IMPHAL, February 28: The Center for Organisation Research and Education (CORE) and Forum for Indigenous Perspective and Action (FIPA) has expressed its concerns on the action of the Government of Manipur forcefully continuing to dismantle the floating huts of floating hut dwellers/fishing communities belonging to the people of Manipur at Langolshabi Area, Loktak Lake on February 23 and 28.
A joint press release from the two bodies said that the Loktak Development Authority (LDA), under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi commenced the destruction of phumdi-huts from Loktak Lake on February 23 and 28 around 9 and 7 am respectively, defying the Guwahati High Court order of January 25 prohibiting the clearance of phumdi-huts from Loktak Lake and subsequent contempt notice on February 16, to desist from causing further eviction in Loktak Lake.
It is to be noted that the LDA’s eviction drive was carried out despite absence of any order for carrying out such eviction and they have failed to provide to the affected communities, the release said.
CORE and FIPA have strongly condemned such gross violation of human rights and contempt for the judiciary thereby making a mockery of democracy and the justice system of our great country as per the release. It also appealed to the LDA and the Government of Manipur to stop all forms of eviction and other forms of inhumane and undemocratic acts in Loktak Lake targeting the fisher folks/floating huts dwellers of Loktak Lake, it said.
The Government of Manipur and the Government of India should respect, at least if not the democratic ethics that governs the country, the Guwahati High Court Order of January 25, 2012 and repeal the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006, it said.
Demanding an immediate review of the Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project commissioned in 1984, the release has appealed to the Government of India to initiate a full and impartial investigation and prosecute all officials of the Loktak Development Authority and the Manipur Police involved in the forced eviction in Loktak Lake on February 23 and 28, 2013 and for violating the Gauhati High Court Order of 25 January 2013.