherent for our physical and spiritual
survival, rights and future.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Express
concern with the continued application of emergency laws, such as the Armed
Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA, 1958) to subdue the right to self
determination of indigenous peoples of Manipur, which derogates “right to life”
and “right to justice remedy”. The AFSPA, 1958, responsible for serious human
rights violations, continues to be enforced in Manipur despite peoples’ and the
United Nation’s call for its repeal, said a joint statement from the
organisation.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Expressing
their concern over the "vast tract of prime agriculture land and forest
are acquired to sustain militarization process in Manipur, in subduing
indigenous peoples' political rights and to advance corporate interest of
Multinational corporations" they condemn all efforts to expand the
Leimakhong Army base and to further conscript more than 1000 acres of prime
agriculture land in and around Sekmai area. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Seriously
note the development processes in Manipur, incompatible to the aspirations of
indigenous peoples and failing to recognize their self determination over their
land and resources, such as Government of India’s pursuance with multinational corporations,
to construct the 1500 MW Tipaimukh Dam, the Chakpi Dam etc and to drill oil and
gas from Manipur etc without indigenous peoples free, prior and informed
consent. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
World Bank and ADB financed infrastructure projects such as Trans Asian Highway,
the Trans Asian Railways etc aimed at facilitating the expansion of India’s
neo-liberal policies in Manipur will further impoverish indigenous peoples and
aggravate development injustice and violation of peoples’ rights. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Express
concern that sand mining in Sekmai River, pursued by powerful elites with tacit
state patronage led to water scarcity, destroyed environment and rendered their
agriculture land uncultivable and unproductive. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Express
our concern that series of development policies incompatible to the rights and
needs of indigenous peoples has been introduced aggressively. The Manipur
Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy, 2012,
the New Land Use Policy, 2014, the Manipur Tourism Policy, 2011 etc has been introduced
which will increase land alienation, expropriation of community land and
resources</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Expressing
solidarity with the ongoing movement in Manipur to stop state sponsored
infusion of non indigenous populations in indigenous territories of Manipur and
to formulate appropriate legislation towards protection of indigenous peoples’
right and land, their livelihood sources and future </span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 12.1pt; margin: 2.9pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Called
on the Government of India to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples, 2007, especially to recognize indigenous peoples self
determination over their land and resources and to recognize communities’
rights over their land and resources, their traditional practices and way of
life. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Further
called on the Government of India to end all human Rights violations on
indigenous peoples in Manipur and repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act,
1958 and end all land grabbing for militarization. Further, repeal all policies
such as Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, the Manipur Hydroelectric
Power Policy, 2006, New Land Use Policy 2014, aimed to facilitate corporate
expansionism in Manipur. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 12.1pt; margin: 2.9pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Called
upon the Government of India to stop Oil Exploration Jubilant Energy, to stop
the proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh Dam, the proposed Chakpi HEP project and ongoing
Mapithel dam construction in Manipur </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">End all
forms of state sponsored implantation of non indigenous populations in Manipur
and formulate specific policies to stop unregulated infiltration of non
indigenous populations in Manipur. </span><span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">World Indigenous People's Day observed</span></span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Hueiyen Lanpao, 10 August 2014 </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/21801-world-indigenous-people-s-day-observed">http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/21801-world-indigenous-people-s-day-observed</a></span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;">HNS/IMPHAL,
Aug 9: As in other parts of the world, World Indigenous People's Day was
observed by Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) at THAU
Ground, Thangmeiband here today.<br />
The observance function was attended by Th Iboyaima, father of social work;
Prof Lokendra Arambam, retd Director of AVRC, MU; RV Mingthing, ex-Minister;
Prof Khullakpam Md Abdul, Secretary of Manipur State Minority Commission; Rose
Mangsi, president of Kuki Women's Union and H Ibotombi Khuman, convener of
JCILPS as Presidium Members.<br />
Babloo Loitongbam, human rights activist; Ningthouja Lancha, editor of Kangla
Lanpao and Sapam Deleep, lecturer in Law College were also present as Resource
Persons.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
While speaking on the topic 'Bridging the Gap: Implementing the Rights of Indigenous
People' advocate Angomcha Araba observed that people staying in hills will also
be affected if Inner Line Permit System is not implemented in the State and
asserted that the system could be implemented if all the 60 MLAs have enough
political will and commitment.<br />
Under the theme of "In Defence of Our Land, Forest, Water, Our Rights and
Future", World Indigenous People's Day was also organized jointly by
Citizens Action for Social Development; Centre for research and Advocacy,
Manipur; Citizens Concern for Dams and Development' and Awang Sekmai New Market
Development Association at Awang Sekmai today.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br />
Starting off with the key note address delivered by Jiten Yumnam, Secretary of
Centre for Research and Advocacy; many resource persons including writer
Yaiskul; Phulindro Konsam, Convenor of Committee on Human Rights; Thanmi
Kashung, Advisor of Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers' Organisation (MDAVO);
Chaba, Joint Secretary of All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen's Union and
Sorokhaibam Sanjoy of All Manipur Unitd Clubs' Organisation (AMUCO) attended
and deliberated on the theme of the observance with specific reference to local
context.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">World Indigenous People’s Day
observed</span></span></span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Sangai Express, 10 August 2014</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/page/items/41694/world-indigenous-peoples-day-observed">http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/page/items/41694/world-indigenous-peoples-day-observed</a></span></span>
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<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">IMPHAL, Aug 9: Call for ILPS
implementation reverberated during World Indigenous People’s Day observances organised
at different parts of the State today. In a function organised by Scheduled
Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur at Uripok Haobam Dewan Leikai, former
Minister RV Mingthing, CDC MU former Director and STDCM president Dr Y Mohendro
and former Ukhrul ADC Usham Dhananjoy were the chief guest, president and guest
of honour respectively.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Speaking at the occasion, RV
Minghting said that protection of indigenous people is an accepted affair all
over the world. Preservation of indigenous culture, tradition and identity is
permitted by the United Nations, Mingthing said while adding that
implementation of ILPS would serve as a significant step towards it.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Maintaining that ILPS was
enforced in Manipur from 1947 to 1950, Mingthing said that the then
Commissioner lifted the system from Manipur later. He questioned why ILPS is
not enforceable in Manipur although it is being implemented in Nagaland,
Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Exhorting the people of the State
to collectively press the Government to put ILPS into effect, Mingthing
observed that it is the best step towards protection of indigenous people. Meanwhile,
World’s Indigenous People’s Day was also jointly observed by Citizens Action
for Social Development, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, Citizens
Concern for Dams and Development, Awang Sekmai New Market Development
Association at Awang Sekmai today.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Speaking at the observance held
under the theme, ‘In Defence of Our Land, Forest, Water, Our Rights and
Future’, Centre for Research and Advocacy secretary Jiten Yumnam stressed on
need to put forward the issues of indigenous people of Manipur at World
Conference on Indigenous People to be held in September this year.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">The increasing number of
development projects like proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam over Barak River,
Mapithel dam over Thoubal river etc and oil exploration plan in Manipur have
threatened indigenous people’s survival. He also stressed on the need for
adopting self determination towards bringing development and end mitralization
in Manipur.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Writer Yaiskul, Committee on
Human Rights Convenor Phulindro Konsam, Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers
Organization Advisor Thanmi Kashung, All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Union
Joint Secretary Chaba, Sorokhaibam Sanjoy of All Manipur United Clubs Organization
spoke at the function. As part of the World Indigenous People’s Day observance,
JCILPS Student’s Wing and rickshaw pullers carried out different rallies
spreading the message of protection of indigenous people.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: 15pt; margin: 15pt 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">JCILPS Student’s Wing flagged off
a bike rally from THAU ground, Thangmeiband at around 11 am. The rallyists used
placards that read as ‘Save Our Culture, Save the Indigenous People’,
‘Implement ILPS in the State’ and ‘No Meaning of Life Without Identity’ during
the rally which passed through important localities of Imphal West, Imphal
East, Thoubal and Bishnupur districts. On the other hand, rickshaw pullers also
took out a rickshaw rally on important road of the State capital today. The
rickshaw rally was flagged off from Sagolband Bijoygovinda ground in the
afternoon.</span></span></span></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-19406632979958621622014-08-09T06:32:00.003-07:002014-08-10T00:43:03.868-07:00PRESS RELEASE_World Indigenous Peoples Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">CITIZEN ACTION FOR SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY, MANIPUR</span></b></div>
<div align="center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">AWANG SEKMAI NEW MARKET DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">CITIZENS CONCERN FOR DAMS AND DEVELOPMENT </span></b></div>
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<wbr></wbr> IMPHAL MANIPUR <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1959483604" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">9 August 2014</span></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> </div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 20pt; line-height: 30.666664123535156px;">PRESS RELEASE</span></u></b></div>
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The World’s Indigenous Peoples day was organized jointly by Citizens Action for Social Development, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, Citizens Concern for Dams and Development, Awang Sekmai New Market Development Association at Awang Sekmai, Manipur on 9<sup>th</sup> August 2014 with the theme “In Defense of Our Land, Forest, Water, Our Rights and Future”. Mr Jiten Yumnam, Secretary, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur provided Key Note address of the celebration. Mr. Yaiskul, Writer, Mr. Phulindro Konsam, Convenor, Committee on Human Rights, Mr. Thanmi Kashung, Advisor, Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO), Mr. Chaba, Jt. Secretary, All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen’s Union, Mr. Sorokhaibam Sanjoy of All Manipur United Clubs Organization deliberated as resource persons.</div>
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Mr. Jiten Yumnam in his key note, stressed on need of a strong message of indigenous peoples of Manipur in the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in September 2014. The increasing development onslaught, such as proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam over Barak River, the Mapithel dam over Thoubal River etc and oil exploration plan in Manipur threatened indigenous peoples’ survival. He also stressed on the need of a self determined development of Manipur and to end militarization process in Manipur. Further, to repeal all draconian laws, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 which violates non derogable rights in Manipur.</div>
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Mr. Chaoba, Jt Secretary, All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen Union explained how Ithai Barrage of the 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project submerged more than 80,000 acres of agriculture land and conscripted indigenous fishing communities’ rights in Loktak Lake. The Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006 led to forced eviction of fishing communities and arsoning of floating huts. Many indigenous fish and edible plant species are lost after Ithai barrage. He urged to decommission Ithai Barrage of Loktak project. </div>
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Mr. Thanmi Kashung, advisor, Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization shared how the Mapithel dam will submerge several villages, prime agriculture land, their forest land and will threaten survival of communities. He called for review of Mapithel dam construction and to conduct a holistic impact assessment and further called for resumption of the Expert Review committee formed in 2008.</div>
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Mr. Phulindro Konsam, Chairman, Committee on Human Rights spoke on the alarming human rights situations due to the ongoing efforts to subdue the right to self determination of Manipur. The influx of non indigenous population in Manipur with state patronage threatened survival of indigenous peoples of Manipur. Development injustice undermined food sovereignty and foster inequality in Manipur. Development should be centred on peoples’ rights and their wishes. He called for repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.</div>
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Mr. Yaiskul, Executive member, Patriotic Writer Forum, explained how indigenous cultures and traditions are fast losing out due to changing pattern of land ownership and development aggression on peoples land and resources. The removal of boulder and sand from Sekmai River and other rivers by rich people with state patronage further devastates ecosystem. There are folklores on our forest of Manipur and even rituals before cutting down trees but today, such practices are disrespected. Mr. S Sanjoy of AMUCO spoke on the human rights violations perpetrated under the militarization process in Manipur under emergency laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 and how indigenous youths are subjected to extensive fake encounter killings. The celebration of the World Indigenous Peoples Day celebration adopted a statement:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-32076166364876504492014-07-27T23:52:00.002-07:002014-07-27T23:52:38.202-07:00An Introspection: Manipur Paddy Conservation Bill 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Jiten Yumnam</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 252.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<a href="mailto:mangangmacha@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 252.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: center; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In a significant
development on 25 July 2014, the Manipur Assembly passed the Manipur Conservation
of Paddy Land Bill 2014 amidst the longstanding and ongoing struggle for
protection of agriculture land on an urgent basis. The passing of the Bill
indicates at least a tardy realization of the Government, at least, of basic significance
of agriculture in Manipur’s economy. However, one wonders what Manipur actually
needs at this point of time in agriculture or for that matter in larger
Manipur’s economy. Is it mere protection of paddy land or protection of
agriculture land? One is also concerned on the approach, piecemeal or holistic?
The question is more obvious given Manipur’s land terrain, its geography and
diverse pattern of agriculture practices. Manipur’s agriculture both in the
valley and the hills is not restricted merely to paddy cultivation. Especially
in the hill areas, diversified cultivation assumes much prominence with
pursuance of traditional forms of agriculture. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Manipur has different
categories of agriculture land, depending on the terrain, in the plains, wetlands,
hills, forest etc with diverse agricultural practice. One wonders if the policy
will cover all agriculture land. The protection of agricultural land in Manipur
should also entail protection of wetlands, forest land and those areas with
possibility for permanent cultivation. And here it is highly crucial to ensure
involvement of all different communities of Manipur practising different types
and forms of agriculture practices and to acknowledge their pattern of land
ownership and agriculture practices, to identify best practices and ways to
protect agricultural land in all terrains across Manipur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Interestingly, the bill
is introduced at a time where agriculture land both in the hills and valley fast
shrinks and vigorously conscripted for multiple large scale development
projects and uncontrolled urbanization. Land grabbing is an alarming phenomenon
fast unfolding in Manipur amidst India’s aggressive pursuance of neoliberal
economic policies and its economic and political expansionist policies. Peoples’
stern resistance against agriculture land acquisition without their free prior
and informed consent, such as for creation of Capitol Project, Industrial
Growth Centre, international Airport in Imphal etc are still fresh in peoples’
memories<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>. Today,
residents of Yurembam are dead against the land acquisition move for Trans
Asian Highway. <span style="color: black;">The village already lost substantial
trace of their land to the Power Station of NEEPCO, Ltd and due to the
expansion of 400 KV power plant of the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd very
recently<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>.</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Lucida Grande","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Further much concern abound that the inconsiderate implementation
of the subsidy oriented National Food Security Act, 2012 of India in Manipur
has enormous potential to destroy indigenous agriculture with dumping of cheap
and chemical laden food grain from beyond Manipur. Much of Manipur’s prime
agriculture land is also lost due to extensive militarization of Indian armed
forces under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 to subdue insurgent
groups seeking self determination of Manipur.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The new policy will
simply be irrational and meaningless without addressing the implications of development
onslaught in Manipur. Manipur, with its geographical advantage of locating
right in middle of South Asia and South East Asia is already at the centre of an
international economic process of converting entire Asian region into a huge
market. The Trans Asian Railway, the Trans Asian Highway and the 400 KV High
Voltage Transmission lines are part of the larger strategy to economically
connect Asian sub regions and to foster trade between countries in South Asian
and South East Asia, the process being facilitated by economically powerful
countries through Multilateral banks, viz, World Bank, Asian Development Bank
etc and bilateral banks like Japan Bank for International Cooperation. The
enormous challenge is indigenous peoples of Manipur are excluded in the process
of defining such development priorities and processes. Further, the people are
not even informed of the potential multifaceted impacts of large development
initiative under such processes. Rather its land, its forest and rich resources
are already subjected to economic exploitation, as evident in the ongoing
process to construct more than 200 mega dams all over India’s North East region
and to drill oil and natural gas by multinational companies, such as in Manipur
by Jubilant Energy. Indeed, power trading is one of the priorities set in Asian
Development Bank’ and World Bank’s development visions for the region. The infrastructures
created for such economic process will conscript huge trace of prime agriculture
land and will directly facilitate unhindered dumping of cheap agricultural
produces from across borders from South and South East Asia, thus destroying
indigenous agriculture and undermining food sovereignty of Manipur. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The need for clarity on
reasons for loss of agricultural land need be considered. Will there be a
rethinking of the development process and rescinding of unsustainable policies
with the move to defend agriculture land? Or will it be just an expression of
intent devoid of practicalities. Will it also rethink certain development
process, such as 105 MW Loktak HEP Project, to return the 83,000 acres of prime
agriculture land, submerged by the project? Will it also consider abandoning
the Tipaimukh dam project which will submerge nearly 30,000 hectares of forest
and fertile agriculture land along the Barak River and its tributaries in
Tamenglong and Churachandpur Districts<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>?
Will the decision led to saving more than 1000 hectares of agriculture land in
Mapithel Valley to be submerged by Mapithel dam<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>?
The proposed Chakpi dam will submerge more than 3000 hectares, most of which
will be prime agriculture land along the Chakpi River in Chandel District<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One also needs be clear
of the objectives of pursuing such bill or policies? One needs a comprehensive
assessment of reasons for loss of agriculture land or threats to sustainable
agriculture in Manipur, based on which the policy need be based.<span style="color: red;"> </span>Manipur’s agriculture in all terrains is increasingly
rendered uneconomical for the farmers and indigenous communities due to
multiple reasons, high cost of fertilizer and pesticides, high labor cost, lack
of state support, influx of cheap agricultural items, impacts of climate change
and lack of marketing support, bad infrastructure etc. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One may also ask if the
passing of the bill or the enactment of related policies able to defend
agriculture land of Manipur. Manipur’s agriculture is under intense pressure
due to the liberalization of Indian agriculture, where Agri corporate bodies
are fast converting the state into their market for fertilizers, pesticides,
high yielding seeds, agriculture equipments etc, which increases cost of
farming. Defense of agricultural land need rethinking the capitalist led
development, dominant development model based on profits for private parties,
which undermines sustainable agriculture. One wonders if the Government of
Manipur will embark on this at a time when it is deeply encouraging commercial
agriculture as outlined in the New Land Use Policy of Manipur 2014<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a>.
The reality today is the unregulated corporate expansionism under imperialist countries
led globalization is the biggest threat to sustainable agriculture in Manipur?
The Government need be sensitive to such challenges and threats to agriculture
in Manipur, both in the hills and plains. Further, also to understand the
grievances of small scale farmers, which have limited state support for their
agriculture activities, such as purchase of farm equipments, irrigation
facilities and crop insurance etc. Without challenging the larger unsustainable
development models and all threats to sustainable agriculture, a mere defense
of paddy land will simply be irrational? There are fundamental contradictions
to be addressed, in policy application and in defining development vision and
processes. One also wonder if there will there be reconsideration of the
Policies like Manipur Tourism Policy 2011 and Manipur Hydroelectric Power
Policy etc, that will destroy agriculture land, forest, water sources and restrict
community’s access to their land and survival sources. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Is formulation of paddy
conservation bill rational? One may rather wish to press a policy to protect
all agriculture land in its entirely in Manipur and will certainly lead to a more
substantial understanding of Manipur in itself, which can lead to answers to
many challenges of Manipur. The Government of Manipur should consider a
comprehensive agriculture policy which recognize communities’ rights over their
land and recognize their right to free, prior and informed consent before
introducing any initiative or development projects that will undermine their
rights or relationship with their land. It is highly crucial to perceive the
importance and intrinsic relationship of communities with their land. A
holistic policy to protect agriculture land, wetlands, forest of Manipur should
be framed in due consultation with communities. The policy need be based on
sustainable agriculture, promotion of small scale farming, recognition of
indigenous agriculture, addressing the key threats to agriculture etc with the protection
of agriculture land as one of the key and essential components of the policy. Protection
of agricultural land should be an essential and key component of promoting just
and sustainable development in Manipur. A mere intent to protect agriculture
land will mean nothing till a holistic approach is adopted for
agriculture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Addressing and
reversing the potential threats to a viable and sustainable agriculture in
Manipur, such as extensive promotion of industries, large scale development
projects, infrastructure projects, extensive militarization etc is highly
crucial. A thorough understanding of the potential risks and challenges of
agriculture in Manipur in the larger neoliberal economic framework of
considering agriculture purely in economic terms need be pursued. One need to
ponder where is Manipur’s agriculture and how our farmers can cope with the
onslaught of multiple free trade agreements signed by India with South East
Asian and South Asian countries. In this context, merely conserving paddy land
will highly be insufficient. It is highly critical to really identify and
insist on what needs to conserved and for what purpose and if it simply will be
enough. Reviewing and changing development processes detrimental in sustainable
agriculture is urgent. Protection of agriculture land is not feasible less
there’s a concerted effort both to understand and to respond to the larger global
forces, which already threatened the socio- economic, political and cultural
values of Manipur</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="bodyboldgreen" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Developmental
challenges : Airport & University expansion, The Sangai Express, 11 May
2008,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span> </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span class="newsheader"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Manipur's debut in
railway map may wipe out Yurembam, fear inhabitants</span></span><br />
Source:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="bodybold"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network, The
9 July 2014</span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “Damned Hearings of Tipaimukh
High Dam”, by Jiten Yumnam, the Imphal Free Press <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “Mapithel Dam and Militaristic
Development”, by Jiten Yumnam, the Sangai Express </span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “Nuances of Chakpi Dam Plan in
Manipur”, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, March 2014 </span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> New Nuisance: Manipur’s New Land
Use Policy 2014, by Jiten Yumnam The Sangai Express, 22 July 2014 </span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-38962613165554241552014-07-15T05:32:00.003-07:002014-07-15T05:32:34.905-07:00Manipur’s Ambiguous Farmland Defense Move<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By
Jiten Yumnam</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="mailto:mangangmacha@gmail.com" style="text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">mangangmacha@gmail.com</span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 252.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Two contrasting media
reports in subsequent days in early July, 2014 provoke enough confusion in Manipur.
In a strange and seemingly stirring from deep slumber to its senses, the media
reports the ruling Congress party of the Manipur Government resolves to protect
agriculture land<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>,
citing setting up of brick farms, residential areas, schools as key reasons for
agriculture loss. Few organizations hastily applauded the decision. The decision
already provokes wide interest for an agrarian state like Manipur, where nearly
70 percent of its people rely on agriculture for sustenance. Manipur’s
agriculture has long been in a state of crisis for long, its land has been
shrinking alarmingly in recent decades and an industrial form of agriculture
fast descends. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No further details were
elucidated except for the intent expressed to save agriculture land. All’s fine
till the next day when denizens of Yurembam village in suburb of Imphal Town
expressed strong objection to fresh move to acquire their village land for
construction of rail tracks and a Station for the Trans Asian Railway passing
through Manipur. The village already lost substantial tract of their prime
agricultural land for setting up the high voltage power transmission and
distribution lines of Power Grid Corporation of India with funding from the World
Bank and for expansion of the Yurembam Power Sub Station. The village literally
is on the verge of extinction<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One wonders whether the
recent decision of ruling party is reasons rife for rejoice? And whether
there’s comprehensive introspection of reasons for loss of agriculture land or
threats to sustainable agriculture in Manipur? Will such decision led to food
sovereignty or sustainable agriculture in Manipur, as also outlined in the
draft Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the Post 2015 development
agenda. One also wonder if the decision will undo development injustice in
Manipur. One obviously needs to dwell into hard realities to find lucid answers.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For long, Manipur
manages agriculture without a comprehensive policy to protect agriculture land.
Adhocism rules the roost as agriculture land continues to be conscripted one
after another amidst growing public resentment. Peoples’ resistance against farmland
acquisition without their consent, in the setting up of National Institute of
Technology at Lamphelpat and at Kyamgei and the expansion of Imphal Airport and
proposed expansion of Manipur University, setting of Manipur industrial centre
at Chingarel etc are still fresh in peoples’ memories<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.
