Kolabari Ram Committee has asked Mizoram government to stop the plan to set up an Indian Army Headquarters at Sairang Dinthar.
Convening a press conference at Aizawl Press Club on Monday, Ng. Lalhmangaiha, chairman of Kolabari Ram Committee, told the media that as soon as Dinthar locals knew the plan for setting up of Army HG, various NGOs immediately submitted an ‘objection’ to the state government.
"However, despite this and making press releases, we are informed that the project is still in progress. We made this one last appeal to the authority to call off the project in a larger interets of the peoples," Ng Lalhmangaiha Chairman of Kolabari Ram Committe, said in a press statement.
“Five times objection has been intimated and one press release had been issued,” the chairman added.
Lalhmangaiha said that the Committee had also submitted objection to the government and two NGOs – YMA and MUP – which earlier signed No Objection Certificate for setting up of Army Headquarters at the said site had already withdrew themselves.
More than half of the proposed for amry headquarters is uncultivated forest ehere the villagers get their needs.
The villagers are getting their needs from this forest while many earn living. Establishing army headquarters here will cut off the livelihood of many families. Therefore, on humanitarian grounds and for the sake of environment protection, we appeal the authority to cancell the project" the statement also signed by the Secretary of the committee said.
"Why is the authority insist on establishing an army headquarters in an area where the local resident strongly dislike and ignoring those who welcome it?" the statement ask.
Zo Indigenous Forum strongly condemned the act of the authority wihtout taking the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the Indigenous Peoples and it is a clear violations of Article 19 of Un Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states that " States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them" and also the great vioaltions of UNDRIP Article 30.1. Military activities shall not take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples, unless justified by a relevant public interest or otherwise freely agreed with or requested by the indigenous peoples concerned and 30.2 States shall undertake effective consultations with the indigenous peoples concerned, through appropriate procedures and in particular through their representative institutions, prior to using their lands or territories for military activities
ZIF call on the state government and Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately cancells the proposed establishment of Army Headuarters in Kolabari Area of Sairang, Aizawl District; which they have violates the UNDRIP Article 19 of Free, Prior and Informed Consent and Article 31 on establishment of military activities in Indigenous lands, and will directly affect the Indigenous social, economic and cultural life in the surrounding areas.
"However, despite this and making press releases, we are informed that the project is still in progress. We made this one last appeal to the authority to call off the project in a larger interets of the peoples," Ng Lalhmangaiha Chairman of Kolabari Ram Committe, said in a press statement.
“Five times objection has been intimated and one press release had been issued,” the chairman added.
Lalhmangaiha said that the Committee had also submitted objection to the government and two NGOs – YMA and MUP – which earlier signed No Objection Certificate for setting up of Army Headquarters at the said site had already withdrew themselves.
More than half of the proposed for amry headquarters is uncultivated forest ehere the villagers get their needs.
The villagers are getting their needs from this forest while many earn living. Establishing army headquarters here will cut off the livelihood of many families. Therefore, on humanitarian grounds and for the sake of environment protection, we appeal the authority to cancell the project" the statement also signed by the Secretary of the committee said.
"Why is the authority insist on establishing an army headquarters in an area where the local resident strongly dislike and ignoring those who welcome it?" the statement ask.
Zo Indigenous Forum strongly condemned the act of the authority wihtout taking the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of the Indigenous Peoples and it is a clear violations of Article 19 of Un Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) states that " States shall consult and cooperate in good faith with the indigenous peoples concerned through their own representative institutions in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before adopting and implementing legislative or administrative measures that may affect them" and also the great vioaltions of UNDRIP Article 30.1. Military activities shall not take place in the lands or territories of indigenous peoples, unless justified by a relevant public interest or otherwise freely agreed with or requested by the indigenous peoples concerned and 30.2 States shall undertake effective consultations with the indigenous peoples concerned, through appropriate procedures and in particular through their representative institutions, prior to using their lands or territories for military activities
ZIF call on the state government and Ministry of Home Affairs to immediately cancells the proposed establishment of Army Headuarters in Kolabari Area of Sairang, Aizawl District; which they have violates the UNDRIP Article 19 of Free, Prior and Informed Consent and Article 31 on establishment of military activities in Indigenous lands, and will directly affect the Indigenous social, economic and cultural life in the surrounding areas.