The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRA) and the Youth Forum for Protection of Human Rights in Manipur (YFPHR) have called for revoking of all MoUs for mega dams, oil exploration, mining, agri-business, namely oil-palm.
During a "Consultation on Climate Change in Manipur in Context of COP26 of UNFCC” held at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal on Monday, the two bodies stated that the MoUs were pursued without the people’s consent and that it had resolved to called for revoking the same during the consultation meet.
The consultation is being organised in the context of deepening climate crisis amid the ongoing 26 Session of the Conference of Parties of the UN Framewok Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) at Glasgow, Scotland till November, 12, 2021.
Gopen Kh, Secretary of Irabot Foundation; Heisnam Chaoba, President of the Loktak Fishery Welfare Association; Phamila Tuithung. Co-Convenor, People for Human Rights and Climate Change attended as presidium members of the consultation.
Jiten Yumnam, Secretary of CRA expressed concern over the aggressive pursuance of unsustainable development processes in Manipur, viz, mega dams, mining, oil exploration, that targeted peoples' land, forest, water and resources stating that it has worsened land loss and climate crisis in Manipur.
The government should desist promoting false climate change solutions such as pursuance of palm oil and large dams, Jiten said and added that all MoUs for mega dams, oil exploration, mining, agri-business (viz. Palm Oil) pursued without their consent should be revoked for possible adverse impacts on environment, people and climate in Manipur.
Laishram Imoba, representative of Young People for Social Reform shared the challenges of negotiations at the COP 26 of UNFCCC, including the pursuance of a false solution, promotion of corporate interest and disregard of indigenous people’s rights and concerns.
Heisnam Chaoba of Loktak Fishery Welfare Association also asserted that Manipur is affected by the climate crisis. The 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric project caused submergence of agricultural land in Loktak region, worsening the climate change situation, besides loss of livelihood for many depending on the wetland, he said.
Gopen Khunjan of Irabot Foundation shared that Manipur has seen increased wildfire, pollution, decline in food production, contamination of Rivers, wetlands, loss of forest due to climate change. The government has failed to protect the remaining agricultural land, which is threatened with land grabbing, he added.
The consultation adopted various resolutions such as stopping promoting false climate solutions, to stop unsustainable projects that destroy land, forest and livelihood and to uphold indigenous people’s rights, to revoke all MOUs for mining, oil exploration, dam building, palm oil cultivation etc in Manipur.
The consultation also resolved that the government of India, corporations and international financial institutions should protect and promote indigenous people’s self-determined rights over their land and resources and should take their free, prior and informed consent before targeting their land and resources.
The MOUs granted to Roukela Private Ltd, Sarvesh Refractories, Gulf Natural Resources for mining and to Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt Ltd and to Oil India Limited for oil exploration in Manipur should be revoked, the consultation resolved. It also resolved that all neoliberal policies such as Manipur Hydro Power Policy, 2012; North East hydrocarbon vision 2030; Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006; the Mining and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2015, etc. that facilitated the plunder of people’s land and resources should be repealed. Dam building companies, viz, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) should stop building 66 MW Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric project and other dams that will destroy forest, agriculture land, river and peoples’ livelihood. All MoUs with NHPC and NEEPCO for dams should be revoked and the Government should review and rescind its plan to promote palm oil in Manipur and North East given its documented adverse impacts on people, environment and climate in Mizoram, Indonesia, Malaysia etc, the consultation resolved.
The government should stop counting mega dams and palm oil as renewable energy and as solutions for climate change in its effort to fulfil its INDC, the consultation resolved and further stated International Financial Institutions and corporate should stop financing unsustainable development projects and false climate solutions with social, environment and climate impacts. Climate finance should desist from funding social and environmentally damaging projects, it said adding that the consultation rejects all false climate change solutions that violate indigenous peoples’ human right and their self-determination over their land and resources.
The consultation meeting also stated that all climate change mitigation and adaptation related policies should ensure compliance with indigenous peoples’ rights as per UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights, 2007. COP 26 of UNFCCC should desist from any decisions that serve corporate bodies interest for profiting by plundering peoples land and resources. Indigenous peoples’ traditional sustainable management of land and natural resources, including the role of women, youths etc and their low consumption and carbon-oriented way of life must be promoted in all development decision making processes that can affect their land, lives and future. The Manipur State Action Plan on Climate Change and other climate policies should be reviewed to ensure its compliance with human rights and sustainable development goals in its implementation, the consultation meeting asserted.