Much of Manipur’s prime agriculture land is also lost due to accommodate
extensive deployment of Indian armed forces under the Armed Forces Special
Powers Act, 1958 to subdue insurgent groups seeking self determination of
Manipur. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Will there be a
rethinking of the development process and rescinding of destructive and
unsustainable policies with the move to defend agriculture land? Or will it be
just an expression of intent devoid of practicalities. The development record
of government of Manipur is heavily laden with injustice, disrespect of
peoples’ rights over their land, their right to participate in development
decision making and also brute use of force. Will it also rethink certain
development process, such as 105 MW Loktak HEP project, to return the 83,000
acres of prime agriculture land, submerged by the mega dam project? Will it
also consider abandoning the Tipaimukh dam project which will submerge nearly
30,000 hectares of forest and fertile agriculture land along the Barak River
and its tributaries in Tamenglong and Churachandpur Districts? Will the
decision led to saving more than 1000 hectares of agriculture land in Mapithel
Valley to be submerged by Mapithel dam? The proposed Chakpi dam will submerge
more than 3000 hectares, most of which will be prime agriculture land along the
Chakpi River in Chandel District of Manipur. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The decision of the
Government of Manipur comes at an interesting phase of Manipur’s history,
already in the centre of large scale Trans Asian development initiatives and
larger international policies. The Trans Asian Railway, the Trans Asian Highway
and the 400 KW High Voltage Transmission lines are both part of the larger
strategy to economically connect Asian sub regions and to foster trade between
countries in South Asian and South East Asia, the process being facilitated by
several economically powerful countries like Japan through its Japanese Bank
for International Cooperation (JBIC) and several Multilateral banks, primarily
the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. With countries like India and
Thailand supporting such master plans through their Look East Policies and Look
West Policies, Manipur and other parts of India’s North East confronts
development onslaught of multinational corporations and intrusion of international
financial institutions, conscripting agriculture land in the subsequent industrialization
and infrastructure development processes. Neither its people nor its land and
resources are involved in definition of such development priorities but rather
subjected them for exploitation in all forms to advance their interest and
priorities. These infrastructures will only facilitate dumping of cheap
agricultural produces from across borders and destroying indigenous
agriculture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Manipur also saw
aggressive corporate expansionism with several policies formed to facilitate
such processes. The Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, the Manipur
Tourism Policy, 2011 and also the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy, 2012 etc all
favour privatisation and corporatization of peoples land and resources, all of
which will require substantial acquisition of agricultural land forcibly and
evicting communities. There’s ongoing process to introduce the New Land Use
Policy (NLUP), 2014 to facilitate privatisation and commodification of communities’
land and resources. Several farmers’ bodies already opposed the 6<sup>th</sup>
amendment Bill of Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms recently passed in the
7<sup>th</sup> session of the 10<sup>th</sup> Legislative Assembly in March
2014, for favouring the rich and wealthy<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: #363635;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: #363635;">. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: #FCFCFC; color: #363635;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Development injustice
has strongly been pursued in forced confiscation of peoples land and eviction
of small scale farmers. Conscription of agriculture land with state militarism
and justice denial can never be sustainable and just development. Further, the
police personnel involved in unleashing brutalities on communities asserting
defense of their agriculture land as in the case of Mapithel Dam, Khuga Dam,
Loktak Eviction etc faces no trial and hence justice remains denied to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One also needs to
reflect as to the objective and purpose of protecting agriculture land. This
question finds much relevance given the high inputs to agriculture and as
farmers increasingly finds it difficult to sustain their agricultural
activities. One need to introspect what additional factors threatens Manipur’s
agriculture, such as the promulgation of subsidy oriented policies such as
National Food Security Act, 2012 and its inconsiderate application in Manipur
with enormous potential to destroy indigenous agriculture with dumping of cheap
and chemical laden food grain from outside Manipur. Moreover, multinational
corporations aggressively promoted their agricultural products ranging from high
yielding seeds, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides etc, which will eventually
destroy indigenous agriculture, subjecting small scale farmers fully dependent
on chemical laden and high capital intensive forms of agriculture. This will
render farming impossible for impoverished and marginal farmers. There’s also
wide impact of free trade agreement signed by the Government of India with
South East Asian countries on agriculture in Manipur. Cheap agriculture
products from Myanmar, Thailand and China already destroyed production of
seasonal indigenous crops of Manipur<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For the Manipur
Government, which has long ceased to think for itself, can it really oppose or
obstruct the larger dominant paradigm or liberalization of agriculture and
subsequent impacts on small scale and marginal farmers? Agriculture in India
has landed in further crisis after wide reforms in the after math of the
neo-liberal policies of 1991</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.
De</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">cline
in the public investment, shrinking public extension services and contraction
of institutional credit availability in rural areas after 1991 policy reforms has
led to widespread agrarian crisis. T</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">he Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act, 2003 has
been amended to facilitate setting up private markets, allowing contract
farming and legalizing direct purchase from farmers. Multinational companies gained
spaces in procurement, wholesale trade and retailing, much to the detriment of
small scale farmers. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Defense of agricultural land need rethinking
the capitalist led development, dominant development model based on profits for
private parties, which undermines sustainable agriculture. One wonders if the
Government of Manipur will embark on this at a time when it is deeply
encouraging corporate agriculture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The reality today is the
unregulated corporate expansionism under imperialist globalization is the
biggest threat to sustainable agriculture in Manipur? The Government need be
sensitive to such external challenges and threats to agriculture in Manipur,
both in the hills and plains, including due to climate change. Further, also to
understand the grievances of small scale farmers, which have limited state
support for their agriculture activities, such as purchase of farm equipments,
irrigation facilities and crop insurance etc. Without challenging the larger
unsustainable development models and all threats to sustainable agriculture, a
mere defense of agriculture land will simply be irrational? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One also wonder if
there will there be reconsideration of the Policies like Manipur Tourism Policy
2011 and Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy and other legislations that will
destroy farmland and restrict community’s access to community land. Especially,
the Manipur Tourism policy stipulated creating land banks and to simplify all
necessary environmental, social, forest clearances for those that can accord
maximum investments. The other policy
will submerge vast prime agriculture land. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Again, will there be
real defense of agriculture land in Manipur? And for whom will they be
defended? Will it be for the people or for the State functionaries or for the
Multinational Corporations? What should be the process to defend? Can such
process be defined exclusively by the State without involving communities who
very much depends on their land for survival? The call for protection of
agriculture land comes also at a time when wetlands are destroyed, with massive
urbanization and for pursuance of unregulated industrial activities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One also wonders what
will be considered as agricultural land and whether it will be confined to only
permanent cultivable land. Manipur has different categories of agriculture
land, depending on the terrain and geography, in the plains, wetlands, hills
and in the forest with different agricultural practice. The protection of
agricultural land in Manipur should also entail protection of wetlands, forest
land and those areas with possibility for permanent cultivation. And here it is
highly crucial to ensure involvement of all different communities of Manipur
practising different types and forms of agriculture practices and to
acknowledge their pattern of land ownership and agriculture practices, to
acknowledge and accept best practices and ways to protect agricultural land in
different terrains. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What kind of exception
clause will be outlined, if ever there’s a policy for agriculture land
protection? With “Eminent Domain” concept
ruling supreme and with legislations like the Manipur Land Registration and
Reform Act, 1960, whose provisions are in line with the British colonial land act,
Land Acquisition Act, 1894, still allowing State to forcibly acquire peoples’
land for ‘public’ purpose, one wonders how the Manipur Government will ensure protection
of communities rights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Government of Manipur
should consider a comprehensive agriculture policy which recognize communities’
rights over their land and recognize their right to free, prior and informed
consent before introducing any initiative or development projects that will
undermine their rights or relationship with their land. It is highly crucial to
perceive the importance and intrinsic relationship of communities with their
land. A holistic policy to protect agriculture land, wetlands, forest of
Manipur should be framed in due consultation with communities. Reviewing and
changing development processes or policies detrimental in sustainable
agriculture of Manipur is urgently required. Protection of agriculture land
cannot and simply work in isolation less there’s a concerted effort both to
understand and to respond to the larger forces, which already threatened the
socio- economic, political and cultural values of Manipur. A serious endeavour
to ensure agriculture sector remains a viable survival option is very much
crucial. Protection of agricultural land should be an essential and key component
of promoting just and sustainable development in Manipur. A mere intent to
protect agriculture land will mean nothing till a holistic approach is adopted
for agriculture. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
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<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> “CLP bats for
saving Agriculture Land”, 10 July 2014, the Sangai Express <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> <span class="newsheader">Manipur's debut in railway map may wipe out Yurembam, fear inhabitants</span><br />
Source:<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="bodybold">The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network, The
9 July 2014</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="bodyboldgreen" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.25pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> Developmental
challenges : Airport & University expansion, The Sangai Express, 11 May
2008,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=news_section.opinions.Politics_and_Governance.Developmental_challenges_Airport_Univ_expansion"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">http://e-pao.net/epSubPageExtractor.asp?src=news_section.opinions.Politics_and_Governance.Developmental_challenges_Airport_Univ_expansion</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4">
<h1 style="line-height: 18.15pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> Farmers`
body opposes Manipur Land revenue and Land reforms 6th amendment Bill 2014<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.4pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">The<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://kanglaonline.com/author/ifp/"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">Imphal Free Press</span></a><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">, </span><span class="meta"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0cm; padding: 0cm;">March 3, 2014, </span></span><a href="http://kanglaonline.com/2014/03/farmers-body-opposes-manipur-land-revenue-and-land-reforms-6th-amendment-bill-2014/">http://kanglaonline.com/2014/03/farmers-body-opposes-manipur-land-revenue-and-land-reforms-6th-amendment-bill-2014/</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5">
<h2 style="background: white; line-height: 24.8pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Manipur's%20ambiguous%20farmland%20defense%20move.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal;">Banned
food items from Myanmar still sold”, </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.manipurtimes.com/news-article/the-peoples-chronicle-news/itemlist/user/45-thepeopleschronicle"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: windowtext; font-size: 11pt;">The Peoples
Chronicle</span></a><span class="itemauthor"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: normal;">,
3 August 2013 <o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-23004119694569897612014-07-15T05:30:00.000-07:002014-07-15T05:30:05.675-07:00Manipur’s Development Debacle in Post 2015 Context<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Jiten Yumnam</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hectic negotiation marks
the ongoing efforts to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with
Sustainable Development Goals in a post 2015 development agenda definition
process, with the developed, developing and least developed countries aggressively
pursuing their interest. One wonders if the re-definition of current
development discourse in the post 2015 will ever led to a rethinking of the
current development model and processes pursued across Manipur and other parts
of India’s North East. For instance, will there be a rethinking into the proposed
plans to built colossal mega dams all across the rivers of Manipur and other
rivers in the region for a more sustainable and alternative options? Or will
there be a rethinking in introducing other extractive industries and other large
infrastructure projects that will destroy the rich biodiversity, flora and
fauna of the region with serious implications for indigenous communities
inhabiting the state and across region. Will the new SDGs led to more
involvement of communities in defining development priorities and processes?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The outcome document of
the Rio+20 global Summit on Environment and Development held at Rio De Janiero
in June 2012 sets the momentum towards defining Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs). The limitations of the MDGs in terms of content and also its definition
processes further provided impetus for SDGs. As diplomatic efforts and intensive
negotiations among different stakeholders unfold, there’s clearly an obvious reality,
of overwhelming focus on privatization of development, to entrust and
legitimize corporate bodies’ role and involvement in all development processes
throughout. Other pressing decision making process on key development
challenges such as UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which gears
up for a significant decision by 2015 year
end also witnessed delegating maximum responsibilities to private sector
development processes with limited or extremely weak accountability mechanisms.
Hopes fades fast as one perceives the pattern of decisions shaped in defining SDGs
primarily at the UN HQs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The current discourse
is already marked by refusal of many States of UN to refer to the term “human
rights based approach to development” or HRBA in defining sustainable
development goals. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">The
overt emphasis on private sector led growth as the ultimate model of
development in the Mexico High Level Meeting (HLM) of the Global Partnership
for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) and as also visible in the post
Rio+20 processes without establishing a clear set of rules for accountability
and respect of human rights of communities already provoked wide condemnations
from CSOs and will only contribute in deepening inequality and human rights
violations all over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The international
discourse is strongly experienced in Manipur too, of increased effort to
privatize people’s land and their survival sources in the name of development
and clear cut refusal to uphold indigenous peoples’ rights. Manipur witnessed
series of development policies formed in the last decade, interestingly in the
last few years, to promote corporatization and privatization of community
resources and commodification of peoples live and future, such as the Manipur
Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, the Manipur Tourism Policy, 2011 and the most
recent controversy is the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy 2012 and the New
Land Use Policy, 2014. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One also wonders if there
can ever be just and sustainable development when corporate bodies, which only
prioritize on profits, led such kind of development, especially at this time of
multiple global crisis? Given the aggressive pursuance of policy deregulation
towards corporatization of communities land and resources with militarism, the
simplification of processes to seek such approval (single window clearances)
and exclusion of community voices and space to air in their grievances and
alternatives, one wonders if this will lead to sustainable development in
Manipur. One wonder if emphasis on colossal projects in Manipur such as mining,
mega dams etc, that will entail massive impacts be considered as sustainable
and be pursued as key components of SDGs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Manipur today witnessed
increased intrusion of multinational companies both from developed and
developing countries, whichever has the best capacity to loot, destroy, burn and
ruin communities land, resources, their lives and future. In the case of
ongoing process to drill and explore oil and natural gas in Manipur, oil companies
and the State unleashed both misinformation and denial of information. There is
serious accountability issue with the oil company, Jubilant Energy and Oil and
Gas Corporation of India, as both failed to take the free, prior and informed
consent of communities who depend on their land for survival. Rather there’s
bribery of community leaders and manipulation of traditional decision making process,
which creates confusions within and among communities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In India’s NE, the definition
of development priorities continues to be defined by International Financial
Institutions with State facilitation, which promoted enabling environment for
private sector/business rather than communities in an atmosphere of exclusivity
and lack of transparency and accountability. Such process lacks a full scale
impact appraisal, denial of information, misinformation, upsetting the fragile
ecological integrity and destroying cultures. The adherence to human rights
standards, such as, UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples, 2007,
is absent. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In India’s North East alone, more than 200 mega dams
are being pursued with several constructed in Brahmaputra-Barak River Basin.
These dams have already threatened indigenous farming in India’s North East
States by submerging vast tract of agriculture land, wetlands and forest<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Development%20Injustice%20in%20Manipur.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">And with
lack of accountability of most of the corporate bodies involved in large scale
destructive development, such as the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation
(NHPC) in the case of destruction of Loktak Wetlands by its 105 MW Loktak
Project, one wonders if there ever will be development justice in Manipur? A d</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">evelopment
justice, which places people – that is the majority poor and the marginalized –
at the front and centre of development as the primary agents and subjects of
change. A development justice, where development process is designed and
adapted in response to the aspirations of the people and their available
resources, and not imposed by technocrats and so-called high-level experts for
all time and for all peoples. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is no difference
between the way how decisions are made on development processes, for specific
development projects and policies introduced at the local context. The trend of
development introduced in Manipur and across North East India is now a serious
matter of alarm and concern. The focus of the region in global economic
development, mostly to foster trade and development between South Asia and
South East Asia through construction of gigantic highways, railways and other
mega infrastructure projects along with promotion of extractive industries and
big mega dams targeting the rich natural resources in the region will intensify
social, environmental, cultural, health impacts and complicates the already
worse human rights violations records in the region. Already, the Trans Asian
Highway project and the High Transmission and Distribution Lines with Asian
Development Bank and World Bank respectively and passing through Manipur had
already displaced several communities from their agriculture and residential
land areas. One wonders if the development decision making process in Manipur
and across India’s North East works exclusively to the international decision
making processes and other advances in development rights regime. There’s a
strong disconnect. Marginalized communities most affected by such exclusive
process will continue to be impacted, impoverished and pauperized. How can such
development process bereft of taking communities into consent be considered
sustainable and just? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Development fostered under the current development
architecture has already ruined lives, destroyed futures of many indigenous
communities, displaced fisher folks, small scale farmers and women from their
survival sources not only in Manipur, but also across communities worldwide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One may also ponder if
long standing complaints of affected communities to listen to the inconvenience
and violations by those projects are ever listened to and considered for
necessary action. There are even cases of community members including women
killed, assaulted and threatened for demanding just development, for fair
rehabilitation and resettlement, for review of destructive projects, for
calling for rightful space to air in calls for alternatives and impact assessments.
Three people affected by Khuga dam lost their lives in police firing in
December 2005. In 2008, Ms. Lungmila of Louphoung Village affected by Mapithel
dam in Manipur remain paralyzed after hit by tear gas canister fired by
personnel of Indian Reserve Battalion<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Development%20Injustice%20in%20Manipur.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>.
How can development process which involves taking lives of communities and
militarizing their land for asserting their legitimate rights be considered as
sustainable and just development? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Given the indications
of exclusion of community representatives, stakeholders in the officials decision
making process in defining sustainable development goals in the ongoing post
2015 processes in the UN HQ has already led to widespread condemnations. The
process, now solely confined for participation and decision among the member
States of the United Nations is already arbitrary, exclusive and undermines
international advances on just development, to ensure participation of
communities and other stakeholders and also undermines the very spirit and outcome
of the Earth Summit in 1992 and also the Rio+20 summit in June 2012. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are several
countries, from both developed and developing countries which seriously
positioned to exclude civil societies and representatives of communities from
the official decision making on defining SDGs and further to curtail mentioning
“Human Rights” or even “Rights” for that matter<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Development%20Injustice%20in%20Manipur.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>. There
are even countries that refuse to acknowledge that ‘land’ is life for many, but
rather perceive it as yet another “productive resource” for corporate
exploitation and expansionism. Developed countries are clear during negotiations,
to protect and advance the interest of their corporate bodies and their
intellectual property rights regime, the basic premise of their corporate
operations to consolidate wealth and profits. One may ask whether the current
efforts to find sustainable development goals will really be sustainable and helpful
for the communities and nature, already subjected to multiple layers of
deprivation, conflict and devastation of their lives. Or will the process contribute at least in
restoring the health of our mother earth and in ushering development justice for
many communities victimized and marginalized by the dominant development
discourse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The need for a just
development is increasingly felt all over the world with states insisting on
consolidation of the dominant development model and paradigm. As organizations
worldwide prepares to observe the global day of development justice on 21st
July to remind ourselves of the development injustice and the multiple impacts
on marginalized and impoverished communities in deep corners of our earth, it
is high time to remind ourselves if whether the current development process in
Manipur actually serves the needs and also compatible to the wishes and
aspirations of communities. Or whether it serves the interest and needs of only
multinational corporate bodies and those in the State that actively support
them. Pursuance of development
aggression with intensified militarism will never lead to sustainable
development, which actually is all about promoting communities intrinsic rights
and democratic decision making processes. For indigenous peoples, recognizing
their inherent rights over their land and resources and respecting their right
to free, prior and informed consent for any development decision making in
their land and territories is key for sustainable development in their land. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Promoting human rights
based approach to development, fostering a community led development
initiatives, promoting rightful participation, transparency and accountability
will be crucial to foster development justice in Manipur. A significant step to
promote development justice is to rethink all development processes for its
compatibility to standards of human rights based approach to development.
