30.07.2006
.
Join Democracy for Burma Alliance
.
.
Thamanthi Dam & Kuki People's Fate
Interview with Thangjalun who is a leader of Kuki Students' Democratic Front and anti-Thamanthi Dam Campaign Committee.
BURMA DIGEST: Who are currently participating in Anti-Tamanthi Dam Campaign Committee?
Thangjalun: Currently Anti-Tamanthi Dam Campaign Committee (ATDCC) is composed of Kuki Students Democratic Front (KSDF), Kuki Women Human Rights Organization (KWHRO), Kuki Peoples’ Congress (KPC) and some individuals and heads of some of the affected villages. We are also planning to expand more organizations, who can work and support on Tamanthi Dam campaign in the future, but due to lack of funds we can’t do at the moment.
(Click on the photos to enlarge them)
 |
 |
| Anti-Thamanthi Dam demonstration | |
BURMA DIGEST: When was Anti-Tamanthi Dam Campaign first organized?
Thangjalun: It was founded on 1 June 2005 in New Delhi.
 |
|
| Protesting Thamanthi Dam | |
BURMA DIGEST: Where is it based?
Thangjalun: ATDCC is based in India and we also have our members in South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand and they joined us in their respective areas with demonstration, distributing pamphlets, seminars etc.
BURMA DIGEST: What are your aims and objects? And how will you carry them out?
Thangjalun: ATDCC’s aims and objects are to campaign and work to protest in any means to stop building Tamanthi Dam and also oppose other dams throughout Burma. We oppose any dam building in Burma without consultation with the affected community and the local people like the Kukis in Tamanthi Dam.
BURMA DIGEST: Can you please tell us about Kuki people?
Thangjalun: 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 British then 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 in 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 Indo-Burma 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, with 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 life- earned- 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- Indo-Burma 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 launched Khadawmi operation 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.
BURMA DIGEST: You have connections and co-operations with other ethnic groups, e.g. Karen River Watch who are protesting Salween Dams in their region?
Thangjalun: We got some solidarity message when we first demonstrate on Tamanthi Dam and our campaign was uploaded in some website. We also have co-operation and connection with dam activists and their organization from outside Burma like Narmada Bachao Andolance, Delhi Forum, etc.
 |
 |
| Thamanthi area | Chindwin River |
BURMA DIGEST: Please kindly explain the basic facts about Tamanthi Dam.
Thangjalun: The Tamanthi Hydroelectric Power Project (THPP) with a generating capacity of 1200 projects is proposed on the Chindwin river that flows through the heart of Kuki inhabited area of Western Sagaing Division. Leivomjang, a Kuki village between Tamanthi and Homalin, is the dam site.
THPP has been entrusted for construction to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), a Central Sector Indian power utility, by the State Peace and Development Council (SDPC), the Burmese military junta, through an MoU signed between the SDPC and the Indian Government during Gen. Than Shwe's visit to India in October 2004. According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), at least 80 per cent of the power generated will be exported to India.
 |
 |
| Dams Map | Hydro Electric Power Projects |
The proposed dam will affect more than 35 Kuki villages, which
need to be relocated. About 17,000 acres of agricultural land will be
acquired for the project. So far neither the NHPC nor the SDPC has held
any consultation with the affected Kuki people and the villagers. No
documentation on the project, environmental and social impacts and
mitigation is available.
According to information gathered, the preliminary survey for
the THPP was first carried out by technical experts from Japan and then
Korea,
owing to certain deadlock over sharing of profits, any further talks did
not materialize.
In November 1999, the Indian power delegation and Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise carried out a joint investigation and a report was prepared for discussion in the Indian Parliament. After the visit of the SDPC Chairman, a five-member team of power experts comprising D V Khera, Member CEA, A N Sinha, Member, Planning CEA, Yogendra Prasad, Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC, B Sharma, Executive Director, NHPC and R K Madan, Director Projects, Power Grid Corporation of India visited Burma on February 19, 2005 and held further discussions on transmission links, technical aspects, investments, payment contracts etc.
|
|
|
|
Kuki Villages |
|
BURMA DIGEST: How can it effect environment?
Thangjalun: The Tamanthi Hydroelectric Power Project (THPP) site being part of Myanmar’s largest national park, the flooding would threaten the habitats of many endangered wild species including tigers, leopards, rhinos, Asian golden cats, gorillas, hornbills, wild bear, boar, wild buffalo, peacocks, elephants, etc. It will adversely affect the biodiversity, ecological balance and the climatic conditions of the region. Floods in the upstream, and changes in the morphology of the riverbed and bank will destroy the habitats of precious species of flora and fauna.
|
|
|
|
Kuki Villages |
|
BURMA DIGEST: How can it affect human rights in the region?
Thangjalun: Since the works started in 2004 the local Kuki people were subjected to forced labor and will continue till completion of the work. More than 35 Kuki villages will be subjected to relocation together with acquisition of thousands of acres of their agricultural land uncompensated. It has political intension to constantly subjugate or suppress the ethnic Kukis by the Army arranged settlement of influx and poor Burmans from cities and prisoners (who will purposely outnumber and reduce the regional Kukis to minority) on the pretext of poverty eradication program. (Thousands of houses have already been constructed in other parts of the Kuki areas with the same purpose). The most important is that they (SPDC) plan Tamanthi Dam without consultation with the ethnic Kukis of the region.
BURMA DIGEST: Can electricity produced by Tamanthi Dams help Kuki people in the region?
Thangjalun: Absolutely no, more than 80% power generated will be sold to India and the remaining powers are for the SPDC and their activities.
BURMA DIGEST: How can international community help in this Tamanthi Dam issue?
Thangjalun: International and Civil Societies can help us stop building this dam by joining us in our campaigning and funding financially to strengthen our fight to stop building this dangerous dam in western Burma.
BURMA DIGEST: Thank you very much indeed for the interview.
Your Comments here_
Request: If you can kindly volunteer to translate BURMA DIGEST English articles into Burmese, please let us know BDeditors@tayzathuria.org.uk .
Please download from http://www.tayzathuria.org.uk/BD.pdf a simple, portable and printable version of BURMA DIGEST and send it to all your Burmese friends.
.
Click here for This week’s articles
Last week’s English articles
Environmental Damage in the Mekong Region
Protest against India's Collaboration
New Generation School in Denmark
Burmese Martyr Day in Thailand