The Imphal Free Press, 17 April 2018

https://www.ifp.co.in/page/items/48319/5th-apfsd-development-sustainability-in-manipur/

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Pic: Forest destroyed by Northern Frontiers Railways in Marangjing Areaa,, Tamenglong  in clear violation of Forest Rights Act, 2006 & Protest at Tumukhong Village to remove Mapithel dam.

The participation in the 5th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) at UN Centre, Bangkok from 28th till 30th March 2018, organized by UN ESCAP was a momentous event worthy of serious reflection on inherent contradictions and fallacies associated with the development paradigm in Manipur. The 5th APFSD, organized with the theme, “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”, reviewed the implementation of Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), Goal 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), Goal 12 (responsible consumption and production), Goal 15 (life on land) and Goal 17 (partnerships) and their inter-linkages within the cluster and other Goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in September 2015 by UN.

Several member states, UN Agencies and financial institutions deliberated on the theme. During the official sessions of APFSD, representatives of the Government of India presented glorious pictures of the ongoing efforts to advance SDGs implementation in India. Mr. Rajeev Kumar, Vice Chairman, Niti Aayog of the Govt of India in the session at the UN ESCAP, “Regional cooperation to foster resilience and sustainability” on 28 March shared that the Core principle of the Government is to work for the poor and the marginalized to achieve resilience. He shared several Government schemes were designed since 2015 and that new schemes like Ayusman Bharat (Healthy India) will be introduced by October 2018, to provide monetary compensation upto Five Lakhs rupees to poorest for health treatment. Swatch Bharat program to end open defecation free by 2019, National Nutrition Strategy, focusing on distressed children and anemic mothers and other programme to electrify all villages etc will be introduced to improve resilience among the most underprivileged in India, he added. However, the official failed to mention the controversy around budget cuts with MNREGS and on health sector and corruption and exclusion in the policy formulation affecting land and natural resources in indigenous territories, persisting corporate unaccountability and development induced conflict in Manipur.

Attending a round session on promoting clean and renewable energy on SDGs Goal 7 during APFSD on 29th March, there are critical areas of concern. The reference to hydropower as clean source of energy is controversial given the fact that hydropower projects like 105 MW Loktak project, Khuga dam and Mapithel dam caused wide social and environment impacts in Manipur. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) remained unaccountable for violations with its 105 MW Loktak Hydroelectric Project. In terms of energy, Indigenous peoples are most left behind. Indigenous peoples are subjected to continued violation of their human rights due to energy projects including renewable energy and hence the objection to new hydropower projects over the Barak and Irang Rivers in Manipur. The pursuance of energy projects undermined indigenous peoples’ rights and survival dependence over their land and resources, violated their right to free, prior and informed consent and is also marred with suppression of community rights with militarism and absence of definition of alternative energy options.

As the discussion at APFSD continues on SDGs implementation and review process, communities affected by Mapithel dam in Manipur are struggling for their survival as their fishing and livelihood sources are curtailed due to both submergence of their forest and agriculture land. The Government of India and the Government of Manipur failed to adhere to the persistent call to responsibly handle the Mapithel dam impacts, to provide alternate livelihood for communities affected by Mapithel dam. The livelihood impact has compelled many Mapithel dam affected villagers to migrate out from their village in search of work, a crisis in the unfolding. The increased call to decommission the Ithai Barrage of the 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project is just a testament of the scale of the social and environment impacts and unsustainability of the project marred with continued unaccountability of both the State and the corporations, the NHPC. The State and the companies involved failed to take responsibility for the multiple implications of these two dams. Villagers of Noney and Okoklong villages boycotted the construction of the Trans Asian Railways in Tamenglong Areas in Manipur due to massive environmental impact and the lack of accountability by the multiple companies involved in the construction. Additionally oil companies and dam building companies prepared to drill oil and gas and to build dams all over the Rivers of Manipur. These multiple unsustainable projects, that unleashed wide social and environment impacts and the associated neoliberal policy push will only weaken communities’ resilience for promoting sustainable development.