Reviewing policies detrimental to the rights of communities and to
environmental integrity, and if necessary to repeal, such as Hydroelectric
Power Policy, 2012, Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, Manipur tourism
policy, Manipur Industrial policy etc, India’s PPP policy etc, Manipur Land Use
Policy etc is fundamentally crucial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Development justice can
be best ensured if development processes is rooted in the wishes and
aspirations of communities and in promoting health and sustenance of our mother
earth. A significant consideration of whose development, who defines and who
benefits need be seriously explored. Any development process negating human
rights and inconsiderate of the human rights based approach to development will
only led to multilayered conflict and confusion and will only reinforce
development injustice. Fostering a development process that respect indigenous
peoples right to freely assert their self determined development is extremely
important to secure development justice in Manipur and beyond. It is high time
to advance Development Justice – a transformative development framework that
aims to reduce inequalities of wealth, power, and resources between rich and
poor, between men and women and between countries. The larger process of
defining the Sustainable Developments Goals in the post 2015 process also need
be sensitive to the realities of deprivation and inequality prevailing among
the most marginalized and the violations within perpetuated by State, Corporate
bodies, military and other powerful development actors, as in the case of
Manipur and also be sensitive to their voice, aspirations as expressed in their
concerted struggles for change and justice.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Development%20Injustice%20in%20Manipur.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> An Assessment of Dams in India’s
NE seeking Carbon Credits under CDM of UNFCCC by Jiten Yumnam published by the
International Rivers, USA, March 2012 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/an-assessment-of-dams-in-ne-india-seeking-carbon-credits-from-clean-development-mechanism"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/an-assessment-of-dams-in-ne-india-seeking-carbon-credits-from-clean-development-mechanism</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Development%20Injustice%20in%20Manipur.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #363635; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Mapithel Dam and Endless Violations, by Jiten
Yumnam, Imphal Free press, October 28, 2012 </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #363635; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<a href="file:///D:/CRAM%20docs/Development%20Injustice%20in%20Manipur.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> “</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">OWG proposals risk sidelining consensus on
human rights-centered sustainable development” CESR STATEMENT, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> </span><a href="http://www.cesr.org/article.php?id=1564" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">http://www.cesr.org/article.php?id=1564</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-84851902143862318192014-07-03T07:33:00.000-07:002014-07-03T07:33:28.343-07:00Manipur's Urgencies for Alternative Energy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By Jiten Yumnam *</div>
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The Hueiyen Lanpao, 2 July 2014</div>
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<span style="color: #999999; font-family: Lucida Grande, Lucida, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/articles/item/20675-manipur-s-urgencies-for-alternative-energy</span></span></div>
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<img alt="Celebration of International Rivers Day at Riha Village in Ukhrul District along the Thoubal (Yangwuikong) River " border="0" class="frame" src="http://www.e-pao.org/galleries/images/misc/2014/03/Mapithel_Dam_20140315_2.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(153, 153, 153) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); box-shadow: rgb(153, 153, 153) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 2px;" width="690" /><br /><i>International Rivers Day at Riha Village in Ukhrul District along Thoubal (Yangwuikong) River on 14 March 2014</i></div>
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<br /><br />Hardly many in Manipur would be aware that Manipur hastily formulated the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy in 2012. The Act was quietly introduced with limited consultation and discussion even within the Manipur Assembly where it was passed. The policy fits perfectly in India's larger definition of Manipur and other parts of India's North East as power house of India and to generate more than 60,000 Mega Watt of electricity. The policy also forms part of the larger plan to build over Two Hundred (200) mega dams all over the Brahmaputra-Barak River Basin. As the name suggest, the hydroelectric power centric policy envisages generating nearly 3000 Mega Watt of electricity from almost all major Rivers and tributaries of Manipur, the Thoubal River, the Imphal River, the Makru River, the Leimatak River, the Irang River, Iril River and endless of other Rivers.<br /><br />Already several Memorandum of Understandings are being signed with various corporate bodies to undertake mega dam projects all over Manipur, which includes the 66 MW Loktak Downstream Project, the 1500 MW Tipaimukh HEP project, to be implemented by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), National Hydroelectric Power Project (NHPC), Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited etc. The Manipur Government is preparing to sign agreements with NEEPCO to undertake Irang Hydro Electric Project (60 MW) at Irang River in Tamenglong district, Khongnem-Chakha Hydro Electric Project (67 MW) at Barak River in Senapati District and Pabram Hydro Electric (190 MW) at Barak River in Tamenglong district.<br /><br />The government had even issued Expression of Interest, and several companies already submitted tender bids in response. It is worth noticing that many of the corporate bodies conferred contracts and MoUs for dam building in Manipur are corporate bodies such as National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), which continues to remain unaccountable for the multifaceted violations and devastations wrought on the affected peoples and also the environment. And these are projects that contribute in complicating the ongoing conflict in Manipur and in subduing the rights of communities over their land and their physical integrity itself.<br /><br />This Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy has been pushed through amidst an adverse reality of Manipur reeling in acute power shortage, despite commissioning of the 105 Loktak HEP project, the 35 MW Leimakhong Heavy Fuel Power Project, the Khuga Dam, Singda dam etc, which are supposedly to generate nearly 150 MW of power altogether, not even to mention several micro hydel power projects and other renewable energy projects initiated by Manipur Renewable Energy Department. Manipur is an interesting state having unlimited resources to sustain widespread militarization and related infrastructure all over Manipur and probably to sustain the conflict itself, but lacking adequate resources to respond to power infrastructure needs and other social services.<br /><br />The power policy has been pushed through amidst prolonged call of different communities for a full scale review of the impacts of 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Power Project, commissioned way back in 1984 and further to conduct a holistic review of the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project built over the Thoubal River. The arbitration, the violations of all applicable legislations, the devastation of ecosystems, the divisions and confusions created among affected communities, the lack of accountability of corporate bodies involved in these two projects, militarization and related human rights violations are just few of the impacts.<br /><br />The Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy has also been pushed through at a time when the World Bank is funding development of High Voltage Transmission and Distribution line in Manipur and other parts of India's North East, whose power networks envisages to connect almost areas demarcated for power generations, such as Tipaimukh region. It is very much clear the World Bank's support for such mega project will directly facilitate the construction of mega dams in Manipur. In a stark coincidence, the Asian Development Bank is promoting power sector reforms all over Manipur and across the region as well and today Manipur Electricity Department is already a 'Corporation' and the power supply and distribution is already privatized. So, there is a tacit correlation and coincidence of timing as to how such initiatives are being pursued aggressively with involvement of International Financial Institutions and corporate bodies in the energy sector promotion in Manipur.<br /><br />One wonders what is the premise setting of this policy and for whose benefit? One also wonders if the people of Manipur have any idea how much this particular policy will benefit them. A primary question is how responsive this power policy will be to the actual needs of Manipur in the long term and for its requisite growth? One may ask then as to why there is an exclusive decision making in defining the power needs and generation of Manipur. Especially for a 'development' process, which supposedly should for peoples' benefits? The participatory planning need to assume centrality as Manipur already had experiences, born out of acute power shortage and compulsions, to meet basic power needs. And these are alternatives of extremely low energy consumption and of increased reliance on alternative energies, such as extensive reliance on affordable solar energies by the people.<br /><br />The introduction of Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy in 2012 without any consultation and consent with indigenous communities of Manipur simply constitutes a disregard of their intrinsic relationship and survival dependence on their land, water and forest. Especially, the lack of consultation with communities to be affected and to lose their land from implementation of such policies is unacceptable, given the reality that countries like India are obligating itself to participatory development in international processes in defining sustainable development goals under the Post 2015 development agenda definition processes underway.<br /><br />The policy lacks vision of promoting an energy policy of Manipur, based on the real and alternative energy needs of our people. One wonders if there's been any effort to learn from the adverse experience of previous mega dam projects like the 105 MW Loktak HEP project, the Khuga dam project. Has the Government learnt from the lessons of failures and challenges of several dams such as the Khoupum dam, the Singda dam etc as to why such mega dams are unable to serve the intended and defined benefits. It is high time for the government to also learn from the ongoing controversy with Mapithel dam construction.<br /><br />The need for defining alternative energy needs and also for development process is becoming crucial. Due to acute power shortage in Manipur, different communities of Manipur already resorted to solar energy, more of the affordable, efficient smaller solar units. Almost every home in Manipur has a solar unit or more, which at least can meet to basic lighting need for use during frequent blackouts. Such reliance on solar renewable energy is actually reducing the consumption of fossil fuels which pollutes our earth and which contributes in warming up of our earth through emission of green house gases. It is highly unfortunate that the practical initiatives of the communities are ignored and undermined by the concerned authorities and instead opt for energy solutions that will lead to more corporatisation of our peoples' land and also direct damming of almost of the rivers of Manipur.<br /><br />Is there a thought even to support the initiatives that have already come from communities in the form of extensive reliance on solar energy, through subsidies, or promotion of efficient and more affordable technologies etc, instead of resorting to destructive and unsustainable forms of energy generations which will destroy Manipur's natural heritage? It seems, there is a clear and strong dichotomy between how people respond to energy needs and crisis and how State responds to meet energy needs. There is a clear mismatch. Are the planners of the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy ever considerate of the communities' shifting energy dependency paradigm? Is there any thought of complementing or to advance communities initiatives for widespread solar use? When the entire world is struggling with concepts of alternative energy, Manipur already have a situation where its peoples have already resorted to alternative energy, consciously or unconsciously. Such community initiative is laudable as it also minimizes consumption of fossil fuel and further a model of low energy and low carbon consumption oriented way of life.<br /><br />There is no definition of Manipur's power needs for the coming decades, based on which a viable energy assessment and policy is formulated. Manipur also has huge potential for micro hydel power projects, many of which are already installed in several remote villages of Manipur. One wonders if the Government through its agencies has ever conducted any assessment of potential micro hydel sites of Manipur. Has the Government ever bothered to think about how much of Manipur power's need could be sourced from alternative energies and accordingly plan for it? Is the state sensitive to what other regions, especially nearby states like Nagaland had initiated and advanced in terms of promoting both solar and micro hydel projects, through widespread collaboration with civil society organizations? NEPeD, an organization with Nagaland Government support, has successfully developed assembling units of 3 KW hydroger, a micro Hydel power generation unit, and has shown the way by lighting more than twenty (20) villages in Nagaland.<br /><br />Is the Government also keeping its eyes open as to how other countries are promoting alternative energies? Countries like Germany, top user and generator of Solar Energy globally, plan to receive its entire energy from Solar and other renewable energy by 2050. Around ten (10) percent of Spain's energy comes from solar power, which is five times more than the average of 2 percent in the rest of the world. So, what hinders Manipur to explore beyond frontiers to see progressive and sustainable development models?<br /><br />Is the Government of Manipur listening to the ongoing debates to promote sustainable development, to promote development which places communities at the centre stage of decision making, that emphasize on seeking alternatives and which also promotes accountability of the corporate bodies? It seems the Government of Manipur has failed to comprehend the message for options assessment and promotion of alternative energies coming from diverse civil societies and community organization in their call for stop of the long controversial 1500 MW Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydro electric Project to be built over the Barak River. There are also additional calls to stop the proposed Chakpi Dam plan to be again built over the Chakpi River in Southern part of Manipur.<br /><br />The consideration of alternative energy is extremely crucial to minimize social, environmental, cultural, biodiversity impacts as efforts are being made to generate Manipur's power requirements, both for domestic needs and to grow its industries and allied activities. One also asks what protective clauses are ensured to minimize impacts on the rich biodiversity of Manipur, which has been listed among the Twenty Five (25) biodiversity hotspots of the world. The communities need be at the centre of such development planning process. Unfortunately, the process is focussing on corporate led development in Manipur, even to the extent of causing destruction of whatever heritage we have. The communities of Manipur are already leading a very low energy oriented way of life as compared with per capita consumption of energy in countries like the United States of America.<br /><br />The world is also shifting towards intensive efforts to promote alternative energies. The global climate crisis has also confirmed that the present development model adopted has already intensified climate crisis and impacts of climate changes are fast unfolding everywhere. And Manipur is not an exception. Mega dams are also proven to contribute a fair quantum of green house gases and big dams like Tipaimukh dam project, by the potential submergence of 27,000 hectares or 311 sq. Km, will substantially contribute in massive emission of such potent gases. The cumulative submergence of forest and potential emission of green house gases of nearly twenty big dams planned under the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy, 2012 will simply be colossal. And here, it's important to gauge as to where the process to pursue large scale dams is associated with holistic impact assessments.<br /><br />Given the exclusionary nature of decision making and defining both the energy and development agenda, it's high time that the Government of Manipur opens up the debates to the people of Manipur to assess the quantum, the quality and source of energy required for Manipur. It is high time to adopt and frame an energy policy which is holistic and considerate of the power needs of Manipur and which integrate the needs for respecting the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous communities. One may recall that several human rights bodies have actually suggested tangible steps towards promoting democratic decision making for development. Specific to the persisting violations to the ongoing construction of Mapithel Dam, the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples urged upon the Government of Manipur in 2009 to ensure that affected peoples' right to free, prior and informed consent is fully considered and that all forms of development related militarization should end. The special Rapporteur even went to the extent of recommending repealing even emergency laws such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, which increasingly has been used to promote unsustainable and destructive development, all the interest of corporate bodies.<br /><br />Specific on the building of dam, one may also ask if the government has ever considered taking into consideration the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams in 2000 and also the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Elimination on Racial Discrimination in 2007, which is more to ensure community participation in decision making, to ensure full holistic impact assessment, to undertake an option assessment more to identify if alternative energy generation potential and sources are available. The indigenous communities of Manipur will be hard to accept a development push from beyond and for benefits intended for somebody else.<br /><br />The definition of alternative power needs of Manipur is very much related to the issue of defining Manipur's own alternative development, a development process rooted in the wishes and aspirations of the people. For indigenous peoples' development, recognition of their inherent rights over their land and territories and resources is crucial and also as already emphasized by several international processes. Indigenous peoples right to self determination over their land and their self determined development process is crucial even in the definition of energy needs of Manipur as such recognition and subsequent participatory decision making can led to meaningful development, one that provides energy needs, that substantially minimize environmental devastation and reduce multiple impacts. The promotion of alternative energy should ensure that the full provisions outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 and the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams in 2000 are fully complied too.<br /><br />It is high time to repeal the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy, 2012 and to consider a comprehensive Manipur Energy policy that encompasses the different alternatives to energy solutions and most feasible alternatives in Manipur. The policy must accord due primacy to promoting the renewable energy development visible from the community and intensify initiative including research on renewable energy prospects in Manipur, exploration of most feasible efficient renewable energy technologies and also provision of subsidies for communities to undertake alternate energy options. Such approach should accord due sensitivity to the already low energy oriented way of life in Manipur. It is high time to explore what best models of alternative energy options are available in other countries and by communities worldwide. Adopting an archaic parochial development notion of exploration, expropriation of communities land and resources in an exclusive and militaristic pattern will only complicate the multiple layers of crisis and conflict plaguing Manipur and its denizens.<br /></div>
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<span class="titlebrown" style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Lucida, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">* Jiten Yumnam wrote this article for Hueiyen Lanpao<br />The writer can be contacted at mangangmacha(at)gmail(dot)com<br />This article was posted on July 02, 2014.</span></div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-66169784570327517292014-07-01T04:39:00.001-07:002014-07-01T08:07:31.212-07:00Consultation on Alternative energy for Manipur held<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Imphal Free Press, 17 June 2014</div>
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<a href="http://kanglaonline.com/2014/06/consultation-on-alternative-energy-held/" target="_blank">http://kanglaonline.com/2014/06/consultation-on-alternative-energy-held/ </a></div>
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IMPHAL, June 16: The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur has jointly held a consultation on Alternative Energy at June 16 at Manipur Press Club along with Citizen’s Concern for Dam and Development (CCDD), Committee on Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur (CPNRM), Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organisation (MDAVO), All Loktak Lake Fishermen Union Manipur (ALLAFUM) and United Voluntary Youth Centre (UVYC). The consultation was held to dwell on the scope and limitations of the alternative energy in Manipur.</div>
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The speakers in the consultation were Dr RK Ranjan-chairperson of CCDD, Manglem-director of MANIREDA, Rupachandra Yumnam-Editor of Impact TV and O. Rajen-Secretary of ALLAFUM and the key note address was presented by Joseph Hmar-Secretary of CCDD.</div>
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Dr RK Ranjan said that it is necessary to understand the requirement of energy, existing energy quantum and its management in the state, its uses by the privatized agency and encourage the use alternative energy which is reliable and convenient and further compares the efficiency of micro-hydel and solar energy and expressed limitation over solar energy in terms of its inefficiency and harmful effects in the environment.</div>
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Director of MANIREDA-Manglem dwelled on the uses and limitation of solar, wind and micro-hydel energy and expressed the reliability and convenience of hydro potential. Rupachandra Yumnam-Editor of Impact TV explained the energy resource and environmental crisis has resulted due to the increasing population and the human desire and the crisis can be met with the intervention of both by the public as well as the government and the decision makers.</div>
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O Rajen-secretary, ALLAFUM further stated that limitation over the 105 MW Loktak project which has caused the loss of 83,450 hectares of agricultural land and livelihood of fishermen and expressed the necessity of an alternative-renewable energy such as solar, wind and micro-hydel which are environmental friendly, it said.</div>
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During the consultation resolution to encourage to consider convenient and reliable alternative energy, discourage the mega dams which are affecting the ecosystem, judicial existing power resource, encourage eco-friendly and people friendly power supply and responsible consumption of energy by the public were taken up, it said.</div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-87965759588648433552014-06-29T20:18:00.002-07:002014-07-01T08:07:45.341-07:00Convention on Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders held<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>The
Hueiyen Lanpao, 29 June 2014</b></div>
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<span class="bodybold"><b>Imphal,
June 28 2014 :</b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>A one-day
Convention on 'Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur' was held at
Manipur Press Club here Friday. Jointly
organized by Human Rights Law Networks (Manipur Unit), Human Rights Initiative,
United NGOs Mission and Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur, the
convention also strongly condemned the assault on Laimayum Sevananda of Human
Rights Law Network, Manipur Unit by suspected security forces in plain clothes
and called upon the state Government to investigate and identify those involved
in the attack within a reasonable period of time.</div>
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It also condemned the verification campaign unleashed by the Intelligence
Bureau on activist d and NGOs in the name of deterring development by using
foreign funds.</div>
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In his keynote address, Jiten Yumnam elaborated the need for protection of
human rights defenders of Manipur who are working in an environment of armed
conflict situation and also in the context of recommendations of Ms.Margeret
Sagakya, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to protect human
rights defenders across India.</div>
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Director of Human Rights Law Network, Manipur Unit Rakesh Meihoubam pointed out
that government should change their behavior and respect the human rights of
all peoples of Manipur.</div>
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Sharing the recent incident of harassment on him by the personnel of IRB,
Journalist Paojel Chaoba condemned the actions of the state security forces violating
the rights and freedom of media persons of Manipur. Stressing the need for a
system where all violations can be addressed with proper legal aid, Executive
Director of Human Rights Alert Babloo Loitongbam stressed on the crucial need
for specific mechanisms in which all victims can raise their voice and mooted
idea of a focal point committee which can monitor all violations.</div>
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Director of WAD Sobita, while expressing concern over the recent incident of
physical attack on Advocate Shivananda by team of security personal, said that
attacking an Advocate like Shivananda represents an attack on all advocates of
Manipur. Phulindro Konsam, Chairperson of COHR raised concern how the
Government of India still relies on colonial laws of the British imposed during
the Indian freedom movement.</div>
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He put up the proposal to demand the government to implement provisions of UN
declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 1998 to end violations against human
rights defenders. Saying said that the law enforcing agencies, instead of
protecting people, are targeting innocent people and human rights defenders,
UNMM Secretary U.Nobokishwor stressed the need for review of the Indian Police
Act, 1860 for its inconsistency with human rights advances.</div>
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Among others, the Convention resolved that Centre and the Government of Manipur
should recognize the human rights and ensure protection of all human rights
defenders who are striving for the protection and realization of human rights
and fundamental freedoms at all levels. It also appealed to the government to
investigate and punish those involved in the torture, arbitrary detention and
killing of all human rights defenders of Manipur specifically those involved in
the attack on Journalist Paojel Chaoba.</div>
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Implementation of the recommendations made by UN Special Rapporteur Margaret
Sagakya during her visit to India in February 2011; repeal of all emergency
laws, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958, the Unlawful Activities
Prevention Act, 1967 and the National Security Act, 1980; unconditional release
of Irom Sharmila conceding her legitimate demand for repeal of AFSPA; review of
Indian Police Act, 1860 etc. were among the resolutions taken in the
Convention. The Convention also demanded
full functioning of the Manipur Human Rights Commission by appointment of
competent and committed members through a transparent process, and setting up
of special cell for protection of human rights defenders.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-22392922902467225282014-06-28T02:13:00.001-07:002014-06-28T02:13:14.498-07:00FRACKING PEOPLES’ LIVES: A PENNSYLVANIAN EXPERIENCE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">By Jiten Yumnam</span></strong></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.3em;"><a href="http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/20514-fracking-peoples-lives-a-pennsylvanian-experience" target="_blank">http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/headlines/item/20514-fracking-peoples-lives-a-pennsylvanian-experience</a></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.3em;">A different form of industrialization and neo colonization process fast unfolds in America’s rural, far and interior terrains, this time again, also by the rich and powerful in a process many Americans increasingly despised with. Today, many tranquil American rural communities find themselves amidst noisy, dirty and polluting industrial zones. Friends from Canada and United States for long shared how extensive gas shale fracking uncared of peoples’ lives and environment ran havoc in rural communities. The zeal to comprehend the reality first hand persists for long till a chance encounter with Ms. Dina, a cancer survivor from Pittsburg city in Pennsylvania State. Strong in heart, spirits and deeds, she’s instrumental in addressing adverse implications of fracking industries and in enforcing ban on fracking in Pittsburg city areas after extensive advocacies and campaigns. </span></div>
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In visits across some fracking sites across Pennsylvania in an early June summer of 2014, Ms. Dina elucidates how Pittsburg residents resist the corporate bodies engaging in hydraulic fracking for oil and gas in communities’ backyards. ‘Fracking’, as it is known, is a controversial method to extract natural gas and other fossil fuels, by boring deep vertically and horizontally for gas trapped in rocks and shale. It is accomplished by injecting millions of gallons of high-pressure water and chemicals directly into layers of shale to create fractures to release and secure the gas. Often, such process contaminates the aquifers and leakages of natural gas and oil in natural surface waters, springs, rivulets, wells etc. More than 5000 Marcellus gas shale wells exists in Pennsylvania state by 2014 count and places like Butler County have wells less than one mile of each other. Several gas companies are planning to increase to 100,000 wells in coming decades. </div>
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In visits to communities harmed by gas fracking in Dina’s words in Connoquenessing town, Butler County, Pennsylvania, the adverse impacts of fracking is fully evident. The town areas are dotted with oil wells amidst farmland and energy companies busy setting up their machines for fracking next to residential areas. Often, energy companies failed to inform communities how fracking will harm them. Oil business has ruined farming, cattle rearing and devalued properties, causing enormous stress among rural communities. The enormous quantum of waste water generated throughout the fracking process is what that usually contaminates the water and soil throughout fracking sites. In Daisytown, Washington County, oil spilled over to farmland areas from oil wells run by Dominion Company and killed several livestock. The Monongahela and Cheat Rivers along foothills of Allegheny Mountains in the Springfill Township, Fayette County are contaminated with oil and chemical leaks from operations of Marcellus oil fields. Many families in Woodlands town are forced to buy waters after fracking operations contaminated their waters from leakages of chemicals and oil. Failures of oil wells after fracking and continued emission of hazardous carcinogenic chemicals from oil wells abounds in Pennsylvania State. </div>
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Visits to some of the cryogenic plants, where separation of crude gas and oil into multiple products reveals evidence of continuous release of hazardous and toxic gases. Many of such gases are invisible to naked eyes, except with flare cameras which reveal fumes continuously emanating from such plants and related oil wells. However, the impacts of such emissions are clearly evident in the deterioration of heath of many of the communities living close to such plants. In one of the cryogenic plants near Evans city, Pennsylvania, families were living next to the huge industrial complex, which also has a gas flaring units, which burns continuously, flaring at times up to 100 feet above the air, especially in night time. Ms. Susan of Evans City complained her heath deteriorates ever since the opening of the cryogenic plant next to her home recently and described the gas flaring in the plant as “Towering Flame of Death”. The air around her home smacks smell of natural gas and chemicals. One realise breathing fresh air has already become a matter of privilege. It’s hard to comprehend that fact that people are being deprived of their basic right to breathe oxygen. The pipeline metering stations with high pressure pop offs valves also involves releases of high quantum of raw natural gases to the atmosphere. The continuous noise of the compressor several times the noise of a full running locomotive freight train engine would certainly cause nuisance to any people living near it. Families living in Hopewell Township, Washington County has to endure noise of burning gas flaring throughout the night and to expose to 15 million gallon frack waste pond, condensate storage tanks, combustible flares etc.</div>
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Many families find their children’s nose bleeding due to neurotoxins and carcinogens released from gas processing facilities units nearby. In Bradford County, after Chesapeake Energy commenced fracking from 2010, many families have already lost their lives after developed cancer due to high exposure to cancerous elements. Medical examinations confirmed high concentration of arsenic, radium, uranium among harmed communities. A researcher of University of Texas, Rachael Rawlins, concludes there is 95 percent likelihood of increased rates of leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children in Flower Mound, a town with several gas shale fracking sites between the years 1997 and 2009. A jury in Texas State awarded $3 million dollars to Bob and Lisa Parr, in their fracking lawsuit in April 2014 for poisonings by Aruba Petroleum on them and thus confirming the chemical contamination and violations caused by fracking. </div>
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Many of the gas fracking sites are actually located near schools as there are concerns on the safety of school children in gas explosions. Extensive clearing of forest is noted for gas pipelines to transport the oil across the state. Dina explained how the State invoked “Eminent Domain” concept to acquire ‘forest’ and other land required in developing infrastructure for fracking.</div>
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Many Americans are becoming refugees in their own land. Many rural Americans are forced to abandon their homes, due to undervalued property values, contamination of their water sources, worsening health impacts, loss of their cattle etc. In Connoquenessing town in Butler County, many families conscious of the potential impacts of ongoing fracking processes, put up their houses on sale. Ms. June Chapel of Hopewell Township expressed that the property value of her home decreased after Range Resources set up oil wells near her home since 2008. Dina explained how insurance companies refused to cover houses damaged due to their close proximity to industrial sites.</div>
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Oil wells and fracking sites competes with granary storage facilities across Pennsylvania State, a State that competes with California for agricultural production, due to the abundant availability of natural waters. Fracking is such a water intensive process that leads to contamination of aquifers underneath. Pennsylvania is rich in water, forest and beautiful landscapes and many people prefer to retire here, but the fracking industries already destroyed and polluted one place after another just for corporate greed and profits. The impacts of fracking also extend to California, Texas etc. </div>
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Companies are increasing California’s earthquake risk by injecting billions of gallons of oil and gas wastewater a year into hundreds of disposal wells near active faults around Los Angeles, Bakersfield and other major cities, according to a report from Earthworks, the Center for Biological Diversity and Clean Water Action. A boom in hydraulic fracturing in California would worsen the danger of earthquakes by greatly increasing oil wastewater production and underground injection. Studies warned extracting the Monterey Shale’s oil could produce almost 9 trillion gallons of contaminated wastewater. In Wyoming, several water wells used by communities are contaminated with Benzene and led to dying of several animals. In many states, the fracking companies also involve setting up of their own private security units which lead to threatening of communities harmed by fracking. Oil and Gas companies also intruded in peoples’ homes for fracking without their consent. Massive movement of heavy trucks carrying gas, sand, water, coal etc caused further inconveniences.</div>
