News and Update: Protesters brave the rain as they unite against Mega Dams in Northeast

Morung Express, Northeast India

Guwahati, Protesting against the Mega Dams in North East, more than 350 participants from various civil societies, people movements, students’ Unions from different parts of the North East Region have raised their voice against NEEPCO and other related institutions involved with the construction of mega dams in the region in front of NEEPCO Guwahati office on 15th October. People from different parts of North East including many activist and students gathered in unison under the aegis of ‘United Protest Against the Construction of Mega Dams in North East India.’ This massive protest was in response to the Ministry of Environment & Forest, New Delhi and NEEPCO attempt to clear environment clearance for the various projects in the region without gaining the free, prior informed consent of the local people.

‘Dams are the modern weapons of colonialism employed by the powerful against the weak that dole out as the root cause of uprooting the tribal and indigenous peoples, the most politically accepted means of snatching the traditional livelihood and means of survival, of dislocating the inhabitants and blatant violation of the people’s rights’ in a press statement issued by Kinderson Panmei, Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam and Keshav K Chatradhra, Peoples Movement for Subansiri Brahmaputra Valley, on Behalf of the United Protest Against Mega Dams Construction in North East India.

The statement further stated that they are against such socially, economically and environmentally destructive developmental project being planned and imposed upon our region without free consent, prior consent and informed consent of our peoples. The statement also accused the mega dam proponents of having imperialistic designs trying to denigrate the tribal and indigenous world views as primitive and undeveloped and of trying to destroy ‘the friendly and balance relationship with the natural world’.

Focusing on the Tipaimukh Dam which the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), Government of India is considering for clearance, the statement stated that ‘the people of Manipur have rejected this dam for more than 30 years, since its conception’. The protest warn of dire consequences ‘to the so called Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley Basin and Hydroelectric Project under MoEF’, that the process conducted at NEEPCO Guwahati office today was not acceptable as it was insensitive to the wishes of the people.

The protestors questions how the MoEF can give clearance to some other dams when down stream study team is already there for the Lower Subansiri Dam. The statement further stated that ‘this has raised doubts in the mind of the people and showed that there is big conspiracy going on against the people of Assam and North East’.

The press handout appealed to all the people of the region to stand united against the authorities who are trying to implement things in the northeast without proper consultation with people.

The United Protest Against Mega Dams Construction in North East India consist of: Peoples Movement for Subansiri Brahmaputra Valley (PMSBV), Krishak Mukti Sangram Sammittee (KMSS), Arunachal Citizen Right (ACR), North East Affected Areas Development Society, Assam (NEADS),Citizens’ Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) ,Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam (CATD), River Basin Friends (RBF), Assam State Dialogue Forum (ASDF), North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF), Zeliangrong Student’s Union, Guwahati (ZSUG) and Zelaingrong Student’s Union, Manipur (ZSUM).

NEEPCO condemned for pushing Tipaimukh dam project

Source: The Sangai Express, Northeast India

Imphal, October 15: The Action Committee against Tipaimukh Project (Actip) has strongly condemned ‘another deliberate’ attempt by the North Eastern power Corporation Ltd to push through the project by hosting a meeting of Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley & hydroelectric Projects scheduled today at Guwahati.

Highlighting that the meeting is being convened to get environmental clearance on the Tipaimukh Project which Actip observed is in violation of all existing international and national norms and in total disregard to laws of the land and people’s concern, the Committee also quoted March 10, 2007 report of the UN CERD that prevailed upon the Govt of India to follow ILO Convention 107.Actip also urged State party to respect and implement right of land ownership, collective or individual, of the tribal people, seek consent of communities that would be affected by construction of dams in the North East, compensate affected people and to provide alternative land and housing facilities.

Further citing UN General Assembly resolution (Dec 12, 1999) that prohibits Govt of India against dam constructions that could imperil indigenous/tribal people, the Actip also doubted composition of the Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and hydroelectric Projects saying that neutrality of the panel is questionable.

