Indigenous Peoples of India and Burma/Myanmar used, abused and dispossessed
Naga International Support Center (NISC) *
The Shan people of Eastern Burma/Myanmar (bordering North Thailand) face a bleak future when the construction of the dam for the hydro-electric project in the Salween River creates a fresh water lake inundating their lands. Though important to object to, it may be too late because construction has started.
This is not so, for an equally large hydro project in the Chindwin River on the other side of Burma/Myanmar, on the side of India. Here the facts are that this to be constructed but agreed upon dam will create a 14.000 square kilometers large lake right in the middle of Nagaland, the Sagaing Division of Burma Myanmar/
This lake will displace 400.000 Nagas: the towns of Khamti, Homalin and 80 villages.
This could be understandable if the villagers, with respect to national interest, were handsomely compensated for their loss of land and cultural heritage (read the destruction of the burial places of their ancestors) yet the opposite is true:
- no compensation offered for lost land
- no compensation for housing and agricultural needs
- forced to pay for similar land to cultivate elsewhere
- no guarantees whatsoever
India and Burma/Myanmar are responsible for this unknown and inhumane tragedy. Why?
- India finances the project and gets 80% of the electricity generated by the Tamanthi Dam
- The Burmese/Myanmar Government reaps the benefits and takes 20% of the produced electricity to be used for its own convenience
Burmese Nagas are yet another example of callous governments which disown land of their citizens, not for the common good and with full compensation and with respect paid to the people’s culture and history. Unknown yet the Nagas like the Shan on the other side of Burma/Myanmar are paying the price for being Indigenous and for an international community which does not come to their rescue.
The Naga International Support Center calls on that International Community
- to look at India and Burma to assess the situation of the Indigenous Peoples
- to expose the injustices
- to act on the abuses committed and
- to urge Burma and India to repair the damage they inflicted on Nagas and Shans
For more information visit www.nagalim.nl or email nisc @ nagalim . nl
* This information is submited by Naga International Support Center (NISC). This Post is uploaded on March 31, 2013
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