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The oil and gas fracking industries is also wrought with violation of workers’ rights and many of its workers are either injured or killed in explosions, electrocutions, chemical spills and traffic accidents. Many workers trucking chemical laden waste water hold back from the oil wells after fracking developed varied adverse health symptoms and disabilities as in the case of Mr. Randy Monger of Portage Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The industries’ blatant disregard for safety and workers rights is becoming more serious as it race against peoples’ critical opinions.</div>
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Fracking also involves high emission of methane gas, a green house gas, trapped inside the earth in fossil fuels through leaks from aquifers. Methane with its high potency to retain heat from the sun, will contribute enormously in global climate crisis. Mr. Louis W. Allstadt, former executive Vice President of Mobil Oil while acknowledging methane gas leaking from fracking sites opined one simply doesn’t how much is being leaked and unfortunately, there’s no monitoring and regulation.</div>
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The search for shale gas is spreading all across United States, raising the question of whether the State is adequately protecting its citizens and its resources. The State’s present regulations, laws and enforcement policies are far too weak. Not only are the resources for dealing with the health and environmental impacts of gas production insufficient to meet the scale of the boom, but state regulators consistently downplay the risks, take sides with industry against landowners. In all the fracking operations, there’s a tacit lack of cumulative impact assessments for not just specific communities but for entire Pennsylvania State. The cumulative impact assessments are crucial given the fact that the fluids used in fracking contained at least 650 cancer causing chemicals.</div>
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The fracking lobby is very strong and influential, with the entire politicians, intellectuals and media favouring and aggressively pursuing it with a pinch of misinformation campaign. The American media and visual channels are flush with advertisement on how clean and safe is natural gas derived from fracking. “Safe Fracking”, “Jobs and Money” is the catchword in the corporate media campaign. Harmed communities expressed concerns that the Pennsylvania Department of Environment and Protection (DEP), usually favoured the energy companies and often denied contamination of air and water by toxic elements by fracking. David Headley of Springfill Township of Fayette County complained of inaction of DEP for communities harmed by gas shale fracking by Marcellus Company. Even intellectuals are not spared. Dr. Charles Groat, Professor at Energy Institute, University of Texas, Austin provoked wide controversy with his research concluding no links between fracking and water contamination. The professor, who later was identified to be a board member of an energy company, had to resign in the aftermath of widespread condemnations. </div>
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In the pursuit for profit, the poor, the rich does not matter, the corporate bodies along with their cohorts and patronage will clamour and exploit land wherever it is. The height of capitalism and its ramifications fast consolidates in American backyards and its hinterlands. Dina shared there’s no longer differences among the people of those living in poor or rich countries. For profits and to serve insatiable greed, corporate bodies are ever willing to dig into peoples’ land, farmland, forest, water sources and wherever there are fossil fuels and the entire State seem to exist to serve corporate interest. There’s even deregulation of policies which exempts energy companies from paying tax.</div>
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Even as the impacts of fracking is fast unfolding and communities across US are grappling with the new unfolding reality and often uncertain on how best respond to emerging challenges, the country’s President already endeavoured hard globally to adopt fracking as an alternative energy solution. In places like Manipur, where oil and gas is confirmed to be in rich deposits and where decision making on management of such resources are exclusive and pursued aggressively with militarism of the state, the communities have lot more challenges. The social, environmental, health and other human rights impacts of oil and gas explorations as evidenced in Pennsylvania State should be an eye opener for all people of Manipur to seriously ponder over the oil and gas exploration moves in Manipur, especially on the impacts and accountability of corporate bodies. </div>
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The Fracking process continues to be a subject of wide controversy across United States as communities across several states are more sensitive to impacts of Fracking. Many communities harmed by fracking maintained varying positions in responding to fracking exercise. In area such as Daisytown, Washington County, harmed people called for a complete ban on fracking. Residents of Springhill Township of Fayette Council called for more accountability of the energy companies involved in fracking and devastations of peoples’ lives. Some harmed villagers such as Mr. John Slesinger in Cambria County filed lawsuit against gas driller, T& F Explorations for violating their basic rights and denial of information on drilling operations. While others called for full respect and adherence to their constitutional rights, such as right to fresh and clean air. Residents of Denton Town in Texas gathered enough signatures to petition the city mayor to undertake voting to ban fracking in their town and vicinity areas. The State of Vermont enforced ban on Fracking, while the politically charged New York State enforced a moratorium on Fracking until the impacts are thoroughly assessed and comprehend with. Dina opined that the decisions of the two States are based on the concerns raised on impacts in Pennsylvania. Elsewhere, in Europe, France and Bulgaria, countries with the largest shale-gas reserves in Europe, have already banned fracking. Protesters are blocking potential drilling sites in Poland and England. It is high time voices of harmed communities on their adverse experiences of oil spills, contaminations, violations of their basic rights, lack of accountability of energy companies are considered seriously for necessary changes. </div>
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For long the United States is notorious for allowing its multinational corporate bodies to intrude and expropriate communities land, water and forest in third world countries. Today, communities across rural United States are becoming an extension of third world countries, where corporate bodies are expanding their operations for greed and destroying prime agriculture land, forest, water and other tranquil locations. There’s sharp division between those involved in fracking and those impacted. </div>
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The world has seen much advances and advent of more efficient technologies on energy solutions. However, political commitments to adopt and apply such energy solutions to meet peoples’ needs and to minimize all forms of impacts are deliberately lacking. The corporate interest for fossil fuels still dominates political decisions. The question of who defines development, for whom and who benefits continues to be pertinent. It is high time for the communities of Manipur to take precaution of the adverse realities of what has been pursued as development and as clean sources of energy, as in Pennsylvania State. A development paradigm that best serves the needs of communities and that can minimize all forms of negative impacts on environment and people need be pursued strongly.</div>
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A dangerous form of consolidation of wealth among America’s wealthy while spreading disease, poverty and misery among the other less fortunate is fast consolidating. An intensification of privatisation process rules the roost, as energy companies continue to frack and ruined peoples’ lives. The privatisation of peoples land, resources and their lives further intensifies in the rural areas of United States amidst corporate bodies’ pursuit for endless profits. One needs to question the practicability of the principles and practices of democracy in the United States, where peoples voices are muffled, where corporate interest are far favoured than citizens rights, where democratic decision making and peoples’ concerns are subdued with misinformation and insensitivity of adverse reality and harming of communities. Manipur unfortunately, has the additionally challenge of ongoing armed conflict over self determination struggles, the ambience of endless suspicions, gauging development processes to fit into the ambits of India’s national security and interest and further to advance corporate interest while negating and subduing communities’ intrinsic rights. Are the Americans and for that matters, across the terrains in third world terrains ever be awakened by this new reality fast unfolding in American backyards? Fracking peoples’ lives and future can never be the solution to a just and sustainable development wherever it happens.</div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-25616447518502229882014-06-28T02:04:00.000-07:002014-06-28T02:09:40.332-07:00Convention on "Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="An HR activist deliberating at Manipur Convention on HRDs on 27 June 2014 at Manipur Press Club" border="0" class="frame" src="http://www.e-pao.org/galleries/images/misc/2014/06/HRI_20140628.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgb(153, 153, 153) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; border: 1px solid rgb(170, 170, 170); box-shadow: rgb(153, 153, 153) 1px 1px 5px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Lucida, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; padding: 2px;" width="690" /><br />
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<i>An HR activist deliberating at Manipur Convention on HRDs on 27 June 2014 at Manipur Press Club</i></div>
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<b>HUMAN RIGHTS LAW NETWORK, MANIPUR UNIT<br />HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE<br />UNITED NGO'S MISSION, MANIPUR<br />CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY, MANIPUR<br /><br />Convention on "Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur",<br />Date: June 27, 2014, Manipur Press Club, Imphal </b><br />
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A one day Convention on Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur, was jointly organised by Human Rights Law Networks (Manipur Unit), Human Rights Initiative, United NGOs Mission and Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur at Manipur Press Club on 27 June, 2014. The convention was organized in the backdrop of increased human right attacks on human rights defenders of Manipur, the latest being the attack on Mr. Laimayum Shivananda, an advocate. Mr. Phulindro Konsam, Chairperson, Committee on Human Rights, Mr. U. Nobokishore, Secretary, United NGO's Mission, Manipur and Ms. Maibam Nganbileima, victim of Lamphelpat Yaipha Lekai Eviction victim.<br />
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Mr. Jiten Yumnam given the key note addresses elaborating the need for protection of human rights defenders of Manipur working in an environment of armed conflict situation and also in the context of recommendations of Ms. Margeret Sagakya, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to protect human rights defenders across India. Mr. Rakesh Meihoubam, Director, Human Rights Law Network, Manipur Unit said the government should change their behaviors and respects the human rights of all peoples of Manipur.<br />
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Mr. Pojel Chaoba (journalist IFP) shared his incident of harassment by personnel by Indian Reserve Battalion and condemned how the state security forces even violated the rights and freedom of media persons of Manipur. Mr. Babloo Loitongbam, Executive Director, Human Rights Alert stressed the need for a system where all the violation can be taken up with proper legal aid. He express the crucial need for specific mechanisms, where all victims of violations can raise their voice and further stressed the need for a focal point committee where all violations can be monitored. Mrs. Sobita Director WAD expressed concern with the recent incident of physical attack on Advocate Shivananda by team of security personal. She expressed that attacking an Advocate like Mr. Shivananda represents an attack of All Advocates of Manipur.<br />
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Phulindro Konsam, Chairperson of COHR expressed the risk involved to all defender in Manipur. He explained how the Government of India still relied on colonial laws, which the British implements against the Indian freedom movement. He said the we should demand to the govt to implements the provisions of UN declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 1998 to end violations against human rights defenders. Mr. U. Nobokishwor secretary, UNMM said that the law enforcing agencies, instead of protecting people are instead targeting innocent people and human rights defenders. He stressed the need for review of the Indian Police Act, 1860 for its inconsistency with human rights advances. The participants of the meeting adopted the following resolutions:<br />
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<b>Resolution: Convention on "Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders of Manipur" Manipur Press Club, Imphal, Manipur, 27 June 2014 </b><br />
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The participants of the Convention on "Human Rights of Human Rights Defenders in Manipur", organized by the Human Rights Law Network – Manipur Unit, Human Rights Initiative, United NGO's Mission, Manipur, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur at Manipur Press Club on 27th June 2014, hereby:<br />
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<b>Strongly condemn:</b><br />
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1. The assault on Mr. Laimayum Sevananda of Human Rights Law Network, Manipur Unit by suspected security forces in plain clothes and called on the Government of Manipur to investigate and identify those involved in the attack within a reasonable period of time.<br />
2. Increased targeting of human rights defenders from human rights organizations, Media, Legal fraternity, such as assault of Mr. Paojel Chaoba of Imphal Free Press in early 2014.<br />
3. The vilification campaign unleashed by the Intelligence Bureau on activist and NGOs in the name of deterring development by using foreign funds.<br />
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<b>Further resolved that the Government of Manipur and Government of India should:</b><br />
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- Recognize the human rights and ensure protection of all human rights defenders who's striving for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at all levels, as also outlined in Article 1 of UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 1998.<br />
- Stop targeting of all human rights defenders of Manipur to threats and direct physical attacks and deprivation of their right to life and liberty.<br />
- Investigate and punish those involved in the torture, arbitrary detention and killing of all human rights defenders of Manipur. Specifically, punish those personnel of Manipur police involved in the attack on Mr. Paojel Chaoba of Imphal Free Press in early 2014.<br />
- Fully implement the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sagakya in February 2011 during her visit to India.<br />
- Repeal all emergency laws, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967 and the National Security Act, 1980 and other legislations that facilitate violations of human rights in Manipur.<br />
- Call for unconditional release of Ms. Irom Sharmila and to concede her legitimate demand to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958.<br />
- Review Indian Police Act, 1860 for its compliance with human rights principles<br />
- Ensure the full functioning of the Manipur Human Rights Commission by appointment of competent and committed members through a transparent process.<br />
- The Government of Manipur should set up special cell for protection of human rights defenders.<br />
- Ensure that all security forces in Manipur strictly adhere to recommendations of Supreme Court judgement of 1997 in hearing of AFSPA, 1958 especially to identify themselves in their operations.<br />
- Establish legislations for the protection of human rights defenders of Manipur with their due consultation in accordance with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 1998.<br />
- Formulate legislations to end all practice of torture as per the UN Convention against Torture.<br />
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The Convention further adopted to form an Adhoc Committee to constitute a platform for the protection of the safety and security of human rights defenders of Manipur<br />
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<b>Signed</b><br />
Rakesh Meihoubam, Director, Human Rights Law Network<br />
U Nobokishore, Secretary, United NGO's Mission Manipur<br />
Joykumar Wahengbam, Director, Human Rights Initiative<br />
Jiten Yumnam, Secretary, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur </div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-43455569100174790032014-05-23T22:23:00.001-07:002014-05-23T22:23:06.505-07:00Chico River's Flow of Freedom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The silvery Chico River sparkles in the mid April sun as one traverse the enchanting Cordillera highlands in Northern Philippines. The green lush forest and famed rice terraces beholds the River as it permeates through the vast expanse of Cordillera Highlands, referred to as the “Hills of Gold” by the Spanish. The stunning water of the River reflects the abundance of forest and richness of the ancestral domain of Cordillera. The mesmerizing Chico River bears unique tales to tell for its people as it flows through history and the lush green forest and rice terraces beyond. The River’s history is impregnated with tales of its legendary people, sacrificing their life and sacred bloods to defend the sanctity and spirituality of the land and for an unhindered flow of waters of the land.</div>
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<br />During the Marcos Dictatorship regime in the Philippines in mid 1980’s, four mega dams were envisaged for construction across Chico River with World Bank support. The idea, bereft of any consultation and consent, infuriated the community elders, who denunciated the idea of obstructing a free flowing river and to curtail the myriad life it sustains? How can a free flowing river be denied its natural rights to flow free? How can one separate the people from the River it lives with and cares for generations? How can one stop the forest to sway freely in the light breeze of the Easterly winds? Should communities sacrifice the sanctity of their waters, forest and land and the future of generations to benefit those pursuing unbridled plunder of the world’s last remaining resources?</div>
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<br />The Chico Dam plan provoked the spirits of all in Cordillera for a stance to struggle and defend the free flow of Chico River and for their people to define their rightful destined destinies. The elders of Cordillera led the peoples’ struggles to defend their land and water, and the State military responded with suppression and merciless brutalities. On 24 April 1984, personnel of Philippines military supporting the corporate expansionism in Chico River shot dead Mcling Dulag, a legendary leader and an ideologue. The brutal state militarism confirmed once and for all that the mega dams planned and the ‘development’ tag attached to it is simply anti-people and anti-nature and exposes the corporate, state and military nexus in subduing peoples’ rights. The merciless incident and sacrifice of Mcling Dulag inspired and strengthened peoples’ resolve to sacrifice and defend their land.<br /> </div>
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Today, the Chico River is free of any ‘Dam’ that will curtail the freedom of its waters to flow free. The River today represents the ultimate instinct, hopes and aspirations of the Cordillera Highlanders, whose elders fought the Spanish, Americans and the Japanese Colonial powers from aggression, imperialism and colonial expansionism. A sacred flame of hope emanates from the Chico Dam resistance and grows brighter and brighter as days goes by. A unique culture, of an effort to forge unity among indigenous peoples beyond frontiers, to foster self determination over their land and to deepen international solidarity against all forms of imperialist expansionism and oppression, slowly emerged. The Chico River, life for many, infused fresh leash of life for the people of Cordillera, to rethink their past and to act for their future. The River inspired people to challenge and resist fast unfolding nefarious designs and militarism of proponents of imperialist led development.<br /> </div>
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As indigenous youths, women and elders played traditional instruments and danced during Cordillera day, held annually to commemorate the sacrifice of Mcling Dulag for defence of ancestral domains; one could feel their dynamic urge and determination to keep the wishes and spirits of Mcling Dulag alive. Indeed, Dulag’s spirits, wise words and ideals, deeds resonate again during Cordillera Day celebrationsat Guina Ang, Pasil, Kalinga on 24 April 2014. The deep reflection of myriad political and economic challenges throughout the celebration offers ray of hope for indigenous communities in Cordillera and beyond with identification of appropriate strategies to respond to these challenges.<br /> </div>
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The cascading flow of the blue waters of Chico River is in full consonance with the rhythmic music of the gongs and the graceful dances of indigenous communities from Ifugao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province etc, all enduring to keep their cultures alive. The music of the gongs and chants of the traditional songs flows like the water of Chico River, free in spirits and will. The Chico waters today reflect the aspirations and dynamism of indigenous peoples of Cordillera to remain attached to their land, forest, water and cultures. The river rekindles the flames of a free mind and deeds and enlivens the traditions and political belief of the land. The struggles to defend the River’s free unhindered flow already inspired peoples’ wishes and aspirations to be free in their own land.<br /> </div>
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As the Cordillera Day celebrations progresses, it is inspiring to witness politically conscious indigenous youths joining elders to trace the history of their land, to form part of the struggle, and standing firm to protect the rich heritages and cultures of the land and its people. It is stirring to see youths deepening determination and preparing to assume their role and responsibility over their land and future and learning to build unity, skills for greater unity, equality and freedom. When children and younger generation are already deep in the process to nurture and cherish the beauty and integrity of the land, how we can ever lose hope of the land? The confident faces of the youths playing gongs and with graceful dance moves affirms time and again this land will certainly persists for long into eternity. Could the waters of Chico Rivers cease to flow at a time when the energy and spirits of youths are already high to assume leadership and stewardship over their land?<br /> </div>
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The expressions of astonishing leadership of women, of elders taking leadership role, of clarity of vision and thoughts, of belief in internationalism, and forging unity and provoking those in deep slumber and fresh minds towards vivacious feelings of nationalism, of instilling hopes for the future, revitalized in the spirits of hopes and determination, are what that showers hope for this land. The expression of the collective aspiration to flow free like the Chico River traversing over rocks and difficult terrains in overcoming all obstacles of corporate interest, to state militarism to rights violations on its peoples are also what that will give life to this land for long.<br /> </div>
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Cordillera indeed is rich and bountiful in water, rice fields, minerals, the culture, heritages and its people. As the world embarks on ceaseless moves to consolidate wealth by few profit mongering corporations and people with insatiable greed, there’s fresh moves to destroy the land, forest, water and all remaining resources. The indigenous peoples of Cordillera and Philippines have far greater challenges today with multinational corporations and cohorts of imperialist countries savoring for more land, resources and profits. There’s increasing mining concessions, increased militarization in their land and worsening political killings. Of late, the Chevron’s proposed geothermal energy projects generate controversy over non recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights in Cordillera.<br /> </div>
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Subsequently, the efforts and relentless struggle to defend cordillera’s land and resources and the future of its people consolidates and nurture further. There’s increasingly assertion of peoples’ move to assert genuine regional autonomy in Cordillera towards a stronger defence of ancestral domain. The Government of Philippines only insisted on regional autonomy in a process towards facilitating further corporatization and transfer of indigenous peoples land and resources in Cordillera to powerful multinational corporations. How can one talk of autonomy without addressing militarization, development aggression, mining, dams and worsening rights violations? How can there be genuine political process without addressing peoples’ rights and wishes?<br /> </div>
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The spirits, wise words, courage and determination of the legendary leader, Mcling Dulag, who sacrificed his life for the greater defense of the land and resources of Cordillera for intergenerational survival, continues to be source of inspirations. His words and thoughts guide the Cordillera peoples’ struggles for Self determination and liberation of their land. The sacrifice of Mcling Dulag already inspired indigenous communities far and wide and today, the indigenous peoples of Manipur can also drew a significant inspiration to fend of fast unfolding destructive development trend in Manipur, which increasingly corporatizes and privatize our land, territory and resources and undermining indigenous peoples rights with militarism. When the spirits, aspirations and zeal to defend their land is high, one ponders what will stop them? The caves of Sagada in Cordillera take time for the unique and beautiful rock formations. How long can rocks withstand the perennial flow of water and gushing wind? Nature provides lucid answers to many of the persisting challenges. The beautiful rock formations in Sagada caves testify how rocks succumb to forces of nature.<br /> </div>
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The yearnings of Chico River to flow free are a symbolism of its peoples’ determination and relentless efforts to live free in their own land, and this is exactly what will shape the future and destiny of this land. One hopes the resolve, spirits and determination of the indigenous peoples of Cordillera to assert their right to self determination over their land, territories and resources rigidifies as the waters of Chico River flows descends into moments of passing times. One hopes the rich and pungent aroma of the fast ripening rice in the terrace fields across Cordillera continues to fill the air for all coming generations to nurture in its entirety. One hopes the waters of Chico River further deepens the spirituality of the land, adds more beautiful melodious notes to music and dances of the land, sharpens the commitment and dedication of youths to defend their land and future and showers visions for all indigenous peoples beyond frontiers towards a destiny emboldened with hopes, equality, freedom and liberation for all. One hopes the cascading rhythmic notes of flowing Chico waters fill the heart, mind and soul of all, till it rejoices to the moments of liberation of all.</div>
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*** This article was also published in Huiyen Lanpao on 4th May, 2014. <a href="http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/articles/item/19597-chico-river%E2%80%99s-flow-of-freedom" target="_blank">Click here</a></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-90897280756537684542014-05-23T22:05:00.001-07:002014-05-23T22:15:27.528-07:00Challenges facing indigenous peoples of Asia spotlighted as UN Forum continues 2014 session<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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19 May 2014 – Non-recognition and marginalization of indigenous populations of Asia, home to two-thirds of the world’s 370 million indigenous peoples, and a growing concern of rising violence against indigenous women and girls surfaced at the mid-way point of the annual UN gathering of indigenous peoples around the world. F“Violence against indigenous women came out very, very strongly” during the half day dialogue Thursday, 15 May, on the Asian region of the 13th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at UN Headquarters, Forum member Raja Devashish Roy of Bangladesh told reporters at a press conference after the morning session.<br />
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According to the Permanent Forum, indigenous women continue to pay the price of structural forms of violence and discrimination, as well as from the persistence of conflicts and militarized areas in a number of Asian countries.<br />
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“Numerous cases of rape, sexual enslavement and also killing of indigenous women and girls in conflicts have been reported in a number of countries; very few have been investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted,” the Forum said quoting information compiled by UN agencies.<br />
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The Permanent Forum, comprised of 16 independent experts, is one of three UN bodies that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples' issues. The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur Rights of Indigenous Peoples.<br />
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Some 1,500 indigenous participants from all regions of the world have come together for this year’s two-week meeting from 12 to 23 May at UN Headquarters where they are engaging with members of the Permanent Forum, UN Member States, and UN agencies in advancing the rights of indigenous peoples.<br />
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Opening the session on indigenous peoples in Asia, home to more than 2,000 civilizations and languages, forum member Joan Carling of the Philippines noted positive developments addressing concerns of indigenous peoples in Indonesia, Nepal and Japan, as well as by UN agencies.<br />
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But Ms. Carling, in her overview of the Asian region, cited examples of the extent of marginalization of indigenous peoples in the Asian region. She noted that in the Philippines in the aftermath of the super typhoon Yolanda (known outside the region as "Haiyan"), which left some 4 million people homeless, among those victims are indigenous peoples who were marginalized in the delivery of aid and remain left out of rehabilitation efforts.<br />
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She noted that the Yolanda case demonstrates the vulnerability of indigenous peoples in disasters, saying that Philippines situation mirrors indigenous people victims of tsunamis in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.<br />
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Ms. Carling also referred to how Asian indigenous peoples “are sacrificed in the name of development,” often experiencing displacement and relocation from their traditional territories, and dispossession of their lands and resources by projects like dam building. The building of 200 dams across Asia is likely to displace indigenous peoples and impact their livelihood, she said.<br />
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According to Dalee Sambo Dorough, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, “Indigenous peoples in Asia are among the most discriminated against and are economically, socially and politically marginalized.”<br />
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“It is time that the free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples is effectively implemented in order to address the negative impacts of militarization and economic liberalization on the territories of indigenous peoples, in Asia and across the globe,” said Dr. Dorough.<br />
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The Indigenous Peoples of Asia include groups that are often referred to as tribal peoples, hill tribes, scheduled tribes, janajati, orang asli, masyarakat adat, adivasis, ethnic minorities or nationalities.<br />
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The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in July 2000. It provides expert advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the UN System through ECOSOC; raises awareness and promotes the integration and coordination of relevant activities within the UN System; and disseminates information on indigenous issues.<br />
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<a href="http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47832#" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the original article. </div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-48730358719822089022014-04-05T22:58:00.005-07:002014-04-05T22:58:57.670-07:00Impressions of Guna Yala Panama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 1.3em;">http://www.hueiyenlanpao.com/articles/item/18784-impressions-of-guna-yala-panama</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 1.3em;">On
a cloudy mid afternoon of 20 March 2014, our small Air Panama plane
flew over vast forest of Kuna Yala territory in Panama and lands in a
strangely small airport in Ustupo Island which is surrounded by the
Caribbean Sea. The sea waves breaks on the edge and sides of the runway
and the soft and moist winds from the sea swept over continuously. A
short boat ride reaches us to the main Ustupu Island, inhabited by the
Guna indigenous people of Panama. </span></div>
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Guna elders and women in traditional
attires received us as we visit the island for a four day international
training workshop on climate change. Traditional Guna houses made from
reeds and coconut leaves abound where children and women peek from
windows and doorsteps wearing curious looks on yet another 'outsiders'
entering their territory. The children's playful and happy laughter
permeates the environ in the Ustupu village as they greets us with
innocent and happy grin. Many children happily paddle their canoes past
their village waters. The village air is filled with bountiful freshness
of cool breezes from Caribbean Sea continuously sweeping around. One is
simply mesmerized in the freshness of the air and purity of the land.</div>
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As the Traditional Chief and villagers
of Ustupo welcomed us in the Kuna Congress traditional hut and as the
elders of the village shared on Kuna peoples' history of struggles to
defend their land from colonial expansionism, to preserve and promote
their cultures, survival dependence over their land, forest, waters, one
could feel the vision and maturity of the people of this land, a vision
which can contribute in healing the wounds of our mother earth.</div>
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As days ensured, Kuna Yala territory's
enchanting beauty unfolds as the blue sea waters turns silvery in
evenings and as the trees sways in unisons in gushing wind. As we
traversed its waters, surrounding islands and its deep green forest as
part of our training, the life of the land, the synergy between the
people and the land, the deep inseparable relationship is revealed
further. The Guna people here are blessed with bountiful land and
majestic green forest amidst the mighty blue waters. The land here is
also blessed because of the people in it. The people and the land
complement each other in securing their sustenance and life.</div>
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The Guna People are well known all over
for rejecting one of the most infamous market based solution to global
climate crisis, christened as 'REDD' (Reducing Emissions from
Deforestation and Forest Degradation) project, which envisage to target
their enchanting forest for Carbon Trading project, which will allow
rich developed countries to continue to pollute the earth. The Panama
REDD programme is being implemented by the United Nations Development
Programme, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and the
United Nations Environment Programme, together with the Panama National
Environment Authority. The proponents of the REDD program in embarking
on false climate change solutions are rendered meaningless in this land,
simply by the visionary thoughts and wise resolve of the Guna people, a
decision evolved through a series of community oriented consultations,
reflections through their traditional institutions.</div>
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The Guna people feared once the REDD is
implemented, communities will be restricted from their free and
unhindered access to their traditional forest with corporate controlling
their land. And with the sea level rises, they will have nowhere to
settle once their islands are submerged. The perception of forest as
mere carbon stocks, rather than as source of 'life', the complexity of
the mechanism, the potential for corruption and disruption of community
fabric due to involvement of huge amount of money for compensation etc
are some of the specific reasons of Guna peoples rejecting REDD projects
in their territory and land. Land is life and much dearer to financial
compensations.</div>
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Guna Yala is, indeed, the land where the
ideas of technocrats, economist, corporate and scientists are put into
test and where ultimately, the will and wishes of the people to be free
with their mind and deeds prevails. The Guna peoples' resolves also
exposes the fallacies and nuances of false solutions to climate change.
