Memorandum To Government Of India

MEMORANDUM TO Honorable, 1. Union Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, 2. Home Minister of India, Shri Shivraj Patil, 3. External Affairs Minister of India, Shri K.Natwar Singh, 4. Power Minister of India, Shri P.M. Sayeed. 5.

Environmental Minister of India, Shri A. Raja.

6.

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Shri P.R Kyudiah.

7.

Chairman and Managing Director of NHPC Ltd. India, Shri Yogendra Prasad. Date: 28th June, 2005. Subject: Cease proposed “Thamanti Dam” Tsunami-like Democracy Crusher! It is High time for responsible Indian leadership to rescue the crying people of Burma, who are captives in the hands of illegitimate Military Junta.

Honorable Sirs Today, India and Burma have seen respectively 58 and 57 anniversaries of independence from the British colonial rule, which lasted for a bout 200 years. This infact gives the people of India such constitution granted-a real freedom, to make all possible afford in venturing and exploring the available resources for all round developments in the field of economics, science and technology that India has been elevated to self sufficiency. BRITISH RULE IN INDIA AND BURMA During the British rule, the natural resources of both Indian and Burma were subjected to exploitation. Raw materials required for industries in England were taken from these two countries at a very low price and the finished goods were carried back and sold at high profit. The result was that traditional cottage industry was ruined, practice of diverse

tradition and customs were restricted regardless. It was irritating. All these collectively constituted factors for independent struggle at the cause of blood and life. Now the people who are in higher strata and in whose hands lay all the important decision of the national issue, live in luxury and seem to have clean forgotten the bloodshed and sacrifices made by their preceeding generation, who do not have enough opportunity to reap the fruit of their sweat. And yet, for Burma, the sacrifice of many lives that were made for independence, today, simply means–liberation of the people from the British yoke for presentation as subject to the brutal Dictatorship. POST-INDEPENDENT BURMA: As the liberators wished, Burma, after independence in 1948, was governed by people’s elected parliament for 14 years only. Until Gen. Newin ordered the army, to effect coupde-tat in 1962, from the then Prime Minister U.Nu- lead parliament. Since then, the wished, vision, hope of the people vanished and their plight jeopardized. One of the flourished nations in South East Asia, during early post independent era, has today been listed among the poorest nation of the world. The state’s national expenditure on military maintenance is more than 44%of the budget. Perhaps, the military Junta leaves no stone unturned to stay on in power. Such deplorable state of the people inside Burma is better understood by many nation and best known to India. HUMANITARIAN ATTENDANCE: When in such help-needy-situation, desirably, to condole the helpless, we have witnessed, some other people coming forward to attend to it. In Yugoslavia, East Timor, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Iraq the crying people were responded to and have been rescued by the UNO, USA, UK, EU, Japan, etc.UN stands for, guarantees and protects fundamental human rights and takes necessary and appropriate action upon governments violating it. INDIA’S RELATION WITH SPDC: Presumably, friends and foes think alike that even if all nations of the world, withdraw support for expansion of Democracy and stand against it, India, being the largest democratic country, alone shall go on boldly, for that cause or at least stand neutral. How ever, the fact is far from this presumption. Presently, when UNO, EU, USA, Britain, Japan, etc are imposing economic sanction on the military Junta of Burma, for continued house arrest of Daw Aungsan Suu Kyi, noble peace prize laureate, for denouncing the 1990 parliamentary election result, and for continued detention of 1600 Pro-Democracy workers, the so called largest Democratic country, India is helping this Military Junta, in road construction, Dam building, Hydro-Electric power project building, Gas pipe line laying and build trade relationship, etc. The ultimate goal for this is but to designate the army- perpetual ruler. Then, will India be willing to accept if libeled – the best partner of the worst enemy of Democracy? We suppose the reply will definitely be, no, because it is inconsistent with her essential being. Let India be very sincere and immune from hypocrisy.