The dichotomy between the aspirations and practices for a sustainable world persist not only in Manipur, but also across Asia region. In a workshop on indigenous peoples’ rights during the Asia Pacific Peoples Forum on Sustainable Development, 25 March at Chulalongkorn University, series of expression of concerns from other situations marked the CSO forum. Mr. David, Philippines dialogue for Indigenous Rights shared indigenous peoples face the gravest risks due to development aggressions threatening their survival. Gold mining by multinational companies in Indonesia, Philippines, oil palm plantations in Sabah, Malaysia etc and the removal of indigenous communities from their traditional territories for conservation threatened their survival. Economic growth oriented development model and militarization etc undermined indigenous peoples’ sustainable management of their land.

Mr. Sunasi, Thepa movement against Coal, Thailand, Fisherfolk also shared that the newly proposed coal fired power plant now displaced many of the fishing communities from their land and livelihood sources and threatened their survival sources. The proposed coal fired power plant already created conflict within communities in Southern Thailand.  People are worried of the massive contamination and pollution, injustice of corporate bodies due to the coal fired power land. Trinita Chakma, APWLD shared those Free Trade agreements (FTAs) advancing a neoliberal agenda has detrimental impacts on the economic, social and cultural rights of communities. Corporate bodies are much favored in such FTAs and can even sue and seek damages from States for any measures that undermined their commercial interest. Chevron sued Ecuador challenging USD 9.5 billion for pollution in Amazon. The advancement of corporate interest only undermined efforts for realizing sustainable development.

The ultimate question is whether the SDGs implementation will ever lead to a transformative agenda? What is the relevant of APFSD in places like Manipur, when mechanisms for ensuring corporate accountability is clearly out of question, when persisting laws favors the corporate bodies with further dilutions, where new policy formulations are increasingly influenced and dictated in terms favoring their interest and privileges. The Government claims to develop action plans, policies and institutions to implement institutions? The question is how sensitive are these policies geared towards promoting real sustainable development and development standards? Are these policies in sync with the development aspirations of the most marginalized communities?

Ever since adoption of the SDGs in 2015, the introduction of neoliberal model of development rooted in the plunder of land and resources in across India’s North East has intensified. The post SDGs adoption environment is indeed marked by formulation of new policies undermining sustainable development and to the rights of communities. The formulation of the North East Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 in January 2016, for instance, will only lead to expropriation of land and natural resources by drilling oil and gas from Manipur and all over North East. Further, the Mining and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2015 has been passed by both houses of parliament of India on 29 November 2015. The amendment is marked by non-recognition of community rights over their land and minerals and also to take their consent before any mining operations in their land .  Oil companies like the Asian Oilfields, Oil India Limited commenced oil exploration surveys in Khaidem, Moidangpok, Sangaithel villages in Imphal West, Manipur since May 2017 despite community objections to oil exploration in Manipur.

The Seventeen SDGs goals are intrinsically interlinked and these cannot be met unless a holistic approach is taken. For example, Goal 11 is linked to the goals on poverty, food security, critical public services such as health, education, water and energy, the world of work, climate change, access to justice and must considered and implemented along with linked targets under these other goals. The targets for the goals also cut across all three dimensions of sustainable development, social, economic and environment. Therefore in order to meet Goal 11, all its targets as well as linked targets in other goals must be met. On Goal 15, while asserting Life on land is the centrality of wellbeing of all living beings on the earth, the replacement of customary natural native forests by monocultures, destruction of biodiversity by extractive industries impacts the survival, culture and well-being of indigenous peoples. Similarly the aggressive push for hydropower projects as renewable energy for realization of Goal 7 on Energy, will directly affect other goals, viz, gender equality, sustainable forest management, access to land and water etc. The Mapithel dam envisaged for power generation, now directly affected access of communities to their livelihood sources, to their clean and safe drinking water. Women and children are the most affected in their access to their livelihood, education and health rights. The access to energy in different goals cannot be ensured without ensuring land rights and without protecting women’s rights.

The APFSD was also marred with much criticism with the way how the Voluntary National Review (VNR) has been reviewed at the UN High Level Political Forum to assess progress on SDGs implementation. In India’s VNR review in July 2017, none of the civil society representing the Major Stakeholder groups could intervene, implying what’s presented during the VNR review by the officials, is simply a one sided positive reporting of progress. VNR countries are neglecting to cover all 17 SDGs in their national reports addressed to the HLPF diminishing the indivisibility and integrality of the goals. There is no way to reflect the impoverishment of communities due to Mapithel dam or Loktak Project in Manipur. The purpose of VNR will be defeated if the realities in indigenous territories could not be considered. The entire VNR review process needs a complete overhauling of the system, to ensure representation of alternate realities and for rightful involvement of all marginalized communities.