One wonders what guides the wisdom of the people to defend their
inherent rights, when many of the world's indigenous peoples are still
grappling on how best to respond and as many are caught unaware and
rendered helpless by the strong waves of imperialist globalization,
development onslaught and brute and reckless militarism. The Guna
people consider their land as sacred, as their mother and giver of life,
something which is just inseparable for their own survival and being.
Without the land and the forest, the people simply cannot survive and
they will lose everything, their cultures, their traditional knowledge
and most importantly their future.</div>
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The decision and resolve of Guna people
against REDD is significant as the Government of India and the
Government of Manipur through the National and Manipur State Action Plan
on Climate Change envisaged aggressive push for REDD+ and creation of
reservoirs over river systems of the region to mitigate climate change.
However, such initiatives will only limit communities' access to forest
land, promote mono plantations and destroy forest and peoples
livelihood. Development processes and pursuance of false climate change
solutions will only led to more corporatisation and privatisation of the
land, commodification and commercialization of indigenous peoples'
lives and future. Indigenous peoples of Manipur and India's North East
has tonnes to learn from Guna people.</div>
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The yearnings for self determination are
strong and are unique to the people of this land. Democratic values and
practices best prevails here at a time when democratic practices wanes
and fast disappears in a fast changing world. This is the land where
children plays freely, where the trees sway their branches freely, where
waves breaks freely and where people think and act freely. Its people
and women are heartious, welcoming and beautiful. This is the land where
children dance and sing with their elders and learning their cultures
and traditional knowledge in living practice. The land is where values
and practices of political functioning best prevail. Determined are the
people that they opt nothing less than full defence of their land by
themselves. A land where the ever gushing wind drives the freshness of
the ideas and new vision that runs deep and one could feel it strong.
Guna Yala is where people best expressed their cultures and political
belief successfully withstanding strong winds of changes. The people
here strongly guarded their wish to decide for them and this is exactly
what the people here did while rejecting false climate crisis solutions.</div>
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The wise words, caring thoughts of Kuna
elders' runs heavy, with endless and limitless space accorded to youths
of generations to freshen their mind, to sharpen their thoughts and
vision and to develop and strengthen their leadership and wisdom, to
nurture their land and future. There's increasing influence of the
world, such as its seas accumulates trash. However, guided by the wisdom
and care of the elders, Guna's children are learning and practicing to
keep the ocean clean, its land pure to keep their future safe.</div>
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The Guna people by rejecting REDD had
already set a global example. The present day climate crisis is only an
outcome of continued pursuance of insatiable greed by profit mongering
corporations and imperialist countries and their insistence on over
consumption and over production, which led to usurping of indigenous
peoples land and resources. The real solution to climate crisis lies in
promoting the right to self determination of all indigenous peoples,
ending capitalist growth and development model, promoting multicultural
models of development as well as sustainable ways of life as practiced
by indigenous peoples worldwide. Other Indigenous peoples of Panama such
as the Ngobe people also rejected Barro Blanco Dam, which is projected
as clean and renewable source of energy under the Clean Development
Mechanism of UNFCCC. Such project actually sees 'red' blood flowing from
victims of communities killed by Government troopers for protesting the
dam.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One hopes the children of Guna Yala
continues to play merrily and freely for coming generations and the
birds chirp melodiously without fear, and the spirit of the Guna people
to defend their land and to determine their future grows stronger as the
days descends into future. The political thoughts and beliefs of the
Guna today transcends beyond borders and now a guiding light for many
reeling in endless uncertainties and darkness. The resolve of Guna Yala
had already inspired peoples worldwide and Manipur and the rest of the
region can never be an exception.</div>
</div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-36695916835285150412014-04-05T22:57:00.000-07:002014-04-05T22:57:02.270-07:00Media Reportage on Workshop on mapithel dam on 5th March 2014.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Workshop on Mapithel dam held</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/page/items/37615/workshop-on-mapithel-dam-held </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
IMPHAL, Apr 5: Halting the Mapithel Dam construction
until a review to comply with International human rights and indigenous
peoples rights on the dam construction is done and obtaining mandatory
environment and forest clearance under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 are
amongst other recommendations made during a one day workshop on Mapithel
dam and its impacts held at Riha Village in Ukhrul District today.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The workshop was jointly organised by the Mapithel Dam Affected
Villagers Organization (MDAVO), the Citizens Concern for Dams and
Development and the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The recommendations adopted today included conducting detailed impact
assessment of Mapithel dam covering social, health, environmental,
cultural, livelihood, seismic, economic impacts; resumption of the
Expert Review Committee to work out a comprehensive Rehabilitation and
Resettlement program for affected people and to comply with the
recommendations of the World Commission of Dams and the provisions of UN
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The workshop was attended by around 80 participants from the villages
of Riha, Thoyee, Chadong and Ramrei. Thanmi Kashung, Advisor of MDAVO;
Phulindro Konsam, Chairman, CHR; Jiten Yumnam, Jt Secretary, CCDD and
Sanaton, President of CRAM spoke as the resource persons.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Thanmi Kashung of MDAVO in his presentation stressed that the
Mapithel Dam will entail loss of agriculture land, forest, rivers and
other survival sources of several communities. He questioned whether
Mapithel Dam is for real development of Manipur or for the communities
along Thoubal River. He stressed the importance of youths in
safeguarding the integrity of the land and the future of the children.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Phulindro Konsam spoke on how the forcible nature of construction of
Mapithel Dam constitutes a human rights violation of indigenous peoples.
The brute use of force by security forces on communities demanding
rights and justice due to Mapithel dam construction and the extensive
militarization in and around Mapithel dam is a clear case of rights
violations and also undermining the right to free, prior and informed
consent of communities.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jiten Yumnam of CCDD spoke on how the Mapithel Dam construction
constitutes a violation of Indian environmental laws and other
international human rights and indigenous peoples’ development
standards. He stressed the need for unity and solidarity among the
communities affected by Mapithel dam.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h1>
“Work out Rehabilitation program for Maphithel Dam affected people”</h1>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
http://www.ifp.co.in/nws-20431-work-out-rehabilitation-program-for-maphithel-dam-affected-people/ </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
IMPHAL, APRIL 5: A joint one day workshop was organised by
the Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organisation (MDAVO), The Citizens
Concern for Dams and Development and the Centre for Research and
Advocacy, Manipur on Mapithel dam and its impacts at Riha village in
Ukhrul District today. <br /><br />Resource persons Thanmi Kashung, advisor
of MDAVO, Phulindro Konsam, chairman, Committee on Human Rights, Jiten
Yumnam, Jt. Secretary, Citizens Concern for Dams and Development and
Sanaton, president of Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur and
around 80 participants from nearby villages participated in the
workshop, informed a MDAVO press release.<br /><br />In his presentation Thanmi Kashung stressed over the loss of agricultural land and forests, said the release. <br /><br />Phulindro
Konsam spoke on the violation of indigenous people due to the forcible
nature of construction of the Mapithel Dam, while Jiten Yumnam spoke on
how the Mapithel Dam construction constitutes a violation of Indian
environmental laws and other International Human Rights and indigenous
peoples' development standards, it said.<br /><br />The workshop was
organised to stop construction of dam till consent of all affected
communities and the mandatory livelihood, health, economic impacts,
environment and forest clearance are taken up, it continued. <br /><br />The
workshop further adopted that the Expert Review Committee to work out a
comprehensive Rehabilitation and Resettlement program for affected
people and the recommendation of the World Commission of Dams and the
provisions of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to
comply in the review of Mapithel dam, etc. the release said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-27002281359665045992014-03-21T00:34:00.003-07:002014-03-21T00:34:44.252-07:00ASIA PACIFIC CSOS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER SHRINKING CIVIL SOCIETY SPACE, STRONG PRIVATE SECTOR PUSH<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="alt" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgQ5leXgmXGmSVxSyLydrzFaTpnhMIlNR2J0WzgxJ4zxHB_eCSvUkQbmJvqN-HeNkulpuTAjtduDydTQwcpUg4r5IBNtEJMEavgcsWZU-rz_Yvo14-k0LN1m15nHdifZXEIrj6TbI-A632qsVhlfK8=s0-d-e1-ft" style="float: left; margin: 2px; padding: 0px;" width="399" />CSO
representatives from countries across the Asia Pacific
expressed resounding concern last March 10-11 over the
shrinking civil society space in the region in the
recently concluded <i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Asia-Pacific
Regional Consultation on Building Evidence</i> in
Seoul, Korea.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“Organisations
who are into public policy or are into rights-based work
are severely curtailed,” according to CSO Partnership
for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) Asia Focal Person
Azra Sayeed as she discussed some of the challenges
faced by Asia Pacific CSOs in defending enabling
environment in law and in practice.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“It just
shows you the level of barriers that we really have to
overcome just to ensure some amount of credibility to
our work,” she added.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The two-day
meeting is part of a series of regional consultations
that aim to gather inputs from all stakeholders to shape
the substance of the first Global Partnership for
Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) High-Level
Meeting (HLM) in Mexico this coming April.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <b>Tied Aid and
the Private Sector</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Seeing the
strong push for private sector involvement in
development, CSO representatives signaled caution on the
increasing role of multinational corporations and tied
aid in closing spaces for civil society engagement.
Private sector-led development is also an issue of
urgent concern to Asia Pacific CSOs as businesses in the
region often operate freely without regulatory
mechanisms that ensure compliance to human rights
standards.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Jiten Yumnam
of the Center for Research and Advocacy in Manipur
(CRAM) reiterated the need to establish regulatory
mechanisms that will ensure respect for human rights and
democratic ownership of development results at the
country level. He further noted the situation of
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in India that in many
cases distort national priorities and disregard human
rights standards.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In his
presentation, Yumnam made reference to large-scale dam
and mining projects in India that lack public
consultation and often lead to widespread displacement
and violation of indigenous peoples’ rights. He also
pointed out the limited space for communities to seek
redress for human rights violations and emphasized the
need to include civil society voices in determining
local development priorities.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“If private
sectors are to be true partners in development, they
must collaborate in ways that improve the social and
economic rights of marginalized populations,” Yumnam
added.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don Marut of
YAKKUM, in his discussion on Middle Income Countries,
cited cases in Indonesia where ‘aid is tied to giving up
national resources’ only to be exploited by corporations
that are based in donor countries. Furthermore, Ahmed
Swapan of VOICE raised questions on how local industries
in Bangladesh pay taxes thrice as much as those imposed
on MNCs. Swapan also made reference to as much as US$10
billion of illicit capital flows in Bangladesh caused by
big multinational corporations evading local taxes.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“It’s a whole
breadth of profit-making agencies who really want to
ensure that they have easy access to our resources and
to our lands, and that nobody creates any hurdles while
they extract,” quipped Sayeed as she explained the
alarming link between private sector involvement and
shrinking space for civil society action.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>‘Progress is
undeniably slow’</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Banking on
the promises made in Busan, Asia Pacific CSOs also
expressed frustration over the slow progress of
implementation especially on CSO enabling environment
commitments.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">CPDE Co-Chair
and IBON International Director Antonio Tujan, Jr.
particularly mentioned the failure of development actors
to create an enabling environment for CSOs and further
pushed for the HLM communiqué to make reference to
‘shrinking CSO spaces.’</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“Our overall
assessment is that two years after these [Busan]
commitments were made, there is lack of political will
to implement the overall agenda, and progress is
undeniably slow,” said CPDE Co-Chair and PIANGO
Executive Director Emele Duituturaga during her
presentation in the session on inclusive development and
progress since Busan.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“Let’s keep
the promise of Busan at the forefront of our minds, lest
we forget,” she reminded.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">During the
communiqué consultations, Tujan demanded ‘stronger
wording’ on the full implementation of Accra and Paris
commitments. He also pointed out the need for an Action
Plan that will accelerate the implementation of Busan
agreements.</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Among other
issues, Tujan also raised the possibility of a
non-executive co-chair in the GPEDC that will represent
civil society, parliamentarians, the private sector and
other non-governmental development actors. The presence
of a non-executive co-chair, according to Tujan, would
make the leadership of the Global Partnership ‘truly
inclusive.’</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The outcome
of the Asia-Pacific consultation is set to feed into the
Communiqué that will be agreed by heads of governments,
civil society representatives, United Nations officials,
business leaders and international organisations in
Mexico City on April 15-16.##</span></div>
<div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<br clear="none" />
</div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-83800918898238926852014-03-16T06:23:00.001-07:002014-04-05T23:03:20.029-07:00MEDIA REFLECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL RIVERS DAY TO PROTECT RIVERS IN MANIPUR , 14 MARCH 2014 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #00b050;"></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 16pt;">Protest meet & rally mark Intl
Rivers Day observance </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <br />
The Hueiyen Lanpao, 15 March 2014 </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><a href="http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=30..150314.mar14" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=30..150314.mar14</span></a>
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Imphal,
March 14, 2014 : The Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization, the Citizens
Concern for Dams and Development, the Committee on the Protection of Natural
Resources in Manipur and the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur jointly
celebrated the International Rivers Day today at Thoubal River (Yangwuikong
River) at Riha Village along Mapithel Range in Ukhrul District, Manipur with a
public consultation followed by a mass protest rally.<br />
<br />
The celebration was organised to observe the importance of the rivers in
sustaining life and health of the Earth, was attended by communities affected
by the ongoing construction of the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose
Hydroelectric project and environmental activists, Ms Aram Pamei,
Co-Chairperson of Citizens Concern for Dams and Development and Mr.Joseph Hmar,
Secretary of Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) and representatives
of Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></span></div>
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<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<img alt="'No review No Mapithel Dam'" border="1" src="http://www.e-pao.org/galleries/images/News_Related/2014/03/Mapithel_20140315.jpg" width="600" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
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<td style="padding: .75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">'No
review No Mapithel Dam'</span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
Ms Aram Pamei, Co-convenor of CCDD explained the significance rivers in sustaining
life and expressed concern with the increased introduction of large hydropower
projects such as Mapithel dam and 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam and several other dams
in Manipur.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
She outlined how present day generation inherited our rivers, forest and land
from our forefather and not from the government, and how the present day
generation has the responsibility to safeguard and protect the resources from
its exploitation by the government and profit mongering corporations.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
Joseph Hmar, Secretary of CCDD expressed his reservation towards the increasing
corporatisation and privatisation of land, river and other natural resources,
particularly damming of rivers of Manipur and across the India's North East
region. Damming industries has become a very profitable business whose benefits
have been confined to the few corporate at the cost of the lives of indigenous
people. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
The necessity to take Free Prior and Informed Consent, to conduct social,
environment impact assessment and to recognize communities' rights over land,
forest and waters is blatantly violated in pursuing such mega dam development
in the region.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
Mr. Thanmi Kashung of Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization expressed
his reservation towards welfare policies and projects that don't benefit the
common mass for which the projects were taken up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
He exclaimed to "Think globally, act locally".</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
The representatives from different villages affected by Mapithel dam such as
Riha, Thoyee, Chadong, Lamlai Khunou etc shared their views and experiences of
the Thoubal River on their livelihood and culture. A representative from
Thoyee expressed the significance of Yangwui Kong River on people's survival,
securing them self sufficiency.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
A representative from Chadong village has expressed resentment towards the half
hearted ERC of the government which has in due course of time created social
divisions. Rajesh Ningthoukhongjam, Secretary General of Lifewatch has
expressed that any development initiatives that affect people and environment
should be subjected to thorough review. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
The impact of projects on people should be assessed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
Sanaton Laishram, President, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur
expressed the necessity to strengthen communities resolve and determination to
strive for a sustainable and secure future for all communities of Manipur
depending on land, rivers, wetlands, forest etc for livelihood and survival.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">
The participants of the International River day celebration resolved that the
Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) is the life, source of history, culture,
livelihood and identity of communities along the River; they would protect the
Thoubal River, preserve it and to ensure its Free Flow; they reaffirm the call
to "LET THE THOUBAL RIVER (YANGWUI KONG) FLOW FREE"; the ongoing
Mapithel dam construction on Yangwuikong River/ Thoubal River is giving a
widespread devastation on people and environment, so the Mapithel Dam should be
reviewed at any cost to respect the wishes, aspiration and demands of all
affected communities; and they would protect their future, defend their land
and river at all cost.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="color: #c00000; font-size: 18pt;">State observes Int’l Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dam</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>The Imphal Free Press, 15 March 2014 </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><a href="http://www.ifp.co.in/nws-20103-state-observes-int-l-day-of-action-for-rivers-and-against-dam/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.ifp.co.in/nws-20103-state-observes-int-l-day-of-action-for-rivers-and-against-dam/</span></a></span><b> </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">IMPHAL,
March 14: The International rivers day observation was held today at Yangwui
kong, Thoubal river at Riha, jointly organized by Mapithel Dam Affected
Villager Organization (MDAVO), Citizen Concern for Dam and Development (CCDD),
Centre for Research and Advocacy of Manipur (CRAM) and Committee on Protection
of Natural Resource of Manipur (CPNRM).</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
Speaking during the observation, Ningthoukhongjam Rajesh general secretary of
Life Watches, highlighting the beginning of the International rivers day
observation that began since 1997 in Brazil, asserted that in the last 20 years
that more than 40 major dam were build and more than 40 million people were
displaced.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
Voicing his strong opposition against such projects, he explained that the
people not only have the right to know about the plan and program but also have
the right to comment and raise their voices.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
Maintaining that the people have every right to protect their natural
resources, Aram Pamei, Co-chairperson of CCDD suggested that every Government
should give prior concern on the safety and rights of indigenous people while
implementing a project. </span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
She further contended that the people must not hesitate to raise their
objection if their rights are infringed. Secretary of CCDD Joseph Hmar,
CRAM Sanaton Laishram, and Puspa Koijam CRAM and other activists also attended
the observation. At the concluding part of the observation a rally was also
organized with participation of 100 of people.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
Our Bishnupur correspondent add: The International Day of Action for Rivers and
Against Dam was on Friday observed with the theme “Rivers Unite Us” at Khordak
Community Hall, Khordak Nimai PAjeng in Thanga Assembly constituency.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
The day was observed with slogan of “Save the Khordak River and its Sister Rivers;
Decommission Khordak Dam and Ithai” and it was jointly organised by CORE,
ALLAFUM, IP, KWYO, KIC, SAYO and YASOK in association with ACTIP, AMUCO, COHR,
FRIENDS, HRI, NEPA, IPSA, NEDF, NIPCO, PRDA, PALNRO, REACHOUT and UCM. N
Irabot, H Ibotombi Khuman and S Ibopishak attended the function as chief guest,
president and guest of honour respectively.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
Our CCPUR correspondent adds: International day of action for river was
observe with the theme “save the Khuga River – Save Churachandpur’’
organized by Centre for Organization Research and Education (CORE),North
East People’s Alliance (NEPA) in Collaboration with North East India
Outlook (NEIO). The chief guest of the occasion Mr Nengkhanlun general
secretary MHJU said that the day is imitated from Brazil where 20 countries
gathering there to ponder upon the degrading condition of the river around the
world.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
The chief guest also said that “the River is like human blood that sustains the
human life” and continued that “we are making a big mistake having constructed
Khuga dam as it is the main source of the water and eco imbalances, which was
originally known as Tuitha River by the people in Lanka area”. He urged the
organizers to organize such program so as to bring awareness to the people of
the area in general.</span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
During the occasion, the resource person Ram Wangkheirakpam said that “we must
take cognizant of the drying up of Nambol and Thoubal River which had dried out
due to the excessive exploitation of the river and also due to the
mismanagement by the public who made it their garbage bin.” The most important
factor, he said, for this kind of degradation was mainly due to three factors
namely dams, waste product of the people and encroachment. Later on, the
volunteers of NEPA and NEIO cleaned and sanitized the area of the Tuitha River
at Saidan village area.<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #c00000; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.65pt;">International Rivers Day
celebrated in Ukhrul District, Manipur along Thobal (Yangwuikong) river</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="letter-spacing: -.65pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The
North East Today, </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">March 14th, 2014 </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><a href="http://www.tntmagazine.in/cover-story/international-rivers-day-celebrated-in-ukhrul-district-manipur-along-thobal-yangwuikong-river/" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">http://www.tntmagazine.in/cover-story/international-rivers-day-celebrated-in-ukhrul-district-manipur-along-thobal-yangwuikong-river/</span></a>
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US"><img alt="Stop Mapithel Dam- Let Thoubal River flow free" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-18680" src="http://www.tntmagazine.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Stop-Mapithel-Dam-Let-Thoubal-River-flow-free.jpg" height="256" width="448" /> </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">TNT News
Imphal:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> The Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization, the Citizens Concern
for Dams and Development, the Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in
Manipur and the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur jointly celebrated
the International Rivers Day at Thoubal River (Yangwuikong River) on 14th March
2014 at Riha Village along Mapithel Range in Ukhrul District, Manipur with a
public consultation followed by a mass protest rally. The celebration,
organised to observe the importance of the rivers in sustaining life and health
of the Earth, was attended by communities affected by the ongoing construction
of the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric project and
environmental activists, Ms Aram Pamei, Co-Chairperson of Citizens Concern for
Dams and Development and Mr. Joseph Hmar, Secretary of Citizens Concern for
Dams and Development (CCDD) and representatives of Mapithel Dam Affected
Villagers Organization.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Ms Aram
Pamei, Co-convenor of CCDD explained the significance rivers in sustaining life
and expressed concern with the increased introduction of large hydropower
projects such as Mapithel dam and 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam and several other dams
in Manipur. She outlined how present day generation inherited our rivers,
forest and land from our forefather and not from the government, and how the
present day generation has the responsibility to safeguard and protect the
resources from its exploitation by the government and profit mongering
corporations.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Joseph
Hmar, Secretary of CCDD expressed his reservation towards the increasing
corporatisation and privatisation of land, river and other natural resources,
particularly damming of rivers of Manipur and across the India’s North East
region. Damming industries has become a very profitable business whose benefits
have been confined to the few corporate at the cost of the lives of indigenous
people. The necessity to take Free Prior and Informed Consent, to conduct
social, environment impact assessment and to recognize communities’ rights over
land, forest and waters is blatantly violated in pursuing such mega dam
development in the region.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Mr.
Thanmi Kashung of Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization expressed his
reservation towards welfare policies and projects that don’t benefit the common
mass for which the projects were taken up. He exclaimed to “Think globally, act
locally”. The representatives from different villages affected by Mapithel dam
such as Riha, Thoyee, Chadong, Lamlai Khunou etc shared their views and
experiences of the Thoubal River on their livelihood and culture. A
representative from Thoyee expressed the significance of Yangwui Kong River on
people’s survival, securing them self sufficiency. A representative from
Chadong village has expressed resentment towards the half hearted ERC of the
government which has in due course of time created social divisions.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Rajesh
Ningthoukhongjam, Secretary General of Lifewatch has expressed that any
development initiatives that affect people and environment should be subjected
to thorough review. The impact of projects on people should be assessed.