INDIA’S RISING POWER: The fast and tremendous growth in economy and military strength, by and large have made India play a dominant role in International fora. She now seems the foremost bidder for membership in UNSC. Consistently, her interest in dealing with global conflict is worth appreciation. China, of course, being a communist is exceptional case, if she desires so, to back the military Junta of Burma. However, we couldn’t believe our eyes, to see such democratic giant-India, instead of exerting influence or pressure on the junta government, get herself influenced and serves the interest of the later as a hand peg. Given the time for justification in a press conference, the pretext for India may be North East security threat posed directly or indirectly by China’s accelerating influence on Burmese junta. As the current president of India, Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam says, “short goal is a crime”, the short term and instantaneous solution India chooses with regard to the above case is a crime. A country should never expect long lasting peace in her region, so long as she is the immediate neighbour of a state ruled by whimsical dictator. What is the urgent need is- India must, by hook or crook find a way to transform the military government of Burma into a democratic one .For this she must prepare a definite time table provide enough resources-material, policy and/or ideology to realize that goal within the stipulated time. India has more than that capability. TORMENT OF ETHNIC KUKIS IN BURMA. The suffering with which the people of Burma are inflicted is much more severe than that was during the British rule .In that the ethnic nationalities suffer more and Kukis, the most. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE KUKIS From, time immemorial, until the British invasion of 1917, the kukis had been living independently in their ancestral land, generation after generation. After about 150 years of British colonial rule in India and Burma, the Britishers now, felt the need to conquer the kuki territory, which lie between these two countries, for their better communication and good governance. The kukis retaliated the British invasion of 1917- that went on for three years (1917-1919) refered to the event as “Kuki Rebellion” by Shakespeare and D.K. Palit or “Kuki Rising” by Oriental and Indian Office Collections (DIOC) but more appropriately, It should be termed, “Anglo-Kuki war” or British invasion of kuki territory.” In that suit, superior armed British were able to defeat and annexed the kuki territory. The kuki warriors in the eastern territory were imprisoned in Taungkyi Jail (Burma) while those in the west, in Sadiya Jail Assam. After 22 years of the kukis being, under the British colonial rule, Netaji Subachabdra Bose in India and Aung San in Burma, started campaigning and organizing the ethnic Nationalities of the whole IndoBurma region, for a joint fight against the British for independence with the promise that equal right of self determination be granted after victory. Such a promise in no way deserves opposition- the kukis in western territory joined Netaji Subachandra Bose and those in eastern, Aung san. Hundred INA pensioners are the proof of this facts.(See INA Book) But after independence, when the time comes for division of blood and lifeearned- shares, the jubilant kukis turned into grievous kukis. In the North East, there was no other tribe who was as good fighter as the Kukis were, who for that intrinsic character, formed the vanguard on most of the battles. The kukis were not just the forgotten hero

together with the said promise, but treated like an enemy; their territory divided- IndoBurma border line has been drawn, passing right through the middle of their territory. And thus, the Kukis are rendered to the status of powerlessness and minority. Even for a neutral observer, judging from any perspective- on the basis of language, tradition, custom, history, geography, size of population, sacrifices made during the freedom fight, etc the Kukis deserve the very right to grant of statehood both in India and in Burma. The nation who once lived in sovereignty, the Kukis in present Burma, are suffering unimaginable brutalities and indignities at the hands the cruel military regime. There were horrendous stories of Burmanisation or ethnic cleansing- in 1967, General Newin – ordered- Khadawmi operation was launched in which over 20,000 kuki people had been driven away from their home-sweet-home to the neighboring country – India though the fact that the present day Indo- Burma border region, from time immemorial, forms the ancestral home land of the Kukis. Burman slums from town were transported to settle in those former kuki villages. This has posed threat to the very right to existence of the Kuki identity. MANPOWER EXPLOITATION: The Kukis are oppressed to the worst and are subjected to forced labour for more than half of the days in a year that they have no enough time to work their field. The type of works, the Kukis have been forced to do without wage, includes- road construction, digging trenches and periodical cleaning of the compounds of army and police barracks, erection of electric posts, pottery, working the paddy fields of army and police outpost officers, and so on. In the disguise of Border Area Development program, racial discrimination has been carried out. Without state money sanctioned, the regional Kukis had been coerced to construct 500 houses in 10 villages, from the raw materials provided by themselves, that too without any provision, even tea. In those houses are accommodated thousand of Burman slums from towns so that these influx people outnumber and subdue the Kukis revolutionary movement for state hood the due they deserve. FOREST RESOURCE EXPLOITATION: Forest of the Kuki territory, the SPDC declare “protected forest reserve” and strictly prohibits cutting of tress by local people, even for domestic use. Any one found with cutting tools like saw, exe etc. even if is not seen feeling tree, by mere suspicion, may face imprisonment up to three years. In doing so, presumably, the SPDC seems to have paid attention to environmental issue. It was but for the army’s vested interest. The trees have been felled on large scale to extract timber for sale, though never was in history, even a tree ever planted by the military Junta. The effect of this large-scale deforestation is devastating. The area has looked almost treeless. Many animal and bird species that were found before have extinct due to destruction of their habitant. The climate has changed. The Kukis are really shocked to see their thick, lively and beautiful forest cleared off much against their will.