The entire international negotiations, definition of strategies, roadmaps including at the APFSD for advancing resilience, seems completely irrelevant in the context of Manipur, as the principles of inclusiveness, respect of human rights, transformative agenda, accountability etc are arbitrated and negated. The undemocratic, autocratic and militaristic forms of development, including militarization associated with such push for unsustainable, extractive and destructive model and the scale of exclusion, lack of transparency and accountability further reinforced the irrelevance of the efforts at the Asia Pacific region. States and the financial institutions attending the Asia Pacific regional meeting seems to adopt different priorities and strategies at the national and sub-national level, guided by the principles of economic growth and political dominion. The rights of indigenous peoples, women, environmental sustenance and participatory development are invisible at the SDGs implementation at local level.

CSOs expressed concern with the slow and uneven pace of progress, lack of integration of peoples’ priorities, shrinking space for civil society organizations in implementation and review of 2030 development agenda, arbitrary prioritizing of corporate bodies, poor monitoring and review frameworks that undermined the credibility and accountability of the road maps, strategies and institutional mechanism that countries established for SDGs implementation. While States talk of CSOs inclusion in their monitoring and review process, a serious concern addressed throughout the APFSD is the increased conscription of civil society spaces and the targeting of human rights and environmental defenders to multiple attacks, threats, false charges, arbitrary detention etc. Building a resilient society to realize SDGs is not possible without human rights, without empowering people and without social justice. SDGs processes insisted on Leave no one behind and to realize human rights for all. An economic only focus initiative would be too limiting and failing to achieve targets. Goal 16 to promote peaceful society for sustainable society and for accountable and inclusive institution is very critical for a resilient society.

Financing for SDGs is also a critical concern. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and a host of other multilateral financial institutions assumes critical role in setting the tone and strategy of APFSD. Indeed, ADB speakers during APFSD insisted on infrastructures, private sector led development for resilience, despite the challenges of such financing much evident in Manipur. For instance, the Trans Asian Railway works, road, water supply and hydropower projects proposed for financing by Japan International Cooperation Agency has already led to social and environmental impacts thereby weakening the resilience of communities to achieve sustainable development.

A major focus of States during the APFSD is the overwhelming focus on private sector and corporate bodies led development including on financing for development at the national and sub-national context without adhering to human rights based development. The application of the human rights based approach to development; focusing on compliance to development effectiveness principles and upholding accountability of development stakeholder like the corporate bodies are hardly mentioned during the official discourse, both for national level implementation and also for review process at the Voluntary National Review at UN High Level Political Forum. The private sector focus in development, such as through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) facilitated human rights violations, including land grabbing, displacement of indigenous peoples and those in rural areas,  adversely impacting women and children. Private sector entities involved in development cooperation must adhere to all development justice, effective development cooperation, and Human Rights principles and norms, international labor standards and adopt international transparency and accountability norms. Any public-private or public-public engagements need to include communities depending on natural resources for their survival.

Critical structural changes and concrete actions to address the multi-dimensional nature of poverty experienced by indigenous peoples and ways to protect their land tenure are not sufficiently addressed in SDGs implementation plans. The realities within indigenous peoples land and challenges in achieving SDGs such as the pursuance of extractive industries, hydropower projects, infrastructure projects and impacts etc should be reversed. Securing customary and collective land rights of indigenous peoples and reversing the current unsustainable development model pursued in their territories is necessary to achieve the SDGs. All forms of undemocratic and militaristic forms of development should be stopped. Addressing the systematic barrier of realizing SDGs, ranging from unjust trade, FTAs, militarism, Land grabbing and corporatization of indigenous peoples’ land is indispensable to realize SDGs.

Mr. Surichai, Director, Peace and Conflict, Chulalongkorn University stressed the urgency of collective efforts of global community to save the planet next generation. He also rightful opined that shrinking space of civil societies will undermine efforts to save future and to promote sustainable Development.

By destroying peoples land and livelihood sources and aggravating climate change, the resilience of communities to cope up with the changing environment will be weakened significantly and destroyed.  The current focus of UN, States and other development stakeholders to build up a resilient society for sustainable development is possible only with the full recognition of the full and effective participation of the rights holders, including indigenous peoples and recognizing their intrinsic relationship with their land and their rights and role in Sustainable Development.