United Naga Council says "No" to Tiapimukh Dam: The Free Press

(NNN): Even as the pros and cons parties of the construction of the controversial Tipaimukh Dam are being debated on the media platform off and on, the United Naga Council (UNC) has, once and for all, resolved never to allow the construction of the dam at any cost.

This firm decision of the Naga organisation was taken in the October 20 special session of the UNC at Tahamzam (Senapati).

In a statement made available to Newmai News Network today by its general secretary, Azang Lomngmai, the UNC said that the Naga frontal organisations and Naga tribes' presidents had taken a strong stance against what it termed as "imposition on indigenous rights".

In the UNC Special Session held at Taphou village, Tahamzam (Senapati), on October 20, 2006, reaffirmed against the construction of Tipaimukh Mega Dam. In the session all the frontal organisations (UNC, NPMHR, MWUM, ANSAM) and all the Naga tribes' presidents unanimously agreed to take a strong stance against the imposition on indigenous rights, said the UNC statement.

It further stated that the proposed "Tipaimukh Mega Dam" has not fulfilled free, prior and informed consent adding that construction of such a mega dam is a gross violation of rights to life and livelihood and contempt of basic human values. Development projects must be fundamentally based on the choice of the people concerned. The people have the rights to reject the kind of development projects that we do not need or want, explained the UNC statement.

The United Naga Council also said that the Naga organisations who participated in the October 20 special session of the UNC had strongly objected to conduct the public hearings on Tipaimukh Dam fixed on November 17 at Churachandpur District and November 22 at Tamenglong District respectively.

The Naga organisations demanded the immediate withdrawal of the proposed public hearings saying that such hearings would only mislead the public and eye-wash the general mass.

"Therefore, we demand total scrapping of the proposed Tipaimiukh Mega Dam Project," asserted the UNC statement.