Sanaton Laishram, President, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur
expressed the necessity to strengthen communities resolve and determination to
strive for a sustainable and secure future for all communities of Manipur
depending on land, rivers, wetlands, forest etc for livelihood and survival.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
participants of the International River day celebration adopted the following
resolutions:</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">1) The
Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) is the life, source of history, culture,
livelihood and identify of communities along the River and to for the
environment.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">2) We
will protect the Thoubal River, preserve it and to ensure its Free Flow.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">3) We
reaffirm our call to “LET THE THOUBAL RIVER (YANGWUI KONG) FLOW FREE”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">4) The
ongoing Mapithel dam construction on Yangwuikong River/ Thoubal River is giving
a widespread devastation on people and environment, so the Mapithel Dam should
be reviewed at any cost to respect the wishes, aspiration and demands of all
affected communities.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">5) To
protect our future, we will defend our land and river at all cost.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">(NNN)</span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">- See
more at: <a href="http://www.tntmagazine.in/cover-story/international-rivers-day-celebrated-in-ukhrul-district-manipur-along-thobal-yangwuikong-river/#sthash.VuTaUkgs.dpuf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.tntmagazine.in/cover-story/international-rivers-day-celebrated-in-ukhrul-district-manipur-along-thobal-yangwuikong-river/#sthash.VuTaUkgs.dpuf</span></a></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.05pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 8.05pt; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 24.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">To
protect our future, defend our rivers</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
Morung Express News | March 15, 2014 <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><a href="http://www.morungexpress.com/regional/112578.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.morungexpress.com/regional/112578.html</span></a></span> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><img alt="" src="http://www.morungexpress.com/thumbnail.php?file=Let_Thoubal_River_Flow_Free_869796979.jpg&size=article_medium" /> </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>A protest rally at Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) on March 14, 2014, at
Riha Village in Ukhrul District, on International Rivers Day.</b> (NNN Photo)<span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>UKHRUL:</b> The Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO), Citizens
Concern For Dams And Development (CCDD), Centre For Research And Advocacy,
Manipur (CRAM), Committee On The Protection Of Natural Resources In Manipur
(CPNRM) jointly celebrated the International Rivers Day at Thoubal River
(Yangwui Kong) on March 14, 2014, at Riha Village along Mapithel Range in
Ukhrul District, with a public consultation followed by a mass protest rally. A
press note from Sanaton Laishram, President, CRAM, R Sakhathan, Chairperson,
MDAVO, Aram Pamei, CPNRM, and, Joseph Hmar, Secretary, CCDD, informed. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br />
</span>The celebration, organised to observe the importance of the rivers in
sustaining life and health of the planet, was attended by communities affected
by the ongoing construction of the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose
Hydroelectric project and environmental activists, Aram Pamei, Co-Chairperson,
CCDD, and Joseph Hmar, Secretary, CCDD, and representatives of MDAVO. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br />
</span>Pamei, explaining the significance of rivers in sustaining life,
expressed concern with the increased introduction of large hydropower projects
such as Mapithel dam, the 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam, and several other dams in
Manipur. Stating that the present day generation inherited the rivers, forests,
and land, from our forefathers and not from the government, she asserted that
the present day generation has the responsibility to safeguard and protect the
resources from its exploitation by the government and profit mongering
corporations. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br />
</span>Hmar, meanwhile, expressed his reservation towards the increasing
corporatisation and privatisation of land, rivers and other natural resources,
particularly damming of rivers of Manipur and across India’s North East region.
Damming industries has become a very profitable business whose benefits have
been confined to the few corporate at the cost of the lives of indigenous
people. The necessity to take Free Prior and Informed Consent, to conduct
social, environment impact assessment and to recognize communities’ rights over
land, forest and waters is blatantly violated in pursuing such mega dam
development in the region, Hmar stated. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br />
</span>Thanmi Kashung, a member of MDAVO, expressed his reservation towards
welfare policies and projects that don’t benefit the common mass for which the
projects were taken up. He exclaimed “Think globally, act locally”. The
representatives from different villages affected by Mapithel dam such as Riha,
Thoyee, Chadong, Lamlai Khunou etc. shared their views and experiences of the
Thoubal River on their livelihood and culture. A representative from Thoyee
expressed the significance of Yangwui Kong River on people’s survival, securing
them self sufficiency. A representative from Chadong village had earlier
expressed resentment towards the half hearted ERC of the government which has
created social divisions. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br />
</span>Rajesh Ningthoukhongjam, Secretary General, Lifewatch, expressed that
any development initiatives that affect people and environment should be
subjected to thorough review and the impact of projects on people should be
assessed. Sanaton Laishram, President, Centre for Research and Advocacy,
Manipur, expressed the necessity to strengthen communities resolve and
determination to strive for a sustainable and secure future for all communities
of Manipur depending on land, rivers, wetlands, forest etc. for livelihood and
survival. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br />
</span>The participants of the International River day celebration adopted the
following resolutions: 1) The Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) is the life, source
of history, culture, livelihood and identity of communities along the River. 2)
We will protect the Thoubal River, preserve it and to ensure its Free Flow. 3)
We reaffirm our call to “Let the Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) flow free.” 4)
The ongoing Mapithel dam construction on Yangwuikong River/ Thoubal River is
giving a widespread devastation on people and environment, so the Mapithel Dam
should be reviewed at any cost to respect the wishes, aspiration and demands of
all affected communities. 5) To protect our future, we will defend our land and
river at all cost. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.5pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 8.05pt; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt;">International Rivers Day
celebrated at Thoubal river</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 24.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">The Eastern
Mirror, Nagaland </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">The 15<sup>th</sup>
March 2014</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/2014/03/international-rivers-day-celebrated-at-thoubal-river/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/2014/03/international-rivers-day-celebrated-at-thoubal-river/</span></a>
</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt;">14 March: </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">T</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #333333;">he Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization,
the Citizens Concern for Dams and Development, the Committee on the Protection
of Natural Resources in Manipur and the Centre for Research and Advocacy,
Manipur jointly celebrated the International Rivers Day at Thoubal river
(Yangwuikong river) at Riha village along Mapithel Range in Ukhrul district of
Manipur with a public consultation followed by a mass protest rally today.The
celebration, organised to observe the importance of the rivers in sustaining
life and health of the mother earth, was attended by communities affected by
the ongoing construction of the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose
Hydroelectric Project and environmental activists, Aram Pamei, co-chairperson
of Citizens Concern for Dams and Development and Joseph Hmar, secretary of
Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) and representatives of
Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization.<br />
Aram Pamei explained the significance rivers in sustaining life and expressed
concern over the increased introduction of large hydropower projects such as
Mapithel Dam and 1500 MW Tipaimukh Dam and several other dams in Manipur. She
elaborated on how present day generation inherited our rivers, forest and land
from our forefathers and not from the government, and what responsibility the
present day generation has to safeguard and protect the resources from its
exploitation by the government and profit mongering corporations.<br />
Joseph Hmar expressed his reservation over the increasing corporatisation and
privatisation of land, river and other natural resources, particularly damming
of rivers of Manipur and across the India’s North East region.<br />
Damming industries has become a very profitable business whose benefits have
been confined to the few corporate at the cost of the lives of indigenous
people, he said while stressing the need to take free prior and informed consent,
to conduct social and environment impact assessment and to recognize
communities’ rights over land, forest and waters. These are blatantly violated
in pursuing such mega dam development in the region, he added.<br />
Thanmi Kashung of Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization expressed his
reservation towards welfare policies and projects that don’t benefit the common
mass for which the projects were taken up.<br />
Rajesh Ningthoukhongjam, secretary general of Lifewatch, said any development
initiatives that affect people and environment should be subjected to thorough
review.<br />
The participants of the International River Day celebration adopted the
following resolutions:<br />
1) The Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) is the life, source of history, culture,
livelihood and identify of communities along the River and to for the
environment.<br />
2) We will protect the Thoubal River, preserve it and to ensure its Free Flow.<br />
3) We reaffirm our call to “LET THE THOUBAL RIVER (YANGWUI KONG) FLOW FREE”<br />
4) The ongoing Mapithel dam construction on Yangwuikong River/ Thoubal River is
giving a widespread devastation on people and environment, so the Mapithel Dam
should be reviewed at any cost to respect the wishes, aspiration and demands of
all affected communities.<br />
5) To protect our future, we will defend our land and river at all cost.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></span></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-73442752337798759982014-03-12T00:02:00.000-07:002014-03-12T00:03:15.994-07:00CHALLENGES IN PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN DEVELOPMENT: A CSO PERSPECTIVE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<![endif]--><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Source: <a href="http://www.csopartnership.org/share/blog/157-challenges-in-private-sector-involvement-in-development-a-cso-perspective" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">http://www.csopartnership.org/share/blog/157-challenges-in-private-sector-involvement-in-development-a-cso-perspective</span></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">As global Official Development Assistance
(ODA) stagnates, several donor countries and aid agencies are struggling to
mobilise private sources of financial capital but without the sufficient
incorporation of human rights commitments. Under this scenario, private
sector-led growth operates without regulatory mechanisms to ensure that human
rights standards and democratic ownership of development outcomes are met.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Multiple
challenges in private sector involvement to development persist. While the
private sector is no doubt a major actor in creating economic opportunities for
impoverished communities by generating employment, creating innovation and
producing revenue for various sectors of society, it is however important to
note that not all of these investments have positive impacts on poverty
reduction and growing socio-economic inequalities. For instance, many corporate
bodies and bilateral institutions are yet to adopt the UN Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to recognize inherent right of indigents to
“free, prior, and informed consent” despite the private sector’s extractive and
unwarranted operations in indigenous lands and territories.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><b>PPPs
and Priority Setting</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">In the
case of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), which is one of the key tenets of
promoting private sector participation, national development priorities become
distorted due to the prioritization of profit over public services. Many
countries around the world, like Mexico, India, and Bangladesh are developing
policy frameworks that promote PPPs citing that such deals will facilitate
greater investment in economic infrastructures.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Across
the Asia Pacific region, economic infrastructures, such as transport are the
preferred targets for PPP deals rather than focusing on more important social
concerns such as in health and education. Private corporations, usually with
high profit motives often favor the construction of roads, railways, ports and
electricity lines because user fee charges (thus, profit) are more feasible in
these kinds of projects. In addition, these projects have a market value that
combines the profit in the actual construction as well as the profit gained in
the provision of related services, such as the collection of toll fees among
popular road projects.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Implementing
Human Rights Standards</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Private
sector involvement in development can be more effective by reflecting and
improving its performance in complying with human rights standards. Private
sector involvement in the Asia Pacific is a cause of concern as it is usually
linked with human rights issues across the region, ranging from exclusive
decision-making, mis-prioritization, misinformation, limited public gains, and
lack of accountability among others.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Various
cases in India alone attest to this—the privatization of electricity and water
in New Delhi have led to increased price hikes, therefore limiting quality
access to such services. Many corporations failed to take free, prior and
informed consent from communities affected by its extractive mining operations
while major decision-making processes that affect the people are concealed from
community participation.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Private
Sector and Development Effectiveness Principles</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">The
extent of integration of key aid and development effectiveness principles with
private sector participation in development varies per country and requires
urgent redress among the majority. Many donors and institutions have not
sufficiently incorporated their commitments to human rights, development
effectiveness principles and other international standards into their private
sector strategies. As development and human rights standards progress, private
sector participation must also keep similar pace.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Most
donors have varying policies on aid while very few, like Spain and New Zealand,
make specific reference to Paris or Accra in their regulatory policies and
mechanisms. Needless to say, these principles must be integrated to national
development frameworks in order for the private sector to adhere with
previously agreed upon development effectiveness principles.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Our
engagement with the private sector must therefore be guided by the principles
of democratic ownership and human rights standards. Furthermore, CSO
participation must be promoted and all decision-making processes must involve
all stakeholders and communities affected to ensure that development is
appropriately informed by the people’s demands and needs.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Recommendations</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Governments in the Asia Pacific
region should focus on domestic investors--Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs) which can promote livelihood and create jobs for more people.
Governments should also promote inclusive development and poverty eradication
based on innovative investments, such as Agrarian reform and establishment of cooperatives
for domestic market development.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Conclusion</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Defining
development priorities should not be left at the exclusive domain of the
private sector and financial institutions. The rightful participation of
communities and civil society must precede all development decision-making
processes. Securing check and balances to ensure compliance must be implemented
to rightfully orient development towards peoples’ rights and environmental
sustainability.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">If
private sectors are to be true partners in development, they must collaborate
in ways that improve the social and economic rights of marginalized
populations, focus on the economic empowerment of women, create conditions for
decent work, and promote socio-economic inclusion and social protection. The private
sector can only genuinely contribute to development if it maintains country
ownership and delivers effective development outcomes to the poorest and most
vulnerable populations.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">This is an abridged
version of Jiten Yumnam's presentation on private sector challenges last March
10 in the Pre-HLM Asia-Pacific Regional Consultation in Seoul, Korea.</span></i><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"></span></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-64522075967015342142014-03-05T00:12:00.000-08:002014-03-05T00:12:14.433-08:00 CLIMATE CRISIS, LAND GRABBING & VIOLATIONS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">By <i>Jiten Yumnam</i></span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
world is grapping hard to combat the fast unfolding climate crisis with endless
international processes and negotiations between states forwarding corporate
agendas, all far away from communities, whose land, forest and future are
negotiated and compromised, even without them know what is happening. Answers
suggested, such as “carbon trading” only complicates the crisis. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At
the onset, carbon trading mechanisms, under Kyoto Protocols, involves a very
false notion of responding to climate crisis. To </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">reduce emission of Green House Gases (GHGs) from the
powerful industrialist countries, which is the primary causes of global
warming, Kyoto negotiators established the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
under the UN Convention on Climate Change by which developed nations could claim
to cut their GHG emissions by investing in ‘clean’ programs in developing
nations. This market based solutions, only legitimized pollutions of big
corporate bodies unwilling to reduce emissions.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The process is just a consolidation of
the global plunder of natural resources by the agents of exploitative trade
regime, fostering unsustainable growth and production model. An exploration of
the process of devising the mechanisms and the implementation would reveal the arbitrations
of human rights principles and standards by the carbon traders. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
very process of defining the “Carbon Trading” mechanisms as the ultimate means
of combating climate crisis itself is bound by limitations and fraud. One
serious procedural lapses of the decision making process in defining such mechanisms
is the exclusion of communities from meaningful and effective participation
role. Rather corporate and business interest ran high in the negotiations. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
ongoing pursuance of India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change and by the
state plans in respective states, including in Manipur, involves pursuing
corporate agenda of carbon trading with either absolutely no consultation or
limited consultation. However, in all these, there is a clearly no process to
consider suggestions to opt for real solutions, such as promoting the low
carbon oriented way of life of many indigenous peoples. There is very little
scope to participate and seek redressal at the decision making processes on
clearing CDM projects at both the national and CDM board level. There is no
process for conduct a holistic impact assessment by the projects and to comply
with human rights standards. For the communities, especially indigenous peoples
living and depending on forest for their survival, this exclusion is serious
violation of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development and the UN Convention
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) etc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
aggressive pursuance of the carbon trading mechanisms by the corporate bodies involves
a clear violation of human rights of communities depending on their land,
forest, rivers for survival. An assessment of mega dams projected as clean
source of energy under CDM by various dam developing countries in India’s North
East confirms serious human rights violations. Many of these dams, such as the
1200 MW Teesta III, 105 MW Loktak Project had already led to widespread
displacement, destruction of livelihood source of communities and loss of
endemic flora and fauna, which constitutes a clear violation of “Right to Life”.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There
is a clear misinformation and denial of information in the pursuance of such mega
projects across the region and the non recognition of indigenous communities’
collective rights over their land. A serious misinformation is the concealment
of facts and figures as to how the submergence of forest and excavation of
earth by mega dams will lead to colossal emission of GHGs. The ongoing push for
REDD+ projects in Manipur involves misinformation and lack of impact
assessments. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
construction of such mega development also involves destruction and desecration
of cultural and sacred sites and the construction process involves pollution and
contamination of air and water. Additionally, there are social impacts due to
influx of workers and in most of India’s North East inhabited by diverse
indigenous communities with minimal demographic strength, the number of workers
often far exceeds local communities. The conscious insistence of development
onslaught in the pretext of climate crisis and destroying the land and survival
sources of marginalized communities also constitute serious forms of
discrimination, which is strongly prohibited by the UN Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another carbon offsetting scheme,
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation plus (REDD +)
pursued vigorously in India,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>will only encourage
restriction of communities access to forest, monoculture tree plantations etc, including
with non-native species such as palm oil, the resultant massive loss of
biodiversity, as well as the loss of lands, subsistence and cultures of
Indigenous peoples. Across the globe, REDD and forest carbon projects already
led to loss of land, massive evictions in the form of servitude,
multi-generational slavery, persecutions and threats to the cultural survival
of Indigenous peoples. According the New York Times, over 22,000 farmers with land
deeds were violently evicted for a forest carbon project in 2011<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, </span>business continues as usual
in the world's carbon markets, despite the "systemic and grave human
rights violations". </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For
many indigenous communities affected by carbon trading, and other carbon
offsetting projects, it constitutes a violation of their inherent right to Self
Determined Development, spelled out in Article 3 of UNDRIP, which states
“Indigenous Peoples have the Right to Self Determination, by virtue of this
right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their
economic, social and cultural development”. Article 32 of UNDRIP insists that
the Right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent of all indigenous peoples should
be obtained before any decisions affecting their land. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
very process of forcible land grabbing by plantations, mega dam projects, gas
pipelines, cement plants, etc violates the UN Declaration against forced and
arbitrary Displacement. The UN Resolutions 1993/77 and 2004/28 of the UN
Commission on Human Rights clearly outlined that forced evictions constitute
gross violations of a wide range of internationally recognized human rights and
mass evictions may only be carried out under exceptional circumstances and in
full accordance with international human rights law. Article 11.1 of the ICESCR,
to which India is a party states that the State party recognize the right of
everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family,
including housing and to a continuous improvement of living conditions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lack
of corporate accountability is serious as many multinational corporate bodies,
such as the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) seeking profits from
CDM are still marred with accountability. The NHPC, which still failed to
compensate and rehabilitate communities displaced by its 105 MW Loktak
Multipurpose Hydroelectric Power project, now, embarks on a grand idea of seeking
carbon credits and profits by upgrading Loktak HEP Power Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Democratic
calls for just decision making process and recognition of their rights is often
responded with militarization and brute use of force, leading to loss of life,
physical deformities, mental agonies, filing of false and fabricated charges,
arbitrary arrest and detention, which constitute series of violations<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>under the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights. A dispute with palm oil Plantation Company for carbon trading
initiative in Honduras led to killing of 23 Honduran farmers, who tried to
recover land illegally sold to palm oil plantations such as Grupo Dinant<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
most unfortunate part is the reluctance and indeed, refusal of state parties to
implement its human rights obligations. The recommendations of th UN Special Rapporteur
on Indigenous Peoples and on the Right to Housing, to the Government of India
to take appropriate action to recognize the rights and demands of communities
displaced by the Mapithel dam<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a>
and the Lamphelpat evictions in Manipur in 2009 and 2011 respectively has long
been sidelined. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Human
Rights defenders campaigning against land grabbing and for just participation
and accountability of corporate bodies are often resorted to threats and
intimidations by law enforcing agencies and military. Even in other countries,
those opposing false solutions to climate crisis are targeted. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Mr. Odey Oyama, Executive Director of the Rainforest
Resource and Development Centre (RRDC) in Cross River State, Nigeria suffered
police harassment and intimidation and had to flee his home early 2013 for
opposing REDD activities.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">
Peoples’ </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">voice for just decision making process and recognition
of their inherent rights is often responded with militarization and brute use
of force. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The UN
Charter (Article 55c) states “the United Nations shall promote universal
respect for and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all
without distinction”. Further, the Cancun Agreements (Decision 1/CP.16
paragraph 8) state that “Parties should in all climate change related actions
fully respect human rights”. Human rights and international human rights laws
should apply to the UN and its entities, including the CDM decision making
processes. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Carbon
trading and carbon offset projects increase pollution and make global warming
worse. The carbon trading scam also means more diseases for communities
living near sources of pollution. Carbon markets increased fossil fuel
exploitation, extraction and combustion, which create toxic hot spots and toxic
body burdens for women, affecting the right of future generations to a healthy
life. These false solutions allow polluting industries and governments to
increase toxic emissions and releases<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>.
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
is also high time to gauge and assess the effectiveness of the pursuance of
carbon trading mechanism as a solution to climate change and further to assess
the violations committed in the pursuance of so called “clean and green
projects”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pursuing an alternative
development model based on the needs, wishes and low carbon way of lives of
communities is key to combat climate crisis. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<hr size="1" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1">
<h1 style="margin: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 24.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f0b0f; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations
and NGOs Opposing REDD Request Meeting with Gov. Jerry Brown, Oct 8, 2013, </span><a href="http://www.ienearth.org/indigenous-traditional-grassroots-based-organizations-opposing-redd-request-meeting-with-gov-jerry-brown/"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">http://www.ienearth.org/indigenous-traditional-grassroots-based-organizations-opposing-redd-request-meeting-with-gov-jerry-brown/</span></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f0b0f; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f0b0f; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0f0b0f; font-size: 10.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></h1>
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Carbon credits tarnished by human rights 'disgrace' </span></b><a href="http://www.euractiv.com/climate-environment/carbon-credits-tarnished-human-r-news-508068"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.euractiv.com/climate-environment/carbon-credits-tarnished-human-r-news-508068</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Published 03 October 2011, updated 04 October 2011 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> The Mapithel Dam of Thoubal
Multipurpose project in Manipur was approved in May 1980. The project aims to
utilize the water resources of Thoubal River for irrigation, drinking water for
Imphal town and to generate 7.5 MW of power. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7605641624179619525#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> No REDD in Africa </span><a href="http://www.redd-monitor.org/2013/05/04/no-redd-in-africa-network-opposes-inclusion-of-redd-offsets-in-californias-cap-and-trade-scheme/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://www.redd-monitor.org/2013/05/04/no-redd-in-africa-network-opposes-inclusion-of-redd-offsets-in-californias-cap-and-trade-scheme/</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></div>
</div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-26593744210719724672014-03-04T20:57:00.002-08:002014-03-05T00:12:38.529-08:00Forest Rights and Injustices<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By <i>Jiten Yumnam</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many
rejoiced at the adoption of Forest Rights Act in 2006 as an ultimate beginning to
undo historical injustice for indigenous communities living in and depending on
forest for survival. Across India, hopes filled the hearts and minds of many,
firmly confident the Act can deliver justice for them for the injustice
perpetrated for so long. One wonders if the Indian State actually is keen on
undoing historical injustice for indigenous and other marginalized communities,
especially in a context where India’s corporate greed is fast expanding, in its
move for super power status globally. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
glimpse of FRA implementation in selected places across India would expose grim
realities and unfolds multiple challenges. While several states implements FRA,
such as Orissa, Andhra Pradesh , most North East States are reluctant to
implement the Act and States like Tamil Nadu are stuck in legal entanglements,
as several opposed the implementation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
Manipur, indigenous communities affected by the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose
Hydroelectric Project, during the according of “Forest Clearance” on 31
December 2013 after thirty three years of project approval, urged upon the
Government of India to implement the Forest Rights Act, 2006 to ensure project
authorities comply requirements to take ‘consent’ of affected communities
through their traditional institutions. With these untimely demands, both the
Government of India and the Government of Manipur were caught unaware as the
project is already in advanced stage of construction, envisaged for completion
in March 2015. The matter reach the National Green Tribunal, which sought the
opinion of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Ministry of Environment
and Forest (MoEF), whether FRA should apply or not in the case of Mapithel Dam.