Opining that the Expert Committee seem to be favouring the NEEPCO’s pursuit as the meeting is being convened in the Guwahati office of the power corporation, Actip questioned purpose of the said meeting by referring to denial of environmental clearance on the proposed Project by the EAC and the fact that the issue is pending in the gauhati High Court, Imphal Bench.

Highlighting that the Ministry of Environment and forests as one of the respondents in the court case is unable to file a counter affidavit till date, Actip contended that the State Govt had been disrespectful of the people’s sentiment.

While reiterating its demand for totally scrapping the Tipaimukh project, Actip said along with other like minded organisations and groups it would relentlessly protest in a democratic manner till the project is shelved.

Environmental activists demand scrapping of Tipaimukh dam project

Sinlung, Tuithraphai, Oct 10, 2007. Picketing of all the Government offices in the hill districts of Manipur in protest against NEEPCO’s continuous “deliberate attempt” to get Environment Clearance for Tipaimukh Hydroelectric (Multipurpose) Project on October 12 has been fixed.

The Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam (CATD), constituted by United Naga Council (UNC), Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), All Naga Students Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and Naga Women Union Manipur (NWUM) have strongly condemned another “deliberate attempts made by North Eastern Power Corporation Ltd. (NEEPCO)” by hosting Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects (EAC) meeting on October 15 at their Guwahati office to get a environmental clearance of the Tipaimukh Hydroelectric (Multipurpose) Project through “swirling and flouting” of all existing international and national norms with total “disregards” to the laws of the land and peoples’ concerns.

The Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam (CATD) also seriously concerns and doubts the Expert Appraisal Committee on River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects of their ethnical conduct and its neutrality as expert committee as it seem to be playing clandestine game with NEEPCO by accepting or choosing NEEPCO Guwahati Office for the next meeting on October 15.

“It is pertinent to mention here that NEEPCO has applied for the granting of Environment Clearance from the EAC by producing outdated data gathered from here and there using outdated method & technologies for only two seasons of year. The same application was rejected by the EAC 52nd meeting held on 21 and 22nd February 2007,” stated the CATD while adding, “the democratically elected Government of Manipur has disowned and disrespected the democratic voices of the people by using its military might against their own electorates”.

CATD reiterates its demands for total the scrapping of Tipaimukh Mega Dam. CATD along with all their allies organisations and groups will launch a continuous democratic form of protests till the Mega Dam Project is scraped for once and all, warned the committee in a statement. It has announced that on October 12 picketing of all the Manipur Government offices in the hill districts will be launched. The governmet of Manipur will be held responsible for and untoward incident arising out of the agitation, cautioned the CATD statement issued by its convenor Aram Pamei.

News and Update: Books on Tipaimukh dam released

‘Building Tipaimukh Dam a violation of UN convention’: Two books on dam launched

Staff Correspondent, The Daily Star, October 10, 2007. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Construction of Tipaimukh Dam, a project of India, on the river Barak in Manipur is a violation of UN Watercourse Convention, speakers at a book launching ceremony said yesterday. Experts and environmental activists termed the Tipaimukh Dam on the common river with Bangladesh a serious threat to the river system, bio-diversity, ecology, agriculture, fisheries and socio-economy of Bangladesh.

Two books titled ‘No To Tipaimukh Dam!’ and ‘Controversial Tipaimukh Dam: Overall Overview’ were launched at the ceremony at the National Press Club. The Angikar Bangladesh Foundation, publisher of the books, organised the event. The book ‘No To Tipaimukh Dam!’ is based on the International Tipaimukh Dam Conference held in Dhaka in December 2005 while the other book is a research paper by M Anowar Hossain.

The environmental activists urged the peoples of both the countries to resist the construction of the dam. The Tipaimukh Dam would displace millions of people as well as damage the heritage and livelihoods of the people in the two countries, they said.

The dam would have a serious negative impact on agriculture and the environment of Bangladesh and it would also put the region at greater risk of earthquake, said Prof Nazrul Islam, chairman of University Grants Commission. “We are not against development activities,” Prof Nazrul said, adding that but such a dam would bring disasters instead of creating positive impact.

