On Bangladesh Team Hydropower Tourism Of Tipaimukh Dam Project Site
Imphal, 7th June 2012
Community Rally against oil exploration and Tipaimukh dam at Nungba in March 2012
The Action Committee on Tipaimukh (ACTIP), Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD), Centre
for Organization Research and Education (CORE), and Forum for Indigenous Perspectives and Action (FIPA)
have reliably learnt of the visiting team of 13 Bangladesh nationals led by Bangladesh External Affairs Publicity
Wing Deputy Director Mohammad Zashimuddin invited by the Government of India to study and assess the
effects of the multi-purpose hydro-electric Tipaimukh project at the tri-junction of Assam, Manipur and
Mizoram.
While appreciating the visiting team from Bangladesh to study and assess the ground realities, what is clear is
that the teams' (including that of the previous Law Makers') aerial survey of the site is guided hydro-power
tourism by the government and the dam proponent. They inevitably will go back with stories that back the dam.
What can be really learnt from a day's token aerial flight over the dam site? An earnest assessment of the
environment and social impacts of such hydro-power projects would take considerable time, including a study
that encompasses the annual seasonal changes of the river, its catchment and downstream areas.
Moreover, we note once more the unfortunate absence of neither intimation nor any encouragement from the
Government to also invite representatives from the States of Assam and Manipur that have the highest stake in
the whole project to also study and assess the effects of the multi-purpose hydro-electric Tipaimukh project with
full sanctions from the government. Far from doing just that, any attempt at such studies and assessments by the
peoples have rather been often viewed suspiciously, if not negatively, by the government.
Indigenous and tribal peoples directly and indirectly to be affected by the project have been excluded in all the
consultations and decision making processes. The few public meetings and hearings held by the authorities on
this issue have been so far a farce, and ended in total failures with the trademark absence of transparency,
accountability and inclusivity.
Groups who have been protesting against the dam for more than 15 years now are being sidelined while trying to
appease Bangladesh. The present visit is not the first as other dignitaries from Bangladesh have also been
airlifted to Tipaimukh in the past to 'survey and assess' the proposed project. While consent from Bangladesh is
necessary, that too for the sake of India's international image, the government must also get consent from the
mentioned States and concerned grassroots indigenous peoples along with the organizations that represent them.
Not doing this is a clear violation of both national and international laws and an unjustifiable act on the part of
the Government of India in depriving the indigenous peoples of their rights to Self Determination, Participation
and Free Prior and Informed Consent, negating every commitment to sustainable development.
We would like to underscore that ignoring the crucial linkages of a river's upstream, midstream, and downstream
flows can endanger not just the river, but human communities and ecology sustained by it. According to experts,
a disregard of environmental flows, by construction of dams, has already harmed many rivers in the Western
Ghats, giving rise to protracted political as well as environmental issues.
The unrelenting denial of the rights, roles and participation of the indigenous peoples and organizations in their
development, future and the proper recognition of indigenous peoples and tribal peoples as custodians of their
resources once more proves that politicians and government, no matter how democratic they may appear to be,
never really cared for the peoples, especially the marginalized indigenous and tribal peoples even though
welfare, inclusivity and participation are always their rhetoric in development and administration.
The people of Bangladesh and their present government must take a responsible decision at this juncture where
their decision must not lead to India going ahead with the dam. The upstream population will also not jeopardize
the life and future of Bangladesh.
Oinam Bikramjit
ACTIP
Jiten Yumnam
CCDD
Immanuel Varte
CORE
Ramananda Wangkheirakpam
FIPA
* This info was sent by Dr Debabrata Roy Laifungbam (President/Convenor, Centre for Organisation Research & Education, CORE) who can be contacted at laifungbam(at)coremanipur(dot)org
This Press Release was posted on June 07, 2012
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