MOTA and MoEF clearly understands that for any recommendation to implement FRA
would mean the project would be delayed inconsiderably and the investment of
Government to the tune of 1387 Crores by 2011 count will simply be in a limbo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What
followed is history as MoTA wrote two contrasting letters to MoEF, one to comply
FRA and second not to comply, referring to a controversial 1993 agreement for
rehabilitation and according it’s directions to MoEF as an ‘exceptional’, ‘unique’
and “not to set as precedent” tag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
in the case of Mapithel dam, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs upheld an
agreement, which affected communities classified as historical injustice. In a
glaring instance of connivance between the Government of Manipur, the Ministry
of Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of Environment and Forest of the Government
of India, the later Ministry, in its hastiness and to save the project from FRA
implementation, accorded the much pending “Forest Clearance” on 31<sup>st</sup>
December 2013, without even conducting a site visit for Mapithel Dam from its
regional office. In Manipur, with respect to FRA implementations, interesting
precedents has already been set while trying not setting ‘precedents’. The
sincerity of the Government of India to undo historical injustice is lucid
clear in the context of Mapithel Dam and its affected peoples. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
Andhra Pradesh, the FRA implementation in forest areas near Vishakhapatnam and
Srikakolam Districts, rather than serving as a means to promote indigenous peoples
access to traditional forest land, rather promotes alienation and detachment
from it, especially in community settings, where communities traditionally
managed and used their forest land. The combination of meagre allocation of
land to those claiming traditional forest land and the unusually high number of
rejections of claims only legitimize the conscription of land and expansion of
Reserve forest areas. The focus on individual claims and limited efforts for
community claims and the high rejection of community claims, poses another huge
challenges for communities in accessing their traditional forest land. The FRA
implementation process itself constitutes another form of land grabbing in many
parts of India. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Corporate
interest on forest land runs extremely high in Andhra Pradesh. In many areas where
there are corporate interests, such as those demarcated in exclusive processes for
Bauxite mining and also for construction of Polavaram dam in Khammam District,
the State Government refuses to implement FRA. It’s key to establish the
underlying links between the meagre allocation of land to tribal, the high
rejection of claims, the extensive consolidation of land by Forest Department and
the increasing corporate interest and corporatisation of land and resources in places
like Andhra Pradesh with the World Bank, assuming an interesting role in the
process of problematic land allocations. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
overwhelming yearnings for land titles in Andhra Pradesh and other region is
quite understandable given the historical injustice and processes of usurping
of forest land by the Forest Department and denying communities rights and
access over forest land under V th Schedule of Indian Constitution. However,
given the current pattern of land allocation, it has become an urgent issue to
address the injustice and violations involved in undoing historical injustice. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One
may also ponder as to why Forest Department, the Revenue Department usually
rejects claims and allocates meagre land, as in Andhra Pradesh. One may also
introspect as to whether there are other hidden agendas? India is embarking
aggressively on polices and action plans to mitigate climate change and it
already subscribed to a regime of false climate change, such as REDD +, reducing
emission from deforestation and degradation, targeting forest and degraded land
for carbon trading under the Clean Development Mechanism of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change. There seems to be relevance with consolidation of
forest land and global carbon trading. Andhra Pradesh’s State Climate Change Action
Plan emphasized on REDD+ targeting forest land. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
state of affairs on undoing “historical injustice” is far from satisfactory and
need a serious review. The FRA implementation process cannot be allowed to
become another part of perpetuating historical injustices. One wonders if the
issue is the problem with the law, or the problem with the implementation, or
the problem with the forest dwellers, due to their ignorance of the complexity
of the procedures. Bureaucracy runs high, corruption runs rampant. Stories of
surveyors demanding bribes from communities runs high in many places where act
is implemented. A serious challenge again is the clash of worldview of those
conducting the surveys and decision makers, at least in Andhra Pradesh and the communities’
way of life and survival dependence with their forest. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
challenge of Forest Department usurping and consolidating forest land through
FRA implementation is an alarming and dangerous trend in Andhra Pradesh, which
all right thinking people should be conscious of. The management of forest by
Forest Department has been a long contentious issue. The management of forest
by Forest department is as good as reasons for its loss. The recommendation of
the Forest Departments of Manipur and Mizoram to divert 27,000 hectares and
1370 hectares of Forest land in Manipur and Manipur to be submerged for the
construction of proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project
only indicates the ever preparedness to sacrifice forest land to serve interest
of corporate greed and power at the cost of communities survival needs. It’s
key to demystify as to why Forest Department seeks to consolidate forest land
in its control, especially in an era of increasing of globalization and economic
liberalization, where everything is perceived as sources of endless
profits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Manipur
today confronts an increasing process of corporatization of our land and
natural resources. India’s Look East Policy after its economic liberalization
actually accentuates such realities. There is increasing pressure on our forest
land to the multitude of development processes and mega projects. The Trans
Asian Highway, the Trans Asian Railway, the Mapithel Dam, the Tipaimukh Dam,
the extensive militarization process etc, the proposed Oil exploration and the
planned mega dams under the Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy will entail huge
destruction of vast forest land of Manipur, which will have serious
implications on food sovereignty of indigenous communities. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
is high time to uncover the practical challenges of implementation of FRA. The
act can serve as a strong deterrent against destructive development processes
for communities hell bent on defending their land and forest against any forced
diversion as the act elucidates the need to take ‘consent’ of communities
affected by such decisions through their traditional institutions. That’s what
the communities affected by Mapithel dam opt to acheive for. And it’s equally
pertinent to note the hidden agenda of those with high interest on forest land,
of corporate bodies interested in mines, to build dams or to trade the forest
for rich profits in carbon trading mechanisms, where forest dwellers are left
at sea to even understand the process. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Respecting
communities’ intrinsic survival rights and dependence on forest is the most
fundamental need of the hour. Communities not only survive through intrinsic
relationship with forest, but they are also the best guardian of forest. With
it survives the multitude of diverse floral and faunal species. In North East
context, adopting cautious moves before insisting on implementation of FRA and
especially gaining experiences from realities beyond borders can help safeguard
and promote communities’ rights over forest land. The FRA should rather be a
process to recognize collective rights over land and resources and not to
undermine it. And this is more applicable in North East India where indigenous
communities have collective ownership of their land and where their survival
and way of life revolves around such land ownership pattern. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-45089791146676399412014-03-04T20:55:00.001-08:002014-03-05T00:13:34.749-08:00GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS AND IMPACT ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">By <i>Jiten Yumnam</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Introduction: </span></b></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Capitalism,
in the present stage of global imperialism also manifested in monopoly finance
carried out through banking cartels such as World Bank, ADB, etc, has a negative
impact on the indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples are the most marginalized
section of population within the countries where they are confined and ruled
upon. The indigenous peoples and their land, resources are reduced into source
of surplus value and object of exploitation within the overarching imperialist
globalization. What is crucial for analysis is that there is underdevelopment and
exploitation of indigenous peoples when a country is dependent to the global
imperialism, thereby keeping itself in semi or even an abject colonial
condition, or if it would uphold predominance of capitalist system. Since there
is correlation between capitalist recession and economic crisis, e.g., “global
financial and economic crisis of 2008,” the imperialist crisis severely
affected them through intensified policies of subjugation and underdevelopment.
Let me elaborate it under the following subheadings; (a) imperialist financial
and economic crisis of 2008, and (b) impact on indigenous peoples.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">(a) Financial and economic
crisis of 2008 </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Financial
crisis of the capitalists, which is dominantly measured in terms of the
comparative decline of GDP rate of their respective countries, currency value
of those countries and their gold reserves in the stock exchange, have been
generally identified with economic crisis. But the global economic crisis in
the age of imperialism is largely the syndrome of capitalist recession and
exhaustion of resources. The “financial and economic crisis of 2008” that originates
in USA, considered as the epicenter of the global financial system, has
widespread economic impact on several countries since most of these countries
are subjected to structural constraints under finance imperialism. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
USA syndrome would reveal that the immediate cause of the 2008 financial crisis
was the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage markets in the US. Other factors
includes complex processes - the expansionary monetary policies in major
financial centers; developments in the sub-prime mortgage markets of US;
extensive use of securitization, complex derivative instruments and shadow
banking system; excessive leverage in the financial system; poor assessment of
risk in the financial system; lax regulation and supervision by public bodies
arising from belief in efficient markets; and global macroeconomic imbalances.
Some say the crisis is related to the high oil price in 2008, which reach
nearly 150 USD a barrel. The crisis has
exposed fundamental problems, not only in regulatory systems of established
countries affecting finance, competition, and corporate governance, but also in
the international institutions and arrangements that were created in the name
of ensuring financial and economic stability. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">(b) Impact on indigenous
peoples: </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Indigenous
peoples, whose livelihood and way of life still revolves around the traditional
occupation, swiden farming, hunting, gathering of forest products, fishing etc.,
which used to be far more sustainable and self sufficient with low carbon foot
prints, has been trying hard to find direct and indirect impacts of the
economic crisis primarily due to lack of understanding due to their remote
locations and the complexity of the global financial system. Yet, there are
impacts of the crisis related to increased cost of goods and services, low
demand & or price of their food and cash crop, and lesser work or job
opportunities and also adverse affects
associated with loss of Land and natural resources for development projects. The
impacts among indigenous peoples differ from one situation to another,
depending on how the communities and the respective country where they live in
is integrated to the market-based global economy, the capitalist system.</span><span lang="EN-US"> </span><span lang="EN-US"> Crisis or not, Indigenous peoples have long
been confronting a survival crisis, due to non-recognition of their way of
life, their right to define, control and manage their own developmental affairs
in their own land, expropriation of their land and resources without their
consent and state subjugations with militarization. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">IFI intrusion:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> The ne-liberal measures
adopted by the imperialists to deal with the financial crisis had negative
implication on the economic condition of the peoples who are not the direct
stakeholders of the imperialists grabs. This is primarily evident in the ever
increasing intrusion of international Financial Institutions to promote market
oriented investments. For instance, in the aftermath of the crisis, the World
Bank has committed a record $88 billion in loans, grants, equity investments,
and guarantees. In the post-crisis period countries that promote capitalism
have approached International Monetary Fund for financial assistance. Several
steps have been taken to expand the IMF’s financial resources. At the G20
London Summit in April 2009, capitalist representatives agreed that the New
Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) should be increased to $550 billion from the
current $50 billion in order to strengthen IMF’s capacity to respond in the
event of a crisis. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
unprecedented involvement and role of the IFI in India’s North East has seen
unprecedented expropriation of land and brutal suppression of those who assert
for land and other democratic rights. Indian capital expansionism under the
cover of the jargon ‘Look East Policy’ is in reality an attempt to strengthen
Indian comprador control over the markets in Southeast Asia. The subsequent
investments in the tertiary construction sub-sectors, such as the Trans Asian
Highway, the Trans Asian Railways, and military stations, which are meant for
expanding neo-liberal trade system, would perpetuate further exposure of the
region to the imperialist globalization. All these projects are being carried
out through false propaganda, suppression, and without Free Prior and Informed
Consent of the people to be affected by such projects. The profit seeking
capitalist investors, in their scramble for super-profit have caused
unrestrained environmental destruction, displacement, divide & rule and
other forms of human rights violation in Manipur and other parts of India’s Northeast.
This process of deepening the role of IFI in the aftermath of the economic
crisis cannot be a solution to the imperialist financial crisis. On the
contrary it will deepen the global crisis, as the IFI’s involvement has already
led to destruction of indigenous peoples land and resources, thereby, having
negative repercussion on their identity and human rights. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Even
during the crisis, we have seen companies receiving financial stimulus from
Governments in developed world, such as General Motors expanding its sales
operations during the crisis even in far flung areas, simultaneously with
expansion for search for oil and other resources for exploitation. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Intensification of
extractive industries and related displacement: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">In order to recover from the financial
crisis, multinational companies are being funded by the international financial
institutions and nationalized banks to strengthen extraction and exploitation
of indigenous peoples in the name of development. In order to secure economic
growth of the imperialists, there has been promotion of extractive industries,
mining, oil drilling, destruction of forest, construction of mega dams in
several indigenous territories in India’s North East, Philippines, Bangladesh,
Indonesia, and etc. Mining and oil drilling lease to both foreign and national
companies and also for construction of mega dams is increasing despite the
economic crisis. Some countries which are quite complacent of its ability to
withstand the shock of the financial crisis, such as India and China are more
aggressive in using its nationalized banks to fund such mega projects
targetting indigenous territories. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Food crisis: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">The financial and economic
crisis interplayed with climate change disasters and adoption of false
solutions created food crisis among peoples who are either forced to export
food at their own costs in order to meet with imperialist trade quota and those
who are dependent upon food aid & subsidies by the food monopolies. The
food crisis has exasperated the extremely difficult situation of indigenous
peoples who were already greatly affected by the unprecedented rise in food and
energy prices. In many indigenous communities, where their food sovereignty has
been destroyed due to non-recognition of their rights, there is increasing
import of food from outside their territory and rise in both food and energy
prices adds further suffering to the already impoverished communities. Statistically
it is being estimated that the current food crisis had pushed roughly 150
million people, which includes many indigenous communities back into
poverty. Indeed, staple foods had seen
double digit cost increases. The year 2008 saw massive rises in the price of
the most basic of necessities – food. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The UN Food and Agriculture
Organization has warned that increasing prices have “triggered a food crisis”
in 36 countries, where several indigenous communities also lived. Again,
according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), 12 out of the 16 ‘hunger
hotspot countries’ are in the LDCs (Afghanistan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Guinea,
Haiti, Liberia, Mauritania, Nepal, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda, Yemen). Because
the majority of poor people in LDCs spend 70%-80% of their income on food, they
are very hard hit by the sharp increases in domestic food prices. In 2008-2009
Eritrea has produced only about 30% of its food requirements. The consequences
of the food crisis, which the head of WFP has called ‘a silent tsunami’,
include widespread misery and malnutrition for millions of people. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">There are five major drivers of rising global food prices. They are:
(a) long term supply problems; (b) rise in oil prices; (c) Changes in demand
due to bio fuels; (d) depreciation in dollar and low interest rate in the US
and speculative activities; (f) export restrictions of developing countries. </span><span lang="EN-US">The food
crisis shows that the existing agro-industrial and market-led approach to food
security has totally failed to feed hungry people living in LDCs. Promotion of corporate
farming and the introduction of extreme dependence on external food supplies,
lack of productive investments in local agricultural systems, global warming,
trade imbalances and trade liberalization are also to blame for food crisis. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Employment question: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">Unemployment had soared up
among indigenous peoples in the aftermath of global crisis. It is worth
reminding that several thousands of migrant workers who have been drawn into
labor pool as a direct fallout of imperialist market based economic model and
who were being forced to migrate in search for work are employed in capitalist
enterprises in advanced countries and within urban metropolis within countries of
their confines with high prevalence of high connectivity to capitalist market
and investment. This section of the productive force is the first one to be discriminated
and targeted in job cuts. The IT sector,
construction sectors and others are ones where there are massive job cuts,
which also affect indigenous peoples. Declining exports more so with
agricultural (decline in cash crops sales in Indonesia, tea in Assam, NE India)
and other service sectors, such as tourism (Kenya) etc has led to serious
downfall of income and loss of employment among indigenous peoples. There is
serious decline in the volume of remittances among indigenous migrant workers
in the Americas and in Asia (Philippines). (Saudi Arabia announced on 1 July
not to hire <i>Pinoys</i> as domestic
workers anymore). Such racially twisted discrimination and job cuts had direct
negative impacts on the economic condition of the migrant worker, leading to
their impoverishment. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Deepening climate crisis:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> The current climate change
crisis is also a glaring example of destruction of ecological balance as a
result of unrestrained exploitation of natural resources by the imperialist.
Indigenous peoples disproportionately suffer from the serious impacts of
climate change because; (a) they are mainly dependent on the integrity with
ecosystems for survival, and (b) they lack material resource and political
compatibility to compete with the exploiting governments who promote finance
intrusion. They also suffer from climate mitigation measures of the governments
which failed to respect their rights. They are the ones who mainly bear the
costs of adapting to climate change. However, despite the proven limitations of
the current market based system, solutions to climate changes, viz, the market
based mitigation measures, such as emissions trading, carbon sinks, renewable
energy systems, and alternative fuels – will lead to further exclusion and
violation of indigenous peoples’ rights and deepening of climate crisis. To
cite a few examples, in several indigenous peoples territories forest and other
water bodies are being increasingly targeted for false climate crisis solutions.
</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Human rights violations: </span></b><span lang="EN-US">Imperialism is based on two
interrelated process of exploitation and suppression to maximize capitalist
profit. The economic crisis already has serious economic, social and cultural
impacts upon peoples affected by it. The most burning issue interrelated with
the question of exploitation and suppression is the issue of civil and
political rights<b>.</b> Peoples across the
globe who are affected by and dissatisfied with the structural constraints of
imperialism are raising democratic voices to defend their rights. In Peru and in
Chile, there were demonstrations throughout 2008 on Indigenous People’s rights
and rising living costs. Protests over grain prices in Haiti, Mozambique,
Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mauritania and other parts of Africa and a hungry
children’s march in Yemen are some examples. The response of the concerned
governments to such demands and voices has been characteristically militant and
repressive. For instance, in armed conflict prone Manipur in India’s North
East, rampant </span>human rights violations by government troops under emergency
legislations like the Armed Forces Special Powers’ Act and other forms of
terror tactics has created an emergency situation that is similar to what is
being referred to as <i>War on People</i> in
the areas affected by the Operation Green Hunt in central India. Community
members calling for greater respect of their democratic rights continues to be
targeted. The human rights violations in happening in the context of denial of
indigenous peoples’ right to self determination. Impact of women’s rights due
to development aggression and militarization is another serious challenge. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Indigenous peoples’
perspective on development and way forward </span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Indigenous
peoples confront a structural policy that is obsessed with capital
expansionism, and which fails to fulfill economic development, social
development, protection of human rights, and ecological stability. Neoliberalism
which enforced unrestrained exploitation of resources as policy towards rapid
economic growth has led to over-exploitation of natural resources belonging to
indigenous peoples. The capitalist onslaught has negative repercussion upon the
indigenous peoples. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
crisis highlighted that financial markets are inherently unstable and market
failures have huge economic and social costs, while the cost of market failure
has been borne by society. Indigenous peoples needs development that reflects
their own visions, perspectives as well as strategies that respect their
individual and collective rights, which is self determining, sensitive and
relevant to their situation and communities. Indigenous peoples want
development with culture and identity where their rights are no longer
violated, where they are not discriminated and excluded and where their free,
prior and informed consent for all development processes. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">To
create more sustainable and people friendly development, it is important to
look into the visions, concepts and practices of indigenous peoples who still
sit in the territories which contain the earth's remaining natural wealth and
who are the bearers of much of what remains of the world's diverse cultures and
languages. The United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides a strong basis from
which indigenous peoples can affirm their rights and define their development
rights and aspirations. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Indigenous peoples’
interpretations of well-being have a several common elements such as: </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o Importance of collective economic
actors and community economic institutions
integrity of indigenous governance;</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o Purpose of production should not only
be considered in terms of profit but rather in terms of improving quality of
life.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o Enriching the notion of development
where human beings are in harmony with Mother Earth;</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o Respecting Self-determination;</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -36pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">o Interaction between people, resources
and the spiritual aspects of life as well as strengthening indigenous peoples’
knowledge institutions. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It is also important to
underscore that Indigenous Peoples are rights holders, with an inextricable
link to their lands, territories and resources which they have traditionally
owned, occupied or otherwise used or acquired, and should not be treated merely
as stakeholders. And end to the
development model premised on unsustainable consumption and production, and
corporate globalization, which fuels the entry of extractive industries onto
their lands is foremost need. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Since
global financial issues affect the lives and livelihoods of vast majority of
people, these cannot be left in the hands of few experts, rich bankers,
financiers, IFIs. Any efforts to find solutions should not lead to further
intrusion into indigenous peoples' territories for resource extraction and
targeting them to a range of violations. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The
crisis cannot and must not be used as an excuse to limit the enjoyment and
progressive realization of these rights. Any unjustified limitations or
retrogressive measures on the level of enjoyment of economic, social and
cultural rights, for example, the removal or restriction of social protection
and welfare would be contrary to internationally recognized human rights
obligations. It is crucial that all States have effective laws and policies in
place to combat all forms of discrimination, including racism.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">And
indeed, the crisis provides new impetus to global demands for reforming the
global financial system. The debates on
global financial issues could be broadened by the active participation of all
peoples including indigenous peoples and their representative bodies to ensure
that the global finance serves the needs of the real economy. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">REFERENCES
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">1.Report of the International Expert Group Meeting
on Indigenous Peoples: Development with Culture and Identity Articles 3 and 32
of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UN Permanent Forum
on Indigenous Issues 9th session, New
York, 19 – 30 April, 2010, E/C.19/2010/14, 5 Feb 2010 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">2.10th special session of the United Nations Human
Rights Council: "The Impact of the Global Economic and Financial Crises on
the Universal Realization and Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights" –
Friday, 20 February 2009 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">3.ISSUES PAPER 2009 ECOSOC High-Level Segment
Thematic Debate Dialogue 1 “Social trends and emerging challenges and their
impact on public health: Renewing our commitment to the vulnerable in a time of
crisis” Thursday, 9 July 2009 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">4.ECONOMIC CRISIS REVEALS DEEPER HUMAN RIGHTS
PROBLEMS, AP, 28 MAY 2009</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">5.“Indigenous Peoples' Actions Towards Solving the
Biodiversity Crisis”, by Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair, UN Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues presented at the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity,
UNESCO High-Level Event, Paris, 21-22 January 2010</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">6.“Insidious Intrusion of International Financial
Institutions in India’s North East”, by Jiten Yumnam and Mr. Ramananda
Wangkheirakpam and published by Forum for Indigenous Perspectives and Action,
Manipur and Intercultural Resources, New Delhi, April 2006 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">7.DRAFT WORKING PAPER PREPARED FOR UNICEF CONFERENCE EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, 6-7
JANUARY 2009, SINGAPORE</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">8.Report of the International Expert Group Meeting
on Indigenous Peoples: Development with Culture and Identity Articles 3 and 32
of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UN
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Ninth session, New York, 19 – 30 April, 2010, E/C.19/2010/14, 5 February 2010</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">9.Fixing Global Finance A Developing Country
Perspective on Global Financial Reforms, by Kavaljit Singh, published in 2010
by MADHYAM and SOMO </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">10.Impact of the Global Financial and Economic
Crisis on Africa, Working series paper of African Development Bank, 2010 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">11.Global economic crisis opens up new space for
discrimination at work, ILO Press
Release, 16 May 2009 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">12.“Social Impact of the Global Financial Crisis in
the Philippines”, ADB, 2010 </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span lang="EN-US">13. </span><span lang="EN-US">The global economic crisis
and the least developed countries: citizens’ concerns, by Arjun Karki, LDS
Watch </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-57042119343038246912014-02-17T23:45:00.003-08:002014-02-17T23:45:29.425-08:00Insane democracies and Journalist assaults<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By <i>Jiten Yumnam</i><br /><br />In another shocking instance of
undermining media persons rights and freedom in Manipur, Mr. Aribam
Dhananjoy alias Chaoba, a reporter with the Imphal Free Press, was
physically assaulted inhumanely by personnel of the 1st Indian Reserve
Battalion (IRB) on the night of 10 February 2014. Havildar Md. Majibur,
leading the IRB frisking team at the Northern Gate of Kangla Fort in
Imphal town, Manipur, started assaulting and hit him on Mr. Chaoba’s
forehead with his walkie talkie set inflicting severe injuries on the
left eyebrow, leading to profuse bleeding. In a clear disregard of the
dignity and rights of media persons, Mr. Chaoba was assaulted even as he
identified himself as a reporter of Imphal Free Press and a member of
All Manipur Working Journalist Union. The security personnel robbed two
of his mobile phone handsets and further threatened to eliminate him if
he complained to concerned authorities. Pursuing an act of brutality,
dacoity and inhumanity by defenders of Indian democracy in Manipur even
on members of fourth pillars of democracy is a clear testament of
insanity of democratic practice in India. <br /><br />With the incident
provoking furious condemnations, the Government of Manipur, through the
Commandant of the Ist Indian Reserve Battalion issued an official order
on 13 February 2014, placing Mr. Majibur under suspension from his
official duties, Suspension is indeed a mockery in Manipur, and it
cannot substitute for justice. Manipur, unfortunately, has witnessed
enough instances as to how security forces involved in rights violations
are initially suspended and later reinstated with promotions. With
Manipur recorded as one of the most corrupted places, probably on Earth,
this is no surprise.<br /><br />A deeper reflection of the incident and as
to how security forces in armed conflict afflicted Manipur, dared to
unleash mindless brutality, even to a media person would be worthwhile,
and probably would find consonance with the larger state of affairs in
the state. One may wonder if this is the first case and it’s unlikely.
Mr. Chaoba, as a media person only bears the audacity to confront the
IRB personnel and to report it, and makes the case different. There’s
every possibility that countless number of innocent people are regularly
subjected to such humiliation and brutalities from security forces. The
assault on Mr. Chaoba also re-affirms the lack of respect of human
dignity and even the rights of journalist and other human rights
defenders by the security forces in Manipur. <br /><br />One also need a
serious introspection as to why low ranking law enforcing officials and
security forces in Manipur, can unleash violations and even to the
extent of threatening people to derogate non derogable rights such as
the “Right to Life”. Till very recently, Manipur witnessed a reign of
terror, one of the most brutal forms of human rights violations,
probably in its entire history, a systematic elimination of its youths
in extra judicial executions, involving the Manipur police commandoes
and the Indian army and its paramilitary forces, operating under the
draconian Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958. One may recollect that
the period from the year 2006 till 2010 was, indeed, one of the worst
nightmares for many parents in Manipur.<br /><br />Those fortunate to
survive and to resist such reign of terror were subjected to illegal
detention, torture and inhumane treatment by the very people like Mr.
