IMPHAL, September 4: The Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization, All Manipur Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen Union and the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur organised a consultation on `Development Injustice & Sustainable Development Goals in Manipur.`
The consultation was organised at the Nupi Lal Complex with Committee on Human Rights chairman Phulindro Konsam, Panti Gonmei of Rongmei Lu Phaum, Human Rights Initiative director Joykumar Wahengbam as dais members.
In his key note address, secretary of the Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur Jiten Yumnam explained how unsustainable development policies and projects has displaced communities, wrought environment disaster and perpetuation of human rights violations.
He explained how mega dams, such as Mapithel dam, 1500 MW Tipaimukh HEP project, the 105 MW Loktak HEP project and the extractive industries, such as oil exploration are forcibly introduced against aspiration of communities.
Human Rights Alert director Babloo Loitongbam stressed on the need for equitable development.
Human Rights should be inherent with development justice, he observed.
Babloo also questioned if the current sustainable development goals will ever lead to just development.
He explained unsustainable development often leads to conflict and human rights violation and stressed the need for peaceful and sustainable society.
MDAVO advisor P Grace questioned for whom is development.
He shared how Mapithel dam entailed massive loss and widespread devastation in Mapithel valley ever since the blocking of Thoubal River since January 2015.
He said villages, schools and church were submerged mercilessly. He explained Mapithel dam is a perfect case of development injustice in Manipur.
Laishram Ojit, JAC for Mapithel Dam Downstream Affected Peoples, shared how Mapithel dam is being built without quality control and affected villagers in downstream areas such as Tumukhong, Itham, Moirangpurel etc and how people had to flee to higher and safer grounds.
There is no downstream impact assessment. The dam is unsafe for people in downstream villagers, he observed.
Phulindro Konsam shared how development process in Manipur led to multiple human rights violations and militarization in Manipur and how this benefit only few elites and corporate bodies.
GopenLuvvang of Irabot Foundation shared how introduction of large unsustainable project has led to widespread land grabbing and undermined food sovereignty in Manipur.
Oinam Rajen of All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen Union shared how the 105 MW Loktak Project submerged more than 80,000 acres of agriculture land without compensating affected communities.
The Loktak Project and other projects has completed undermined food sovereignty of Manipur.He stressed the need for decommissioning of the Ithai Barrage of Loktak project. NHPC continues to remain unaccountable for its violations, he said.
Panti Gonmei, Rongmei Lu Phaum shared how the Imphal Ring Road project financed by Asian Development Bank has threatened to submerge agriculture land, forest and wetlands in and around Imphal.
ADB and Govt of Manipur has failed to provide timely information to communities.
Meanwhile, the participants also adopted several resolutions which included affirming that all indigenous communities have the right to self-determination and self-determined development over their land and resources, expressing concern with the pattern of development injustice in Manipur and human rights violations that antagonize the intrinsic relationship of indigenous peoples over their land and resources, concern with the blocking of Thoubal River-and the inconvenience and harassment meted to both upstream and downstream villagers.^
They also resolved to release waters of Mapithel dam and to let the Thoubal River Flow Free.
A photo exhibition on development injustice was also opened during the consultation.