Hmar body opposes militarisation at dam site

Imphal, Nov 11 2008: The Government of Manipur should withdraw the deployment of security forces from Mapithel (Thoubal)dam site and immediately stop, once and for all, its adoration for militarisation.

This was echoed by Sinlung Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Organisation (SIPHRO),a Hmar body based in the region in their website www.siphro.org.

SIPHRO which is said to have been established with the priorities of putting human rights first in the face of immense human rights violations stands for the respect and promotion of human rights and represents the diverse and diasporic Sinlung originated Hmar and its kindred tribes in India.

It said,"violence and militarisation that are instruments of the Government of Manipur has been ruining the State for all these time" adding "the government should immediately stop constructing the Mapithel Dam and review all its policies by upholding the rights, interest and aspirations of the affected people in whose land the project has been imposed".

Condemning the violent response of the Manipur police on November 3 last towards the peaceful demonstrators who were protesting against the injustice that the Mapithel (Thoubal) Multipurpose Project has imposed upon them, it said in all its policy and approach, the Government of Manipur should put its people first to make Mapithel Dam a people centric one.

Negating the rights and aspirations of the people will only go a long way to negate itself,it observed.

When a peaceful rally, led by women demands for securing their community rights, the demonstrators were met with lathi-charge, tear gas and harassed by the Police.

The high-handedness of the security forces under the insensitive eyes of the government once again affirmed the militarised character of itself, the release said