Majibur of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), whose personnel shuttle
between Manipur Police commandoes and IRB. And those experiencing such
nightmares will recall the threats and intimidations by such personnel
during the periods of incarcerations, and a usual and an unusual form of
harassment is threatening to eliminate them and to take their “right to
life”, a non derogable right indeed. So, to issue a threat to eliminate
a media person like Mr. Chaoba by a security person like Mr. Majibur is
no wonder and simply not an individual aberration, but simply a outcome
of a long pattern of human rights violations and a culture of impunity
attached to it in Manipur.<br /><br />In Manipur, the law enforcing
officials and security forces enjoys a de-facto immunity for their
violence and violations and none of those police and army personnel
involved in the more than 1000 extra judicial executions over a short
period of four years from 2006 till 2009 were ever punished, not to
mention of other similar violations in the last several decades. The
prolonged application of emergency laws, such as the Armed Forces
Special Powers Act, 1958 (AFSPA, 1959) to subdue the ongoing Self
determination movement in Manipur and prolonged derogation of non
derogable rights such as “right to life” and ‘right to “justice remedy”,
seems to reinforce a very wrong concept among the security forces that
they are just above the law, with license to harass civilians at will,
without fearing to worry for prosecution. On the part of the Government,
a serious and concerted effort to ensure full protection of the rights
of journalist in conflict torn Manipur and to accord appropriate justice
to those perpetrating violations against media persons is simply
nonexistent and deficient.<br /><br />The issue of ‘justice’ remains
oblivious for journalist and human rights defenders targeted to human
rights violations. The assault on media persons by the State security
forces is not uncommon. There are even cases of media persons being
targeted to extra judicial execution, illegal detention and torture in
several instances. However, justice delivery continues to be a serious
challenge. The punishment of the police personnel involved in the extra
judicial execution of Mr. Konsam Rishikanta, a sub editor of Imphal Free
Press and confirmed by the investigation by the Central Bureau of
Investigation, continues to be a long pending issue. Mr. Thangjam Nanao,
a journalist of Prime Time was also killed in a police firing in 23
December 2012 while covering protest against sexual harassment of a
woman in Thangmeiband area of Imphal. <br /><br />The prolonged denial of
justice is evident in the outcome of the meeting of the All Manipur
Working Journalist Union, on 13 February 2014, which resolved to take
legal recourse to seek punishment of the IRB personnel involved in the
recent assault on Mr. Chaoba. This is also an indication that AMWJU’s
earlier rapprochement and reconciliation approach with the Government of
Manipur on incidents of rights violations on Journalist has failed,
and, thus, the recourse to seek justice. And this also indicates justice
has been denied for long even to journalist victimized to rights
violations.<br /><br />The assault of Mr. Chaoba by the security forces on
10 February 2014 again constitutes a serious violation of human rights
and freedom of the press. The assault constitutes a violation of the UN
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Declaration
on the Rights of Human Rights Defenders and UN Declaration on the
Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007, among others. <br /><br />The direct
assault and intimidations by the IRB personnel involved in the assault
of Mr. Chaoba indicates a larger culture and practice, harboured for
long among security forces. The IRB personnel and petty officials like
Majibur already experience power abuse and already used to the written
and unwritten safeguards. Thus arose the need not only to seek justice
for Mr. Majibur of 1st IRB and those involved in his frisking team but
also to review and reflect on the performance and the lack of respect
and indiscipline among the security forces in Manipur and the context
which enables them to abuse their power and role. The impact of
militarization and massive deployment of security forces and also the
impact of prolonged application of emergency laws, which facilitates
culture of impunity need be thoroughly assessed for human rights
compliances. <br /><br />The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights
Defenders, Mr. Margaret Sagakya, during her visit to India in 2011
strongly urged upon the Government of India to recognize the role of all
human rights defenders, including journalist, in promoting culture and
practice of democracy and hence should be accorded full respect and
protection of their human rights. Ms. Margaret’s message continues to be
highly relevant in the context of conflict ridden Manipur, where
journalist takes exemplary role to end human rights violations and to
establish a system based on rights, respect and justice. As demanded by
the AMWJU, the Government of Manipur should terminate Mr. Majibur and
all those IRB personnel involved in the gruesome assault on Mr. Aribam
Chaoba on 10 February 2014 and should be awarded befitting punishment.<br /><br />A
thorough investigation and review of the entire conduct, indiscipline,
disrespect of common people among security forces, the cause of such,
and necessary changes, needs urgent review, to at least instil a peace
of mind among the common people. The Government should also initiate
adequate measures to protect the human rights and personal integrity of
all journalist and all human rights defenders of Manipur. It is also
high time the Government of India fully Implement the UN Declaration on
the Rights of Human Rights Defenders in Manipur. Insane practices and
mindless brutalities, unleashed on common people, are no means to
achieve democracy. And this is more pertinent in a country like India,
which brag on as the world’s largest democracy. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-72759675325376548222014-02-14T00:53:00.000-08:002014-02-14T00:57:25.889-08:00An assessment of Dams in India's NE seeking carbon credits from CDM of the UNFCCC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=forums&srcid=MDc0OTk1NTU1MDczNTkwMzY0ODYBMTI3NzM2NTY2Mzc5NzU2NjI2NzIBTm9ZY1VLaXRCSWtKATQBAXYy&authuser=0" target="_blank"><i>Click here to view</i></a></div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-67408909892916297652014-02-13T23:30:00.001-08:002014-02-13T23:30:29.263-08:00Mega Dams and CDM fraud in Sikkim<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 class="post-title" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">By <span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Jiten Yumnam</i></span></span></h1>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://sikkimtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/teesta-III-dam-site-and-destruction-300x225-1.jpg"><img alt="teesta-III-dam-site-and-destruction-300x225 (1)" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-613" height="225" src="http://sikkimtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/teesta-III-dam-site-and-destruction-300x225-1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the state of Sikkim, land of rhododendrons, in the Himalayan
foothills in India’s North East, rivers have been aggressively dammed
over the last decades. Dam developers are pushing these projects as
clean energy sources to seek carbon credits as additional profits from
the UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). More than fifteen mega hydro
projects are already seeking carbon credits in Sikkim where hydropower
is common practice. Some of these wrong decisions should be reversed and
no further projects must be approved.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 500 MW Teesta VI project of Lanco Energy Private Limited is a
hydropower project located on the Teesta River at Subin Khor village of
South Sikkim. On the same river, the 1200 MW Teesta III project is one
of India’s largest hydropower projects trying to register under the CDM.
Providing a misleading picture to the UNFCCC to receive undue CDM
benefits, both the Teesta III and the Teesta VI project are clearly not
additional. They are common practice because all power plants in India’s
north-east are hydro power stations. What’s more, neither during
stakeholder consultations nor at public hearings the project developers
did reveal that these projects are planning to seek CDM credits. This
makes the obligatory stakeholder consultation process under the CDM
faulty. Fortunately both project are still at validation and have not
generated carbon credits so far.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The dams in Sikkim are not green and clean and will only worsen
global warming if their credits are used to comply with emission
reduction obligations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, the non-recognition of Lepcha peoples’ rights over their
land and their exclusion in decision making processes for dams on their
sacred Teesta River remain key issues. The Lepcha peoples’ wishes, to
protect the sacred Teesta River and their last reserve, the Dzongu, have
been completely dishonoured. The blasting for construction of the
project has led to severe landslides in hills and destruction of several
houses near the dam site. A holistic impact assessment on ecology,
seismic impacts, transmissions lines, impact of reduced flow and other
impacts on Lepcha People such as blasting, is absent from its
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Other common practice large hydro projects in Sikkim such as the 96
MW Jorethang Loop project of DANS Energy Private Ltd on the Rangit River
are already registered as CDM projects. They are now generating non
additional carbon credits. More projects are knocking the door in the
registration pipeline. Those projects do not reduce emissions compared
to what would happen without the CDM and do not contribute to
sustainable development (to the contrary!). They must therefore be
rejected by the CDM Executive Board.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Conclusions & Recommendations<br />
International and national CDM policy is too weak to govern CDM projects
and their impact assessment. There is no credible independent
verification of developers’ claims regarding approval criteria.
According to a Wikileaks cable, the NCDMA does not actually evaluate
projects for sustainable development or additionality. Indeed,
experience has shown that the Indian DNA and the UNFCCC approve almost
all projects even when credible unchallenged evidence is presented.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hydro power plants are common practice in Sikkim and other parts of
India’s North East region and the projects do not rely on carbon credits
to be financial feasible, even more so at the current price of carbon
credits. The dams in Sikkim are not green and clean and will only worsen
global warming if their credits are used to comply with emission
reduction obligations. At the same time they will destroy the backbone
of livelihood support for millions. Most dam projects ignore the
recommendations of the World Commission of Dams (WCD) and the
recommendations of the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial
Discrimination in 2007 to respect indigenous people’s rights in dam
construction in India’s North East. All validation and registration of
big hydro projects for CDM from Sikkim and other parts of India’s North
East should therefore be revoked immediately and no new projects
approved. Indigenous peoples’ rights in Sikkim must be fully recognized
in all development policies and projects.</div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-69086949882131783082014-02-10T01:42:00.002-08:002014-02-10T01:42:25.649-08:00Land And Its People: What’s in Mapithel Dam?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By Koijam Pushparani<br /><br />Never
has it been tolerated by the state, when it comes to the indigenous
communities, asserting their rights over community land and other
natural resources. The State has been imposing its will on the people,
waging war against those who resist them. The decade long struggle of
the indigenous tribal community in Manipur for their rights to land,
cultivated and depended upon by them, has not been very smooth. The
Government of India and the state government, in unison with the
powerful corporate bodies, have defied their own set of laws and
violated the rights of the indigenous tribal community. Despite the
Forest Rights Act of 2006, the community rights to forests land are
still being trampled upon and ignored. And at this juncture, it is
certain that the interests of the tribal community have been set aside
for vested-interest of the few. <br /><br />The construction of Mapithel
dam began in 1990 ignoring the rights of the indigenous communities’
over the resources and without seeking free, prior and informed consent
(FPIC) of the affected communities. The project was sanctioned at the
cost of Rs. 45 crore and the revised cost of the project is Rs 1,387
crores as per 2011 revised estimate. The ongoing dam in its completion
will submerge 778 hectares of agricultural land and 595 hectares of
forest land, not only forcing the communities out of their source of
production but displacing thousands from their land as well. The
displacement will take place in the absence of proper Rehabilitation and
Resettlement plan for all the affected villagers. The State
Government’s order for forced eviction of the affected villagers for
Rehabilitation in 2012, has questioned its own legitimacy and
responsibility towards its people.<br /><br />The Mapithel dam over Thoubal
River in Ukhrul district, Manipur was commissioned by the Planning
Commission in 1980 with the aim of utilizing water resource of Thoubal
River for irrigation, drinking water and to generate electricity.
Without any detailed impact assessment of the project and a
comprehensive Rehabilitation and Resettlement program for the affected
communities, the state government has prematurely and unilaterally set
the deadline for the project completion, leading to social divisions
among the affected. Almost 80 percent of the construction work is
finished and the project is set to complete by 2015 and throughout these
decades, the construction work was carried out without the mandatory
“Forest Clearance” and without monitoring the violations. And instead,
the Ministry conceded final clearance for the construction of the dam,
curtailing the rights and welfare of the tribal communities. With nearly
80 percent of the affected villagers dependent on agriculture and
forest produces, the ongoing construction has severely impacted the
livelihood, creating confusion and insecurity among the Tangkhuls and
the Kukis in the Ukhrul district. <br /><br />The construction will also
have multiple impacts on the villages in the downstream area of dam site
along Thoubal River such as Tumukhong, Itham, Moirangpurel, Laikhong,
Saichang, Chaningpokpi, Bongyang, Bewlaland, Morkon, Songphel, Molnom in
Imphal East and Senapati district of Manipur. Most of the village
communities in the downstream have been living by collecting sand and
stone from the Thoubal River. The construction will lead to water
shortage, affecting agriculture and other allied activities both in the
upstream and the downstream areas, threatening the food sovereignty of
the communities dependent on land, forest and river. <br /><br />The twist
in the Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose came with the decision
of Union Environment Minister, M. Veerappa Moily on 31st December 2013,
to grant final stage II Forest Clearance for the construction of
Mapithel Dam contradicting the letter sent by the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs on November 26 2013 which laid out the enforcement of the Forest
Right Act (FRA), 2006 to ‘correct historical injustice’ done to the
tribal communities as part of the ongoing case in the National Green
Tribunal. Denouncing the earlier statement, the Ministry says that FRA
should not apply to the acquisition of land from the Tangkhul and Kuki
tribal people as a ‘rare and unique’ exception. <br /><br />The Posco
steel plant in Odhisha met the same fate as Mapithel, with the Ministry
clearing the Environmental Clearance for the project despite the
contentious land acquisition process and protest from the local
communities. While in another similar case of Vedanta bauxite mining
project in Niyamgiri in Odisha, the Ministry complying with FRA, has
rejected Forest Clearance for the project. The decision for
non-compliance on application with the FRA in case of Mapithel dam, was
taken in the shadow of the 1993 Memorandum of Agreed terms and
conditions signed between the state government and some representatives
of the affected villages, endorsing the agreement for Rehabilitation as
‘consent’ under FRA, 2006 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
(MoEF) and Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA). The violation by the
Government of Manipur in the past three decades is history now.<br /><br />It
is vital here to point out that the agreement of 1993 has already been
confirmed to be defective as it had no Rehabilitation and Resettlement
program and as most of the agreed terms were violated by the state. In
an acknowledgement of the violations and the incomplete nature of the
1993 agreement, the state government finally constituted an Expert
Review Committee in 2008 to review impacts of Mapithel dam and review
rehabilitation process etc. However, backtracking from the ERC process,
the Government of Manipur forged an arbitrary agreement (strictly for
rehabilitation) with a newly formed body in 2011 and claiming it
legitimate. This is contested by the affected groups and the Guwahati
High court even denounced the legitimacy of such agreements.<br /><br />The
violation on the part of the state and the central government went
beyond violations of forest laws. The social turmoil and economic
impoverishment have been coupled with militarization of the project site
in order to put down the resistance from the affected villagers. The
aggressive use of force by the law enforcing agencies following a
protest by the affected villagers in 2008 can be best exemplified.
Responding to the Human Rights violations in Ukhrul, the UN Special
Rapporteur strongly urged the Government of India to fully take into
account the provisions in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP), as well as other relevant provisions and respond to
the articulated, demands and acts of protest by tribal communities in
relation to Mapithel dam. However, the State has ignored the
recommendations of the UN SR IP and stayed indifferent to the plight of
the tribal communities. <br /><br />The impact of militarisation has
also risked the safety of women in the affected villages. Village school
has been turned into military camps infringing the right to education
of the children in the affected villages in Ukhrul district. The
imposition of militarisation can also be understood against the backdrop
of the ongoing self determination movement of the various ethnic groups
in Manipur. Sidelining all these political and socio-economic concerns,
the State continues to insist on corporatization of land and natural
resources in the name of development in Manipur, whose benefits, as the
country’s post independent economy testifies, never reached the masses.<br /><br />Development
model emphasizing on infrastructure such as mega dams, infrastructure
projects, power projects, etc. has adversely affected large section of
people, particularly rural community. In addition to existing failed
mega/micro projects in Manipur, the state is pushing for more
destructive projects, namely Tipaimukh project, Oil Exploration Plan,
High Power Transmission Lines and the recent Loktak Ring road project,
evoking strong opposition from the affected communities against the
exploitation of the resources which is linked with their livelihood.
Apparently, the state is at war with its own people. And with the state
firmed on acquiring and corporatizing more land, however with negligible
rehabilitation, displacement will be a serious issue of the state in
the following years. <br /><br />Notwithstanding the social crisis, the
construction of dams and diversion of the forests for non-forest purpose
shall also be considered in the growing concern for the global climate
change. Threats to the climate and ecology also arise from exploitation
and expropriation of the resources by the states and corporate. The
submergence of 595 hectares of forest land from the construction of
Mapithel dam will have an adverse impact on the environment, aggravating
the climatic condition of the state. Besides, the forests of Manipur
are increasingly targeted for climate change mitigation, such as REDD
and REDD+ project initiatives, which will give transfer control of
community’s forests land to state forest departments and companies,
giving a free hand to the states in the politics of land and other
natural resources.<br /><br />The way forward<br /><br />The increasing and
aggressive pursuance of neo-liberal policies in Manipur, especially in
the last few decades, has brought huge investments from developed
countries and international financial institutions, with obscurely
predefined objectives to eradicate poverty from Manipur and within the
region. The pursuance of such neo liberal policies led to exploitation
of natural resources of Manipur and further subjected indigenous
communities to land alienation, displacement, conflict related human
rights violations, violence against women and other multifaceted and
multiplying impacts. The spoils of the exploitation have been strictly
confined to the few political elites and corporate making them filthy
rich, at the cost of the lives of the communities. Manipur,
unfortunately, is increasingly witnessing such paradox and
contradictions. <br /><br />In a democracy where rights of the poor,
particularly tribal, have been grossly violated, it is likely that
states’ apathy will create severe political crisis with distrust towards
the democratic ideology of the country. It is hereby essential that the
state recognises the inherent relationship between the communities and
the natural resources that sustain their livelihood and also ensures the
democratic participation of the communities in issues that concerns
their land and survival, lest it could invite violent resurrection from
the million victims, questioning India’s own democracy. The development
of Manipur and Mapithel region can be best assured with the full
participation and consultation of all communities to be affected by
Mapithel dam. Embarking on a dubious process of mastering divisions and
manipulations of all sorts will only complicate the development
imbroglio and the resistance from all impacted by such development
malaise. <br /></div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7605641624179619525.post-67987296749804833162014-02-10T01:40:00.003-08:002014-02-10T01:40:46.556-08:00Tipaimukh dam amidst Manipur’s development imbroglio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By: Koijam Pushparani<br /><br />Quite often, we come across
people complaining about the price of the basic necessities available in
the market. We complain about the frequent load shedding, the bad
condition of the roads and the drainage system. One might have seen the
crowded and dreadful roads of the Imphal city or the flooded roads after
a heavy rainfall. The condition becomes even worse as we move away from
the city area. We cannot deny that the state seriously needs to address
the issues of development but one basic problem associated with it is
the state’s approach to development where negative impacts often precede
development. The developmental works taken up by the government are yet
to be critically looked upon. No doubt, the development of physical
infrastructures such as transport, tourism, power supplies, irrigation
and water supply, etc is of public interests and welfare but the fact
that most of these projects end up disappointing the public is a
well-known story. Furthermore, the efforts of the government often
strike off the development of social infrastructure such as health,
education, poverty, employment, etc which would help in building an
egalitarian society, hence reflecting the discrepancies in terms of
developmental approach towards the physical and the social
infrastructures in Manipur.<br /><br />The proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam as
a development plan pursued by the Govt and other corporate bodies can
be illustrated. Tipaimukh is an initiative of Assam government which was
materialized in the year 1999 when the Brahmaputra Flood Control Board
(BFCB) handed over the project to a company named, North Eastern
Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO). The Project was approved by
the Governor of Manipur under President’s Rule in 2001 without the
consent of the communities of Tamenglong, Churachandur and the rest of
Manipur, and it was followed by a series of formalities devoid of
proples’ rightful participation. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was
signed between the Government of Manipur and NEEPCO in 2002. An
Environmental Clearance (EC) for Tipaimukh Dam was granted by the
Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), New Delhi in 2008. Later,
with the change in project propagator (now a joint venture of NHPC,
SJVNL and Government of Manipur), another MoU was signed in 2011. After
the clearance for Environmental Clearance (EC), the GOM sought for the
Forest Clearance (FC) which has been rejected by the Forest Advisory
Committee (FAC).<br /><br />The Forest Clearance for Tipaimukh includes 22,
777.50 hectares in Manipur and 1551.60 hectares in Mizoram. The FAC in
its minutes on 11th and 12th July, 2013 and 13th and 14th August, 2013
rejected the forest diversion in Manipur and Mizoram. The FAC concluded
that the requirement of the forest land for the project is large in case
of Manipur and not proportionate to its power generation capacity. The
FAC further concluded that the mega project will also have significant
forest impact in Mizoram. <br /><br />The 162.8 meter high earthen
Tipaimukh dam is to be constructed at the downstream, at the confluence
of river Barak and Tuivai Rivers near Manipur-Mizoram border. The
estimated figures of the trees and bamboo groves that will be lost due
to the project is over 8 million trees and 4 million bamboo groves which
no “Compensatory Afforestation” measure would ever compensate. The
proposed project would have an adverse impact on the environment and the
ecosystem. It would affect the valuable and endangered floras and
faunas that have medicinal, cultural and other values to the indigenous
communities as well. While the project would cause displacement of
thousands of people in Churachandpur and Tamenglong districts in
Manipur, it plans to generate an employment of 862 nos, which is very
less compared to the thousands who would be displaced. Moreover, the
Project has not conducted a detailed and holistic Impact Assessment yet.
In brief, the project is a death-trap for the indigenous community in
the two districts and their source of livelihood. Further, the project
alters and impact livelihood in the downstream portion of Barak River in
Assam and Bangladesh. The project would affect the transportation of
the communities including the historic Old Cachar Road (Tonjei Maril)
and traditional waterways along the Barak River.<br /><br />We need to
acknowledge that the land, forest and river form an integral part of our
socio-cultural belief system and that these resources sustain them
socio-culturally and economically and the construction of Tipaimukh
would have an adverse affect on them. The rights of the indigenous
community such as Hmar and Zeliangrong people over the land and
resources will be violated in the name of development. Against these
facts, it is surprising that while these communities are the ones at the
receiving end of the impacts of the proposed projects they have been
denied a say in the decision making process. The project has been met
with strong resistance from the communities. Public protests have been
staged to revoke the Environmental Clearance (2008) and the MoU (2011).
The court hearings have been opposed on account of absence of holistic
Impact Assessment and non recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights over
their ancestral land and resources. As a response to the public demands
and agitations, the government restricted the public hearings and held
them under heavy security. Tipaimukh project has exposed the
governments’ indifference towards dealing with the issues that concern
development on one side and that of the rights and traditional values of
indigenous communities on the other.<br /><br />Tipaimukh dam can be taken
as a ploy of the governments to extract funds and misappropriate public
funds. The proposed Tipaimukh project costs Rs.8,138.79 Crores. It is
explicit that the Government insists on comodification of our natural
resources and overlooked the devastating impacts of the proposed
construction. Its highly apprehensive the Tipaimukh project, like other
government projects in Manipur will bring no development but hardship
for the indigenous community, especially those along the Barak and
Tuivai rivers.<br /><br />The reality of multipurpose projects in Manipur is
yet to be discovered by a larger population of our society who welcome
the developmental programs of the government without even realizing that
these developmental works are profit driven. The indulgence of the
state and the centre in collusion with some corporate in exploiting the
natural resources had cost the survival of the communities dependent on
the resources. These projects are often tangled with the inhumane
artifact such as illegal seizure of large amount of private and
community land, plundering of natural resources such as river, wetland,
land, forests, etc and a series of civil and human rights violation of
people. The Loktak Hydroelectric project (1984) and the Singda dam
(1995) have not only completely failed in meeting their objectives but
are laden with violation of communities’ rights. The Thoubal
Multipurpose projects or Mapithel dam (1980) is still an ongoing
construction with lots of loophole and civil rights violation. The past
few decades have witnessed an over exploitation of the natural resources
which seem to have no end and so is the struggle of the indigenous
communities for survival and to protect their rights over the resources.<br /><br />The
situation invites an occasion from the government of an alternative to
the existing development process, which is inclusive and a more humane
approach towards development. Any developmental plan should ensure a
democratic participation of people since it is an inherent right of the
indigenous communities for free, prior and informed consent on any
government program that affects them. The natural resources still
sustain a large percentage of population and the undertaking of project
without recognizing communities’ rights over their land and resources
and without proper plans for the resettlement of the displaced and
affected would negate the purpose of the project. And also keeping in
view the increasing environment and the change in climate, and other
socio-economic and larger political impacts, any developmental processes
should be sensitive to the needs of communities and promotion of
environmental integrity. </div>
</div>
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04821114326122925370noreply@blogger.com0