“The river Barak has entered into Bangladesh through Zakiganj in Sylhet and is flowing into two directions — Surma and Kushiyara. The Tipaimukh dam will choke up both the rivers during the dry season and leave similar effect on Bangladesh as the Farakka Barrage is doing,” Abul Mal Abdul Muhit said.

Dr MA Matin, general secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon, Farah Kabir, country director of ActionAid, Prof ABM Faruque and Muhammad Hilaluddin of Angikar Bangladesh Foundation also spoke.

Sign the petition: Let the Barak river run free, cancel the Tipaimukh dam

News and Update: Burma Rivers Network asks Burma’s neighbours to end energy deals with the Myanmer military junta

For more information please contact: Thay Law: burmariversnetwork@gmail.com

The Burma Rivers Network supports the Buddhist Sangha and citizens of Burma who seek solutions to Burma’s economic problems, release of political prisoners, genuine national reconciliation and the end of brutal military rule. We condemn the use of violence against unarmed, peaceful protestors. We call on neighbouring countries to pressure the junta to forego further violence against monks and civilian protestors.

Energy development deals with the military junta are by far the largest source of financial and political support to the regime. We call on Thailand, China, Bangladesh and India to withdraw from planned joint ventures. The multibillion-dollar energy projects push the military junta into ongoing environmental destruction and human rights.

The military junta ordered their forces to open fire on peaceful protestors. Monastery doors were smashed in and hundreds of monks were seized, beaten and dragged away. Thousands of civilians and monks are imprisoned, facing torture or secret execution . Hundreds have been killed or disappeared.

This violence is consistent with other aspects of Burma’s misrule. Along the Salween River where large dams are planned, a 60-year war continues with the help of neighboring countries. Burning, looting, landmines, forced relocation, forced labor, systematic rape, and extrajudicial killings are everyday occurrences. Ongoing partnerships with the Myanmar dictatorship will directly support arms acquisitions and military offensives against Burmese citizens

Dams on the Salween River alone could cost at least US $20 billion – a king’s ransom for the junta. In the second-most corrupt country in the world, this money will benefit the military, not nation or its people.

Burmese citizens must endure enormous hardships under the brutal and economically incompetent regime. Fuel price increases and attendant inflation devastate families’ lives throughout the impoverished nation. Despite Burma’s lack of electricity, hydropower and natural gas will be exported to fund further military expansion.

Dams in Burma built for neighbors, and the associated environmental catastrophe, will continue social and human health crises. Big dams like China’s Three Gorges Dam, are now recognized as creating more trouble than they solve. Dams in war-zones will bring even more problems, as the people of Thailand, India and China have already come to know.

Fisheries, floods and loss of farmland will disrupt the livelihoods of millions of people in many countries. The Salween Dams will displace 73,000 villagers in addition to the hundreds of thousands of people already forced to relocate. Thailand and other neighbors, in their quest for cheap energy, will face ever more refugees.

Engaging the military rulers of Burma brings responsibility for heinous crimes against Burma’s people, monks and morality. China has recently been strongly promoting the “8 Honors and Disgraces,” India its Gandhian heritage, and Thailand’s military government also promotes higher morality. Supporting the murderous Myanmar dictatorship is irreconcilable with a peace-centered ethical position.

Given recent attacks against unarmed, peaceful monks and demonstrators, we call on Thailand, China, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh and other countries to recognize these grave abuses. Burma’s partners should withdraw from business deals with the Burmese regime to stop further militarization and oppression of the people of Burma. The international community and civil society can and must actively encourage China, India, and ASEAN to establish targeted sanctions in the form of disinvestment from Burma’s destructive hydropower projects. Finally, we all must unite to pressure to the military regime to refrain from using force against peaceful protestors, and to respect the basic rights and needs of the nation’s people, especially the rights to life and livelihood.

Burma Rivers Network is made up of ethnic community organizations that represent people potentially affected by dams throughout Burma. We believe that use of resources must be based on ecological sustainability and social justice.