WATER RESOURCE EXPLOITION: Now comes the turn for exploitation of water resource. As a signatory in the “world commission on Dam (WCD)”, SPDC should show respect, commitment and observe the WCD’s recommendation. Accordingly, any proposed construction of dam must fulfill the following five points. 1. Pubic access, acceptable and ensuring participation. 2. Equitable resettlement program such as adequate compensation. 3. Effective environmental mitigation. 4. Fair sharing of benefits between affected communities and developers. 5. Co-operative in managing the national rivers and investigation of trans-boundary impacts. Looking at the current proposed Thamanti (Htamanti) Hydroelectric Power Project, to be, constructed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) limited under the mutual agreement of UPA Govt. of India and brutal regime of SPDC of Burma, does not conform to the above five principles. In the context of Thamanti Dam, the breach of the above guidelines may be interpreted as follows. (a) On the pretext of “Development program”, the army-arranged- influx of slums from cities in Kuki territory (as had been done) shall be affected. The motive of which is to make the Kukis become a minority in their own land. (b) Resettlement of more than 35 Kukis villages without any compensation. (c) Use of forced labour throughout the construction work period. (d) The purpose Dam site, being a part of Burma’s largest National park, the flooding will threaten the habitants of many and various endangered wild animal species which include tigers, leopards, rhinoceroses, Asian Golden cats, bulls, elephant, white- eyebrow gibbon (only found in Burma), boars, stags, wild buffaloes, gorillas, monkies, horn bill, peacocks, etc. (e) The flood will submerged the vast land area of staple food and other cash crop fields measuring about 17,000 acres, will be inevitable. 1. REQUESTS AND APPEAL: Of course, Indian might be enticed by the MOU of “80% of the power generated supply” to the North east, which , through for the giant economist, India, is just an iota in terms of economics perspective, without pondering over the world whole out come from building this Htamanti Dam. Indian has done well and will continue to do so, without Thamanti Dam. We the Kuki feel very unfortunate, sad, shocked to see India, pushing back the SPDC to shake like Tsunami- the foundation of the very existence of the indigenous Kuki people. May the Govt. of India , the only one in whose hand lays all the power related to Thamanti Dam; understand, considerate attend to our problem, with immediate effect and to listen to our demand-“STOP BUILDING THAMANTI DAM”, With immediate effect. To sum up briefly: (a) For restoration of democracy in Burma at the earliest date possible. (b) For empathy and sympathy upon the captives in the hands of SPDC.

(c) For the sake of India’s dignity and honour as the largest democratic nation – committed to export of democratic ideology. (d) For protection, security and due rights of indigenous ethnic Kukis of Burma. (e) To proof India’s courage to handle global issue as responsible international leadership. (f) For global environmental concern.. (g) To save and protect the endangered wild animals species from extinction due to flooding. (h) To prevent the local Kuki people’s more than 35 villages and agricultural land area measuring 17,000 acres from destruction by flooding water. We the Anti Thanmanti Dam Campaign Committee, formed by the Kuki students Democratic front (KSDF) Burma, Kuki Women Human Rights Organization (KWHRO) and Regional Kuki individuals, bow down and make our humble demand before you: the honorable Prime Minister-Dr. Manmohan Singh, Home Minister- Shri Shivraj Patil, Power Minister- Shri P.M Sayeed, Environmental Minister- Shri A. Raja, Minister of Tribal Affairs- Shri P.R Kyudiah, Chairman and Managing Director of NHPC- Shri Yogendra Prasad to totally withdraw support for the Indigenous- blood- sucking, worst enemy of democracy, barbaric and illegitimate regime- SPDC of Burma in the propose construction of Thanmanti Hydroelectric power project on Chindwin river at leivomjang village instantly. In case GOI remains heedless and adamant to our demand, and in determined to go ahead with the Thamanti hydro electric power project, our alternative or secondary demand is that the GOI must ensure – (a) Equitable resettlement program for the would-be affected 35 kuki villages with adequate compensation. (b) Adequate compensation to the would be destroyed 17,000 acres agricultural lands, (c) Effective environmental mitigation. (d) Total avoidance of forced labour. (e) Fair sharing of the benefits between the GOI, SPDC, NHPC and the effected Kuki communities. Our thankfulness over all of you and the UPA Government of India for your considerate response will ever remain in our Kuki history. Waiting for your prompt response, Yours sincerely, Anti-Thamanti Dam Campaign committee (1) Lulun, President, KSDF (2) Sa Sat, Secretary, KSDF (3) Letlam, Advisor, KSDF. (4) Neng Boi, Vice-President, KWHRO. (5) Ka Kang, Delhi Incharge, KWHRO.